pick a system that syncs over all your devices
things like icloud, google calendars, and more have the capability to sync across your phone, tablet, and computer thus ensuring you never forget a thing. this is incredibly useful because your schedule becomes ingrained in your system. it becomes a part of you!
know the specifics of your system!
familiarize yourself with it, how it notifies you, notes functionality, letting you know when you have to leave and things of that nature. you want to pick an electronic organizational system that is doing the thinking for you in regard to when you have to leave the house, providing the link you have to go to for that zoom class, etc. the whole point of an electronic system is that it works more than you have to -- make sure yours does that! and beyond this, USE THE SPECIFICS OF THE SYSTEM to your advantage!!!
utilize the repeat function!
if there is a weekly event, utilize the repeat function so that when you look at your electronic schedule you know, on a weekly basis, when you are not available. in doing this, you are comfortable with your availability and it becomes, as aforementioned, a part of you
set reminders
reminders ensure you are using the electronic system effectively. the whole point, after all, of an electronic system is not having to open up your calendar every time you are thinking about the day. rather, you can open up the phone you are already always on or better yet, just check out your notifications page to see what you missed!
establish categories that mirror your life
the whole point of an electronic system, among other highlights, is that it permits you to establish categories. make the categories fit your lifestyle. for example, as a student, i have a classes subsection, a work subsection, an extracurriculars subsection, a meetings subsection, a family subsection, a personal subsection for appointments, dr stuff, etc, and more. these categories will make sure your calendar mirrors the way our brains work -- sectioned and separated. make the different parts of your life distinct, whether in calendar color or in physical manifestation.
have another system
electronics, like humans and robots and everything, are flawed in nature. have a backup, whether it is a print out of your electronic calendar or a physical calendar you copy things down on. if you do not want to have another system, backup your devices consistently so that you know your calendar is already updated and good!
color code as per your other organizational methods
if you already have due dates in blue in your physical planner, then highlight things that are due in blue digitally. no matter the way you do it, establish a medium for your organizational life and stay with it. for example, work related obligations are always in yellow for me, whether they are highlight in yellow in my physical calendar or cited in yellow on my digital calendar
put things into your calendar as you learn about them & ensure all your obligations are marked down
never ever ever rely on your memory alone. you are human (assumably) and thus, it could fail you. as you learn about obligations, appointments, or anything you have to do in your life, mark it down IMMEDIATELY. then, double check it. triple check it! review your calendar so that it is stuck in your head as you go through your life.
don’t overdo it!
using an electronic calendar to schedule your life minute by minute by minute is simply not feasible. it will overwhelm you and you will start ignoring the notifications because they are overwhelming and annoying. make sure your electronic calendar cites all your NECESSARY obligations, no more, no less because in overdoing it you’ll never use your calendar properly
