There are many books on the market full of wonderful suggestions, strategies, and down-to-earth practical solutions to just about any problem you will encounter. While you’re wrist-deep in tax-returns with a phone on your shoulder to get some “quality time” with your spouse, its easy to become overwhelmed!

Of course, someone will always want or need something all the time. The goal is to organize your life, as it is now, to minimize your stress load. That can be done!

Planning and thinking ahead will help you achieve more in less time. You’ll spend less time on routine tasks. You won’t be duplicating your efforts as often. You’ll feel on top of circumstances instead of under them. Getting organized is the first step in managing your time and, therefore, your life. At least one of the ideas that follow should help you.

This could be a calendar on which you write all the appointments you need to remember, as well as the children’s games you want to attend, the social engagements that you have to drive them to, and other places you have to be at a certain time. Write entries on your planner in pencil, not ink! Or purchase a write-on/wipe-off (dry erase) board and color-code each person’s schedule: red for one child, green for the new baby, blue for you, purple for your husband, and so forth.

If you feel your life is too complicated for just one calendar, here are a few more options

One of the good things about this method is that you can transfer only the information you need for that day from the larger calendar. Another benefit is that you get a clean slate each day! That keeps you from feeling that you haven’t accomplished all you wanted. It should take you only several minutes to transfer the information, and then you have just the one sheet to handle.

A grid with seven vertical columns is the best way to see what the week holds. Label each one with the day of the week and the date.

The simplest way to do this is to give each day of the month one line only. Use your own shorthand if necessary to condense the information for any day that has too much for one line. Having all this information at your fingertips and in one place whether you are away from the house or at home is important if you want minimize the amount of time you run around. Not to mention, it is nice to be able to see how close you are to achieving your goals, and what you have to accomplish to get that one-step closer.

The most important thing is to not stress yourself out trying to figure out the best method! Take your time, and develop the best method for youself. You may want to modify any of the above mentioned ideas into your own - just go with what works best for you!