Regardless of the use you intend to make of your diary - personal, professional, for your social or academic life - and where you intend to keep it - in your pocket, in your school diary, on the wall like a calendar, on your computer or mobile phone - some general advice can help you keep a balance and organize yourself better.
Steps
Step 1. Choose the right agenda for you
There is not one suitable for everyone, however it is important to take into consideration some factors such as:
- Transportability. Do you have to take it with you to any meetings and meetings? If so, choose one that fits comfortably in your pocket or purse.
- Space to write. Unlike a decorative calendar, which you can choose for pretty images or funny writings, the diary you intend to use to mark your appointments should first of all have enough space for your notes.
- A format you like. There are agendas for the calendar year (January-December), for the school year (August-July), for those with a lot to write, which allow you to save space, daily, weekly and monthly. Buy it towards the end of the year or when students return to school, so you can find the one that suits you best.
- Space for related information. Do you need to attach a phone book or a list of books? Does it have to have pockets to store receipts? Any space for a to-do list or any personal notes?
- Visibility. Will it be the agenda of the whole family or do you prefer to keep it private and personal?
Step 2. Keep it handy and with a pen or pencil beside it
If you don't have it with you when you make appointments, you can't write them down or check if you already have other commitments. Whether it means keeping it in your purse or pinning it to the wall, make sure you have it with you:
- In the classroom.
- On your desk.
- Close to your phone.
- Wherever you open your mail.
- At meetings, meetings and outings.
- At any time.
Step 3. Write down your appointments and tasks as soon as you schedule them or come to mind
You can also write yourself some reminders in advance. Do you need to make reservations for August during the month of April? Could you save time by purchasing all the greeting cards you need at the same time? Record both of these events in the appropriate spaces on the agenda.
Step 4. Consult it regularly
Browse it every time you make a new engagement. Take a minute every morning or every evening (or, if you prefer, both times) to take a look at at least the next day or week. The daily consultation is also a great time to record all the commitments for a given day that you have not yet taken note of, and check for any interference.
Step 5. If you use an electronic diary on your computer or mobile phone, set up reminders so that they notify you of appointments well in advance
Most applications allow you to adjust the reminder time, so set it so that you have enough notice. Give yourself time to prepare an assignment or presentation and stop what you are doing to focus on your chores.
Create more than one event or reminder, in case you need to do several tasks. For example, set up a reminder to order the birthday cake a week before a party and another long enough to get ready, collect the cake, and get to the party on time
Step 6. If you use an electronic agenda, learn how to set up recurring tasks
Your wife's birthday and your parents' wedding anniversary always fall on the same day of the year. If you have a course or a meeting every Tuesday at three in the afternoon, or you have to pay the rent on the first day of each month, remember that your computer or mobile phone can notify you of a monthly, weekly or annual commitment.
Step 7. Share your diary - or some events you have recorded in it - with other people
Make sure that the event has a location, then send a notification to your colleagues or family to invite them. You can also share your entire agenda with them, so they know when you're busy.
Advice
- When moving on to the New Year's agenda, refer to the one of the year just past and report the birthdays or anniversaries you want to remember. Also take note of any commitment on an annual scale, even if you have not yet planned it exactly.
- Writing in pencil or keeping an electronic diary can make it easier to quickly change commitments.
- Test your agenda and your habits to see what works best for you.
- If you wish, use colors and stickers to draw your attention to certain points, to personalize it and make it more fun. There is no reason why it should be flat and boring.
- Keep a single agenda or, at most, one for you and one for your family. Having more than one will not make you more organized.
- Choose it in a bright color and place it in a visible place.
- The agenda can reduce your paper waste. If you receive material that will require your attention at a later time, only file the sheets you will still need. Make a note of the details in your diary, as well as the location where you filed the sheet in question.
- Plan your free time too. Everyone needs some free time to do what they want, to catch up on a few hours of sleep, to have fun and to be with friends and family. If you are very busy, write down the moments you want to dedicate to your free time in advance, so as to schedule them and not make other appointments.
