1. Use a yearly calendar with large monthly sections to write down confirmed events and your ideas for that month.
2. Find out the fixed events and activities. Do you have a church group that always comes in on the first Sunday of each month? How about a piano player that comes every other Wednesday at 3:00 pm? Get these onto your calendar first!
3. Make sure to keep all your regular volunteers and entertainment contact information handy. You will need it when you are planning!
4. Future planning ideas. Write down ideas into the appropriate monthly section. Do you have an idea for your fall carnival? Write it down on the side so that you will remember.
5. Participate and join activity Facebook groups to learn from other professionals and get great ideas.
6. Join an activity site with activity ideas. Everything is downloadable and can save you valuable time! Try Activity-Helper.com for more ideas.
7. Use Pinterest.com to search out ideas for monthly planning.
8. Know your budget before planning. Crafts, entertainment, parties, and food all add up quickly when you plan for a group of people.
9. Look back at former calendars for ideas. Usually, you will find a file of calendars from previous years. It is a good starting point to know what the norm has been in your community.
10. Find out about meetings that are planned on a regular basis. You are unable to be in two places at once. This helps to be proactive and not have to scrabble at the last minute. Find out about department manager meetings, care plan meetings, all-staff meetings that are mandatory and any other expectations of your time.
Happy planning!
