Tips + Tricks to Get Your Schedule Under Control
People are always tell me how organized I must be since we have six kids and I have my fingers in all sorts of stuff.
Know what I whisper back? “Don’t say that in front of my husband or he’ll die laughing.”
I’m not, you guys. I’m just not mega-organized in all aspects of my life. The biggest source of struggle for me?
Scheduling.
But guess what…I have some fantastic tips on how to get a grip on it all!
Our kids after-school sports/activities schedule is on a separate calendar on my phone but I needed something for the every-day.
You know, so I don’t schedule trips on days they don’t have school, or don’t double book a doctor appointment on the same day I have a speaking engagement, that sort of thing. I needed to get a better grasp on things because I was drowning in double-bookings and scheduling things poorly, which wasn’t allowing me to accomplish all I needed to do.
Maybe you’re the same.
Or perhaps it’s not work-stuff that’s bogging you down, but mom-hood in general (hand raised here!!). You know, things as simple as scheduling a get-together the night before your son’s huge science project was due (oops). Or maybe being excited your mother-in-law was coming to visit before realizing it was finals week for your oldest and they would be holed-up studying the whole time and not able to play.
A few months ago, my sweet friend Lindsay Sherbondy (also known as Lindsay Letters) sent me a wall calendar unlike any I’ve ever had. A wall calendar? That’s it? That’s your amazing organizing tool?? (**yawn**) I’ve had one since high school.
No! No you haven’t!
This is different…and so is how Lindsay taught me to use it.
But here’s the thing: it’s not just what we use…but how we use it!
First of all, let’s talk about how pretty it is. Everything Linds makes is like the prettiest thing you’ve ever seen. So there’s that. But you also have an opportunity to select all sorts of options so it fits perfectly in your space AND perfectly fits your needs.
weekly, monthly, yearly, quarterly, seasonal
kids schedule, kitchen (with foodie illustrations), traditional
calligraphy or typography
vertical or horizontal
wall-peels or framed (PS there are TONS of different framing and sizing options)
huge-sized, tiny-sized
big budget, small budget
Are you freaking out about all the options yet? I know…how do you choose, right?!
But here’s the great part: Unlike most calendars that are made of paper, this one is covered in plexiglas which means it basically lasts forever (there is also a wall-peel option, check that out too!).
After the month, quarter, year, or whatever, is over…you simply wipe it clean and start afresh!
Ok ready for some tips on how to use it to stay mega-organized??
tips:
I certainly like that dry erase and wet erase markers can be used for different purposes but what I LOVE is the ability to use more than just pens to help me remember various things. Because of the way my brain works, other materials such as washi tape, post-it notes, tags, etc easily pulls my eye toward exactly what needs to be done and highlighted… basically separating or classifying various projects and topics.
Want to understand better what I’m talking about?
Head to this quick little video and see what I mean!
What do you think? Was that helpful? I sure hope so…because it’s truly been invaluable for me! And if you’re wondering, my calendar is The Quarter Cal.
I don’t have a ton scheduled for the rest of September but I know there’s a lot of travel, etc coming up in October and November so I went ahead and started those months a little early to make sure I’m set up for success!
Also…
If you haven’t already fallen in love with Lindsay’s crazy-creativity (and her dry humor…she’s just so fun. Check out her IGstories)…then I’m so excited to have changed your life for the better.
Head here to see more of her AMAZING hand lettering and artwork!
