I’ve tried and failed at a few different ways of keeping a schedule. I used to buy an annual diary at the beginning of every year with the intention of reviewing it and filling it in every day. This enthusiasm for writing everything down usually faded after the first few months, so I needed a more convenient method. 

Doing it all on a smartphone seemed like the perfect alternative. The device fits in your pocket, so you can take it anywhere and update your schedule any time. With voice typing technology, you literally don’t even have to lift a finger. The problem is that, when I start using my phone, checking Instagram becomes a much more attractive option than keeping a schedule. 

Eventually, I found a solution. It’s a big, clunky calendar that hangs on my wall in my study. It shows me a whole month’s worth of commitments whenever I walk into the room and when it doesn't have enough space for the details, I start a to-do list for that day on a pad of recycled paper. It’s old school, but it seems to be working for me. Touch wood.