In a recent workshop, I shared my enthusiasm for using a notebook to keep track of one-to-one meeting content, relevant notes, and action items from all meetings. One of the participants commented that they used a calendar for one-to-one agendas and saw it as a workable substitute.
As with all time management tools, you need to do what’s best for you, but don’t see the interchangeability of a calendar and a notebook. They are complementary, but they’re not the same. A calendar may preserve agenda items, but it’s doubtful that the content will be updated after the meeting. A notebook captures the past and focuses on the future: what needs to happen next, what follow-up is required, what agenda items are carried forward, what loose ends need revisiting, etc.
The days and months go by quickly. No matter what method you use, create a system that helps you be as future focused as possible.
To learn more about the notebook system I found so effective, click here: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3.
