Unfortunately, deadlines have a way of sneaking up on you. Frequently you may also find yourself feeling as though you don’t have enough time or when you do have time you’re continually being interrupted. Fortunately, if you learn how to manage your appointment calendar well your life will improve.
Review
At the beginning of each week and again on Friday you should spend a few minutes reviewing your calendar. This way you’ll know what meetings and action items need to be taken care of. Each morning you’ll also want to scan through things so you know what you need to accomplish that day. Taking the time to do this will ensure you don’t forget anything important.
Keep One Day Free From Events Each Week
You should have at least one day each week on your appointment calendar when you don’t have any meetings then protect it at all costs. This is the day you’ll want to focus on deep work, long-term projects, and administrative tasks.
Schedule Meetings ASAP
Make sure you put any necessary meetings on your appointment calendar as soon as possible. If you avoid doing so you’ll end up facing scheduling issues and conflicts. Furthermore, before attending the meeting make sure everyone has a copy of the agenda so you don’t waste any time unnecessarily.
Another great time-saving tip for meetings is to keep your meetings as brief as possible. If you know that you only have 30 minutes available for a meeting you’ll keep it from dragging on needlessly.
Follow Up
Whether a client or a colleague asks you to do something you already know that they’re eventually going to ask you for an update. This is why it’s in your best interest to immediately schedule a follow-up meeting. Doing so will ensure that you stay on top of your tasks and deliver on your promises.
Stick to One Calendar
While you may need to keep multiple calendars you can import them all into one main calendar that you use. This won’t only save you time but you’ll also see when things are overlapping with one another.
The Bottom Line
While you may feel as though you’re losing the battle with your appointment calendar now, it doesn’t have to stay this way. With these calendar management tips, you may still have your bad days but you’ll also have lots more good days in which you smash your goals.
