How to Coordinate Schedules with your Partner

Even if you live together, coordinating schedules with your partner can prove surprisingly difficult. The following are some strategies you can use to make this process run more smoothly.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Things You’ll Need:

• Physical and/or electronic calendar

1. Stay on top of your individual schedules. If you don't have a handle on your own commitments, you can't possibly communicate these to your partner.
2. Determine your own styles and try to find a middle ground. If you are someone who likes to know everything 2 months in advance and your partner is more of a last minute person, try to talk about events a few weeks before they come up (unless one of you is totally willing to concede on this issue).
3. Schedule time to talk about your schedules. Instead of always badgering one another with schedule-based questions, save them for a time that you can sit and talk about everything at once. Have both of your calendars out for this meeting (and consider keeping a communal schedule you can update at this time).
4. Remind your partner verbally before an event. Even if it is on your calendars, you need to verbally remind your partner if you have an event coming up, particularly if she is supposed to attend. It is better to repeat yourself than have your partner feel like you are not communicating.

Tips & Warnings

• Many online calendars, like the one Gmail contains, allow you to share your calendar with others. This might be a good way to go, particularly if you are both at your computer all the time.
• <br>If you have schedule-related materials in your email (reservations for a trip, for example), forward these to your partner so he has the info (this is also a good safeguard in case you lose track of them).