DEAR HARRIETTE: I have been so busy between work and family obligations that I have forgotten some key family dates and even some work responsibilities. I feel like I am barely treading water when it comes to getting things done, which is crazy since I’m the one who is usually on top of things. In part, I think it’s because the world is now hybrid. I had been building my schedule based on going from one meeting to the next in a blink by logging onto one Zoom after the next. Now, I may have two Zooms followed by an in-person meeting and even a trip. I’m having a hard time keeping track of my life. -- Need a Lifeline
DEAR NEED A LIFELINE: Balancing schedules in this hybrid world can be tricky. As you point out, whereas you may have needed one or two minutes to go from one meeting to the next when we were locked down, now you may need an hour -- or even a day. This shift in time management requires a new way of keeping track of your duties and schedule.
I like to write down my schedule on a whiteboard so that I can see it at the same time I use the calendar on my smartphone. I now add “IN PERSON” next to any activity that requires me to travel. I build in travel time on my calendar so that I can see what time is reserved for movement. It feels a bit cumbersome now, but it works to ensure that there is enough time between appointments.