How to Organize Your Day

Perhaps there have been times when you wish you could be two people at once, especially when scheduling conflicts arise. If you attend one event, you may be thinking about the one you're missing.

The best way to deal with conflicts is to try to avoid them altogether. You can't control other people's schedules, but with good communication, the members of a group can work to accommodate one another. This applies to both the office and home environments. Maybe you need to schedule a meeting between several departments or make sure you don't have to take two children to different activities at the same time. At work, consider software that keeps track of all employees' calendars. That way you can see ahead of time when everyone is available. Calendar-tracking software may not be practical at home, but you can keep a calendar on the fridge or in another prominent place and have every family member track his or her activities using the master calendar, helping to ensure that everyone gets to where they need to go.

When you just can't avoid a scheduling conflict, you might need to evaluate your priorities. Consider both the urgency and importance of meetings and events. If one of your appointments is easy to reschedule, do so. If not, choose the option that will put you closest to your goals, whether personal or professional [source: Kabir].

When you have tools to help you, conflicts are easier to avoid. Read on for more information on tools to help organize your day.