Why not use just an appointment book and to-do list to manage my time?

Effective planning involves the use of a personal calendar and a to-do list, as well as prioritization and goal setting.  An appointment calendar and a to-do list alone aren’t good enough.

These methods lack integration, focus and an opportunity to plan your future. The best time management tool is an integrated system that allows for easy retrieval of information tracking of projects, is focused on goals and records key decisions. Start by writing a “mission statement”, a vision statement that defines the values and roles you want to fulfill in your life; a roadmap of where you want your life to go. This may take some time. In the meantime, identify some short and long-term goals. Eventually these goals should be congruent with your mission statement. For every goal you need to develop an action plan.  Following the action plan, you’ll need to develop a task list that prioritizes the goal-oriented tasks that are necessary to achieve your action plans. Efforts should be directed at the truly important tasks, not those of the least resistance.