Pat yourself on the back today. Once again, you worked your organizational miracle for Christmas.
OK, now it's time to think about how to get through the next 364 days.
You need a plan. More important, you need a planner.
But choosing an organizer is no day at the beach. Says Jan Yager, a time-management consultant based in Connecticut, "No one system will work for everyone."
Office-supply discounters have a full aisle devoted to book-type organizers only. Then there are the myriad hand-held, computerized organizers and an overload of software -- all promising to help keep life orderly. Oh, and don't forget those huge wall calendars. To further complicate matters: The cost can range from about $3 for a small appointment book to hundreds of dollars for leather-bound or computerized systems.
So ask yourself some questions and make some decisions about which kind of organizer will be most serviceable for you.
First the research: "Talk to friends and associates about what they use and ask if it's effective for them," advises Ms. Yager. "What do they like, dislike about their organizers?
"Go to a store where they have samples on display," she continues. "Thumb through the pages or try out hand-held computer organizers." Then do some on-the-spot personal analysis:
How will I use it? "Envision your week. Think about what you'd be putting down in an organizer," says Ms. Yager. Are you constantly on the go or do you have just a few appointments a week? "If you have only a few commitments each day or week, you probably don't want an organizer that slots the time in 15-minute increments. A better choice is a planner with an open space for each day where you can fill in your own times and appointments."
Which type suits my personal management style? Are you detail- or concept-oriented? Some organizers provide spaces for notes, lists, phone calls to be made. Others have just enough space to note a meeting.
Which type is most practical, given my lifestyle? The organizer best suited to one person may be another's undoing. Jeff Davidson, a Chapel Hill, N.C.-based life-management author and lecturer, matched organizers to some broad categories of lifestyles:
* Professionals or those whose jobs are production-oriented: A software scheduler is easy to update, and many have audio reminders built in. "Also, you can have hard copy for your desk or to give copies of selected schedule screens to others who need that information."
* Stay-at-home mothers: The best choice here is probably a calendar on the wall with large spaces for writing. Erasable calendars are particularly good because they can be updated easily and still be readable. "But make sure it stands alone. When they're on the refrigerator, they tend to become obscured by magnets, fliers, pictures and such. Then it doesn't do anybody any good. Isolate the calendar and have a space next it to for posting in chronological order fliers, addresses and phone numbers relevant to a scheduled event."
* Retirees: "The fallacy is that retirees don't have need for organizers. The reality is they have lots of things competing for their time -- children, social activities, health matters, investments."
Next week: More on choosing and switching establishe scheduling systems.
IN TIME
What do you do to save time, to make life easier? What have you cut down on or cut out to make more time for yourself and your family? Have you found a way to simplify your lifestyle? Call the Sundial number that follows to tell us your tips and thoughts. Future columns will feature your ideas. Be sure to leave your name, city of residence and daytime phone number when you call Sundial, The Sun's telephone information service, at (410) 783-1800. In Anne Arundel County, call (410) 268-7736; in Harford County, (410) 836-5028; in Carroll County, (410) 848-0338. Using a touch-tone phone, punch in the four-digit code 6220 after you hear the greeting.