How to … Tame Your Calendar Before It Tames You

If you’re a working professional with a family, your calendar probably feels like a runaway train. One minute you’re fine, the next you’re missing deadlines, forgetting birthdays, and wondering how your day disappeared. Here’s how to fix it:

• Start your day with a plan. Take 15 minutes each morning to pick your top three tasks. Not everything—just the three that matter most. Split your time into “must-dos” and “want-to-dos.” This helps you stop reacting to everyone else’s chaos and focus on what counts.
• Block time for deep work. Set aside three two-hour blocks each week—early, mid, and late week. Use them to think, plan, read, or catch up. No meetings. No distractions. President Richard Nixon used to sneak off to a quiet office just to get things done. You can too.
• End your day with a reset. Spend 30 minutes wrapping up. Clear your desk, answer emails, return calls, jot down loose thoughts. This helps you switch off and enjoy your evening without your brain spinning like a washing machine.

Idea for Impact: Use your calendar as a weapon, not a shackle. Dictate your hours with intent, or watch them be looted by the trivial and the dim. Reclaim your time—or be ruled by the petty tyranny of other people’s priorities.