Create a "Possibilities" Calendar
Asha Dornfest, Parent Hacks
I
often hear about fun things going on about town, but I'm not ready to
schedule them into my day/week/month. Other times, I find myself and my
kids with a free hour or afternoon and wonder, "What can we do with
this little snatch of time?" After years of stumbling along with both
of these problems, Google Calendar (and a little no-duh thinking) has
presented me with a solution: my own personal events calendar which I
call "Possibilities."
I keep track of my schedule using GCal, and I've taken advantage of the ability to create separate calendars for different categories of events. I have calendars for each of my kids, for birthdays, for Parent Hacks-related deadlines and meetings, and now, for possibilities -- those one-time-only or recurring events that might be fun to try if I find myself with free time. What goes into the "Possibilities" calendar? Gym classes I might like to take. Library story times. Dates and times for local performances and festivals. Open swim times at our local pool. The IMAX and Planetarium schedules from our science museum. Craft or project ideas. Anything I can tuck into an unexpectedly free hour or two that might be fun for me, the kids, or the whole family.
I keep the Possibilities calendar hidden most of the time so it doesn't clutter up the view of my actual day. If I find myself with some free time, I can display the Possibilities and see just what would fit into that time slot.
In addition to the dates, times, and locations, I add phone numbers and other relevant notes. I then sync the whole thing on my iPhone so I've got it with me and can act "spontaneously" when the moment presents itself. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to have an answer (most of the time) when my kids ask: "Now what can we do?"
This idea will work in any electronic calendaring system, and can easily be adapted to a to-do list with categories or tags. One good option: the online to-do app Toodledo, is detailed on Lifescoop in 5 Benefits of a Task Management System. You can even adapt this sytem to a paper calendar; use a special color ink -- or better yet, pencil -- for items on your "Possibilities" list.
Do you have a system for keeping track of the "maybe" events in your life? Let us know!
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Asha Dornfest is the founder of Parent Hacks -- where savvy parents swap clever, often unconventional parenting tips. Here's the practical, real-world stuff you'll never find in an "expert" book. Featured in Real Simple, Parents and PC Magazine.
I keep track of my schedule using GCal, and I've taken advantage of the ability to create separate calendars for different categories of events. I have calendars for each of my kids, for birthdays, for Parent Hacks-related deadlines and meetings, and now, for possibilities -- those one-time-only or recurring events that might be fun to try if I find myself with free time. What goes into the "Possibilities" calendar? Gym classes I might like to take. Library story times. Dates and times for local performances and festivals. Open swim times at our local pool. The IMAX and Planetarium schedules from our science museum. Craft or project ideas. Anything I can tuck into an unexpectedly free hour or two that might be fun for me, the kids, or the whole family.
I keep the Possibilities calendar hidden most of the time so it doesn't clutter up the view of my actual day. If I find myself with some free time, I can display the Possibilities and see just what would fit into that time slot.
In addition to the dates, times, and locations, I add phone numbers and other relevant notes. I then sync the whole thing on my iPhone so I've got it with me and can act "spontaneously" when the moment presents itself. I can't tell you how satisfying it is to have an answer (most of the time) when my kids ask: "Now what can we do?"
This idea will work in any electronic calendaring system, and can easily be adapted to a to-do list with categories or tags. One good option: the online to-do app Toodledo, is detailed on Lifescoop in 5 Benefits of a Task Management System. You can even adapt this sytem to a paper calendar; use a special color ink -- or better yet, pencil -- for items on your "Possibilities" list.
Do you have a system for keeping track of the "maybe" events in your life? Let us know!
===========================================================================
Asha Dornfest is the founder of Parent Hacks -- where savvy parents swap clever, often unconventional parenting tips. Here's the practical, real-world stuff you'll never find in an "expert" book. Featured in Real Simple, Parents and PC Magazine.
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