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Planning for Success: Register Community Events – Day 29

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Planning for success - Day 29

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 29: Register Community Events

Our month of planning for success is winding down. Though I am far from completing my calendar for the year, I have a great start with reminders along the way.

Usually, I do not care to get reminders from others. Those doctor appointment calls and e-mails waste my time. If I confirm once, then I’m coming. I really don’t need the additional reminders a week before or day before. Ah . . . OK, stepping down from my soap box now. 😉

In our event category this month, we have selected a planning tool, set our school and work activities, included holidays, and chosen event dates. In ending this planning for success event section, I register community events. These events include the following:

Church

From retreats to seminars, record registration deadlines for these activities.

Clinics and Classes

Applying early for events, even the free ones like Lowe’s Build and Grow, reserves your spot in the class. Some of our classes are through the zoo, art museums, science centers, and private organizations. Usually these events are first come, first serve, so register early.

Lessons

If you register for swim, musical instrument, sports, or other private lessons, record the registration dates and times for best availability.

School

Meeting enrollment deadlines during the discount period saves my family money, energy, and time. Without wondering about available space, my children’s spots are reserved when payment is received. Adding these dates to the calendar gets me moving.

If you apply for financial aid, then also include that deadline date on your planning tool.

Sports

In our household, we register for soccer season. As I get registration information, these dates are placed on my calendar to get on the same team and prevent paying more after the early bird deadline.

Summer Camps

My daughter is so excited about going to art camp this year. She turned 5 years old after the cutoff date last year, so she is thrilled to finally go. Knowing how excited she is, I am waiting for registration to open and will enroll her as soon as the information is released.

Other camps might include sports, fine arts, zoo, and day camp. As you get the information, add the deadlines to your calendar to prevent tears and disappointment this summer.

In planning for success, register community events early to save money, energy, and time. I have been saved many times by these reminders to myself. I even go so far as to schedule reminders to check websites for information months in advance.

Continue using time wisely by spending a few moments to note registration dates. Besides increasing your chances of holding a space, you may also save money, energy, and time. Happy registering!

Question: How do you remember registration dates for community events?

Planning for Success: Choose Event Dates – Day 22

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Planning for success - Day 22

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 22: Choose Event Dates

Not sure how it happens, but birthdays sneak up on me. I know when my children’s birthdays are, but it seems like that distant birthday increases speed and arrives early. Though each birthday party has gone well, I would like to plan better this year.

With out-of-town relatives, I need to give advanced notice for their availability and travel arrangements. For the sake of my sanity and locking in the dates for key participants, I am working to add the following events to our 2013 calendar:

1. Child 1’s birthday party (To Be Determined – TBD)

2. Child 2’s birthday party (Hello Kitty)

3. Child 3’s birthday party (Mickey Mouse)

4. Family vacation

5. Fall Festival

6. Halloween Party

7. History Fair

8. Hubby’s birthday celebration

9. Science Fair

Though I won’t confirm these dates until contacting others, I will have a tentative date and a reminder to start planning. Just thinking about these events now, gets the ideas flowing for future planning. I also can keep a lookout for inexpensive party supplies which saves money, energy, and time.

In planning for success, ponder the events you will host this year and choose event dates. With the reminder in your calendar, your next birthday celebration shouldn’t sneak up on you so quickly.

Keep scheduling important items on your calendar. As you get organized, you can follow your calendar to a successful 2013 while using time wisely. Happy choosing!

Question: What events are you planning for 2013?

Planning for Success: Include Holidays – Day 15

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Planning for success - Day 15

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 15: Include Holidays

Our family enjoys holidays. Since I like to decorate for most of them, my girls get so excited when I begin putting away the current decorations because they know a new set is coming. For example, as I took down the Christmas trees in my children’s rooms this past weekend, my toddler asked multiple times to have her Valentine’s Day hearts put in her room. *Sigh* A mother’s work is never done. 🙂

Though most planning tools include holidays within their pages, some do not. If you create your own calendar, like me, then your planning tool is blank, and you add in the holidays. If you need to add the holiday schedule to your calendar, then Day-Finder.com includes the following lists:

American Holiday Schedule

Canadian Holiday Schedule

Realizing that Canadians need a few more holidays and Americans tend to celebrate everything, I included the American holiday schedule on my calendar. Knowing the dates helps in planning events, parties, and celebrations.

As you plan for success in 2013, include holidays on your calendar for which you and your family celebrate. Though there are other important dates and the above lists are not inclusive, customize your calendar with additional days, like Daylight Savings Time.

Keep using time wisely and jot down holidays and important dates to help you save time and energy. Happy planning!

Question: What additional holidays are on your calendar?

Planning for Success: Set Your School and Work Activities – Day 8

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Planning for success - Day 8

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Day 2: Add Your Priorities

Day 3: Print and Display Your Menu Planner – with free printable

Day 4: Record Membership Expiration Dates 

Day 5: Mark Due Dates for Monthly Bills

Day 6: Insert Credit Report Schedule

Day 7: Schedule Your Annual Home Maintenance

Day 8: Set Your School and Work Activities

As the second semester of school commences, I am getting requests to take on responsibilities. Though I love our school and help as often as my schedule allows, I must keep my priorities in order. Before accepting new responsibilities, I add to my calendar all the known school activities gathered from the school calendar prior to adding optional duties.

Knowing when programs, projects, and meetings are scheduled, I can evaluate new opportunities in light of my time and my priorities. For me, my children’s classes take priority over the other classes. But when my children’s classes have adequate assistance, then I consider helping others.

Items on my calendar include the following:

    • Activities – field day and open houses
    • Assemblies – chapel and award ceremony
    • Competitions – spelling bee and geography bee
    • Days off for holidays and breaks
    • Fairs – science and history
    • Field trips
    • Hubby’s days off
    • Hubby’s office parties
    • Kindergarten graduation 🙂

Of course, your schedule will look different from mine, but adding your work and school activities to your schedules gives you an idea of how many more activities you can add and still maintain your priorities.

In planning for success, set your school and work activities on your calendar. Besides knowing what you need to do for the week, you will know when your plate is full.

By scheduling what you need to do, you can choose what you want to do with the time remaining. Keep using time wisely as you plan for success. Happy scheduling!

Question: Do you find putting everything on your calendar freeing or overwhelming?

Planning for Success: Select a Planning Tool – Day 1

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Welcome 2013!

Planning for success - Day 1

Photograph Credit: iStockphoto

Knowing that a successful year will not materialize on its own, we must plan and prepare for a prosperous 2013.

Throughout the 31 days of January, I will choose one topic each day to prepare or schedule for this year.

Without preparation, I know I will forget, miss, or overlook certain items. If you desire an organized year, then join me in this adventure of Planning for Success for a prosperous 2013.

To receive a daily e-mail around 11:00 a.m. with the new posts of each day, subscribe to my free daily newsletter. In case you miss a post in this series, I will provide the link to each day as the month progresses. 🙂

Day 1: Select a Planning Tool

Whether you choose a paper calendar or electronic scheduler, select a planning tool to use throughout this year. Having tried Google calendar so I could share with Paul, I found the system difficult to keep up. Without having access to it from my phone and problems syncing up, I went back to my paper calendar.

My calendar of choice is a monthly option. Similar to my menu planner, I prefer to see the entire month at a glance. Desiring to keep my desk clutter-free, I choose an 8.5×11” landscape (horizontal) calendar option, print one month per page, and staple all 12 months together into one calendar year.

If you are looking for calendar options, these links contain free printable calendars:

    • Monthly – both horizontal and vertical options
    • Weekly – Shayla offers a number of calendars, menu plans, cleaning charts, and blogging schedules
    • Daily – Tiffany offers a detailed 2-page planner with lots of details

As we begin this journey of planning for success, select a planning tool. From the classic daily, weekly, and monthly options, choose based on the space you need to record your events, activities, appointments, and other information.

With small handwriting, I can squeeze lots in a small space, but someone else may not. If you are struggling, then choose your top two options and print the first 2 weeks of January. As we add the details each day, you can see which plan works best for you.

In using time wisely, let’s prepare to prosper in 2013. Join me tomorrow for Day 2 as we fill our calendars while planning for success. Happy choosing!

Question: Which planning tool do you prefer?