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	Scheduling And Planning -- Keeping on Track

	by Stephanie Calahan

Some people love scheduling and planning, while others would rather have dental work done! Keeping your day on TRACK can often times be a challenge in today's schedule hectic environment. The same planning methods do not work for everyone, because we are all DIFFERENT. We have provided 12 tips for you to choose from to make your day go smoother.

YOU CAN SAVE TIME IF YOU PLAN

It may seem that planning takes away from time you could be accomplishing something, but it's actually the exact opposite. Every minute that you spend PLANNING your day saves 3 to 5 minutes later on -- and every minute planning your week saves 5 to 15 minutes. This is because when you do finally get down to work, you are that much more FOCUSED and effective with your time.

IT ONLY TAKES 10 MINUTES

Take the last 10 minutes of your day to plan the next day. Ask yourself what your PRIORITIES are. Make sure you make time for those things that are truly important. You'll be amazed at how much more you will accomplish!

ONE CALENDAR PLEASE

Use only one calendar for scheduling, recording appointments and special dates. This will prevent you from FORGETTING something important because you had it on a different calendar. The only exception is a FAMILY calendar (usually kept on or by the fridge). Be sure you keep the family calendar up-to-date with the one you carry!

DON'T LET OTHERS RUN YOUR DAY

Your priorities may not match the priorities of others -- so be sure to have an understanding of where you want to focus for the day, especially when others come to you with requests that don't match your plans. This way, you can EVALUATE the situation and determine if you want to make the time for that new task or schedule it for a later time. And when you have unavoidable interruptions, you immediately know which task to RETURN to rather than returning without a plan. Good time managers do not allocate their time to those who "demand" it, but rather, to those who "deserve" it.

SCHEDULE RIGHT AWAY

When you are at a recurring appointment (like a dental cleaning or medical check up), make your NEXT appointment before you leave. This saves a phone call later and ensures you get an appointment at a day and time convenient for you.

BEAT PROCRASTINATION

Procrastination is generally caused by a sense of OVERWHELM -- a task that seems too big or scary to start. Break big projects into little bite-size pieces so it is not so overwhelming. Look at a 5-hour project as 5 one-hour projects or 10 half-hour projects.

LEAVE 25% OF YOUR DAY FREE FOR THE UNEXPECTED

Interruptions happen in our daily lives. If you FILL your entire schedule, then you don't have room for the unexpected. You never know when something important will come into your day. Leave yourself a little breathing space and these kinds of EMERGENCIES won't throw your schedule so badly off track.

ARE YOU OVERLOADED? CANCEL MOST OF YOUR DAY

If you are feeling overloaded, then cancel EVERY appointment except for the 3 or 4 most important activities on your calendar. Give yourself a little room to get caught up, back in control, and back on track.

UNDERSTAND YOUR BODY/TASK RHYTHM

It is important for you to understand your work rhythm. Do you like to work in long stretches or would you rather work in short bursts? Do you prefer to focus on one task until it is complete or hop back and forth between several projects? Once you understand how you are most PRODUCTIVE, schedule your day accordingly.

THREE QUESTIONS TO ASK YOURSELF

When planning your time, ask yourself the following questions to help you determine how to devote your time:

Is this something I could delegate/eliminate?
Is there some way I could do this in half the time?
Is this an objective that will truly make my life better/richer/fuller?

Focus more on what gives you SATISFACTION and less of what gives you negative (or no) rewards.

TAKE A MOMENT EACH DAY

Take a moment each day to be GRATEFUL. We often get clutter of the mind with all of the things we want to get done, all of the things we want to have, or all of the places we want to go. Remember to be grateful for all of the things that have been done, all of the things we do have and places we have gone. Take stock and keep things in PERSPECTIVE. It will help you face your obstacles as opportunities.

COMBINE YOUR TIME

Look for things you can do at the SAME time to save time and accomplish more. Walk your dog and you'll be exercising at the same time. Go to the park with a motivational tape, and you'll be relaxing and getting inspired simultaneously!

Stephanie Calahan is a professional organizer and speaker as well as founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. -- a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments. You may visit her website at www.calahansolutions.com.

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