Working Up

by Dwayne Phillips

I contemplate a simple yet still effective management tool—the humble calendar.

What will I do tomorrow? What about the day after? What about next month. Oh, wait, is next week in next month or this month?

How can I keep track of time?

We revisit the humble calendar. If this is insulting to you, sorry, this is not for you. Please read the next bit of writing that I post.

Years ago I supervised about a dozen hard working, always-on-the-road persons. I needed to know where they were on any given day. Sigh. So much to track. I used Microsoft Word to print a table that resembled a calendar. I adhered the calendar to the wall next to my desk using a wonderful temporary spray adhesive, I wrote in pencil on the calendar. Hmmm, paper and pencil and a wall. Hmmmm. Someone told me where they were going and when. I wrote it on the calendar.

Someone asked me, “Where is so and so?” I looked on the calendar and found the answer.

If I went elsewhere, I took the calendar with me. If needed, I put old calendars in a manila folder—another humble tool—for referencing the past.

Silly? Perhaps. Useful? Absolutely. Recommended? Absolutely.

We don’t have to reinvent everything. We don’t have to use a computer for everything. If work or life is overwhelming, use simple, proven tools…like the humble calendar.

Why did I write and post this? Because I know persons who are overwhelmed and who do not use calendars.