I have to admit, I'm always amazed when people tell me they don't have a calendar. I honestly have no idea how they get through the day.  Now, by calendar, I don't necessarily mean something you hang on the wall with pictures of bunnies, puppies, and kitties (though I am most fond of all of the above). Your calendar can be print or electronic.  I have friends who keep their calendar in personal digital assistants or in their cell phone.  The key is that you need to be able to enter task/appointments and times and you should be able to review at least a week with relative ease.

As soon as you commit to anything, it should go on the calendar.  I don't care if it's six months out.  It goes on the calendar.  If you are tentatively considering something major — a couple days out of town or the like, get it on the calendar as quickly as possible.  Keep everything in one place.  This is especially important for families.  The last thing you want to deal with is to try to collate work travel, soccer games, drama practice, and dentist appointments from multiple lists.  You'll screw it up and make yourself nuts in the process.  If it's complicated, put it all on one huge calendar and do your handheld calendars off that.  You can even color code for each person.

Once I have appointments in place, I like to add the tasks I know I need to accomplish in a given week. For example, library books must be returned by Friday.  I need to grocery shop on Thursday.  The dry cleaning will be ready Saturday.  The Halloween costumes must be sewn by Sunday night.  I actually schedule these tasks in and give myself a visual reminder. I have blog topics listed a few weeks out, just to keep me thinking.  Some people even use their calendar to plan meals or what they'll wear each day.  I'm not that organized!

Let's face it.  We're all way too busy.  If we try to rely on our memories, we're asking for disaster.  Write it down and make it a point to check your calendar a couple of times a day.  You'll be amazed at what you've forgotten.

And the most important point of all, each month, mark a day or two off as "no appointment" days.  You need a break. Give yourself one.