For years, I was a die-hard Franklin Covey girl. I had to be. I was in school full time, worked full time, was planning a wedding........ I still use the basic concepts, but a much cheaper system.
1. Use a master calendar for the whole family plus work. Birthdays, soccer games, work projects, school projects, etc. I use a different color for each so at a glance I know its a "family" thing at 3. Make sure due dates (library books, school projects, work projects) are all in there.
2. I have a paper monthly/weekly calendar where I also have all of the above. BUT for the weekly, I break things down more. So, for example, I know Max has a doctors appointment Monday at 10. I know his doctor is always late, so I block off an hour after his appointment whre I will scedule nothing. Since I will be on that side of town, I will also go by Walmart and pick up my cleaning products, and anything else I can get cheaper there than the market. I block an hour and a half for that. (MAKE SURE you leave travel time in there!!!) I have to take back our library books, and get more which will be at least an hour. (four year old who loves books requires a lengthy decision time!)
3. Every morning I sit down with my cup of coffee for a few minutes and plan out the day. If I know I have to run errands, I plan them all in the same area. If we are going to a play date, I plan extra time for travel (sometimes my GPS takes me the long way around). If I am staying home for the day, I jot down the things I need to get done, and about how long each thing will take. I always add a 10 of 15 minute buffer in case something takes longer.
3A. Make sure every person in the household contributes. The youngest children can still help sort laundry, pick things up from the floor and carry their breakfast plate to the sink. EVERYONE has to help or you will drive yourself insane. But you also have to let go of perfection. Your 11 year old will never fold a fitted sheet correctly, but if it's off the couch and put away that's good. Your husband will probably never scour the counters and sink before he considers the "dishes done", but if he gets the dishes done, the sink can wait until the weekend. (Counters have to be wiped here because we get ants very easily, so that can't be put off...)
4. In my car I carry a tote bag with a small box for stamps, a few pens, my checkbook and the bills. If I'm stuck somewhere, I can write out the bills even if they aren't due yet. I bundle those due around the same time together, put a post it with a mail date on it and mark in my calendar what they are so I can balance my checkbook as soon as I mail them. I keep a small pad of paper, a few blank note cards in there so I can send a quick note to a friend I'm thinking about. And I always have my Kindle with me, and usually a croshet or knitting project I'm working on. I can't stand idle time, so I carry stuff with me.
You have to realize that yes, life is crazy. But, its usually only completely manic for a little while at a time. AND you can only control so much. If you are Christian (or any faith, really), make sure you are allowing yourself the spiritual time you need to keep from going insane. If you do not have a faith, make sure you are allowing yourself "down" time every day.... otherwise you end up sick, or with depression or severe insomnia..... unfortunatly you can take my word for that.
