Top ways to use the calendar method of organizing to reduce work stress and anxiety

The calendar method is a simple yet effective way to organize work and stay on top of deadlines. By assigning each task or event a specific date and time, you can prioritize your workload, manage your time more efficiently, and reduce stress. Whether used for personal or professional purposes, the calendar method is an excellent tool for staying organized and on track.

Benefits of the Calendar Method:

1. Improved visibility: All appointments and tasks are clearly visible on a calendar, providing an overview of the day, week, or month.
2. Prioritization: Tasks can be prioritized by assigning them a specific time and date, ensuring that important tasks are completed first.
3. Better time management: The calendar method helps individuals to manage their time more efficiently, as they can see exactly how much time is available for each task.
4. Reduced stress: By staying organized and on top of deadlines, the calendar method can reduce stress and increase productivity.

How to Use the Calendar Method:

1. Choose a calendar: This can be a physical or digital calendar, such as Google Calendar or Microsoft Outlook. Even though you are maintaining separate calendars for each activity, male you are consolidating them it one calendar to have a centralized view of all your activities and tasks.
2. Assign a date and time: Assign each task or event a specific date and time on the calendar.
3. Prioritize: Assign high-priority tasks to a specific time slot, ensuring they are completed first.
4. Review: Regularly review the calendar to check for any changes or updates, and adjust the schedule as needed.

We have been using calendars for years. Starting with using it to view the meetings and now to sync it up with the tasks that you have then how is the calendar method different than these? The difference lies in practicing the calendar method and detailing every activity you do.

What can you block in your calendar?

1. Tasks: Block time for executing tasks, so you have uninterrupted time to complete them.
2. Deadlines: You have a deadline for registering to an event, or simply sending out an important mail - create a deadline task in your calendar to ensure that you are aware of the minute deadlines like these and you don't miss out on any.
3. Events and Meetings: If you are attending any work events, traveling for work, or attending meetings, you can create the calendar block for this.
4. Personal Appointments: Visiting a doctor, or having personal work during work hours, you can block the calendar with personal work time.
5. Lunch and Breaks: We are human, and we need to take a small break from work; make sure to block this time in your calendar to avoid burnout and maintain a healthy work-life balance.

See example of an organized calendar:

Do's and Some Tips

• Always make sure you start blocking your calendars in advance such as a month or two, and not just a week. Doing this will enable you to plan your work capacity and prevent overload, burnout, or work anxiety.
• For each of the different types of blocks such as an event, deadline, appointment, and breaks, you can use color codes to differentiate easily. Use calming color codes to help you focus more:

• Share your calendar so that your colleagues and superiors are aware of your schedule and they do not overbook your time. This will also ensure that your work capacity is at an optimum level.

Don'ts

• In a remote world it's very easy to get hold of your meeting link and book an available time slot, so make sure you avoid back-to-back meetings to make room for short breaks and avoid burnout.
• Having multiple calendars on different devices may be difficult to manage and may at times cause duplicate bookings. Make sure to consolidate all the different calendars into one central calendar.

Here's link to some of the best calendar apps you can use.

For more tips and best practices on managing your calendar, work-life balance hacks, and tools that can elevate your productivity, subscribe to this newsletter.