I am simultaneously a planner and a non-planner. That is, I like to plan some things way far in advance, and for others, last-minute is just fine. One of my other traits, however, is to get overwhelmed if I have a lot of planning to do. And right now, I have a lot of planning I need to do. That's where others come in--folks who can suggest strategies and ways I can lay out what I need to do without becoming overwhelmed.
Projects at work, for the kids, for teaching, for the fellowship I attend, for myself, and for my house. How do I mesh them all together? I'm considering using Project for this, but honestly, the format somewhat overwhelms me and I don't really know how to get started. Part of me thinks I just need to get some big white paper, lay out everything, and go from there. Maybe with crayons. Figure out where the chunks go and how I might organize them. Or index cards. I just think I need something physical to help me to get started.
Anyone else have ideas? What do you do to help you to plan?
I'd have to suggest not fearing the use of "analog". I'm facing similar planning and scheduling nightmares, so I just printed out blank calendars for the next few months. That way, for the next few days, I can make notes as I work from all the sources needing my planning efforts. Then, I'll "digitize" what I need to so planning assistants, like electronic calendars and smartphones can keep me informed and reminded.
I feel like I've got a better handle on what will need to be done when, so I can stop worrying about future things and take care of what needs attention now.