The MomSpeak

If you’ve ever found yourself triple booked for a client meeting, your son’s pediatrician appointment, and your daughter’s first soccer game, you know that trying to manage your own and your family’s schedule is a tricky task. There’s no way for modern moms to keep track of all the moving parts of their lives.

The most important thing you need – other than a supportive partner and/or network of family and friends – is an effective calendar system. It doesn’t matter what the system is, really. Just pick one and stay with it.

Create a ‘command center’

If you can’t keep up with all the date- related paperwork and are just overwhelmed by the mile high piles of birthday invitations and notices about school events, how about creating a family command center? Hang a bulletin board, a chalkboard, and a magnetic calendar white board side by side on the wall in or around your kitchen. Trust us; this central place for all the date-related details of daily life will be your best defense against the chaos of managing busy family life. Pottery Barn, Pottery Barn Kids and Pottery Barn Teen have snazzy versions of these command central stations, but you can also create your own from less expensive stores like Staples and Office Max.

Going digital

Another idea is to use a free service like Google Calendar — a cool free online sharable calendar service. It gives you the tools to coordinate schedules and communicate up to date information. You can share your family calendar so you, your partner, babysitter and even the grandparents can keep current on everything from your next business trip to your daughter’s soccer schedule. Google Calendar can even sync with your Outlook at work and send you email reminders. Blending work, family, social and group activities into one calendar is without a doubt the only way to have a shot at keeping all the balls in the air. Or try Home Concierge, an online, lifestyle management tool that keeps your schedule, activities, contacts and important family photos and documents stored in a secure personalized website. You stay connected to your information, anytime and from anywhere. Enter the code 354159 and you will receive $50.00 off the $150.00 one-year subscription.

Organization tools you can touch

For those who feel more in control with something they can hold in their hands, check out our Mom’s Ultimate Family Organizer and Mom Essentials, our at home and to go must have sanity savers, both of which have handy and versatile calendars with space for your schedule, the kids’ appointments and more. Use the code LUVS15 for 15% off any purchases in the Mommy Track’d shop.

So whether it’s an inexpensive white board, a fancy online connected calendar or an old school paper agenda, just be sure to write down everything – no task is too small to note. You’ll free up brain space and instantly feel in better control of your daily destiny.