When you record appointments in your calendar, follow these special TRO rules to budget your time effectively:
- Name. Appointment names should match the context or person. Include the phone number if you will be calling.
- Full Duration. Allocate the full time, including travel time (in a separate box).
- Use Free/Busy/Tentative. If your calendar supports Free/Busy/Tentative status, use it. If not, you can do it yourself:
- Busy: Normal appointments.
- Tentative: Possible commitments. (“I can meet at 3 or 5 pm, which one works best?” Schedule both in Tentative status until one is confirmed. If no Tentative status is available, start the name with ONE asterisk until confirmed: *Bob Jones.)
- Free: Advisory only. (“Spouse will at park with the kids.” If no Free status is available, start the name with TWO asterisks: “**Kids at Park.)
- Set Reminders. Always set appointment alarms or reminders. (This helps you honor your appointments.)
- Recurring. If the appointment repeats, always make it a recurring appointment. (If no recurring feature is available, do it yourself by adding “R[ ]” after the appointment name. Check each box when you have scheduled the next 3 months’ worth of appointments.)
- Categorize. Give the appointment a context and/or color. (ONLY for strategic calendar items and task managers that recommend tasks based on appointments.)
Recent Comments