Since then, I've tried this planner and that and found them all to be not quite what I needed. Many that I really love are made for families and the kids sections are just not needed. {And blank sections betroth me.} {Betroth means annoy if you missed the post where I introduced that non-dictionary-approved definition.} And others don't have all the kinds of calendars I want...and some are too detailed...and...and...and...
Last year I found the Planner Perfect Planner and I really liked it...but I found it gave me just a bit too MUCH freedom. It's basically a blank slate and apparently in Bekahland that translates to "Welp, nothing to do today!!"
SOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO....
I took to Pinterest. I know! I know. It shocks the soul. But seriously - you can find a lot of really talented people out there who have created printables - many of them, free - and you can just pick and choose what tickles your fancy and create your own perfectly suited planner in whatever thickness of binder you need.
Here's the link to the Pinterest board I made for all the printables {and a few more}. I've decided I'll try this for a while and tweak as necessary. If I find some of the pages aren't as helpful as I thought, I'll stop using them. If I find that I need others I'd not thought of, I'll stalk Pinterest until I find them.
But here's what I made and why I love it.
Monthly Calendar Pages
* Five rows of space when the months run into a fifth week. I hate making the 30th and 31st share with the week before...
* Splash of color, but nothing obnoxious
* Squares big enough to actually write in them
I decided to use red to write in activities and appointments that only pertain to me, blue ink to represent Ryan's schedule, and black ink to mark the things we both need to attend. That helps me know, at a glance, who is actually busy.
Weekly Schedule Pages
* Really bold month/days of the week. It's both fun and helpful.
* Big open squares that allow me to write in {keeping my blue/red/black ink themes} what needs to be done on each day. This includes details about Mid-Morning shows that I'm on-air with, so I can prepare for interviews, work concerts and events, dates, get togethers with friends, Ryan's work schedule, and more. It also gives me space to write in a little more detail about some of them {for example, addresses to appointments so I can put them in the GPS as I'm en route, rather than trying to remember what the invitation at home on the fridge said. I can also keep track of birthdays and anniversaries on these pages, so I can keep on top of gifts/cards we need to buy.
* The two blank squares on the right are open for anything I need. I made the bigger one my "weekly notes" box, keeping track of random details that correspond with that week's activities. {Namely - things I need to take with me to certain appointments or gifts I need to buy.} I made the other square a prayer request square so I can keep track of the people I've promised to pray for that week!
I think this will help me be more intentional about preparing for things in advance, rather than running to the store the night before something...I mean...not that this ever happens.
Weekly Blog Planner
* I like the lines to plan out my topic and/or title by day of the week. I'm not big on categorizing my blog posts, but I do like the line about promoting. I try not to be a big blog plug person but now and then I like to write something that seems good to mention on Facebook or Twitter. Maybe this will help me write something plug-worthy every week.
* I like the to-do list - will help me keep things up like changing backgrounds, photos, etc.
* Also like the place to jot down ideas for the future. Wonder how many I've lost because I didn't write them down and then I forgot?
This is a page that I'll try for a while and if it seems like a lot of hassle, I'll drop it.
Daily Planner Page
* Love that it doesn't have a by-the-hour plan. That always makes me feel like I need to structure every moment of my day and that's annoying.
* Love the breakup of financial tasks/household tasks/personal tasks/work tasks/and phone calls and emails to make. That helps me think about different areas of our life and what actually needs to be done {dare I say proactively???} rather than trying to just stay afloat with tasks.
* Love the priority box of the top 3 tasks...helps me know what is MOST important out of everything in case I have to replan.
* Love the morning/afternoone/evening sections to help me make general ideas of what needs to be done and push myself to do some not-so-fun things in each section of the day, rather than saving it all for the end.
I thrive on checking things off - so hopefully this will help us stay more organized about our way-too-busy-for-our-own-good lives.
Meal Planning Page
* Doesn't plan out every single meal time and snack time. That makes me feel like I need to eat MORE!!
* Love the daily menu plan boxes - my plan is to write in {first} the meals that each of us plan to eat out that week...carry-ins at work, one or both of us out at something in the evening...so we can then take stock of how much time at home we have and how much we need to cook that week.
* Love the grocery list right there to the side so I can look up ingredients as I plan - plus keep track of the things scribbled on the notepad on the fridge that we've just run out of.
* Love that I can just pull this page out of the planner and take it with me to the store.
So there you have it! Our new day planner. And yes it's paper. I hate electronic calendars. They betroth me.
8 comments:
Bekah,
I am exhausted just reading this blog. Make sure to schedule plenty of rest & coffee breaks :)
Jaime P.
LOL I'm sorry I exhausted you. But Ryan and I are completely OCD, so checkboxes and plans and color coordination make us happier than just about anything in life.
PS - we don't schedule coffee breaks because they are as oxygen to us: something we cannot forget and just DO...about every 30 minutes. :)
I had the PERFECT planner when I was in High School. It was really adjustable, and I bought extras so I could use it in college. I'm tempted to get a few more if they still make them, and use them for garden journals and maybe my blog.
Emily - What was/is your perfect planner? I think mine had been made by Day Runner.
I'll have to find one of my old ones and let you know. They don't sell them on my high schools website.
Thank you for the blog planner! For whatever reason, my blog ideas always seem to come at the most inopportune moments (like the middle of the work day), so at least having something to jot down a concept would be helpful for when I have the time to flesh it out.
You're welcome! I was skeptical about that page because I've never made notes either. But so far (since Sunday) I've written down 5 ideas. Wonder how many I've lost along the way because I didn't write them down??
Post a Comment