{"id":7049,"date":"2022-11-13T05:45:00","date_gmt":"2022-11-13T11:45:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ellevatedoutcomes.com\/?p=7049"},"modified":"2026-06-11T16:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-06-11T16:51:36","slug":"how-to-manage-your-calendar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/zudigitest.com\/ellevatedoutcomes\/how-to-manage-your-calendar\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Manage Your Calendar (literally)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

November is here. Which means that holidays are coming. Which means that time is of the essence more than ever. The more you can have a structure around the things you have <\/em>to do, the more freedom you have to do the things you want <\/em>to do. Last week, we talked about how to attune your schedule to your body. So this week, we’ll talk about the next step, after your body is attuned to your schedule: the action steps of how to manage your calendar.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The key to manage your calendar is that this isn’t just when to schedule things; it’s truly about managing. Meaning: are the appointments in your calendar and tasks on your to-do list, moving you forward? In our business, each week when we review our annual strategy project plan, Tammy, our Outcomes Champion<\/a>, pushes me to consider: are we doing the right <\/em>things? It’s the key question that we often forget to slow down and ask.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Here’s my daily organization routine that helps me maximize my time with the right activities…<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Pre-step: Whether you use a digital or paper calendar, draw your chronotype blocks onto it. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

When you get your chronotype test<\/a> results, they’ll tell you exactly which times of the day correspond to your peak time for the various work styles. Here’s an example of what mine look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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1. Start each day with a time block to get organized. <\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Annoyingly meta, isn\u2019t it? \u201cSchedule time to make your schedule.\u201d It’s tempting to dive right into those emails that came in overnight or head straight into your first morning meeting or class, especially if it\u2019s an early one. But try blocking out 30 minutes before your first commitment every morning to review what you didn\u2019t get done the day before, and prioritize for the day ahead. This is step 1 to you controlling your day vs. the day controlling you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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2. Make a list of today\u2019s 3 priorities, then the other stuff. <\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This takes some self-honesty, as many of us will quickly retort: \u201cEverything is a priority!\u201d But it\u2019s really not. (See Tammy’s question above: “are these the right <\/em>things?”) Pick the top 3 things that you must <\/em>do before the end of the day. Focus your productive energy on these 3 priorities before being distracted with the other stuff on your list or reacting to new things that pop up. If you leave the day having completed your top 3, that is success.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Some days, getting through your top 3 will be a struggle. Other days, there may not be time-sensitive priorities (I said, \u201csome\u201d days!). And yet, on other days, you\u2019ll whiz through your priorities in an hour. When this is the case, I number all my other to-dos so that there\u2019s no distracting myself with internet-browsing or chitchat when trying to decide what to do next. It removes the choice and dilly-dallying: don\u2019t think about it; just move onto the next number.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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3. After you have your priority and task list, label each to-do: analytical, impression, task or insight.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Analytical.<\/em> Requires sharpness, vigilance, and focus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

For me, this is mostly made up of super-detailed client work, business planning, composing recaps, or interpreting financial reports.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Impression.<\/em> How you or others come off is important.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Think: prospect and client meetings, presentations, interviews, etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Task.<\/em> Those things we cannot avoid like, expense reports or miscellaneous emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I do my logistics planning, emails, and proofreading during this time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Insight.<\/em> Requires innovation and creativity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This is when you need your creative juices flowing \u2013 in whatever way creativity applies in your line of work. I also use this time to have more casual catch-ups with people, especially with referral sources and business partners who already know me. People with whom letting my analytical guard down is safe, and my propensity to get a little philosophical and not so serious will be appreciated. During this and impression time is also when I do employee 1-1s.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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4. Schedule each to-do onto your calendar, according to work type. And add a buffer. manage your calendar<\/mark><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Transpose your list onto specific times that you’ll do each thing. I also strongly, strongly recommend buffering your meetings, classes, and appointments. I always over-schedule time when meeting with other people, as well as make myself a 15 minute buffer between meetings (even if on Zoom). Sometimes you\u2019re not in charge of the meeting or schedule, so I know that this isn\u2019t always possible. But if you are the person setting the meeting, do this! Having a buffer will allow you (a) to not be in a rush and (b)\u00a0give you a few minutes to take care of any quick follow-ups or preparation required for what\u2019s next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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5. Use a system to finish off the day.<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

This is a tip I got from Whitney English<\/a>, the inventor of Day Designer. Unfortunately, life is full of half-completed items, follow-ups, and waiting on others to fully complete a task. Try this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n