CONSULT THE INVENTOR OF TIME FOR THE ANSWERS

Who would know more about this subject of managing our “time” than the One who created all time?

You might be surprised to learn how much the holy scriptures have to say about time-management.

It was Moses who said; “Teach us to number our days so that we may gain a heart of wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12)

Also the Parable of the Talents found in Matthew 25:14-30 illustrates the tragedy of wasted time and opportunity.

So let’s do something worthwhile that pleases The LORD and boosts our health at the same time.

Let’s get those planners and personal organizers set up and get started with organizing our time.

First though; let’s consider how we will begin to use them in the most productive way.

DEVELOPING A MORNING ROUTINE ELIMINATES STRESS

By developing this one little routine of keeping the planner current and updating it daily; life becomes so much easier and all of that daily stress just begins to melt away.

Think about what we have often read of Jesus in the mornings.  He got up early to talk to The Father.  He made time for the most important things first.  Talk to the Father and clear your head of all the junk; then sit down to plan your day.  Things will go well for you when you learn to do this.

Now all we need to worry about is the actual process of finding a good personal planner that works best for your own particular life-style

That all sounds great you say; but where do we begin?

How do you pick out the perfect planner?

Think about what you need first; then start looking either on-line or in your favorite office supply store.  Soon it becomes pretty obvious that picking the right calendar and personal organizer can become a bit overwhelming and confusing. There are so many different kinds and so many styles to choose from. A lot depends on your specific daily needs and routines and your own personality.

WHAT TYPE OF CALENDAR AND PLANNER WORKS BEST?

The answer to that question really depends on you.

Different people have different needs; but now you can find personal planners geared to fit almost any type of career, hobby or lifestyle. You definitely need something that is flexible enough to fit every occasion of your day-to-day busy life.  Take your time and be sure to notice all that is available.

Ask yourself the right questions and consider them in detail.

Is there one certain outstanding element in your daily life that you need to conform your time around?

Perhaps it could be golf, family, church, gardening, school, job, travel, etc? Try goggling a search specifically for your area of interest.

For instance I’ve noticed there are many calendars and personal planners out there for athletes who are training in certain areas; such as marathon running. Google “calendars for marathon runners” and you will get some real specific types of planners that not only list your dates, times and appointments but also give you charts for recording your speeds and scheduling your exercises to prepare for the next race.

This is pretty cool!

A lot of people are using personal planners that fit on their wrists like a watch. How handy when you are out there on the track.  I’ve included a runner’s calendar at the bottom of this article; if you are interested.

I’ve also found a great calendar that comes with an inspirational book which includes God’s Holy Days.  If these days are as important to you as they are to me; you might be interested in ordering the book and calendar listed below.

You may find that you need a separate set of calendars for each important section of your daily life.  Maybe one for training for a marathon and also one for keeping your personal appointments.

LOOK FOR WHAT WORKS BEST FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE

Try searching in your own area of life interests or hobbies. You might come up with just the perfect solution for managing your own specific goals.

Since I am a blogger; I keep a blogger’s calendar. I don’t know how I ever functioned before I started using mine. It is a wonderful tool that is very helpful to me. I use it every day. 

I’ve found I can keep my personal life and my blogging life together in one place.  This may or may not be the case with you and the things that are most unique to your own time schedules.

When picking a general calendar or personal planner, you need to consider whether you want a day at a glance, a week at a glance, a month or year at a glance, or all four combinations in one place.

Many people are finding that they function best by using both an on-line planner as well as a paper planner bound in a way that they can carry around and flip through whenever it is convenient.

A good feature for a portable personal planner that you carry along with you, would be one that is easily accessible and convenient. It should not be too bulky; but it should not be so small and simple that it doesn’t meet your need for spaces to make notes.

Consider the size you need and pick a color that makes you feel happy.

Get a sturdy and workable jacket on the planner that you will be carrying around, and make sure it will hold a pencil. There is nothing more frustrating than thinking of something to write down in your calendar and having to hunt for a pencil to write with.  By the time you find your pencil; you might have already forgotten what your note was about.

ERASERS ARE VERY IMPORTANT

Use a pencil that has an eraser.

Erasers are very important.

They make your life much more flexible.

This is yet another stress buster. None of us are perfect; we all make mistakes and need to make changes from time to time. Erasers were invented for that purpose; so let’s use them.

I happen to think having my contact information close when I’m working with my calendar is handy and useful. If I am going to call John on Saturday; I can easily look up John’s number and jot it down right beside my reminder.

A planner that holds a cell phone along with contact information would work just great.  Having your cell phone held within your planner would be a good reminder to take your planner along every time you reach for your phone to go somewhere. You probably have most of the contact information you need in your cell phone; but if you lost your cell you would have a back up right there in your personal planner. This is a wise plan.

Think about your own specific needs and make a list of the things that would be the most helpful to you for planning your days.