Setting Yourself Up for a Good Start
It is that time of year again. The time where I take the past year’s calendar, and use it as a guide to update the upcoming year’s calendar. It is a ritual that I have done now for many years. I learned it from my wife, Jeanne, almost 30 years ago.
By profession, Jeanne was an Executive Assistant, (I would say Administrative Assistant, but she would emphasize to me she helped to support executives). I have spoken of in past blog posts of how the skills that you often use in your work are so much a part of who you are, that they carry over in how you conduct your non work life. Outstanding assistants are especially well organized. They keep great records, or calendars of those events that are coming up to which they need to attend.
At the end of each calendar year, Jeanne would set up her calendar for the upcoming year. All birthdays of relatives and friends went on the calendar. If we had a sense of when we would be targeting vacation for the coming year, that would go on the calendar. Jeanne would not only note that it was someone’s birthday, but if it would be a special birthday, (say a 50th birthday, or perhaps a couple’s 25 wedding anniversary).
When Jeanne passed away in 2006, (knowing that she would be passing from cancer), she made it clear to me that she trusted that I would keep going the various recognitions that she would track and do. I would be the one to ensure that birthday or anniversary greetings went out. I would be the one to acknowledge or commemorate key events in our life together, or the life of our family members.
I have had family and friends say to me, you always remember my birthday with an acknowledgement or card. I have explained to them, that I was taught by a master on how to keep a process that made that possible.
While my process works for personal occasions, I have taken the process forward into my professional life. While I keep a “paper calendar,” (and yes, I use a paper calendar on my wall still to this day), I have an electronic system calendar that keeps my business and professional appointments. In the beginning of the year, I look to fill in those appointments or meetings that will occur on a regular basis. If I do not know particulars to details or agenda, I’ll at least acknowledge that the event will occur. This way I minimize the possibility that I will “double book” myself. Additionally, I also have the item staring back at me when I check ahead on the calendar a couple of months, knowing that I may need to prepare for that occasion.
How do you keep track of the events in your life? Do you find yourself in new territory in doing so, especially if you find yourself suddenly either in job search transition, working virtually as opposed to going to the office in person, or needing to care for an elderly loved one that now needs your attention? If you find that you are struggling to keep pace with what is going on in your life, perhaps you can get your 2023 off to a good start by identifying those items you presently know that need to take place. Even if it is a place holder for an item that may happen 3 or even 6 months in the future, having it recorded so it will be there to remind you, is a great way to stay on top of the events, occasions and be there for the people who are important to you.
