How to Choose the Best Calendar for You

It’s that time of year again – a fresh start and a new agenda to go along with it. I’ve been buying the same planner for years (Taylor Planner) and I believe it’s the single most important part of my time management success. One year, I tried using a PDA instead but I was missing deadlines, confusing appointments and feeling overwhelmed. After a three month trial, I ditched the PDA and went back to my trusted paper planner. For a calendar system to work, we need to use it consistently. Choose one that suits your learning style and using it will come naturally.

Your natural way of taking in information greatly affects which scheduling method will work best for you. Rather than trying to change yourself to adapt to your calendar system, select one that fits your learning and organizing style.

If you are a hands-on learner (kinesthetic), choose a planner with a texture that is a pleasure for you to touch. What feels best in your hands: leather, faux crocodile or cloth? The physical act of writing down appointments and tasks will help you remember them. Place a sticky note on the front on your planner and list on it the things you must do that day; cross items off as you complete them. Use stickers to highlight important activities/events. If you don’t require the portability of a planner book, another option is a wall calendar or a whiteboard (with the days of the week across the top and the tasks written underneath). Hang it across the room and wipe off each task as it is completed. The key to getting a good fit is to make your calendar interactive, which works for your hands-on preference. You may also choose to use an electronic calendar to keep track of your commitments, as this will keep your hands busy while giving you greater flexibility and freedom to change plans when you need to.

If you learn best by seeing (visual learner) paper agendas and large wall/desk calendars work well for you. Choose a planner that is aesthetically pleasing to you. You will be drawn to fashionable colors, inspiring motivation quotes and beautiful pictures/artwork. Use bright colored markers to highlight important events/activities on your calendar. Use sticky notes in various colors as reminders of important actions to take. A calendar with space for notes and to-do lists will allow you to see all of your commitments in one place, which will help you remember to check them more often. Alternatively, if you choose to use a computer calendar, you will likely want to print it out and use color settings (i.e. to differentiate between work and family commitments). Most importantly for visual learners, keep your calendar in a place where you will get a clear view of it throughout the day.

If you learn best by hearing/speaking (auditory learner), it would be beneficial to have your to-do list and schedule both in one place, and have it nearby at all times. This will help you remember to stop for an errand while already in that area. If you want to manage your schedule electronically, be sure to set alarms as reminders of important events/deadlines. You may want to set your computer so it opens and reads your to-do list each time your start it up at the beginning of the day. If you prefer to use a paper planner, choose one that accommodates your handwriting style; i.e. if you have large handwriting or like to make lots of lists, you’ll want to use one that provides ample space for that. Systems that provide weekly/monthly views will more helpful to you, allowing you to look ahead and plan for both the busy and quiet times ahead.

Keep in mind that we all use more than one learning style, but we have a preference for one in particular. If you don’t know your preferred learning style, there are many online questionnaires you can take to help you determine it, including the free quiz at http://www.organizingoutsidethebox.com. If you would like to learn more about finding organizing solutions to fit your learning style, have a look inside my new book Organizing Outside the Box: Conquer Clutter Using Your Natural Learning Style at https://hellenbuttigieg.com/book.html.