How To Set Up A New Planner 

The 6 Things You Need To Keep Your Life Organized

BY JENNIFER PARE

So what do you really need in your planner?

 

What needs to be in there and how does it need to be set up for optimal organization and productivity?

 

Well, if you ask me, quite a lot. But that doesn't make it more work, it just means consolidating the systems you have (or maybe don't) in one place so its much easy to track.

 

Any of this sound familiar? 

 

Do you have a printout on your fridge with the garbage, recycling and compost days?

 

​Do you put reminders in your phone for appointments?

 

Do you rely on social media to remind you when its someones birthday?

 

Do you leave the bills you have yet to pay on a pile on your kitchen counter?

 

​If you do use an agenda, are there are a lot of things you track in a separate place?

 

Hows that working for you?...

 

If it is, then great, keep reading for some extra ideas of things you can track any way you want.  (But I'm willing to bet you have forgotten a few things recently because you didn't remember to look in the right place.)

 

And if it isn't working and you need help getting a planner started, well then, read on as well!

 

Or, if you do track most things in your planner and are just looking for some things you might have missed, you know what I'm going to say; READ ON! 

 

1- GOAL PLANNING

 

If you have dreams and want to achieve, well, anything then This. Is. A. Must.
 
I've tried goal planning in a lot of different ways and places and NOTHING has been as effective as having it in my day planner. You really do need to be looking at your goals everyday so that it stays a priority and most of us just won't do it if its in a separate place. I have a ton of goal journals with carefully laid out plans, that I never implemented because I just didn't take the time to take it out and refer to it daily. 
 
​Not only should there be space to map out your goals, but there has to be space to be able to write in the goal steps you are working on in the monthly and weekly calendars.
 
There also needs to be a place (ideally) for you to write in the due dates you have assigned for your goal steps. (Don't know what due dates have to do with goal steps? Check out the blog post I wrote on How To Goal Plan). I say ideally, because this can be written directly into your calendar square but I prefer to keep that for the to-do's and engagements I have for that day.
 
Now before you say, now come on, no planner has that much space, just keep reading on through, I will address that further down.
2- IMPORTANT DATES

 

Ever forgotten an important date?

 

Ugh, haven't we all?!

 

​Something I have found super useful is to keep list of all the dates I want to remember (birthdays, anniversaries, etc) within my agenda. Each month I refer to it and write the dates for that month into the calendar. 

 

You could also just write all these dates directly into the calendar square right away, that works just fine too. I like the list simply because its easier to transfer into my new agenda the following year.

 

 

3- MASTER TO-DO LIST

 

This may be a new concept for some of you so first I will explain what it is.

 

A Master To-Do list is where you keep all the things you have to do, but do not know yet when you will do them. For example, cleaning out the garage or organizing your photos may be things that need to get done but just not at the moment.

 

So you write them on your master list. Then, each week, when you are planning out your week you can refer to this list to see what could or needs to get done in the time you have.

4- BULLET JOURNAL 

 

Now if you have followed me for any time, you know that that I do not recommend a bullet journal set-up for your entire day planner (unless this truly works for you, then of course, keep doing what works), but I do believe that a few pages or small section in your weekly calendar can be really helpful in tracking certain things.

 

A bullet journal can be a really great way to create new habits, but again, you need to look at it everyday in order for it to be useful and serve as a reminder to do the thing you are trying to make into a habit.  

 

Which means, yup, its got to be in your agenda.

 

5- THE SET-UP

 

Next, you need to decide where on your weekly calendar layout you are going to put the following things:

 

-To-Do list​

-Workouts

-Meals

-Bills to be paid

-Goal steps to work on

-Due dates for your goals

-And anything else that is specific to your life

 

​I recommend always having these things in the same place because it keeps them more ordered and easier to follow.

 

To give you an idea I will share how I prefer to set up my weekly calendars and why: 

 

I prefer to have the to-do list, goal steps and bills in a column next to the Monday square (I also prefer to have my weekly calendar page start on Monday because for me, that when a new week truly starts). Since we read left to right, this means my eye is automatically drawn to these things first every time I look at my agenda. I don't often schedule in tasks until the evening before or day of, so if I've forgotten something important I will be reminded of it.

 

Then I like to have my meals, workouts and due dates in a space right under each day of the week because then it feels more connected that day and its easier to plan at the beginning of the week.

 

​I also prefer a set-up that doesn't have the hours written down because I tend not to plan my tasks at exact hours. Rather, I would prefer just to have a separate block for AM and PM that I can fill in as I choose.

 

​6- SCHEDULE & REMINDERS

 

This is pretty straightforward, just enter into the monthly (and weekly if you choose to do it right away) all the things on your schedule. Don't forget other family members schedules if they have engagements that you need to keep track of.

 

You should also write in re-occuring things you need to be reminded of, like garbage, recycling and compost days, pay days, and when things need to be renewed or appointments need to be made.
 
Since my planner is not pocket sized (shocking, I know) I do keep a really small pocket calendar in my purse with just the months of the year. This is what I use when making appointments when I am not home. Then, when I do get home I transfer them to my agenda. You could use your phone for this as well. Its not a perfect system, as you do have to rely somewhat on memory at first but it has become a habit for me now so it works.
 
I do carry my agenda to work with me but I don't bring it with me if I am out running errands because I find I don't need it. If I do have a lot planned that I need to remember I will simply take a photo with my phone before leaving the house. Likewise, if I think of something I need to write down in my planner when I am out I will make a note on my phone and transfer it when I get home. 

 

NOW WHERE THE HECK DO I FIND A PLANNER THAT CAN DO ALL OF THIS!?
 
I know, I said the same thing a few years ago. I've tried a lot of planners over the years and none of them really had what I needed. 
 
And some of them were shockingly expensive (120$??) for what they were.
 
So, I made my own.
 
Now you could do that too if you are tech savvy (I'm not, I had to hire someone to make my pencil drawings into something pretty) 
 
Or you could use mine since its already done for you! 
 
The Life Book goal planner and agenda has space for everything I've mentioned here and even some extra space for your unique needs.  Plus its freakin' affordable! (Even for you my fellow Canadians!)
 
I've also made a mini one month version so you can test it out for free first (your welcome)

 

So if you already have your agenda and you can make it work, then awesome, if you implement all (or even some) of these things, you are going to have your most organized and productive year yet!

 

If you don't, check out the Life Book (or test drive it for free) and see how it can change your life! (Scroll down for go here for more info)

 

 

Jennifer

Creator of the Life Book Agenda and Goal Planner and Founder of Organized Owl

Life Book Agenda and Goal Planner

Take control of your life and your dreams with the Life Book. 

 

Eliminate mix-ups, double booking and forgotten items by organizing all areas of your life in one place.

 

Achieve your goals with its complete goal planning section that includes simple, step by step instructions on how to plan out AND implement.

What it has:

  • Goal Planning
    Map out and plan your goals for the entire year using the Life Books complete system.

  • Budget and Important Dates sections
    Never forget another birthday or bill payment with these 2 sections.

  • Master to-do List
    Keep track of all the to-do's you haven't scheduled in yet but that still need to get done.

  • Monthly and Weekly Calendars.
    Organize and plan your months and weeks with with space for meals, workouts, to-do's, goal steps,  due dates, a bullet journal and more.

What it doesn't have:

  • Useless information
    No extra fluff that takes up prime real estate. (Phases of the moon?!)

  • Expensive Design
    Pretty pictures and fancy colours are nice but they don't make you productive or organized. The Life Book has a simple, easy to use design that doesn't translate into a higher cost for you.

  • Anything overly specific
    Everyone's life is different. The Life Book allows you to personalize it to suit you and your needs..

OUR RATING

Copyright 2017. All Rights Reserved By Your Company