Note the unusual
After I eaten my breakfast and I’ve scanned the headlines, I take my tea to a computer and scan my calendar for the month. I look at what’s happening today, the rest of the week, and the rest of the month. I prefer BusyCal over the standard OS X Calendar.
After I’ve dressed, I put Pennyworth my iPod Touch in my pocket. I use Fantastical for the best list format for the day. Occasionally I’ll scroll forward to see what’s happening, but mostly I stay on task.
So far this isn’t all that unusual.
But my calendar can dance rings around the normal calendar. It all has to do with how you use your calendar.
Years ago, I worked in a job where I might be required to testify or give a deposition. I started noting the unusual. If something happened that I might have to give details months or years later, I needed to keep track of those details. So if it was a memo, I’d copy/paste the memo into my calendar. If it was a meeting, I would take notes directly into my calendar. If it was an incident report, it would go into the calendar.
Then I’d give myself a visual cue so I would know that there were notes attached to that calendar event. It didn’t stop there. When I ordered something on the ‘net, I’d put an undated task with the details. When it arrived, I’d drag the task over to the calendar. Over time, I learned to save the receipts to PDF files and just put the name of the receipt in the location field of the task.
It offended my sensibilities, but I learned a very simple way to name my receipts. The date first, with the format 2014-10-16. That way I could throw it in a folder marked 2014 and the name sort would always work by date. Then a period and the company name as one word. I learned to always use the company I paid rather than the company that provided the product. PayPal still works well. Finally a number sign and the receipt order number.
2013-10-31.ThatCompany#192034
Before long I started doing the same thing with digital purchases as well. I did something similar with unusual local purchases too. I don’t do it for groceries, but I would do it for a new tool or a new piece of furniture. For these purchases, I used the location field a little differently.
Unless you’re setting up a meeting, avoid the attendees field in the calendar. It tries to send emails. Some of my last minute meetings sent invites to people after the meeting was over.
Here’s a rough-and-ready meeting template. I keep it in a handy iPhone app called Calendar Paste 2. I can just select that item and it pastes an event with the template into my calendar.
Meeting Called By:
Type of Meeting:
Facilitator:
Note Taker:
Attendees:
AGENDA
Item
DISCUSSIONS
Topic:
Comments:
Conclusion:
ACTIONS
Topic 1:
In charge: Deadline:
Topic 2:
In charge: Deadline:
Of course, I also log anytime I use a repairman, plumber, or mechanic.
I do keep a journal in Evernote. Mostly it’s just tracking my meals, but when I have a thought on the run that is where it goes. Once a week I transfer these items to my calendar using BusyMac’s journal feature.
When I comment on someone else’s site, I use BusyMac’s journal feature to keep track of what I said. If it’s a really good one, once a week I’ll transfer it to Evernote as well. It’s the archive that really sets things off.
Leave the current calendar quarter and the previous four quarters in the calendar database
This is more involved than it should be, but it can all be done with existing software.
- Set BusyCal to list by month.
- After the event, calendar should be for unusual events. Regularly scheduled routine things (but not yearly repeating things) should be deleted.
- Some calendar events should have the correct symbol before the event title, see “Calendar symbols & hacks.”
- Drag the event from BusyCal to a TextEdit page set to Plain Text.
- Hit return and insert a break like "•===========•“ Hit Return again. Repeat for every item.
- Clean up spaces at the bottom.
- Export as a PDF from TextEdit. I’ve been using the month names.
- Use Print from the BusyCal list to open a PDF in Preview.
- Go to the last page of the PDF. Choose Insert Page from File under the Edit menu.
- Save with the correct file name.
- Delete all but the repeating items from the archived calendar month using BusyCal.
By noting the unusual, using notes with visual cues, and carful archiving, I make my calendar exceptional.