Is it an art? It certainly feels like it at times. Diary management is crucial for staying organised and maximising productivity. These are my favourite tips for keeping on top of it all.
Go Digital
I love a pretty planner as much as the next person (that's a very on brand Norfolk Filofax in the photo 😂) but we live it in a digital world....keep the Filofax for your notes and 'big sky' planning and go digital for the day to day diary management.
Digital Calendars have features such as reminders, can easily be shared with others and synchronised across all your devices.
Keep it all together
Consolidate all your appointments, meetings and deadlines in one calendar. This gives you a comprehensive view of your schedule. If linked to a booking form*, adding an appointment into your calendar will automatically block that time out of the booking form as well.
*booking pages are available with both Microsoft and Google and really do put an end to the ping pong effect when arranging appointments. I highly recommend setting one up.
Go Colourful
Use colour-coding for different categories e.g. work, personal, meetings so you can see at a glance if you need to prioritise tasks.
Be Realistic
If using the time blocking method, make sure you allocate a realistic time for each task. Avoid adding too much to your schedule and bare in mind you may have travel time and potential delays which should be factored in.
Buffer Up
Allowing a little buffer time between appointments will help if meetings run over slightly or there is an unexpected delay.
Remember to Set the Reminder
I find it really irritating when I get a reminder before every single item on my calendar but it's so helpful to set these for important appointments or deadlines.
In Sync
Make sure you have all your devices synchronised so that you can access and update your schedule wherever you are.
Be Your Own Flexible Friend
Nothing is written in stone, sometimes plans need to be adjusted slight. Be flexible and ready to adapt to unexpected changes.
Top Tip
If you are sharing your calendar with other members of the team, you can change the settings so that it is 'view only'.
Remember, effective diary management is a skill that improves with practice. Experiment with different strategies and find a routine that works best for you.
What works for me?
I use my Microsoft Outlook calendar that is synchronised across my laptop, iPad and phone. Other than birthdays that come through from my contact list and are listed on the iCalendar, I add everything via my Outlook account. As this is linked to my Microsoft Booking Form page I know that by doing this, I won't get double booked.
We do have a family calendar attached to the fridge and I've scheduled a reminder on my To Do List to update this once a month.
Remember, effective diary management is a skill that improves with practice. Experiment with different strategies and find a routine that works best for you.
Comments