Business is up and you are busy! Here are 5 tips to keep you on top of the game when your schedule is packed full of appointments.

1. Decide what you are going to wear the night before.
Yup, this is for men and women. Before going to bed, take a look at your schedule for the next day. Review your appointments, decide which requires the most attention to your clothes, and dress for that one–better to be over, rather than under, dressed for the rest of your appointments.

Ask yourself: What is the best outfit for this appointment? Is everything clean? Looking sharp and fresh? Shoes clean?

2. Be physically prepared for the day.
Get a good night’s sleep. You know how long your morning routine takes—wake up early enough to comfortably allow for that routine. Enjoy a few moments of quality time with loved ones—a significant other, child, pet, or favorite plant. Rooting your day in a positive heart space helps keep your priorities present throughout the day.

3. Check that you have contact names & phone numbers, meeting locations & directions for each appointment the night before.
All these details should be in your palm pilot or planner. (Do you have the most current info?) Do you have necessary maps? Are directions clear? Figure how long it should take to get there, then add extra time (see tip #4.) Is your palm pilot synced? While you are at it, pack your bag with all necessary files or notes that you will need.

4. Plan on arriving at each appointment 5-10 minutes early.
Why hustle frantically into an appointment when you can walk in calmly and confidently? Arriving early allows for unexpected travel slow-downs, a trip to the restroom, or time for a few big picture thoughts about the meeting to come.

This also applies to phone appointments at your home office. Use these extra pre-meeting moments to take a deep breath, check-in, and set your goals for the upcoming conversation. Pick up the phone with a smile.

5. Schedule post-meeting time after each appointment.
Harvest “to do” items, next-steps, and projects from your notes and memory during post-meeting time. This allows you to move on to the next item in your schedule with the peace of mind that comes from completion.

This one is incredibly powerful because you are releasing your mind from “storage” responsibilities. Using your head for information storage is one of the primary culprits of an overwhelmed headspace. Once your head is released from storage duties, you free it up for planning, spontaneous idea development, problem solving, and creativity.

Don’t let your busiest days drag you along for the ride. A little preparation goes a long way in keeping you in charge. Let your day be smooth. Let it be easy!

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Shawn Tuttle is founder of Project Simplify, dedicated to providing organization and simplification assistance to small businesses and independent professionals. Check out her Simplification Blog at www.projectsimplify.com.

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