It may sound easy to do on the surface, but calendar management is truly an art form if you use it to manage your entire life. For many, calendars are much more than just jotting down appointments or gazing over notes to avoid overbooking yourself on certain days or time. It is a way to keep your days running smoothly, staying organized, and learning how to remediate unexpected pop-up things that life throws at you. Mastering this skill is not a one size fits all scenario, but if you follow the common tips from avid calendar enthusiasts, then you should be well on your way to establishing great calendar and life balance efficiency.

1. Schedule Everything 

Whatever you are doing or planning on doing, schedule it, both personally and professionally. And not just for the day; plan out weeks ahead. It might sound excessive, but having this initial structure can keep you focused and prepared for what will come each day. You can still move things around as other priorities pop up, but you will at least have a good foundation to start with. 

TIP: One of the most important things that people don’t schedule is their physical fitness. If you add your workout to your calendar, it makes it more difficult to say ‘I don’t have time’.

2. Use Color Coding 

Color coding your tasks is proven to increase productivity and save time because it is a quick way for you to differentiate between your daily to-do list based on the colors. For example, use orange for creative tasks, red for work-related tasks, green for personal tasks, and blue for things that require you to express yourself. 

3. Eat That Frog

No, don’t really eat a frog. This is a phrase meaning to prioritize your day with your most important or challenging task first. That way, when you finish it, the rest of your day will be easier, and you will feel satisfied knowing that you conquered the most important items first.

4. Factor in Unstructured Time

Think of unstructured time as not really downtime per se, but as a way for you to think, learn, construct, and use for reserved areas in case unexpected urgent tasks pop up. By putting in an hour or two of buffer, you can move things around much more easily than if you were completely booked back to back. 

5. Don’t Forget to Schedule Free Time

As busy as your life may be, don’t forget to add in some free time each day to replenish yourself. This is important for your overall wellbeing so you can fulfill your calendared tasks as optimally as possible. Remember, you cannot tackle things if you have no steam left in you.  

Wrap Up

Take some time to go over your own calendar and test out the tips provided above. See where you can improve, leverage your calendar to your advantage, and understand how certain aspects can benefit your life. In summary, it is your responsibility to manage and spend your time, and a calendar is a powerful tool to keep you on track. When you learn how to maximize its potential, you will be surprised at just how much more productive you will become. 

Your vision board will be beneficial in planning your goals for the next 12 months. Once you have a gameplan and a goal board…creating your calendar will become an easy task.