I spent Labor Day weekend trying to get my life in order.

I was going to do a well researched, thoughtful post about time management.  Cause right now, not even before starting at Grad School, I am always racing against the clock.  I know part of my problem is that I have serious problem with the internet and get sucked in.  So I am working on that.   Yet between family obligations, housework, looking for work, helping with various projects, volunteering at the Squad, Mystical Wonders needs, the desire to exercise, social obligations I would like to do... I feel like I am being pulled in about 10 directions at any given moment.

So I spent time reading about different methods of time management,  blocking out time, the value of multitasking, the value of not multitasking, and other things.  You know what?  I didn't gain any wisdom.  It seems like everyone, their brother, and great aunt has their own ideas about a "fail proof" way to get life in order and keep things humming along. From using post it notes on laminated pages in a ring binder, to chalkboard painting a wall to make lists, to telling people "no" more often, and which app to use on my smart phone. I looked up how busy moms, harried students, and season professionals keep it together.

And the answer?   I got nothing.  Everyone was right, and everyone was wrong at the same time.  I realized that time management is a very personal thing.

Source

So I think what I am going to do is this:  Get 1 page per day planner pages to keep track of my schedule.  Put some time in for things, like my volunteer time, write down class times (including time for on-line class work, as per my program),  block out some time for study and reviewing materials,  and use a to do list.   I know it's old school, but for some reason, I have a hard time using a digital calendar.  I just cannot give in to more than setting up event reminders in it.

Currently, my planner has 5 tabs in it.  I have re-labeled the tabs: Keller (my school), Book (for the novel Jim and I are working slowly on), Blog, Life Notes, Mystical Wonders. This way should an idea strike for any of those areas of my life, I have place to note it.  School and Mystical Wonders actually have slit pockets in their sections so I can store things having to do with them in their sections.  

I have 2 more slit pockets in the back for more crap anything else I might need to hold in there. Then I have pencil pouch that holds a pink pen (I lost my red one), white out tape, refills for the blue pen that sits in the pen-holder, and a pencil.    In the back, I have a plain old pad of paper.  In the pocket up front, I have post it notes.  I have larger ones, and smaller ones.  The small ones I intend to note dates for school and tab them at the top of the calendar pages with things like "Paper", "Exam" and other things I would like to keep track of.  The larger post its will have to do items on it, so it can hop from page to page.  However, the to do list on the page will be things that have to be done that day, and will take precedence over the to do list post it.

So that's the plan.... wish me luck.  I will let you know how it goes, but I have to get to bed now if there is any hope for me to get up earlier tomorrow.  So what did you do for the holiday?  Did you organize anything?

Later ~
Jen