This program looked cool but too complicated. I don’t know if what I’m doing is more work or not, but you can find my template here:
You might need to add or delete tabs to make things line up right.
The basic premise I’m working with is that, no matter how good your calendar system, wheter it is the iCal and Mail apps or Microsoft Entourage on the Mac, or Microsoft Outlook, or the Mozilla email/calendar system, you have to review your schedule regularly. Recently I made an appointment with someone and thought it was already in my calendar system when it wasn’t. There is still plenty of room for error in these systems.
Planning each week out in a text file gives you that opportunity. Even if you don’t think you need to review, typing stuff gives you a chance to make sure you haven’t missed anything. And the text file is the most universal format you could us. You can email it and expect it to work on any system.
Also, I find that using a text program (whether .txt or something more elaborate) is helpful for other reasons. My Entourage programe doesn’t display my week in two three day columns (unlike Outlook on the PC), so this gives me a format that is easier to review at a glance. Also, I am somewhat frustrated that calendar systems don’t have reminders that work without requiring you to block out time. Sometimes I just need to plan to work on something and see how long it takes rather than blocking. This is also true with reminders about what other people are doing, which you need to keep in mind, but don’t necessarily need to be taking up block space on your calendar.
So, this is the format I’m working with now. I put two brackets in front of items like this:
[] Read _Software Testing_ chapter two
Thus, when I have done it I insert an X between the brackets:
[x] Read _Software Testing_ chapter two
I list (mostly horizontally) “to do” items (“actions”) at the top of the page to remind me to schedule them during the week. I also list items at the top of each day above the line. I put other marks to designate reminders.
I’m not trying to over think this because I’m pretty sure this needs to be intuitive. I simply explain my week to myself, spending a short time Monday morning creating the sheet (though I usually start a little bit the week before) and a few minutes each morning evaluating and updating. I still use entourage and the alert system, but the textfile is really helpful.