Do you keep a calendar or lists to keep track of your appointments, duties, etc. or do you just wing it and hope you remember where you’re supposed to be at what time?
A discussion came up on an email loop I’m on regarding those who keep lists and those who don’t. I always thought it was a personality thing. Some people are organized, left-brained (or is it right?), type A personalities who would rather eat dirt than be late to an appointment or miss an obligation. Others (like me) float on the side of creative scheduling, remembering those things that are important and perhaps forgetting other things until the last minute. I’m notorious for making lists–and losing them. Or keeping a calendar I forget to keep with me.
I got good for a while by using Microsoft Outlook, but lately, I’m spending less time at my PC during the day because of homeschooling, so the little alarms going off don’t much help if you’re not sitting around to hear them until after three o’clock. I’m trying to use my iPhone when I can, but right at this minute, for instance, my phone is in my purse on the other side of the house. Not much help.
But I can’t claim that I’m utterly disorganized. On my right at this very moment is a notebook labeled “Lesson Plans” where I have sketched out what I’m doing for homeschooling for the next four to five days. On my desktop is an Excel spreadsheet that tracks how many words I write every day, calculated to predict when I will finish a book.
I can be organized…I just don’t normally choose to be. Not with my own personal things. I guess it’s about priorities, and I’m always last on the list.
As for lists, if I wrote down all my obligations and tasks, I’d probably faint or get writer’s cramp. Sometimes, it’s best not to know the entire scope of everything you need to accomplish. Therefore, I keep my lists for things that absolutely have to be done–school and writing. Everything else, like changing the air filters or getting a pedicure, usually has to wait or be rescheduled a gazillion times. I’m pretty sure I have a doctor’s appointment for my foot this week. I have no idea when it is. I lost the little appointment card. I’m hoping that by tomorrow, the office will call me to verify the appointment, at which time I’ll reschedule for next week. I have too much going on (and I’m still doing all the things the doctor told me to do for my foot, so I’m getting better.)
So what about you? Are you a list maker? A calendar keeper? Or do you fly through life by the seat of your pants? Or like me…both, depending on priorities?
By all reports, Julie Leto was a sweet child once, somewhat shy, preferring to play quietly in her room making up stories. However, being raised with three brothers in a loud, primarily Italian household did have its influences and Julie discovered her inner tough girl. That’s probably why most of her heroines kick serious butt. Writing sassy heroines has worked out, as she’s sold nearly thirty books to three publishers featuring strong, confident women. Julie lives in Florida with her husband, daughter, spoiled dachshund, enormous guinea pig and a wide range of relatives all within driving distance.
ANOTHER WILD WEDDING NIGHT
Hard to Hold
Love Me If You Dare
Wild For Him
Subscribe to Posts 
Comment
I hate being late, but I also hate making lists. I’m disorganized to a fault. Fortunately I don’t forget much, but I am a procrastinator. Bad combination.
Comment
Great topic! I’m a listmaker. I make lists and check them off! I’m prompt to a fault but unlike my mother I don’t leave twenty minutes ahead of time to ensure I’m there on time. I’ll run up to the last minute but I get there! Calendar – I keep two. One big one that holds all appointments for the whole family; and a small one for my purse. That way I can add dr. appts when I am out and make them, then transfer them to my big calendar and visa versa. It works. BUT the joke is my friends can’t understand how such a Techie like me uses PAPER CALENDARS and not my Blackberry or iPhone. I guess like a book, I love the feel of paper!
Comment
I have to jot down upcoming appointments, work to-do items, etc., otherwise I’ll forget them. When I was younger I was better at remembering, but now that I’m in my middle years I find I’m just too scattered, mentally, to keep track of everything.
As for getting to appointments on time, I’m absolutely anal about that. I’m almost physically ill if it seems I might be even one minute late, so I tend to show up well in advance – 10 or 15 minutes beforehand. I just get too stressed otherwise.
Comment
When I was in Seattle and was a hairstylist I carried around my appointment book and wrote everyhting in there. When we moved to FL I stopped working and felt lost at first. Then up till this year I’d make a note if I needed to remember something or a list if it was around the holidays or vacation. This past September I had to make a calander and put it on the fridge not for me but for my kids activties, my son started t ball and my dauhter was playing on 2 softball teams then there was the after school science club she joined and all the b-day party invites I had to keep a calnder so I knew who was going where.
Comment
I do keep list and I always try to be on time or early for everything. My calendar in my blackberry is where I post all of my appointments. I just have to set it up for the alarm to go off at least one hour before the appointment so I’m not late. I also keep all appointments in my work calendar too.
Comment
I have become anal about appointments and lists, especially since I take care of my 87 year old neighbor and he has lots of appointments! Between my crazy work schedule, his appointments, the animals and mine, I would be lost without lists and calendars.
I keep a pocket calendar, one at home so hubby knows my work schedule (not that he looks at it!), my blackberry calendar and Google calendar which is synched with my Blackberry, I am doing pretty good. I hate to be late and am fanatical about not being late.
So why the heck am I sitting here when I have a list as long as my arm to do today on my day off????
Comment
Yup. I use Google Calendar for appointments and such and lists for things to-do and buy. :)
If I don’t have a list to work off of I will forget something.
Comment
Julie…I have an outlook calendar, but it’s on the wrong computer. So, every six months, I print out a paper calendar (I prefer that anyway) and then add as necessary. What’s funny, is originally, my husband set up an outlook calendar for me so he could just add things from work (like when he’s out of town, dinner type events), but since he stopped using it (which was the whole purpose of me doing it) and he didn’t like how I was adding them to his calendar (I guess I didn’t add it to the ‘proper’ column and he started getting mad at me), so I gave up. It wasn’t worth the trouble. Now, I never know things, but that’s not my fault (I always email him new dates and stuff asap). I always say ‘good ideas are only as good as the weakest link”.
I am always early, which is weird, because I have three little guys. Most people don’t understand…you have to be super organized if you have little kids who are slow and ‘build in a few extra minutes”. They just laugh at me.
Comment
It’s probably why I am always early even now, I build in that extra time.
Comment
I am definitely a listmaker. I have to be in order to live my life. I live by my daytimer. It is always open on my desk to the left of my keyboard. I can see the entire month of November right now. And I have things penciled in certain squares in which I have appointments or want to remember when my daughter goes on Thanksgiving break. Or my next chapter meeting. I even have “No School” penciled in for Friday. I have a 9:00 a.m. appointment tomorrow which is penciled in. I have the dates of every Tuesday circled because my daughter is taking a dance class through December 8th so I need to remember that. I even pencil things in the margins. I have a section with passwords and addresses, phone numbers…
At the end of the year, I put a rubber band around all the months and keep them so I know the exact date I had my last annual physical with my gynecologist and also the date of my last mammogram. I can also look back and see when I mailed out a ms or query or entered a contest, the last time I saw my GP… I even penciled in the fee we paid for my daughter’s dance class. I jot down birthdays for anyone we know that month etc. In short, everything goes in my daytimer and not just my appointments but my husband’s and my daughter’s as well.
My daytimer is a fountain of information.
I’ve already picked up the re-fill pages for my daytimer for next year and can’t wait to take out the old and pop in the new.
Have a great day all,
Cher
Comment
I have one word. iPhone. There’s an app for that.
Comment
Hi Julie!
I’m one who can remember kinds of numbers, times and dates which pop into my head all hours of the day and night, other family members too. 
I guess it’s a blessing that I don’t need a calender or list but it sure can be hell at times when your sleeping and your sister’s doctor’s appointment pops into your head in the middle of the night. You know you want to call to remind her, but then, it’s her appointment maybe that’s barging in a little too much! 
I use my Blackberry for important appointants but most of the time it’s all mental. I have a remarkable memory so days, times, appointments all pretty much stay in my head. It’s bad sometimes
Comment
I use my phone for my appointments and I also keep a calendar at home for family appointments. The calendar a home lets everyone place their appointments, ect, in one place so everyone has a general idea of what is going on.
Now here the bad thing, as anal as I am about my calendars I am absoutely horrible at lists
I hate shopping lists,ect. To me they are a big pain. But, with help from my family, I am trying to turn a leaf over 
and I am really trying to work on my list phobia problem. But you know the old saying, about teaching a old dog new tricks. 
Comment
Yes, I keep a calender, have for many years. It started when I was still married keeping track of 4 people, their appointments, schedules etc., it was a must because it is way to easy to forget something important. Even now that there is just me & has been just me for many years I still keep a calender because I don’t trust the memory. I have an actual calendar/appointment book that fits in a purse or bag, plus I use the Yahoo calendar which reminds me 10 days in advance & 1 day before said appointment or activity. I also have a beautiful calendar hung on the wall as sometimes I need to look ahead to plan something plus I love the pictures of the National Parks. Yes, I make grocery lists or I always forget something I really need, I make Christmas card lists and other shopping lists. I am sort of casually organized but a lousy housekeeper!!
What can I say! Since I started doing pet/house sitting quite some time ago it is a must that I schedule jobs & don’t promise someone to watch their pet/pets then find out I am scheduled elsewhere. I have jobs scheduled for next year already & have my 2010 calenders! 
By the way, I am the crazy lady that was complaining the other day about 80 degree weather in November! It changed which delights me no end! We may even get some :rain: I am hoping!!
:fallleaf: Enjoy the rest of your day.
Comment
I’m a Virgo. Of course I’m a list maker, LOL!
Comment
LOL…it is hard to retrain yourself!!! I am almost there with not making lists…I too am a virgo, Janelle.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Comment
Hey Jules, I am list maker depending on the circumstances. I usually make lists when I feel overwhelmed with all the things that I have to do. Most of the times, it involves cleaning first. After I am done with that, then I can work. I tried to stay on top of things, and be organized, but once I was done with the military, I threw that book out the window, so to speak. I choose to do things on my own time, except for those pressing engagements, but it works for me, most of the time anyway. Gonna go to bed. I have been really tired lately. Talk to you guys soon.
Peace and love,
Paula R.
Comment
I’m a bit of both depending on how I’m feeling.
As I work shift work with the shifts changing from day to day and week to week, I find that I have to write down my shift times in a diary so that I don’t forget when I need to be there. I use a diary for that, but the irony is that half the time I don’t look at it.
At the moment, I don’t make to do lists because I wasn’t actually using them. I find when I actually remember to take them with me, I find that having grocery list is really helpful and important (spend less and don’t forget the ingredients that I really need).
Comment
sorry I’m a day late on this one…I’m just getting back into the swing of things (pun intended) from my last two hectic weeks.
I’m a list maker through and through. I make a list everyday, sometimes I specify each activity by the hours of the day to keep me on track. However, I usually end up making this list in one of my classes and leaving it in the notebook not to be seen until two days later when I have that class again. I have a planner that I try to take to every class to keep everything straight, but I usually forget it, or I never look in it. But I do like making lists so I can check things off; that’s my favorite part – seeing an entirely crossed off list.
I wish I had a better system though, because sometimes I think I can put things off and then I realize that it’s too late and I’m scrambling to get everything done. That’s the boat I’m in right now…which means that within the next four hours of lectures today I will have a massive list, and hopefully if I bring my laptop I’ll be able to knock off a few of those pesky (but necessary) tasks right away.
<3 J
Comment
I am a list maker, calendar marker, note scribbler, etc.
I need reminders wherever I am.
I have a calendar next to the computer, one downstairs in the kitchen and I carry a black book in my purse.