When I was in elementary and grade school I absolutely loved taking the trip to get school supplies in the fall and picking out my planner for the year. I loved having a pretty planner to put all my school assignments in. It kept me organized and on track. I kept up with my planner obsession in college, but after graduation I didn't get a planner again...until now!
Truthfully, prior to this year I hadn't felt the need to have a planner anymore. But right now with juggling familiar obligations, work, my blog, the summer theater festival I co-produce, the organization I am on the board of, my social life, and other extracurricular activities, a planner is highly necessary.
For Christmas Hubs bought me a Living Well Planner. Even having only been using it for a short time I'm already seeing the positive impact of being back in the planner life. Here's how using a planner again has helped my life:
Remember that it is not necessarily the paperwork and data that is causing so much stress; rather, it is our inability to process it all. Simplify the process, and you just might find you've solved the problem.
Seeing my life at a glance. While I love my Google Calendar, it doesn't allow me to see EVERYTHING all at once - work events, gym classes, blog post schedule, meal plan, etc. My planner is allowing me to really see how all my responsibilities relate, from when I have a deadline to what I'm cooking for dinner. This is helping me make better planning decisions.
Blog planning. Having the calendar in front of me I now schedule out posts to have at least one new blog post a week. Prior to this I didn't really think about my publishing schedule with the month in mind. I'd write as ideas came to me and post right away. So I could have a week with five posts, and then nothing else for weeks. With the planner I am now spacing out posts, functioning with a real editorial calendar.
Anxiety Relief. Now that I am using my planner when something comes to mind that needs to be done I can look at my schedule as a whole, at a glance, and write down when I plan to tackle the task. I've had much less anxiety and stress being able to plan to work on things, rather than just having all my to-dos floating around in my head and feeling like I had to do everything right away.
If you're in the market for a planner Amazon has some great ones HERE* at all price ranges.
Do you use a planner? How does it help your life?
*affiliate link
I loooove planners. I have the Day Designer and I'm obsessed with it. I definitely believe that writing down a list of things to do will help one be more organized and effective. Happy planning!
ReplyDeleteActually you tweeting about the Day Designer is what made me start looking at planners, so thank you!
DeleteI love my Day Designer! I couldn't live without a planner!
ReplyDeleteSame here! Planner life is a good life!
DeleteI am thinking about buying the Living Well Planner! I want to hear all about it! LOL
ReplyDeleteI really like it! I think it's really well thought out, particularly if you're running a household - it has meal plans, goals for home improvements, etc. I also bought the sticker pack, but I feel like I didn't really need it. I'll probably end up decorating the cover myself.
DeleteI agree. I have only been using a planner for a short while and it has made a huge improvement in my time management skills. Before, I might have thought of what I was going to get done in time chunks of "morning" and "afternoon". But now, I think in time chunks of "half hours". I get remarkably much more done.
ReplyDeleteIt's amazing how a change in perspective can make us so much more productive!
DeleteI don't use planners but I have friends who are using them. I think it's a great way to organize things.
ReplyDeleteIt's great to see everything layed out in front of you. What do you use to keep organized?
DeleteFor people who live in the real world rather than all-online, planners are a great help. The one you got is beautiful, by the way.
ReplyDeleteMy mind works much better seeing things written out rather than digital.
DeleteThanks for sharing. I want to start using a planner again.
ReplyDeleteI completely agree about the anxiety relief. Planning has helped me tremendously with that!
ReplyDelete