Budgeting Your Time

The Calendar Apps Available to You

Calendar Data Needs – Part 1

Let’s begin with what I believe is the greatest and most important data need any human-being can have, managing time.  The root problem of time management is the myth that one can even manage time. Time is the one thing we can not manage; you have what you have and nothing more.  In fact, you can’t add more time to your day nor can you subtract any. You can’t give someone your hours and you can’t save them in a time-bank. What we manage is how we budget for our time? 

Introduction to Calendar Data
What will we do with the time that’s been given?  Well, that’s where a calendar comes into play and what sets the successful person apart.  It’s what makes a normal person become exceptional. Everyone budgets their time in two ways: a clock and a calendar.  We will focus on the calendar in this section. While you don’t think of a calendar as housing data, it does. It has a lot of important data.  The calendar tells one when everything is to be done. It gives people a common reference point. Not to go into the physics of a calendar and how that works, let’s just jump right into your data needs surrounding your calendar.

“The key is not to prioritize what is on the schedule but to schedule your priorities.” ~ Stephen Covey

The App Known as Your Calendar
So what calendars are available to you? 

You need to first understand what’s available.  There are quite a few options available for calendars.  Please note that I’m not going to discuss analog (paper or physical) calendars, which I think are very helpful and remain very relevant even in our high-tech age.  Since we’re discussing, App Information Services (AIS), I will provide three digital calendars that I highly recommend and are available to you for free.  These three are widely used, supported, and more than likely you’ve already heard of them.

    • Native mobile device calendar.  For those who live and are isolated to nothing more than a smartphone, the native mobile device calendar will work and is very good when you don’t need very many bells and whistles.  It’s perfect for individuals who have very limited team interactions to manage. Also most mobile device calendars provide a web-based version should you need to access it from a computer (i.e. icloud.com for iOS and Google Calendar for Android).
    • Google Calendar. Google Calendar is one of the most popular and widely used.  Consider taking a look at it’s ease of use and features.  We use Google calendar and have used it for many years. However, this next calendar app is my calendar of choice.
  • Outlook 365. Microsoft fell behind Google just a few years ago in the online productivity arena.  Today, Microsoft has stepped up its game and has given its productivity suite a new look and feel.  Microsoft Outlook online or on your mobile device brings back the calendar app you’ve grown to know and love over the years.  They’ve made it available online and it’s simply wonderful.

Regardless of which software application (app) you go with, they’re intended to meet a data need and in this case one that solves problems with managing your priorities using calendars.  Using apps such as these will provide calendar access and visibility using mobile devices, PC’s, and online via the web. You never have to be without your calendars, ever. How important is it to have real-time calendar updates in this fast paced environment?  Very and that’s why we’re offering these AIS solutions. Give these calendar apps a try today.

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