To create an appointment, just open your calendar or planner to the right date, and draw lines at the start and end times. Write the name at the top, and draw an arrow to the bottom of the appointment. This shows the entire time as allocated.
If the appointment is in the distant future, your daily appointment page may not be inserted into your calendar or planner yet. Just write the appointment and times on the monthly or yearly calendar. When you add the daily pages, transfer the appointments from the monthly calendar and cross them off.
Repeating Appointments?
In a paper calendar, add a circle or checkbox inside the time slot for a repeating appointment. Check the box when you schedule the next instance.
When you create appointments, 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).
- Show Free/Busy/Tentative. You can do this in your paper calendar:
- Busy: Normal appointments.
- Tentative: Possible commitments. (“I can meet at 3 or 5 pm, which one works best?” Schedule both with ONE asterisk before the appointment name until confirmed: *Bob Client Meeting.)
- Free: Advisory only. (Ex: Spouse will be at the park with the kids. Start the appointment name with TWO asterisks: **Kids at Park.)
- Cross them off. When you have honored the appointment, cross it off. This ensures that you honor them all.
- Recurring. If the appointment repeats, always add a circle #x041E; or box R[ ] after the name. When you finish an appointment with this next to it, immediately reschedule the next missing appointment and check the box.
- Categorize. For strategic calendar items, use the major context as the appointment name.)
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