The Inevitability of Plan B

krzysztof-m via Pixabay

Every once in a while, something happens in my organizing life that keeps me humble. A few weeks ago, it was my out-of-sight, out-of-mind tote bag. 

Today, it was forgetting an appointment.

A while back, I wrote about how much I love my new planner, and what good habits I'm getting into. Using this planner is helping me to reduce my here a-note, there-a-note, everywhere-a little note habit. My mistake was thinking that I could eliminate those little notes and still leave my beautiful new planner at home where it would stay nice and new and not get all dinged up.

Today, I realized the foolishness of that plan.

I was on my way home after my last class, stopped at a red light, when I checked my phone and found an email from a student I'd made an appointment with.

"Are we still meeting today?"

Oops. 

Luckily, she was flexible. We changed the meeting to a Zoom meeting and everything was fine, aside from a little embarrassment on my part. 

I should know by now that when I get cocky, a rebalancing comeuppance is just around the corner. Though I've never claimed to be perfect (far from it), I have been known to think, "I've got this!' only to discover that one of my best-laid plans has a crack in it.

The solution here is simple: take the planner with me. Or, if I want to protect it from wear and tear (silly, but true), I need to take stock of my day before I leave the house (or, more likely, the night before) and make a note of any appointment outside my regular class schedule. 

That'll work.

Tomorrow, I'll execute Plan B. With the full knowledge that Plan C might be just around the corner.