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Everyone has a calendar, but really how skilled are we at using it? Having written a book, Simplify Your Time, I'd like to share 10 hot and practical tips you need to know and apply NOW.
- Begin by penciling in all the events, appointments, and due dates you know you have coming up. Neatly use the top of the daily square for mornings, the middle for noon, and the bottom for evening activities.
- Calendar in all the birthdays, anniversaries, and vacation days for the year. Don't miss these important events to celebrate with family and friends.
- Limit the number of nights out on the weekend to one or two out of the three (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday). This will keep you from being tired on Mondays.
- Balance the number of weeknights (Monday-Thursday) to no more than two, especially if you have demanding day responsibilities.
- Offer two alternative times when turning down a commitment.
- Mark "Free Choice" as an evening or weekend event at least once or twice a week to spend it as you wish.
- Diagonally mark off passed date boxes while reflecting if it was time well spent.
- Find your balance of work and pleasure events and be sure to include both kinds of events on your evenings and weekends.
- Stop the craziness by putting a big X on one commitment on a particularly busy day.
10. Circle times with friends and family that are highlights of your week.
The busier your life, the more precise you need to be in your calendaring. And the more people that are dependent on you, the more you need to coordinate with them. For family "meetings" serve dessert or pizza on Sunday nights and talk over the two weeks ahead with calendars and pen in hand. At work, get together at weekly meetings and coordinate your schedules.
TODAY'S QUOTE:
Since time is not flexible, the first step in creating smoother days is to control your calendar in a more purposeful manner. Plan ahead from morning until night (vertically) for each day and pace yourself for the week and month head (horizontally). Conquer your problem areas and celebrate your improvements.
—Marcia Ramsland, Author
Simplify Your Life: Get Organized and Stay that Way!
Finding more time to relax and enjoy life begins in one place - your calendar. Make sure your calendar reflects the lifestyle you want to live. My motto is "If you can't fit it in your calendar for one day, you can't live it." Lighten up and make this one of your best years. Happy New Year!
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Marcia Ramsland is well known as "The Organizing Pro" for her practical skills and tips to manage busy lives. She is a speaker, author, and media guest expert appearing on TV, radio, and in national magazines for her popular books Simplify Your Life, Simplify Your Time, and Simplify Your Holidays (Thomas Nelson). Visit her website, www.organizingpro.com for free tips.
FEATURE ARTICLES: Marcia Ramsland, speaker and author, writes magazine articles for consumer and trade organizations. Request a special article by e-mailing or calling her through the contact information below.
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"I have realized that the stress I have been feeling at work was because I hadn't fully implemented this system (Calendar file, To Do file, etc..) and I was getting majorly bogged down with paper. .. I'm feeling so much more successful and "together" because of your book. I remember you showing me how to do this and talking to you about it in person, but reading it and having it in my hands to hash over and highlight helpful parts has solidified it for me! I love having the reference at my fingertips."
~ Holly Sandefur, Teacher
San Diego, California
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| FROM ANOTHER READER |
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"Thank you so much for writing such an inspiring book!!!! My husband and I have been married for two years and unfortunately our parents did not teach us simple systems to run our lives. Thank you for inspiring me to de-clutter and organize! My husband got a bad cut yesterday, went into the bathroom cabinet and was pleasantly surprised to be able to find hydrogen peroxide, band-aids, and Neosporin- organized and ready for use! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" ~
Melissa Gamble· Tulsa, Oklahoma
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