For about 3 years now I was not using a calendar. By implementing the GTD methodology I felt that my phone and its calendar was clearly sufficient. But I was wrong! Back to the paper agenda it is then!
According to the GTD Methodology, the calendar is a sacred territory. You do not put anything there that isn’t time-based. Things like “Meet Sofia at 3 o clock for lunch.” are ok. To-do lists are not.
For the past 3 years, I respected that and I saw my productivity rising. My phone’s calendar and the Evernote app was an awesome combination and I managed to truly Get Things Done with a mind like water!
But for the new year (2018) I decided to change it up a bit and to write down more things. Like my goals on a weekly time basis, at first, and then daily. So I bought an agenda. And this is how I use it:
Goals.
One of the most important things I learned the past years is that you have to set the right goals. My goals are clear, and definitely not small! I had them on a note in Evernote and 2-3 times a week I would look at them to be inspired. Sometimes I worked on them to improve them. But after a lot of productivity training, I realized that I the process of writing the goals is a lot more beneficial in your focus for them.
Now I write my goals down almost daily and feel a lot more motivated about them!
Meetings.
I now write my meetings on my Gmail calendar and to my agenda. The reason? I realized that when I am in front of a client and we discuss our next meeting the client thought I was playing with my phone and that was not good. Because he did not think of it as serious enough for him to write down! Now I open my agenda in front of him and we both write the next meeting down. This has reduced my canceled appointments a lot!
To-Dos.
Based on the GTD methodology, I have my actions written on the appropriate lists and my projects moved ahead steadily. The only point I know I could do better is my priorities. When I sit in front of the computer and pull up the list for my action on the computer, many times I choose to do what I like most and not what I most need to do.
So I decided to write in my agenda the most important action that I have to do that day and why. Thus motivating me more to do the hard tasks of the day.
Gratitude.
Ever since my kids were born, with very few exceptions, I managed not to work for 2-3 hours in the afternoon and just be with the kids, with nothing else in my mind. It worked brilliantly and we have an amazing relationship. Now that they are a bit older I decided to write a couple of sentences about our day and about gratitude. I feel the would like to read little moments of our days that mostly go forgotten.
So that’s how I am using my calendar.
How do you use it?
Have a great day!
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