#004 | Schedule to Gain Productivity

To some, my calendar may look intimidating with all the color-coded blocks and very little white space. To me, I gain focus and have a better plan for my day increasing my productivity.

I truly believe that if it's not on my schedule, then it doesn't get done...whatever "it" may be. 

I use a blend of both an old-fashioned paper calendar and my digital calendar to help me plan and prioritize. I think using a blend of both is beneficial and here's why.

Using a paper calendar seems to be more tangible. It can help you gain an overall picture of the big stuff. It's great for goal setting. When you write down milestone goals on a paper calendar and keep it out and handy to frequently review, it's a perfect visual to help you stay on target.

I use a monthly planner and look at the coming year and the first thing I schedule are my trips or major family/personal events. By writing them down on the calendar, the level of importance has been elevated. My mindset shifts from "maybe someday" to "the time will be here soon."

Then, I move the major events from my wall calendar into my digital calendar to plan out more detailed events. Even if you are a technology-challenged individual, I think it's important to implement a digital calendar in your systems because it will position you for delegating some scheduling tasks in the future. 

For example, Norma on my team reviews my appointments on my calendar for the week and will send email confirmations for my meetings. Only on rare occasions, she may need clarification. We have a system of communication through my digital calendar that I've shared with her. The number of no-shows or misunderstandings about meeting times and dates have been greatly reduced. My productivity increased!

You may wonder why I don't confirm my own appointments. Honestly, I tried, but that got placed to the bottom of the list. The fact is, I didn't want to find the time. I needed to have the accountability of someone else. That little task that I've delegated to Norma wouldn't have been possible if I didn't keep a digital calendar. She can't read my mind, but we've created a little system where it's almost like she can.  

Even though you may be a team of one right now, it's important to develop systems that will allow you to grow into having team members. 

You may say that you can't schedule because you don't know what tomorrow will bring. Of course, things come up. Of course, schedules may need to be modified. Of course, you may not allow the right time for a project. Having a schedule is a guide. When the unexpected does come up, you are better able to prioritize and determine if you should stray or stick to your plan. 

In this podcast episode, I introduce Sharon Snow who is a part of the Scrivener Solutions team. Sharon is a mother, wife, teacher, business owner, and virtual assistant. We discuss different ways we use schedules to be more productive and organized.

Hints discussed:

• Use a paper calendar to give you a big picture of the year
• Schedule what's important to you first
• Move your important, big picture events from your paper calendar to your digital calendar
• Block out the times of your recurring meetings/events
• Block out travel time to avoid overbooking
• Share your calendar
• Review on a daily basis and move items from your to-do list and block time for the task/project on your schedule
• Block times that are available for meetings and when someone asks to meet with you, only choose those days and times
• Use your schedule to hold yourself accountable

Resources mentioned:

• Google Calendar
• Life 360