Many of my clients will ask – should I use an electronic or digital calendar? My answer – I don’t care, just use one!
Early in my career as a time strategy visionary, I felt to be consistent with the image I was trying to project, I needed to use a digital calendar. I allowed myself 3 months to learn the new technology and fully embrace the options that were now available to me that weren’t available using a paper calendar.
However, what I found was I became frustrated with the process.
My primary processing modality is tactile. This means I learn best when I can write, touch, and feel. To think, I must have a pencil in my hand. (Not just any pencil – but a Bic #2 mechanical pencil with .7 mm lead!) Without the ability to physically cross items off my to-do list, write down appointments, and tangibly block off units of time . . . I was less efficient.
Plus – I do much of my scheduling while I’m on the phone – and how can I schedule on the phone and talk on the phone at the same time?
Then I remembered, “The road to success is always under construction.” ~Lily Tomlin. So, I switched back to a paper calendar. Personally, I like the Planner Pad calendars.
Regardless of which type of calendar you use, I recommend looking for one with the following components:
- Month at a glance – This allows you to see if you’ve overscheduled yourself and where open blocks of time are available to schedule tasks and appointments. Personally, I limit my evening presentations and appointments to 2 each week. I also use a 6 hour block of time each week to create new products and presentations. This is much easier to implement when I can view the entire month at once.
- Day at a glance – Having the hours of the day already written into your planner makes it easier to schedule tasks at specific times. Blocking activities together by type is much simpler when you can see the open slots of time in your day.
- To-do list – For simplicity it’s useful to have your to-do list built into your calendar. You can identify your top priorities for the day, week, and month – then schedule these priorities immediately into your calendar.
What criteria do you use when choosing a calendar? What type of calendar do you use? What’s your favorite “The road to success is always under construction” story? Please post below!
I use both. I love my paper calendar to write appointments and scribble notes and I use my google calendar to see a month at a glance and – more importantly – to receive notifications about when I need to leave the house… I wouldn’t want to be without either of them!
Angelika –
So glad you have found a system that works for you! Do you ever find that you have an appointment in one calendar but not the other?
Lisa
Yes, I once made an appointment just via my phone and a few days before the appointment found out, I was already booked for something else but forgot to transfer it to my google calendar. Luckily, I found out in time!!!
Angelika –
Thanks goodness! Though I’m a firm believer in only using 1 calendar – for my clients that insist on using two – I urge them to get into the habit of comparing both calendars at the end of every evening. A 5 minutes check can save tons of embarrassment and scrambling when you accidentally double book!
Lisa
I can so relate to this: I can only think when I have a pencil in my hand. hahaha! So tru :)
Yeah! Always comforting to know I’m not alone!
Lisa
I’ve always thought I should use an electronic calendar – I do everything else on my phone or laptop, but I just keep coming back to my trusty planner. Great post, I agree with the three necessities!
Bethany –
Classics are a classic for a reason! I love my paper calendar! What types of things do you keep on your phone and laptop?
Lisa
I’m just constantly on them, using Twitter, Tumblr, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc….Facebook events also send me phone notifications, which is helpful if I don’t put them in my planner!
Perfection! I love automatic notifications!!!!
Lisa
I too am a pencil-loving paper planner! I use google calendar to keep track of firm appointments and collaborate with others, while my “planners,” which I really use as trackers help me to revisit and reevaluate my priorities, plan my projects, and brainstorm ways of changing processes as needed. Thanks for your post!
Shelley –
Seems like you have a fabulous system going! How often do you revisit and reevaluate your priorities? I find I check-in once a week – then do a longer planning session at the end of each month.
Lisa
Lisa,
I DO re-evaluate weekly, and it’s nice to be able to take a look at any time when the unexpected happens!
Shelley –
Agreed . . . weekly, monthly, and yearly are my big “planned” times to evaluate my progress. Then – I also do a “oh my goodness it feels like things are going crazy” evaluation as needed!
Lisa
Lisa I read this post yesterday, got out the ipad to start updating calender and it just wasn’t working. So I shifted to a diary with week view and starting updating it using some of your hints. This morning I was easily able to tick things off add extras and work with it. Thank you so much for offering a variety of ideas to try
Lorelle –
Your comment has made my day! I’m thrilled you found success using my calendar tip! Keep up the great awareness and implementation! You are awesome!
Lisa
I have this problem… I love office supplies. Planners included. Recently (this year) I’m using the Family Planner, but not as intended. I’ve found that I’m not utilizing the weekly pages, but mostly the monthly pages. I do like the to do lists and meal planning. I’m looking for something else for next year but I’m indecisive about it.
I have a hard time sticking to one thing. I use my outlook at work, which doesn’t sync to anything. My google calendar on my phone, and my paper calendar for everything. (Sometimes I have 3 going – to include a full year wall calendar.)
I have yet to find anything I LOVE enough to stick with. I may go back to my daytimer but i feel it’s a bit bulky and doesn’t give me enough space.
It’s enough to drive me crazy. :-) Almost.
Tracie –
I’m a big believer in ONE calendar! Otherwise, you could find yourself double scheduling – or spending a lot of time transferring appointments from one to another. Personally, I like Planner Pad. However, you can also create your own – run copies – and 3 hole punch. The time it takes to create a calendar you love may be worth it in the end . . .
Lisa
Hi Lisa! I use Google’s web based calendar. I love it bc I can color code it, which allows me to not only include my biz items, but also my kids activities, bills, etc. It’s like having 10 calendars in one!
Julie –
Perfection! That is one of my favorite options for clients that 1) like electronic and 2) are managing multiple people. Thanks for the comment!
Lisa
I used a paper calendar for the longest time, but I recently switched over to Google calendar a few months after I started my business. When people schedule appointments through my website, it automatically gets scheduled onto my Google calendar, so it’s just easier to keep track of it that way.
I also use your idea of writing down daily tasks on a post it note. As I go through the day, I write down things I need to do within the next 24 hours on a post it. Then once it’s done, I throw away the post it. Now you have me wondering if I should start recording more of what I do into my calendar.
Thanks for the information. :)
Keri
Yeah – you are building awareness around your activities – I’m so excited!!!! What would you gain by writing more in your calendar? Once you can answer that question – you should know whether or not your current Post-It note system needs tweaked! I appreciate your comment!
Lisa
I\’m old school and like to use a good old fashioned paper calendar!
Carol –
Thrilled to find a like minded lady! :)
Lisa
Love this tips, Lisa! Your insight was very timely ;) I often bounce back and forth from electronic to written calendars, and was just about to make another bounce. But you’re so right! I’m a tactile person. It’s not about electronic or written. It’s about creating a habit of writing in the written calendar!
Samantha –
It is all about the habit! Once we have the habit of using a calendar, then we can always look for ways to be more efficient. But change, just for the sake of change, really doesn’t do us much good! Thanks for stopping by!
Lisa
I use an electronic calendar for appointments. But for things to do, writing goals, ideas, etc. I also find that the paper works better in how it sticks to my mind. Somehow things start rolling better, ideas and goals become action steps :)
Delia –
Nothing like pencil (or pen) on paper for ideas to start to take shape for me! :) Thanks for the comment!
Lisa
Thanks Lisa, I use my smartphone calendar for most stuff. Both for appointments and for notes actually. The note thing might not be the best – I do have Evernote on my mobile which might be better for notes – so thanks I will change my way of doing things and put my notes in Evernote instead.(the stuff I put in Evernote can be opened from my computor as well so I don’t have to double up)
Eva
Thrilled you found value in this post and you are going to make a tweak in your existing system. Let me know how it goes!
Lisa
I use both, or may I say I use 3 methods, I know a waste of time. But I like to keep things neat. So usually I scribble things down and then I transfer them to my calendars. Dates that are a good ways away I like to put them in my electronic calendar and transfer it as it get closer to my desk calendar. Agree what ever works.
Margaret
Don’t fix what isn’t broke. If you like the way your system works, why fix it? Just having an awareness that this may be “a waste of time ” may help you tweak your system. Thanks for stopping by.
Lisa
For work I use an electronic calendar for meetings, deadlines etc. For day to day to-do tasks, I use a paper based diary. I’m with you, I love the look, feel, touch method. It’s just a matter of finding what works for you.
Jen
Agreed, find what works for you, then evaluate and tweak until it’s super effective. Thanks for the comment.
Lisa
While I absolutely love the internet, my smartphone, tablet etc I couldn’t survive without my good old-fashioned paper wall calendar! I can just glance up from my desk and see everything straight away; no need to scroll down, or find I’ve run out of battery, or can’t find my phone, or like someone mentioned above, how can you talk on the phone and schedule in at the same time? I also rely heavily on paper To Do lists and love crossing things off in ink not just deleting them.
Phoebe –
Your comment makes me giggle – as everything you have written I agree with completely! The satisfaction I receive from physically crossing something off the list could not be replaced with a little electronic check mark or touching the delete button!
Lisa
I have a combination of calendars. I use a monthly calendar that is on my wall next to my desk, and I have a mead daily organizer with the hours of the day already written in so I can make appointments really easily. I carry my organizer every where I go then transfer to my wall calendar when I get home.
I carry my organizer with me everywhere also!!!
I use a fair number of electronic tools, but my most useful tool is still my paper-based planner.
The planner is unique in that I rarely order the printed refills for it anymore. They simply do not work for me. I am not in an office working anymore. I am “retired”, but I am still busy. I have a life filled with things to remember, to do, places to go, an people to see, errands and more. My paper planner gets the information first. At the end of the day I go to the computer, hook up the phone and the tablet to their respective USB ports and update everything very quickly. My online calendar of choice is COZI because it will update to my email and to the electronic devices all at the same time without having them connected.
For the paper planner, I need a two-page spread monthly calendar, followed by enough weekly planning pages for each month. My daily planning combines two things: My “routines” a-la-Flylady, and whatever appears on the calendars and reminders. My daily plan is written the night before I plan to do whatever it is that needs doing (following my routines).
Hi Dianne
Thanks for stopping by and writing such an AWESOME comment! My routine mirrors yours, except I lay out my plan for the week, and adjust as needed nightly. What is your favorite routine?
Lisa