…Stop being late all the time

By Levi Sumagaysay

Running late again and you’re out of excuses? (After all, there are only so many flat tires you can have in a month.) It’s time to keep better track of your commitments. Here are three ways to manage your calendar and show up on time.

1. Integrate Since you access your email throughout the day, use a calendar that works with your email, such as Outlook, Yahoo Mail, or Gmail. If an email in Gmail mentions an event, for example, you can add it to your calendar with a couple of clicks. Or if you use a Web start page such as iGoogle, Try “Countdown Countup and much more,” a gadget that lets you see how many days until your first baby is born or how much time has passed since you last exercised, or keep track of how long you’ve been alive. Some gadgets or widgets that work with your Web start page allow you to keep track of upcoming events or holidays you don’t want to miss. For example, you can get a Yahoo widget that allows you to see your NHL or NFL team’s schedule. If you’re a BMW junkie, you can add a widget that allows you to keep track of all things BMW. If you want to keep track of your car’s maintenance schedule, there’s a Yahoo widget called “My Car.”

2. Share Letting others view your schedule means there will be less chance of overlap. Yahoo and Google offer share-enabled calendars that let you control access. Both also let you manage multiple calendars, so you might want to have one for work and one for your personal life. With Google’s public calendar feature, you can promote an event or meeting. Using your personal Google calendar, you can invite people on your Gmail contacts list and even have them RSVP. Yahoo lets you create group calendars, as does Mozilla’s Sunbird. If you’re looking for paid calendar options for your office or group, Zimbra, Backpackit, or MultiCalendars online allow for multiple calendars with merge or share functions. And if you’re always on the lookout for cool things to do, check iCalShare for a couple of thousand public calendars that are available for download or subscription.

3. Stick to a list If you’re going to keep a better calendar, you need a to-do list. Yahoo Calendar has its own tasks tab. If you use iGoogle, you can add “To-Do List with Google Maps,” a gadget that lets you check off tasks and look for directions. Or use “Remember the Milk”, a popular online task manager, with your Google Calendar. Remember the Milk can also send you reminders via email, text or instant message. “30 Boxes,” a Web-based calendar and more, integrates a taggable to-do list.