Life is busy. So busy, in fact, that I am now the proud owner of a planner! An excellent tool for a student, athlete, journalist, future teacher, college student to use. I’ve unquestionably mastered the art of scheduling, so here’s a few “tips and tricks” that I think the world deserves to hear. Consider this a roadmap to help organize your own personal chaos:

1. Reschedule what you can reschedule.

The best way to deal with a problem? Don’t. If you push it off far enough, you won’t have to worry about it today, which means you can instead panic about it tomorrow. Procrastination, but with structure. It’s really common sense if you think about it!

2. Write your intense schedule on a post-it note and then leave it at home.

Trust me, this one always works out. After writing the note, stick it to your desk, while you’re out in the world you can rely on your own perfect recognizance. Nothing sharpens the mind like having no idea where you’re supposed to be.

3. Triple-book yourself–be efficient.

If you’ve got a meeting, a workout, lunch, schedule it all at 11 a.m. You’re basically speedrunning productivity. Odds are at least two of those things will get canceled anyway, and if not, you’ve got a great excuse for being late to all of them.

4. Schedule “free time” but fill it immediately.

Block out an hour for rest. Then answer emails, fold laundry, and go on a run during that time. Your rest time is now just disguised productivity, which is basically the same thing as self-care, right?

5. Consult your future self.

When in doubt, toss the decision to “future me.” He’s got it handled. I can say for certain, I trust my own future judgment!

There you have it. Five foolproof ways to handle a calendar so full it could double as a novel. At the very least, when everything falls apart, you can say you took some precious time to read this list!

Until I have a blank schedule, I’m just Jonathan.