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What kind of planner system do you use?

RebeccaH

RebeccaH

Life is exciting, yes it is!
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Jul 12, 2009
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Okay peeps... I'm in the midst of an internal debate regarding my planning approach. For months I've been using my Outlook calendar, which syncs to my phone. Now I'm considering changing back to a paper planning system.

What do you use?

What works for you?

What do you like / not like about your system?

I need help.
 
planning? wassat?! ;)

i use a hard copy fridge calendar. i try to make sure activities/appts are on my phone, too, but mainly for the automatic reminders. i figure that i am in the kitchen/in front of the fridge much during the day, so things are right in front of my face. it has served me well for 15 years and i don't plan on changing any time soon.
 
i have a calender on the back of the cupboard door for appointments and dates and my bills go in a a4 diary i plan what has to be paid scribble it out write it back again scribble it out but those these options work for me
 
I use Google (Gmail) Calendar to keep up with all our appointments, activities, vacations, etc...And I also have a weekly planner that I keep open on my desk. I usually write in what we have going on that week and also have a list of "To Do's" that I hope to get done for the week. I have used this system for a few years now and it works great for me. I also have a master list of "To Do's" that I jotted down on a piece of paper, these are things that I need to do, but since they don't feel like a huge priority to me at the moment, they are not getting done. But they are there if I ever feel inspired, or caught up with my priorities...
 
I use a combination of my phone and a Martha Stewart binder. I like the pouches and extras that come with her system.
http://www.staples.com/sbd/cre/products/martha-stewart-home-office/binders_accessories.html

I also have a wipeable/dry erase weekly calendar along with 6 clipboards at my back door. I use a different color marker for each family member's main activities for the week so the kids can easily see their schedules. Everyone has a clipboard for things that need to be signed or reviewed. I display their work or pictures on the extra clipboards.

ETA: The dry erase weekly planner is Martha's too. Yay Staples!
 
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I need something better. I feel like I have 100 planners and none of them is complete.

I have a big desk calendar at work, plus Outlook at work. Plus Google Calendar on my phone. Eric shares that with me. I think my Outlook also syncs to my phone. Eric has a planner at work. Then we have the school calendar up at home and a dry-erase monthly calendar as well. Yikes.

I need like 1 fully-functional calendar to help me with things. I feel like we are all over the place. Eric's schedule seems to change by the hour and I never know where he's at. And I haven't yet gotten on track with school stuff/homework/due dates/ etc.

And now I'm more anxious than I was before. HA!
 
Laura - I am liking the Martha planner. I may have to make a Staples trip!
 
I use the calendar on my phone/computer and I have an Erin Condren planner that I use as well. The planner has the days divided into 3 sections - morning, afternoon, evening - but I changed them and have one for my boys, one for me, and one for family stuff. I haven't used a planner in years, but I'm loving this one. I also have a big calendar next to our garage entrance for my kids to keep up with stuff, too. Three calendars might be overkill, but it's only failed me once so far. It helps to make sure that you transfer appointments to the correct day on ALL calendars. ;)
 
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I hate google but sometimes use that. I've been trying to love the calendar on my phone/computer but when it really comes down to it, I like to write things down on paper. I like to make lists
 
Do the post-its and napkin tidbits strewn about my desk count as organization? :giggle

I am a list maker and really like to write things down. Thing is I have about 4 notepads and will write in whatever is handy. This includes journal notes and such for the day.
I use a few different apps, but would really like to have an all in one thing! I have the google calendar app, plus I sync my phone calendar with Outlook. In the past I have used Cozi. I seem to forget to do that regularly, so it's hit and miss. I also have an app called intuition which I am trying to use more - I like the app, and that is has the ability to do several things besides just the calendar (shopping lists/wishlists).

Good luck in finding something that works for you.
 
I have a combination of paper and electronic. On the paper side for 2013 I used the Laurel Denise Planner, for next year I switched to the Circa Master Agenda by Levenger (merged into a Martha Stewart Discbound Notebook from Staples). I switched so I can merge a notebook and planner together (right now I keep a separate sketchbook/notebook for product ideas) and so I can add/remove pages as needed.

For electronic all my appointments go into Google Calendar (and sync to my phone) so that I have reminders, and then I use Asana for task/To Do lists.

My paper planner is almost exclusively for work. I've found that having the clean place to plan things out works better for me than merging it with everything on my calendar. I've been making a half hearted attempt to make it through the 30 Days of Getting Results training, because productivity is a constant struggle for me.
 
FarrahJobling said:
I hate google but sometimes use that. I've been trying to love the calendar on my phone/computer but when it really comes down to it, I like to write things down on paper. I like to make lists
Click to expand...

This is me exactly. I WANT to love my phone. And there are things I do love about it - like the reminder chimes...those have saved me a few times.

But I feel like it's not quite all-encompassing enough. Like I need to be able to better arrange and PLAN things rather than just SCHEDULE things (does that make sense?) The phone calendar is great for a schedule, but not so great for to-do's or jotting down ideas and master lists. Plus, if I put everything into my phone that I need to keep track of, it gets cluttered very quickly because of the display format. I think I like compartmentalizing a bit more than the phone does.

OCD is me.
 
I do keep a separate notebook for daily to-do lists. It helps me pretend that I'm actually staying "on-task". ;)
 
Laura, if you are using your phone AND a binder, what do you use each one for? I am really not wanting to eliminate using the phone altogether. I do like a lot of elements of the online calendar. Can you give me a big picture of how you use the phone and what you use the binder for?

Peppermint, I really like the levenger system. I may have to give that some thought... may go in that direction. Thanks for the links.
 
I have been thinking about a paper planner for next year and will be close to a Staples tomorrow -- if I had not seen this thread, I might have forgotten to make it one of my stops!

I've been using the calendar on my phone to see what is going on each day; both my calendar and my husband's calendar are synced to the calendar on my phone. For actually planning, I imagine it would be easier to see what it going on in the future (beyond the current week) on paper. I supplement that with scraps of paper with to-do, shopping and reminder lists, all stuffed haphazardly into my purse. It would be nice to keep it all together and to be able to see the whole schedule at once.

I was a Franklin/Covey girl back in the day but was never able to actually *use* them -- they were too big and bulky to carry around. I loved the flexibility of the system, but did not like the size of the binders. I've tried the iPad for notes, but I'm definitely a 0.5 mm pencil and paper girl when it comes to notes and doodles.

That Levenger planner looks awesome, Peppermint. Thanks for sharing the link!
 
I have an Erin Condren planner and I super duper love it!! I'm planning to order a new one next month to begin next year off with. I also have a separate homeschool planner that I use mainly for my lesson plans. I used to be really good about using Google calendar, but lately, I just use my paper planner.
 
I'm an old-fashioned hard copy calendar gal. That and i use my teacher's plan book as a personal calendar, too.
 
I have google calendar on my phone, which also links up with my Outlook calendar at school. Everything is altogether in the same calendar. I LOVE it.

I've never used the erin condren life planners, but I have the school planner and I LOVE it! I imagine the life planner is just as wonderful!
 
I use my google calendar which syncs to the Calendar app on my iMac and my iPhone. I just purchased the app called "CalenMob" (there's a free version to use I just didn't like the ads) and I love it SO much better than the new calendar app on the iPhone (I can't stand the change they did with it on the new update). I like being able to see a monthly view with that day's things to do below it. I thought I might change and go back to a regular paper calendar, but I love the fact that my phone notifies me when there's something important coming up or somewhere I need to be before it happens (incase I forget).
 
since I lose my phone all the time, and it is a pain in my tush, and I am an old dog
I use a desk calendar from Walmart, wipe board for grocery list, and the fridge is for everything else..thank you Amy for helping me cope with my fridge system.
I also have a stack of 3x5 cards that I use for daily todo, grocery lists, as I am headed out the door. I have learned to date them, as sometimes I forget to throw them away, and go to store with old list...aaawk
I use the 3x5 cards for our bill system also payday 1, 2 and 3! woot
 
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