Running a business, managing a household, and raising kids can feel like a juggling act on a good day. As a parentpreneur, finding a system that keeps me organized is non-negotiable. In my latest Caffeinated Chaos episode, my guest Angel Wilborn and I dive into how we’ve mastered the art of calendar organization, and how we keep my family and business running like a well-oiled machine. Spoiler alert: it involves a mix of digital and paper systems, color-coded chaos, and a little bit of humor.
If you’ve ever found yourself drowning in appointments, reminders, and to-do lists, this post—and episode—are for you. I’m sharing my tips on how to stay organized while balancing a business, kids, and everything in between.
1. The Power of the Digital + Paper Combo As much as I love the physical act of writing things down in my planner, I’ve learned that a digital calendar is a must-have. They really do work together. I keep everything in my Google Calendar, which syncs to my phone and my scheduling app. It’s crucial because it prevents double-booking and ensures I can access my calendar on the go, whether I’m at a doctor’s appointment or sitting at my desk.
But here’s the trick: I also use a paper planner for the big picture—the one that sits on my desk. Every Sunday or Monday, I sit down, review my digital calendar, and transfer everything over to my planner. This allows me to see the week’s events and tasks at a glance and gives me peace of mind knowing I haven’t missed anything.
Angel and I go over both our systems and what has worked, what we had to change and adapt and that even our systems aren’t perfect.
2. Color-Coding for the Win One thing I’ve discovered about myself is that I thrive on color. Whether it’s for my personal planner, digital calendar, or whiteboard calendar, I color-code everything. Each type of event or task gets its own color. For example:
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Personal events: Orange
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Work-related tasks: Green
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Important appointments or events: Red
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Family/School: Blue
Not only does color-coding make my calendar look pretty, but it also helps me instantly identify what type of task I’m dealing with. This quick visual cue saves me time when planning my week.
3. Getting My Family Onboard with the Calendar Here’s the real challenge—getting the whole family involved in the calendar system. Whether it’s my kids or my husband, I’ve had to make sure everyone knows what’s going on and adds their own events to the shared family calendar. This is essential and Angle and I both agree. If it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist in my world. If it’s not on there, I may accidentally double-book something, and that’s a recipe for disaster.
For us, it’s all about communication. We need to take time and check in with my family to see if there are any updates or new events they need to add to the calendar.
4. Whiteboard Calendar = The Hub of Our Home For a quick overview, Angel talks about how they have a large whiteboard calendar that keeps everyone on track. This calendar is primarily for family events and appointments. When her husband or kids add something to the digital calendar, she transfers it to the whiteboard so everyone can see what’s happening at a glance. Angel does not let anyone else write on the whiteboard, though. That’s her sacred space!
5. Tips for Making Your Calendar System Work for You
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Start by choosing a system that works for you. Whether you’re a paper planner person, a digital calendar enthusiast, or a hybrid of both, consistency is key.
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Color-code your calendar to easily distinguish between different types of events and tasks.
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Involve the family—have regular check-ins to update the calendar together.
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Set boundaries and make sure everyone knows to consult the calendar before making plans.
If you’re someone who struggles with keeping everything organized and under control, I highly recommend giving this hybrid system a try.
Listen to the Full Podcast Episode Want to hear more about how we juggle family life and business organization? Check out the full episode of Caffeinated Chaos here, where we dive deeper into how our calendar system works and share even more tips for staying organized, especially for parentpreneurs.