BLOOMINGTON, IL – December 30, 2005 – Time is money and we never have enough of it! According to an Office Pro report, 68% of U.S. executives polled from 1,000 largest companies said they are working more hours today than five years ago. Effectively managing your time and schedule is the first step to a more balanced life. As we flip the page to 2006, here are tips from local professional organizer Stephanie Calahan on how to keep track of commitments and use your calendars effectively.

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Contact Information:
Stephanie L. H. Calahan
Phone: 309.825.7833
Fax: 309.422.7665
questions@calahansolutions.com
www.calahansolutions.com

Get Organized and Get a Jump on 2006!  9 Expert Tips for Calendar Use

BLOOMINGTON, IL – December 30, 2005 – Time is money and we never have enough of it! According to an Office Pro report, 68% of U.S. executives polled from 1,000 largest companies said they are working more hours today than five years ago. The National Association of Professional Organizers reports that 60% of Americans feel they do not have enough time to get everything done. Effectively managing your time and schedule is the first step to a more balanced life. As we flip the page to 2006, here are tips from local professional organizer Stephanie Calahan on how to keep track of commitments and use your calendars effectively.

Find a system that works for you.
Technology can be seductive - make sure you test electronic organizers before you use them. A PDA doesn't work for everyone. Similarly, some people can manage on a simple month-at-a-glance while others need a detailed planner with two pages on every day for task lists and reminders.

Use only one calendar.
The most common mistake people make is to juggle multiple calendars for scheduling, recording appointments and special dates. You have one life, use one calendar. The only exception is a family calendar (usually kept on the fridge). Be sure you keep the family calendar up-to-date with the one you carry!

Carry your calendar with you.
Those wall or desk calendars are pretty, but it's hard to schedule an appointment or confirm a dinner date if you have to say, "I'll get back to you. I have to check my calendar." Worse, you'll double-book.

Enter information and toss the scraps of paper.
We're talking about the card from the doctor's office with your next appointment, the party invitation, the note by the phone where you jotted down the dates for summer camp. Immediately transfer the pertinent information into your calendar and then throw out the paper.

At the beginning of the year, transfer important dates into your new calendar.
Keep a list of birthdays and anniversaries and transfer them into your new calendar, along with any events you know you want to attend. Keep a master list of seasonal household chores that have to be done. Wash windows, change batteries on car alarms, change furnace filter, etc. Write them down in the appropriate month when you start using your new calendar. If you would like an extra push to help you remember important dates, try out BirthdayAlarm.com it is a great site that allows you to set reminders for yourself as well as send ecards and more.

Do not let the reminders pile up on the kitchen counter.
Create a "calendar" or "upcoming event" file where you tuck concert and game tickets and other pieces of paper associated with any event written in your calendar. You'll never be left scrambling to find directions to the conference again.

Get into a habit of reviewing your calendar.
Many people check it every evening so they can get ready for the next day's commitments. Some families talk at dinner or during a brief meeting about what's coming up that week. Or call or e-mail your spouse at work Monday morning with the weekly schedule. The method used is not as important as the consistency in which you use it.

Color code.
If you have a lot of information, use a different color for each member of the family or one color for work and one for personal. If something on your to-do list will take you more than 15 minutes, write it in your calendar. We're not talking routine tasks like laundry and cooking. We mean exercising, lining up bids for the kitchen remodel, shopping for that new outfit, etc. If you make an appointment with yourself, you'll be more likely to get it done.

Realize that time for you and time off are not luxuries.
North American society is based for the most part on Puritan beliefs. We think that if we have things that need doing, then we must work on it otherwise we're nothing but lazy. Without time to yourself to recharge, your productivity and efficiency drop and you'll very quickly be useful to no one, especially yourself.

Would you like to explore this topic more?

• Visit Calahan Solutions' Office Tour at http://www.calahansolutions.com/fa_office_tour.asp and check out the Calendar icon for more tips on how to organize your calendar and schedule for 2006!
• Review Time Management for the Chronically Disorganized at http://www.nsgcd.org/pdfs/fs005.pdf by the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization
• Check out Harold Taylor's Time Management Checklist at http://www.taylorintime.com/freetimetips.php for further ideas.
• If you would like more free ideas for how to make your home, work and life run with less stress, visit the Calahan Solutions, Inc. Web site at www.calahansolutions.com.

For information: http://www.calahansolutions.com or
Contact: questions@calahansolutions.com
Phone: 309.825.7833 

About Calahan Solutions and Stephanie L. H. Calahan
You Won't Have to Do it Our Way, Because We Help You Find YOUR Way!™

Calahan Solutions, Inc. (www.calahansolutions.com) is a premier professional organizing and consulting firm, serving a national and local clientele in corporate settings, home-based businesses, and residential environments.  Calahan Solutions, Inc. is a member of NAPO (National Association of Professional Organizers), NSGCD (the National Study Group on Chronic Disorganization), NAWBO (National Association of Women Business Owners), the McLean County Chamber of Commerce and the BBB (Better Business Bureau.)

Stephanie L. H. Calahan is a Professional Organizer and founder of Calahan Solutions, Inc. and www.calahansolutions.com - offering organization consulting for business, home and life.   Visit www.calahansolutions.com for free tips, free organizing reports, downloads, organizing products and service offerings. 

Direct comments or questions about this article, including requests for reprint rights, to:
Stephanie L. H. Calahan - Calahan Solutions, Inc.
8 Shoreline Court
Bloomington IL 61704
Phone: 309.825.7833
Fax: 309.422.7665
questions@calahansolutions.com

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