Introduction

Every organizer contains a calendar section. This is the repository for your appointments, deadlines, holidays, birthdays etc. It gives you a wide view of your day, week, month or year.

It is important for you, and your career to manage your calendar. People associate punctuality with responsibility and reliability. Some people make appointments and forget them. These people are not remembered in a favorable light.

You can risk missing important work and non-work events without a well managed calendar. It is also important to have a place in which to write down appointments, meetings, events and tasks. Just remember when you make an appointment, don't agree on it until you have confirmed that your calendar is clear for that time period.

When you plan your day, you do so by checking your calendar for the events, tasks and meetings you have scheduled. This is one way to keep yourself organized, on track and punctual.

If you use a PDA or Smartphone as your calendar, (or as your calendar,) automate reminders of appointments and meetings. Electronic calendars can often automate repeated tasks making the art of being organized even easier.

How to Use Your Calendar

There are three primary purposes to use your calendar.

  • Appointments and Meetings. This helps to prevent conflicts in your scheduling.
  • Milestones. These can be anniversaries, birthdays, goal achievements etc.
  • Future "to-do" items. These can be for tasks that are scheduled a month or more out.

The whole trick is to record everything and always use your calendar to guide your day. All it takes is about ten minutes at the beginning of your work day to review your calendar and organized your day. The most difficult part of your organizing habit is to record everything. The following are some additional tips to help you stay organized by using your calendar.

Meetings and Events

Nothing hurts a reputation more than missing a meeting or event with a client or fellow co-workers, (worse yet if some of those people depending on you being there are in management.) Being reliable shows responsibility and with responsibility comes career advancement. Being on time demonstrates this responsibility and projects an image of reliability to the people you work with.

Use your calendar to log all of your appointments and meetings and don't commit to an appointment until you have checked your calender for any conflicts. It is important to not rely on your memory. Your calendar is the right tool for logging your appointments and meetings, not your brain.

Work and Life Balance

Work and life balance is important. Use your calendar to note all of your personal commitments as well, be it family, doctors appointments, birthdays, volunteer work etc.

Keep With The Rhythm

Both you and your company have a rhythm. Your personal rhythm is knowing when you are at your peak during the work day and when you tend to wind down or are at a lower productivity rate. Learn your rhythm and if possible plan accordingly. If you find you are more mentally active in the morning hours, plan tasks that require you to use your brain more and then save the lower productivity times for your less "brain active" tasks.

Your company's rhythm may come throughout the year. Some companies are more active during the Summer season, some during the holidays. Some organizations, such as educational institution rhythms ebb and flow with changing semesters. It is important to know your company's rhythm as well and prepare for peak business times versus lower "down" times.