calendars

[arguchik]

please discuss with me the pros and cons of paper vs. electronic appointment calendars, including those on your desktop/laptop, your phone, your palm device (does anyone still use those?), your i-pod (which apparently can sync with i-cal? but you can't enter new appointments on the fly, i'm assuming, unless you own one-a-them i-pod touch gadgets), or some other electronic device.

i'm currently using a paper calendar--the 5x8 weekly planner from moleskine, because it has a bookmark and an elastic band to keep it closed; also because it's roomy enough to fit everything i need to put in it, yet also streamlined enough so that i don't mind carrying it around--and i like it, wouldn't really want a different kind of paper planner. the problem is that i have a headful of things i "must put into my calendar" but i can't seem to motivate myself to locate it, locate pen, locate various postcards, emails, and flyers that give details about the events i want to enter, and actually get the shit entered. then there's the hurdle of getting myself into the habit of actually looking at my calendar every day to see what i've got going on.

what kind of calendar do you use, and how do to keep your calendar up to date and useful? what tricks have you learned over the years/months/weeks/days you've been using your current system, to make it work for you?

lo these many years ago, i had a handspring visor, and that actually worked pretty well for me. then one day its (non-rechargeable) batteries died, i lost everything in it, and in disgust i tossed it into a drawer and bought my first paper planner. ever since then, i keep falling into and out of good planner hygiene and usage habits, and can't seem to make it stick.

do i just need to kick myself in the ass and get with the program? or should i try something new?

Comments

[wondrousbeauty.livejournal.com]

Paper planner. I couldn't function if I didn't write everything in it and consult it, so I just do. I know that's not necessarily helpful!

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

LOL--it's a version of "kick yerself in the arse and get with the program, missy!"

my visor was pretty, though...it was blue.

[xtingu]

I'm a Google calendar girl. I put everything in there. It accepts entries from your cell phone via SMS in addition to the normal way you'd update a web-based calendar.

The calendar sharing feature is awesome and makes sharing events and seeing what your google-calendar-using friends (and organizations) are up to a snap.

It can email and/or sms you your tasks as often as you want.

I'm not disciplined to do a paper calendar, but the online thing is easy.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

huh. i knew about online calendars but hadn't thought about that. (i know i-cal syncs via .mac too.) thanks!

[jangwas.livejournal.com]

I (and my husband) would be dead in the water if we couldn't sync our Outlook calendars - allows me to "invite" him via email to all the events cluttering up our kids' lives.....plus its the one mandated by the evil corporate employer....

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

i have thought about features like that...if i used an online calendar that my friends could look at, they would be able to see what i'm up to. then again, they would know what i'm up to!

[alice-at-night.livejournal.com]

I use a paper calendar. It serves me well, and is quicker than remembering then booting up . Opposite to xtingu, I'm not disciplined to keep up with the online thing. And I really like how you can scan lots of days on paper easily, and can put lots of notes where ever on the paper. And it fits my luddite/minimalist tendancies. But PAPER is the calendar FOR ME.

Since others @ work need to schedule meetings & such, I also use the work mandated OUTLOOK email calendar. It works well enough when you have more than just me to worry about.

I've heard really good things about google calendar - i.e., it is sharable and accessable from anywhere you can get web-access.

[arguchik.livejournal.com]

yeah...it actually works pretty well for me, too, when it's working. (sigh.) i think i just need to bite the bullet and re-cultivate the habit. shiny-sparkly gadgets won't help.

sync

[crash66.livejournal.com]

I think what works for you will kinda depend on how much stuff you got rolling and how and when you need to feed or access it.

I use outlook at work and home and sync both PCs to my Phone. The phone retains the master data and I can feed it, schedule meetings and read it all sitting in a meeting or on a train or while i'm on the phone actually. It's just an average phone as well.

it can buzz me for reminders and it's a device i'm carrying anyway.

The sync rules are a bit annoying and the physical sync is better with IR or bluetooth than the cable just cause the cable is annoying and expensive.

the part I like that makes it all worth doing is I can see a flyer for something on my walk to work and punch it into the phone as a meeting so I don't forget about the event.

I can also take a crappy picture that might remind me of something later.

It tells me bdays and phone numbers of friends so I can call them on their bday.

I used to use a paper planner but I had to carry the book with me at all times and that got annoying. The one thing i do miss is I had a historical record of my life in paper so i could flip through and see my life evolve.

Good luck with seeing what works for you, it's an iterative process me thinks.

[malafrena.livejournal.com]

Wall calendar, put everything on it even if you think you don't need to, have only one. Look at it every night and morning. Enter relevant info ASAP (within minutes if possible).

Boy, if I did all those things all the time, I would be in gooood shape.

Rojo has a query about how he would implement it, since the wall calendar is at home.

Q: It is 3 p.m. I go "aha! I have a committment!" What do I do?
A: Call and leave a message on voice mail. Then hope that Malafrena isn't having a brain reboot.

[rojonoir.livejournal.com]

Oh! Oh! Oh!



I just thought of the perfect solution - (though I admit Malafrena's is more practical). Have a wall calendar on your wall at home. On the ceiling, mount a hi-res webcam that is aimed straight at the calendar. On the wall, next to the calendar, mount a post-it note printer that has a web-interface. Above the calendar, mount a robot arm that can take commands to remove postits from a specific date or take a freshly printed postit and stick it on the appropriate date.

Though you either need good security or have to be careful about checking your calendar after a shower in the morning.