The third post in a three-post series.

So, we've talked about why you should plan and some things that often stand in the way of that planning. So today, we will look at some first steps to take.

Two tools are absolutely essential to planning: the calendar and the task list. These can be in any form — paper or digital. Whatever you choose should have the following characteristics:

• easy to access
• easy to share with others
• you can cross off things as they are finished
• easy to update
• you can see several types of event or task lists at the same time

I use paper for lists and a digital calendar for most things. I use a paper calendar for meal and wardrobe planning. I made these choices because I like the feeling of physically crossing a completed task off my list. Clicking a check mark doesn't give the same personal satisfaction. With the appointment calendar, the digital reminder to my phone and computer screen are godsends. I keep the meal and wardrobe calendar on paper at home because that's where I keep the clothes and the food and where I prepare my (digital) shopping lists.

Put every appointment, meeting, and commitment on the calendar as soon as its scheduled so you don't accept a conflict. Set a specific time each year — maybe early November — to put birthdays and anniversaries on the next year's calendar. Make sure that everyone can and does check the calendar regularly.

I keep separate task lists for home and work. I prefer a daily list, but weekly might work for you. Monthly is just too vague, making it far too easy to procrastinate. If you don't finish something on one day, make sure you re-assign it. You aren't bound to creating lists for just one week. It might help you to assign tasks over the course of a month, but everything to its day.

One thing to keep in mind: you need to be able to carry your list and your calendar with you. Your list does you no good at work if it's on the kitchen table.

I know that, when I make my lists each week, my life feels more in control and ordered. When I stop making lists, things get out of hand. Of course, things getting out of hand may be why I stop creating lists. But resuming the habit begins to exert some control on the craziness. That control is what we call planning.