Are you looking to set up an appointment in your already packed schedule?

Do you want some tips to help you schedule an appointment with somewhat relative ease?

You’re trying to schedule a dinner date with a friend.

They offer you a few potential days and times to meet.

You check your calendar, but things aren’t looking so good…you’re completely unavailable during those proposed time slots.

Frankly, you’re unsure as to what you should do next.

Should you cancel, or reschedule, an appointment to make things work for you and your friend?

Or should you just resign yourself to the fact that the next time you’ll be able to meet with them is eight months down the road?

In this post, you’ll find a few pointers to help you navigate a jam-packed schedule.

Navigating tightly packed schedules takes a bit of skill.

The more you apply yourself in these situations, however, the more you’ll come to realize you have many options available to you.

Negotiate other items besides time. 

You may not think it possible, but there are other things you can negotiate in a schedule besides time.

You just have to consider your arrangements from a different point of view.

For example, you can negotiate a meeting location, meeting type (in-person, conference, or video call), number of participants, work to be discussed, and so much more.

Take a good look at your proposed meeting and the circumstances around it. What items might you negotiate? A little bit of thinking can go a long way!

Could you readjust the meeting location to a restaurant that is easily accessible for all parties involved? How about shortening the length of a conference call? Can you minimize the number of items to be discussed during your meeting?

Don’t be afraid to negotiate meeting arrangements. Remember, nothing ventured, nothing gained. What’s more, your contact may have some ideas of their own when it comes to holding the meeting sooner, rather than later. 

Double-check tentative appointments.

You know that tentative appointment you’ve been holding onto for weeks?

You haven’t heard a peep from your contact in a long time. Matter of fact, you’re uncertain if the meeting is actually going to take place.

Tentative appointments can be potential gold mines for your schedule. Circumstances and situations may have changed over time.

And you know what that means: your tentative appointment may or may not take place.

Take extra care to comb through those tentative appointments in your calendar.

Make a phone call or send a quick email to see if you can confirm the appointment…or completely strike it from your schedule. 

Look for “lulls” in a schedule.

Yes, your schedule may initially appear full. But there might be a few hidden opportunities that would be advantageous to you.

It’s time to put on your thinking cap and look for “lulls” in your schedule. These “lulls” will be available chunks of time between meetings and appointments.

Do you have any large, gaping, periods of time in your schedule that are unfilled?

Do you have swatches of free time during the early morning or early evening?

Could you come into the office for a meeting on a day when you’d normally work remotely from home?

Keep in mind, the point here isn’t to make a habit of scheduling meetings at 8 A.M. or making impromptu appearances at the office.

Sometimes, you may have to make temporary adjustments in your schedule in order to make things work.

Practice give-and-take with the other party.

Practice time management give-and-take on a case-by-case basis.

Sometimes, things will be so challenging that both parties will have to make some sort of sacrifice in their schedule.

And then there will be times when just one party will have to make a sacrifice. It’s truly an ongoing dance of give-and-take.

Let’s say you have an upcoming meeting that absolutely cannot be rescheduled for a later date.

In this case, you’d want to speak frankly with the other party to ensure the meeting will take place.

You might offer to cancel an appointment in your schedule, while the other party might reschedule one of their appointments.

Perhaps one of you will decide to bite the bullet and kindly offer to cancel an appointment so you can meet.

No matter which scenario takes place, or what you ultimately decide, keep in mind that we all have to make sacrifices in our schedules, every now and then. 

Know when to reschedule for a later date.

As hard as you may try, there are times when it just makes more sense to postpone a meeting for a future date.

Have you been trying to set an appointment for weeks, but with no success? It’s time to put a stop to the scheduling madness!

Simply pick a date and time in the future that works for both parties. Then, put it on the calendar. Time will pass, and just like that, you’ll have your meeting before you know it.

Learn how to set up an appointment

Time management is a skill that needs to be learned, practiced, and refined every single day.

My time management guide will teach you how to set up appointments, run meetings on time, and be punctual.

If you want me to help you manage your time at work and at home so you get things done and feel in control, then check out my time management coaching services.

How about you? What steps will you take to schedule an appointment in a full schedule? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!