Calendar

Anxiety is a normal part of my life - seriously. I'm juggling a lot of balls these days and as time goes on, I know that will only increase as the kids get more into activities and school. Two kids, meals, grocery shopping (if I can't keep milk in the house when the cuddler is 2, what am I going to do when he hits 13?), a job where I asked daily to take more and more on (who isn't these days?), while simultaneously remembering every appointment, class and the never ending to-do list. Some days I don’t stop until I collapse on the couch after getting the kids to sleep.

When I worked as a nanny, I had a boss who literally was a SuperMom - it was a sweet job - and managed to make it look easy. She grocery shopped, she was a partner for a major accounting firm and still managed to be a classroom mom and attend all the games for three boys who played all four seasons. She lived and died by her day planner. She took it everywhere and kept everything in it; insurance cards, notes, stationary, coupons, train tickets... somehow it worked. That’s what I aspire to… but without having a nanny.

To keep track of everything, I've tried paper calendars - really cutes ones, small ones to carry around, huge ones to hang on the wall, even a FlyLady Calendar, with stickers. I’ve tried daily to-do sheets, organizers, and everything in between. None really worked for me. I would write something down on a piece of paper or on another calendar at my office and forget about it at home... and miss it completely. Or get caught up in one thing, and forgetting to stop by the grocery store to pick up milk. I am famous for completely forgetting appointments or to bring something I was responsible for.

A few weeks ago I got a new smart phone and one of the features was Goo*gl@ Calendar. Although I've attempted to use that feature before it's one problem was, again, the mobility. No computer, no access, eventually abandoned. But now that I can use it on my phone, it's mobile! Cue choirs of angels.

I can instantly type in an appointment, reminder, to-do item and it's stored on-line. Since I'm not allowed to use my phone at my job, I can still access the calendar on my computer and keep up with what I need to do. If I wanted, I could print it out and tape it to the wall. (not going to, but it's an option). I can make notes on the reminder, like when I special instructions for Lala's medical appointments. And I can set it to give me a reminder alarm, so that when I forget an appointment (Monday's doctor appointment), I can get a reminder and run out the door. Ha! As much as I like to have a piece of paper to cross things off as they are done (so satisfying), so far this is working much better for us.

Organization is the only I'm going to get through the next 18 years with some semblance of sanity.