Scheduling in Time for the Unexpected

Yesterday, I had lots of tasks and projects on my To Do list that I was working on diligently, until 11:30 a.m. or so. That's when I got a call from my daughter's school telling me Amanda had a bad tummy ache. So, of course I dropped everything, drove to her school and ended up bringing her home with me, where I comforted her with a heating pad, a little club soda, and some plain crackers until she felt better. It turned out to be nothing serious, thankfully, and she's back in school today.

So today's list is basically double in size--all of today's work, plus yesterday's work that never was completed. But that's just how it goes sometimes, and flexibility is critical. For this very reason, I always keep my schedule on Fridays very light, with plenty of room for catch-up work.

When adding tasks and events to your schedule for the week, always pad with plenty of time for unexpected things that may come up. This way, you won't feel like you're drowning in work if you or another family member is feeling under the weather, or a situation arises, or if your computer decides to act up without warning.

A big part of being organized is preparing for times like these. If nothing occurs and you have lots of extra time, great! You can use that time to get a head start on next week's work, or to do something fun and relaxing. If something does come up, you'll be able to still get those things done without the pain.

Comments

[ChefSam]

First thing my boss told me when I started my new job was don't schedule any weekly appts for Fridays! Oh how I am thankful for that advice! I use Fridays to do paperwork and catch up on stuff.

[www.ducksnarow.com]

This Friday advice is the best. I work as the office manager of a busy school. Wednesdays are my last "controllable" day of the week. I always use Thursday afternoons to gear up for Friday, just in case Friday runs away from me.