Remember the days when we couldn’t get enough free calendars, when they were the go-to gift for Christmas and birthdays? Now, those in-the-know find themselves sighing at the thought of yet another calendar arriving in the mailbox. Now, they’re keeping their lives on track with a digital calendar – and for good reason. While it’s a joy to be presented with a hard-copy calendar made for us by one the grandies, the serious business of domestic planning is made much more efficient with a digital version. When we opt into this way of organising our lives, we clear the clutter from our screens and inboxes! If you don’t already use a digital calendar (perhaps because the thought of getting to grips with one feels too daunting) be encouraged to try. The advantages outlined below, may be the inspiration you need!
Clear the clutter
Bills, annual reminders for check-ups for you, your partner, your pet, and your vehicles, online tickets and accommodation bookings … there’s a never-ending list of correspondence now arriving in our in-box. In an effort to keep up with the job of remembering it all, we drag it onto the desktop or home screen, scribble reminders on our ‘Notes’ app, and even set alarms on our mobile phones. It’s digital clutter taken to extremes! But you can ditch it all by using just one function: a digital calendar. With just a tap of keys or even a cut and paste, the important details can be popped into the appropriate calendar date along with other important reminders such as birthdays and anniversaries. Everything is in one place – and this is just the start of the convenience!
Automatic reminders
With a digital calendar, you can schedule an email reminder of an important date to appear in your inbox. You can set the reminder to appear for a selected number of days ahead of the date, and also to appear on a daily basis up until the date arrives!
Annual reminders
Some dates never change – such the anniversaries of birthdays and marriages. Using the settings on your digital calendar, you can set annual reminders for these dates. If you like to send cards, letters, or gifts to mark these occasions, set the reminder notifications to pop up in your in-box in time for you to get your mail in the post.
Always accessible
How many times have you stood at your hair salon reception, unable to make the next appointment because your calendar is back home on the wall! Digital calendars have the potential to be synced (carried across) to a range of devices including your mobile phone, tablet, desktop, and smart watch. This means your calendar is always accessible, no matter what device you have with you. Just bring the calendar up on your screen so you can see when you’re free to make an appointment, or who it is you need to buy a birthday card for!
Create-a-calendar
Why stop at one calendar when you can have two… or three! More than one digital calendar is useful when you want to share dates with others, while keeping your personal details private.
Let’s take the example of planning a family holiday: You create a digital calendar specially for the purpose of keeping others in your family informed. It’s a calendar you can all view on your devices, and make entries in. You’re responsible for booking accommodation, and when you do, you enter the dates and details onto the calendar. Your granddaughter, who’s responsible for organising meals-out, makes her bookings and enters them on the calendar, as does your son who’s in charge of transport. Now, you can all see what’s happening and when. There’s no need for everyone to phone each other to keep up with the play, no danger you’ll double-up on dates, and no need to leave digital post-it notes on your screen!
Double-check
Shared digital calendars are a great way to let family help you remember important dates, because let’s face it, we don’t all check our emails on a daily basis. If you share a calendar with someone who does check emails daily, your reminders can be set to pop into their inbox, too. This is their signal to give you a call to let you know it’s time to go!
Digital calendars have revolutionised personal planning (and believe us when we say, when you learn how to use them, the opportunities they afford just keep on growing). So be kind to yourself by taking the time to test them out. When you do, it’s more than your devices that get a declutter, it’s your life!
