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As I was helping a person in my planner group – Southern Charm Planners – I realized that the information was important to anyone wishing to set up a planner.
It used to be there were only a few options to choose from when setting up the “guts” of a planner. Now, the world (internet) is your oyster. Just visit Etsy, an online shoppers paradise, and search “planners.” You would be amazed at the number of hits. Not having a system already established, the results would intimidate even the seasoned veterans of planner organization.
Every color of the rainbow can be found and just about every possible conglomeration of pages are available. Want the columns verticle in your week at a glance? Sure, no problem. Or, would you like them horizontal and divided into categories? Yep! You can have that served up too. You can have it in red or purple or pink or a combination. You can choose lines or lineless (just made that word up). Maybe you would prefer a day to a page or two pages per day.
I, myself, like a week at a glance. After a lot of searching, I found the page that I currently use. It features a Time Plan with a place to check off tasks as I complete them. This week I have outlined each day in pink so it shows up better. I like having a priority section and phone calls and email section.
I also enjoy having my daily page with my Time Management Schedule mapped out for me. I have a real problem with my attention span, or lack there of I should say. It’s about the length of knat (for those of you who live in the South.) For everyone else, it’s zero. I can get distracted like nobody’s mama. You can read about my time management system here http://wp.me/p1nV7v-ub It also gives me space to add a To Do list. I have even added a third page (behind the daily page) where I record all of my blog activity for the week (book reviews, posts, etc.)
And this brings me to the point of this posts. If you are a newbie just setting up your planner, or perhaps a more seasoned veteran looking for something new, remember to take your time. Setting up a planner is a journey where there is no destination. It should always be a work in progress. Take your time and look at the many different setups available and think about how each system would work for you in your own planner. Download a free month at a glance and add plain hole punched paper in your planner until you figure it out – rather than spend unnecessary money. Draw the system that appeals to you and play with it for a week or two before making a decision.
Ask yourself a few questions and think about your everyday life and what you would like to track. Is it appointments? Phone calls? To Do lists? Exercise or medications? Your children’s activities or the bake sale? Do you want to log everything on the same pages or would setting up sections in your planner work better. Keep in mind that everyone is different and needs a different system to track the important aspects of their life. This is what I mean by setting up a planner being a journey.
This is a quote by Judy Garland – “Always be a first-rate version of yourself and not a second-rate version of someone else.”
You don’t have to use the same planner (Day-Timer, Filofax, Day-Runner, Franklin-Covey, 3-ring binder) or the same dividers (Financial, calendar, menu, medical, etc.) as someone else. There is no reason to try to outdo or keep up with the next person. Setting up a planner is a personal endeavor and one you should enjoy. It shouldn’t cause you undue stress. Don’t be persuaded by bright lights and flashy colors. Get off the boulevard and explore the side streets. Keep your needs and your budget in the forefront. Your planner needs to work for you, not the other way around.
I hope you enjoyed today’s post and found a little something you could take away. As always, I would love to get your take on things, so feel free to comment and join the conversation – or start one. Remember, if you have any questions, just post them in the comments and I’ll be glad to write a post with additional information on the topic.
Southern Charm Planners – https://www.facebook.com/groups/LouisianaPlannerGirls/
Day-Timer – http://www.daytimer.com/daytimerstore/mwv/product/Distressed-Leather-Free-Form-1%22-Planner-Cover-Desk-Size-/45014?searchClickId=0169751530%2C3519&catId=&prodId=45014
Polka Dot Posie – https://www.etsy.com/listing/170968988/2014-small-polkadotposie-signature?ref=related-5
Pembroke Papers – https://www.etsy.com/listing/176148796/downloadable-2014-12-size-a5-week-o2p?ref=shop_home_feat_1
I Heart Organizing – http://iheartorganizing.blogspot.com/p/free-printables.html
Southern Charm Planner’s Charm – https://www.etsy.com/transaction/180298065
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