I talk a lot about the importance of calendars as a tool for organizing and planning.  I thought it might help to descibe how I set up my calendar.

My calendar shows a week on a single page.  Each page is divided into days horizontally.  Further, each page is divided into three columns.

In the center column, I list all apointments.  Anything that has a date and time attached to it (meeting, dental appointment, etc.) goes in that column.  That allows me to keep days from getting overly full.

In the lefthand column, I list things I need to accomplish at work on a given day.  Since I keep the calendar open on my desk during the day, I can add new tasks as they come up and create reasonable deadlines based on the work already in the pipeline.

In the righthand column. I list errands and other tasks that I need to accomplish at home.  This is where I keep my reminders about picking up my dry cleaning or what I need to get at the grocery store.  If I am trying to do a few tasks each day to keep the house clean or to prepare for an event, I can keep track of them in that column – crossing things out as they are finished.  I even note topics for future blogs.  If I have paperwork I need to complete, I tuck it into a folder in the back of the calendar so that everything is handy.

If I wanted to take my planning to the next level, I could head the lefthand column with what I plan to wear to work each day and head the righthand column with my dinner menu.  I'd do the outfit list on Sunday (once I can see the weather forecast for the week) and then I'd go to make sure all those clothes I plan to wear are clean, pressed, and ready for the morning rush.  I'd make up my dinner menus on the day that the grocery store ads come out, so that I can make the best use of the foods on special this week.

So, that's how I use my calendar.  What do you do?