When my husband and I started to get serious, we went to couples therapy to work on our communication skills. Several of our miscommunications resulted from a need for better scheduling. Our therapist’s simple solution was to start sharing a calendar. So small yet so effective. Now, fast forward to the present day: two kids, more responsibilities, and countless events and extracurriculars. It’s no surprise I was feeling the same frustration from before. Our schedules now included two more people, and I felt that I’d been shouldering the bulk of the responsibility and mental load since having kids. If you’re also wondering how to organize your family calendar best, trust me—I’ve been there.
To gain back that sense of control over our lives, I dove deep into the nitty gritty of managing my family’s schedule. What’s more, I also wanted to teach my young children to take ownership of the task as well. I got in touch with some experts in the industry and tested a few ideas with my family. This is everything I learned—from the tools that make sense to the tips (or tricks, hehe) I used to get some buy-in from my kids.
How to Organize Your Family Calendar
To be clear: understanding how to organize your family schedule is more than simply writing down dates and times. First, I wanted to identify all the pieces of the schedule I needed to know. Essentially, when I look at the family calendar, I want to have all the details of each event at the ready. That way, no matter what info I need, it’s there for me to quickly scan. This includes:
- Who and how you get there
- What you might need while there
- Necessary contacts
Whatever app or organizational tool you use needs to have all these functions or you’ll have to do double the work. Ahead, I’m sharing the habits and practices my family has implemented to ensure we’re all on the same page.
Tips for Getting Your Family on the Same Page
Here’s the thing: a family calendar doesn’t work unless everyone’s on board. And because the goal is to have a living document (digital or otherwise) that accurately tracks where everyone is at all times, every family member has to be committed to making that happen. By following the tips ahead, my husband and I have helped my young children learn to take responsibility for their own schedules, and in turn, we can all live more in sync throughout the week.
Plan regular family meetings. Schedule weekly or monthly family meetings to discuss upcoming events, changes to the schedule, and any conflicts that need to be resolved.
Sync with individual calendars. If family members have calendars (e.g., work or school), consider syncing them with the central family calendar to avoid double booking. Also, make space to share how the workload feels for you. This is a good time for stress-checking. Different times of the year can have added stress—for example, the holiday—so make room for discussing the load.
Use a central calendar. Choose a digital or physical calendar where everyone can see and update events. This could be a shared Google Calendar, scheduling app, or a family planner hung on the refrigerator or in the mudroom or anywhere the whole family can access.
Color-coding users. This is vital if you’re a visual person like me. Assign different colors to each family member to make it easier to see who has what scheduled at a glance. I like to let the kids pick their colors. The more they can be a part of the scheduling, the more buy-in you will get from them.
Set up reminders. I like to set a reminder for an hour before leaving and when we need to go. That’s why adding the location is crucial.
Delegate and own tasks. Determine which events and tasks are the most important and delegate responsibilities accordingly. This can help prevent overcommitment and reduce stress.
Be flexible. Understand that schedules may change occasionally due to unforeseen circumstances. Stay adaptable and communicate openly with your family about any changes.
You can have all the strategies set in place, but still—without something to keep track of it all, it can be easy to let a pickup go by the wayside or forget all about a sports practice. Thankfully, there are plenty of tools available to help your family stay organized. Whether you prefer manual or digital, explore the options below and connect with the right strategy for you.
Google Calendar
Almost everyone is familiar with Google Calendar. The big perk is that it’s free and has many features to choose from. Go on YouTube or TikTok for hacks and tips to get the most out of your Google calendar. The only con is that it may be too advanced for younger users who do not have access to a phone or computer.
Hearth Display
Hearth Display is a centralized touchscreen that makes family organization a more accessible and shared responsibility for everyone in your home. Its intuitive planning and management tools simplify tracking tasks, building routines, developing independence, and sharing meaningful moments. This digital display center has everything you need. Some of the stand-out features for me are its ability to sync to your Google calendar, build in routines, and digitize every paper invite calendar and piece of paper your child gets sent home with. Because Hearth has merged the calendar, app, and everything into one, I contacted them for tips everyone could use. Here’s what they had to say.
- Talk about it. Talk about what your partner might not be noticing. And talk about your hopes for dividing labor—seen and unseen—more equally.
- Aim to share management, not just tasks. Starting by splitting household labor and care work is great. Take the exercise a step further by working to share the mental load of management.
- Release control. It’s not always perfect. And especially after years of managing a task, or using the rationale, “I’ll just do it,” old habits die hard. When you trust your partner to take on the mental load, you loosen your grip on the details.
Yohana
If you feel completely overwhelmed by your schedule and need to call reinforcements, look no further than Yohana.
Yohana is a personal assistant service that offers a team of Yohana Specialists who can tackle your to-dos and arrange fun experiences. The Yohana Pro & Partner Network, a hand-picked set of third-party providers for bigger household/personal projects; and the Yohana App + Website where you and your team get it all done. Yohana can do everything from making date night reservations to coordinating travel plans and booking reservations based on niche preferences/accommodations, as well as ordering and delivering gifts, researching meal prep recipes, hiring cleaners, and more!
Since I had the Yohana team to contact, I wanted to get some tips from the pros. Yoky Matsuoka is a mom of four, the Managing Executive Officer of Panasonic Holdings, CEO of PanasonicWELL, and CEO of Yohana. This is her advice for anyone wondering how to organize your family calendar.
- Delegate your to-do list. It’s difficult to let go of household responsibilities as a mother, but making time for delegation reduces much more stress in the long run and creates room for things that matter most (like picking up your kids from school). Whether it’s to your Yohana specialists or your partner, it’s essential to consciously make an effort to delegate.
- Master context switching. Blurring the line between family and work can lead to disengagement or burnout, and that’s where context switching can help. It’s a learnable skill defined by the ability to focus on one specific task at a time and switch contexts as needed, but ensuring that you’re always immersed in what you’re currently working on rather than multitasking. By context switching, it allows you to be more efficient and able to live in the present.
The Takeaway
Managing a family schedule can be daunting, especially as responsibilities multiply and life becomes busier. However, through personal experience and expert insights, I’ve discovered valuable tools and strategies to streamline the process and alleviate the mental load. From utilizing shared calendars and color-coding events to delegating tasks and embracing flexibility, various approaches suit every family’s needs.
Effective schedule management is about communication, collaboration, and finding a balance that works for everyone. By implementing these tools and tips, I’ve found greater harmony and peace of mind in navigating the intricate dance of family life.