Muscle and Fitness Hers Forums - View topic - Scheduling

Anne-Marie

Hi there - I'm just realizing that all this time I've relied on my (admittedly fabulous) memory for getting things done... but now that I have a husband who barely remembers anything longer than 5 minutes, I'd like to get things out of my head and into the open.

How do you schedule things, keep your family informed, give yourself enough time, that kind of thing? When I was growing up, my mom had a calendar by the phone and she would write in initials and times for Dr's appointments, but by the time we were 9 or so it got harder to keep track of everyone as we might be at a friends place or doing sports and need a ride etc and what if she had to work late or something...

How do you guys do it? Not just appointments, but anything you think might be relevant. I'm really curious!!

Stonehenge68 · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 8:36 am Post subject:

Outlook can be fabulous for home as well as work. My only problem is I have jerky people in my life who use my computer at home, close out Outlook, and then I never get the notices! But when I was the only person on the computer, it worked great.

I have an ongoing 'to do' list and grocery list in my my new notebook/motivation book.

I've also emailed myself from work or home and left the emails in the inbox til whatever it was got done. I might do this individually, "Put winter cap in bag!" or make a list on a Word document on my work desktop and send it at the end of the work day to myself at my personal address.

I also have a calendar on the refrigerator.

kelbro · Posted: Mon Oct 26, 2009 9:37 am Post subject:

I have one of those large calendars in my kitchen. I can fit everything for my husband (shift work schedule), two kids (from school to activities) and myself (work schedule and meetings) or anything else on it! I, too, like to email myself sometimes, especially if I want my husband to see it too!

Good luck!

helenyeoman · Site Admin

Hey, Anne-Marie!!

I have always been a list-maker...to the EXTREME, lol!!! Granted, I don't have a family, but I find that my approach does help me to stay very organized and rarely do things slip through the cracks.

I think the first important point is to CONSOLIDATE. The more spread out your lists, calendars, schedules are, etc., the more confusing it will become.

I strongly suggest using just ONE calendar that remains in ONE permanent location on which both you and your husband can jot down appointments, events, work schedules, etc. This way you both are looking at the same thing and on the same page.

Now, here is where I get really anal, lol!! I kind of plan my life a month at a time. For example, Nov. 1st lands on a SUNDAY...perfect!!! I will sit down on Sunday and figure out everything I would like to try and do during the month of November. This includes daily activities such as exercising, social events such as birthdays to celebrate, weekly errands such as going to the grocery store and special appointments such as getting my car maintenanced or my hair cut, etc. It may help for you to list things based on whether or not it's a daily activity, like exercise, weekly activity, like grocery shopping or monthly/less regular activity, like going to the doctor.

Once you have your NOVEMBER list compiled, then it's time to break it down by week. I simply stick a number next to the items, ranging from 1 to 4. I'm going to exercise every week so it doesn't need a number or could have (1-4) written next to it. But say, I'm going to get my hair cut. I could stick a 3 next to it so that I will get my hair cut on the third week of the month, if that's the week that works best. I try to space these tasks out so that everything is balanced. Can you tell I'm a Libra?!!

Now, once your NOVEMBER list is complete, you should stick this in one permanent location, perhaps near your calendar.

Next, you take a notebook/planner, whatever you prefer, that is big enough to accomodate your needs but small enough to carry with you every day!!! In this planner, you will plan your first week based off of your NOVEMBER list. I like to title the page, "Week of Nov. 2-8" (I plan Mon. thru Sun.) Then off of the NOVEMBER list, I will write down everything with a 1 next to it. There's no need in worrying about the items with 2-4 next to them because you've already accounted for them and will get to them in the upcoming weeks. Smile

Once you've listed all of the tasks to be done in the first week, it's time to break it down again.

Next to each item you've listed, you can put (M,T,W,H,F, Sat. or Sun.) next to it or some combination of the above. For example, with exercise, I would put (M-Sun.) because I will plan to exercise every day that week. For Bank, I'll just put (F) since that's when I get paid. Smile

I'm sure you see where I'm going with this so complete listing which days you will accomplish which tasks on this WEEKLY list.

Now, turn the page and title it "Monday, Nov. 2nd", and you guessed it, list everything from your WEEKLY list with an (M) next to it. You now have your TO DO list for the day that you may carry with you. Feel free to number the items in order of importance or execution whichever you feel helps you best. You can cross things off the list as you complete them throughout the day. You don't have to worry about forgetting things because you've already accounted for them on your monthly or weekly list AND scheduled a day or week in which to complete them!!! And if something new comes up, I simply jot it down on my daily list then add it to my calendar when I get home.

Each night before I go to bed, I prepare my list for the next day, based off of the WEEKLY list and off of my calendar so that I can just hit the ground running when I wake up. I already know what needs to be done! Smile

Each Sunday night, I use my MONTHLY list to prepare the list for the following week. The last Sunday of every month is when I prepare my list for the following month. It's a pretty logical pattern and a good way to execute both longer term and short term goals. I'm sure if you wanted to make a list for the YEAR, you could, but I just kind of keep my MAJOR yearly goals in the back of my head. Smile

Now, before I stop rambling, I am realistic enough to know that life throws curveballs all the time, and you have to be flexible and go with the flow. That's why I like to keep my list on me so that I can adjust and readjust my schedule as the day and week proceed. My hairstylist is out of town on week 3?!! Alright, I'll just move it to week 4 and do whatever I was going to do in week 4 in week 3 instead, if possible.

These lists should NOT dictate your life, as I have had to learn with age and time. But they can certainly act as helpful guidelines to keep you organized!!! Smile

Feel free to contact me if you have any questions! Smile

All my best!!

Helen

Anne-Marie · Posted: Fri Oct 30, 2009 8:08 pm Post subject:

Helen, you are amazing!! Thanks so much for explaining all of that. To become that organized will take some baby-steps, but it is so well laid-out that I can easily see what I need to do to make one improvement/change at a time!! And the other suggestions made by others (thank you all!) fit right in!!!

helenyeoman · Site Admin

Yes, please don't let it overwhelm you, Anne-Marie.

I don't know how I became this way, but I started making lists like this when I was in middle school, if not sooner. I was always so involved in things that I would easily get frustrated by spreading myself too thin. I needed a way to keep everything straight, and this is just what developed and made sense to me. I like to spend a few minutes each day organizing so that I don't WORRY about it for the rest of the day/week/month, etc.

gfraast · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 8:23 am Post subject:

wow helen, and i though I am crazy Laughing

i have one paper calendar and i have a to do list on my mobile...some to-dos i put in my calendar also, and without my calendar and my mobile i would be lost Laughing

i put in birthdays, when to work out, what to buy when, whom to call when, whom to e-mail when etc....i'm also a list maker...i love ticking off to-do lists Laughing

Anne-Marie · Posted: Mon Nov 02, 2009 11:10 am Post subject:

Helen - I am just starting my list(s). A little hitch though - the cat would like to help. Very Happy

helenyeoman · Site Admin

Oh, I never factored in a cat in that I've always had dogs. But pets should ALWAYS be allowed input, I believe, haha!!!!

Hope you're doing well!!

Anne-Marie · Posted: Sat Nov 07, 2009 5:00 am Post subject:

So far it's really working well for me. For one thing, I don't get overwhelmed with my entire future all at once, I spread it out over time. Also, I learned a while ago that if something stays on your list for a long time, think about why... and for me 1 think isn't that important after all, and another I need help with. The rest I only have to adjust if I don't know what's involved and have to break it down into steps - like getting my tram pass, in Holland you have to provide your own pic so when I went to buy mine I couldn't until I first went and got a pic. So that was more than I thought, but still doable!

I'm noticing that my house is much tidier, which I find very relaxing. My husband has helped a couple of times when I felt tired or that my list for the day was too long by pointing out what was REALLY on the list and asking if something could wait, etc. Plus actually doing a few things too. I'm also not feeling so 'behind' with my life!

So, it's early days, but off to a good start!!

helenyeoman · Site Admin

That's so great to hear, Anne-Marie!! It sounds as though you are approaching things very realistically which is good. The lists are meant to help reduce stress not increase it so it sounds like you are really moving forward nicely!!! Smile

I've noticed that with my own lists if something stays on there forever it's either because it's a big project that will take a long time to complete or it's just not a top priority which I can live with. Smile

I'd rather focus on the most important things and most enjoyable things first, haha!! Smile

Valens · Posted: Sat Nov 14, 2009 7:54 pm Post subject: Stephen R. Covey

Anne-Marie,

I went to a Stephen R. Covey planning seminar in the 1990's. The company I worked for felt it was so valuable that it trained every employee. The incorporated planning system is very similar to Helen's scheduling method. The seminar included a planner kit and taught prioritization skills. The beauty of the planner is that it does a lot of the work for you by being a specialized tool. In general, you should only need to do the big exercises, like determining your values and developing your mission statement, very rarely. I'm still working with the same mission statement that I developed during that seminar. Creating a mission statement sounds hokey, but if you do it right it really does help you base your planning and daily decisions on your life values and priorities. The Covey system has since been purchased by Franklin. The new business is called FranklinCovey. The planning systems have merged styles, but the Covey "Seven Habits" pages are still similar to the original Covey system.

Planner = Planning Pages + Binder ... (They also have electronic versions of the planner, but I think it's easiest to start slowly and cheaply with paper. The key is the how-to instruction on using the planner.)

Planning Pages ("Classic" is the most popular size. I still use a paper system rather than electronic one. Because I know the Covey Seven Habits method, I'm comfortable substituting other FranklinCovey planning pages, based on what design appeals to me. I've tried several. My current favorite is Cornerstone. Start out using the "Seven Habits" pages, until you know the method well.)

http://shopping.franklinplanner.com/shopping/catalog/productpaper.jsp?navAction=push&crc=cat960026&navCount=0&id=prod420035

http://shopping.franklinplanner.com/shopping/catalog/category.jsp?id=cat2310014&crc=cat960026&crc=cat960012&id=cat2310014

Planner Holder (Start with this cheaper vinyl binder, until you decide to commit to the system. I graduated to a zipped leather binder that I've had since 2001. I love the zippered version because it feels more secure.)

http://shopping.franklinplanner.com/shopping/catalog/productbinder.jsp?navAction=push&crc=cat30007&navCount=0&id=prod81

This is the book that is the inspiration behind the planning system.

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People

Habit 1: Be Proactive
Habit 2: Begin with the End in Mind
Habit 3: Put First Things First
Habit 4: Think Win-Win
Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood
Habit 6: Synergize
Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

https://www.stephencovey.com/7habits/7habits-habit1.php

http://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/0743269519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258236023&sr=1-1

http://www.amazon.com/Habits-Highly-Effective-People/dp/0743269519/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1258238249&sr=1-1

Anne-Marie · Posted: Sun Nov 15, 2009 6:49 am Post subject:

Valens, I haven't even finished reading yet, but I wanted to say that I *thought* your first line said you had been to a Steven Recovery meeting - like, for people who broke up with guys named Steve??? lol!!!!

LATER:
I actually have read most of Covey's books a couple of times, and I think they are great. One struggle I had/have is the mission statement etc as I feel very obligated to meet other's expectations (sometimes even the ones I imagine on their behalf) and my job has been in that kind of field as well (secretary/administrative support). So I feel that my time is not my own to control. I think that is the first step I am working on just now.

I really like the values-based approach - if it isn't 'worth' doing (have value) then don't!!!

helenyeoman · Site Admin

Valens, thanks so much!!! I forgot about this system, and I remember one of my old bosses telling me about it!! She showed me her planner and everything, ha ha!!!

To think of the fortune I could have made if only I came up with it first!!!!! Very Happy

And I could totally go to a Steven Recovery meeting, Anne-Marie!! I'm still trying to get over the fact that the famous Liverpool captain Steven Gerrard married a Barbie doll instead of me!!! Hee Hee!!! Smile

That should qualify me to attend one of these meetings, right??? Wink

Valens · Posted: Fri Nov 20, 2009 10:37 pm Post subject: