Double Duty

Time management gurus often suggest that people do two things at once. Sometimes, that is a horrible idea. Some things just require total concentration. 

But I do two things at once a lot...and wanted to share some double duties that make sense.

*Wipe down the tub while the bath is draining.
*Do a sweep of things out of place in the house or spray and wipe the counters and stove while talking on the phone.
*Write your blog while watching The Voice.
*Paint your nails, update your planner, or process receipts while sitting in the carpool line.
*Give yourself a pedicure while watching a Gilmore Girls marathon.
*Chop veggies and prep fruits for the week while watching Chopped. (It works. Seriously.)
*Do "speedy" housework while you workout.
*Cut planner pages while watching tv or chatting with your spouse.
*Do dishes while cooking supper.

What are your favorite double duties?

Etcetera.

The Responsibility Problem

The problem with carrying a planner is that you get a reputation for getting things done in a timely manner. You start to be considered "the responsible one" - and it's all downhill from there.

Think about it.

Your friend who is late for everything? You don't expect her to show up on time, you quit calling her for time sensitive activities, and you don't ask her for a ride to work.

Your friend who is scattered and forgets things? You likely don't call her to bring brownies to the class party.

Your friend who never finishes a project? You don't ask him to help fix the roof.

I am the one who always knows my schedule, so I know immediately if I can help or not. I buckle the kids in the car seat every time and always have healthy snacks in the pantry, so I get to babysit. I honor my commitments, so people are constantly asking me to volunteer. And I am a good listener and problem solver, so it is not unusual for me to get five to ten communications a day from people, needing advice or help.

It can get overwhelming. There are times (several times a week, in fact) when I am simultaneously getting phone calls, emails, texts, Facebook messages, and in person requests for my time and talents. (Funny, no one ever offers to pay, even for stuff like legal advice. Of course, my student loan officers expect me to pay for the privilege of knowing the law.) I practice saying no, but when I get five or more legit (in the sense that the person is truly a friend or family member and someone I want to help if I can) requests, just saying "no" five times can take up too much of my day. And sometimes, it is quicker to say "yes."

Sometimes, I'm jealous of people who don't care. I look at people who procrastinate, ignore deadlines and communications, and turn off their phones for hours a day, and I just want to be that.

But I can't. It's not in my nature.

Etcetera.

Highlight Hack For Planner Goals

Loyal Readers know that I use the Reverse Highlight for making still-to-dos pop out at me.

But I use the same technique for reaching goals. For example, for National Novel Writing Month (Nanowrimo), I am highlighting each word count goal as I get to it.

For those participating in Nanowrimo, the next two columns are my actual word count and my revised daily goal, based on how many words that I have left to write divided by the number of days left to write.

I do the same thing for my weight loss goal. I list smaller goals (with dates) and highlight as I move towards my big (or should I say little) goal.

Try this with anything that you want to accomplish which can be quantified. The highlight makes you visually track your success, and encourages you to keep going.

Etcetera.

Special Planner Tabs For Frequent Access

As Loyal Readers know, I use Avery tabs for my sections and post-it flags for my projects.

But I needed something else. There are certain parts of my planner that I access daily, mostly logs or information resources. I needed a tab more sturdy than a post-it flag but less permanent than an Avery divider.

I am using these:

The things that I access all the time include grocery list, calorie log, exercise log, weight log, the YMCA schedule, Nanowrimo goal log, and my chore log.

What do you do about things that you use daily, but aren't worth their own section tab?

Etcetera.

Repeating Planner Series: Yearly Dates

I've always maintained future pages, so when Laurie at Plannerisms suggested a separate future page (she does her's in blue) for each month for items that repeat every single year, I had to adopt the idea. 

(Go read her blog. It is amazing. Also, my adaptation is a very casual take on her idea. You want to read her perspective on this.)

I put it right before each month.

Note that this page is only for things that happen every year, like a birthday, anniversary, or annual check-up. My cousin's wedding in January is a one-time event and just goes on my regular future pages.

Etcetera.

Repeating Planner Entry Series: Weekly Schedule

There is a continuing tension in my planner between detailed scheduling (with too much writing and "busyness" on the page) and more broad scheduling (where accidental conflicts sometimes occur).

NOT ENOUGH INFORMATION

For example, I know on Mondays to do carpool, work for 5 hours, do yoga, and check Edline (a school website) for the kids' homework. 

So maybe I don't include the repeating planner entries that are routine to cut down on clutter on my monthlies:

9:10 am Doctor's Appointment
10 - 3 pm Work

But this almost always causes me to double-book something, because even though I KNOW that I have carpool daily and yoga at 8 a.m. on Mondays, when I call the doctor on a Friday to schedule Monday's appointment, I'm not thinking about yoga.

TOO MUCH CLUTTER

Instead, I need this:

6:45 am Carpool
8 am Yoga
9:10 am Doctor
10 - 3 pm Work
3 - 4 pm Blog/Paperwork
4 pm Boys Arrive Home

That way, when I friend calls to walk this afternoon, I know to cancel yoga, move work up to 8 am, and add in cleaning the house from 3 - 4 pm. I have the information that I need at hand to make the decision.

As you can imagine, 6 events in a day really clutters up my calendar.

THE SOLUTION: ROUTINE SCHEDULE AND DEVIATIONS

So, instead, I did this:

Basically, I cut a memo sheet to a skinny size, hole-punched list and added the routine daily appointments. I placed the routine schedule in the middle of the current month, so that when I need to schedule, both the day's events and repeating entries are right in my sight.

Of course, if a day gets complicated, I make a daily plan with a detailed schedule.

Finally, I note deviations from the routine schedule on my monthlies. So when the kids are off for Thanksgiving, I write that there is no school/carpool.

PLANNERD TO LIST DO

1. Make a skinny page with your routine schedule. (Skinny page is necessary to not block your monthlies.)

2. Write any deviations from the routine on the monthlies.

3. Check both when you schedule anything.

Etcetera.