I don’t think I truly valued the true importance of planning until I had to juggle running a business and a family.
Being a mom is hard enough, but keeping clients happy and still managing to keep the house organised, the fridge stocked, dinner on the table and getting the kids to all their extra murals comes down to more than just pure luck!
You have to plan. And as they say:
If you fail to plan, you plan to fail”
Through much trial and error. here are some my recommendations to getting on top things!
- Start at the beginning of year and plan ahead
Before you say, well 2020 has been a write off due to Covid-19, we may as well not have even bothered planning, well yes, I completely agree this year has taken us off guard. But not every year is going to be like 2020!
So, start with all the important dates on your calendar: public holidays, school holidays, birthdays, anniversaries etc. If you or your children are involved in any clubs (e.g. tennis, swimming, cycling, chess, dancing etc.) try to get a year planner as early on in the year as possible.
By getting all the various event planners at the beginning of the year, you are able to see which dates may clash well in advance, enabling you to plan around it. - Use and online digital calendar
Using an online Calendar service found in like Microsoft Outlook or Gmail, is incredibly useful.
By adding in your events (and colour coding them) you can easily plan ahead.
Set up your meetings and invite your clients via your calendar. It not only increases your professionalism, but helps you never to forget that all-important meeting with your biggest client!
Reminders can be set to remind you of orthodontic appointments, doctors appointments, and to plan ahead for a swimming gala or dancing competitions.
Set calendar reminders for vehicle license renewals! It will save you a fortune in fines! - Colour code your calendar
I love colour coding! My mind has always worked in colour – and I associate colours with certain people and events. I have all my birthdays set to NAVY BLUE, All my daughters extra murals are in PURPLE and my sons LIGHT BLUE. All my work appointments and meetings are coloured to GREEN.
You can choose any colours you like, but just by opening up your calendar, you can see and “register” what you need to do very quickly. - Synchronise your calendar with your phone
Use the technology that surrounds us daily! Get all your calendar items to synchronise with your smartphone and you will be able to view, update and get reminders wherever you are.