I am quite new to ffat but I wondered if any of you use Collins inserts in your Filofax(s)? I bought the Collins week to view 2013, purely for the reason that it cost less than Filofax's one, the paper seems thicker than my usual ff one and I think I am a convert, anyone else got an opinion?
Oops could only find a disposable Pilot fountain pen, medium nib, lots of bleed, sadly, but still fab paper for those of us who can get away with using a Frixion ♡ Regards jo x
Kate posted a video on You Tube yesterday. At first it made me laugh, but actually I think there is quite a serious message behind the video.
Are we becoming a little too obsessive? With us spreading our thoughts on so many channels (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube) I can see how easily it is to get sucked in to this whole love affair we have with planners and organisers.
Compared to say 2-3 years ago, the number or people contributing in a public sense has I would say gone up quite dramatically, and there's no sign of it slowing down.
I think Kate made a good point! I work the whole week and the weekends are for 'home' stuff, 'me' time and 'boyfriend' time. I actually spend the whole weekend looking at FF videos and reading blogs. Also keep changing mine system. I put the stuff that needs to be done in the planner, but spend mine time of the FF sites. And then I realize, that the stuff I should have done, is not done. I love the videos and blogs. So mine solution is: combining! Huh??? Yes, when I am doing the laundry I put the video's on. When I am ready with the stuff I have planned, I take a tea time moment and read some of the blogs. And the idea's that I can implement in mine own diary I write done, think about it and see if I can use it. And when I am tempting in buying something new I just think, do I need it? No, ok, keep going. Social media is great, but I have to keep using mine senses and thinking: I bought a FF to organize, not to become an obsession!
I absolutely agree with both of you (Steve & Kate). I started getting sucked into a similar situation as Kate but fortunately pulled myself out before too much damage was done (hah - who knew there was danger in the world of planners??). Now I only read Philofaxy posts, as opposed to searching out blogs, and I explore the weekly webfinds very cautiously indeed - if at all. I realised that I don't really need to see someone else's brilliant idea, because odds are I don't need it in my system, and the internet time consumed (something I've been trying to cut down on) became excessive....it felt productive because I was researching organisation, but really it was just a way to keep me at my computer (my personal demon, as opposed to Kate's search for The Perfect System). I have to admit that I laugh at my own brief search for perfection and cannot help but wish that others would take a step back & take a closer look at their own 'search'.
My system now isn't perfect, but fully functional. Isn't that its own form of perfection as opposed to some fantasised ideal? Food for thought.
I also (obviously) spend way too much time thinking about planners and my system. I don't usually watch You Tube vidoes (although I did watch Kate's in its entirety, which is very rare for me) so I don't have that as a time suck, but I do spend endless hours searching on the internet for new planners, seeing what other people are using and tweaking my own system. I also spend money on planners that I should be using for other things.
I love planners, for me they are a fun hobby when it's fun. But often I find myself getting too fixated on finding my perfect system, and then it just becomes stressful and frustrating.
The convenience of Filofax and other binder systems is the endless possibilities. But then it's like opening Panodora's box because there are endless tweaking possibilities and you can drive yourself crazy trying all the permutations of the binder, tabs, forms, pages, diary inserts, on and on. I have my days when I look at what I'm using and think, do I really need all this?
That probably is a bit harsh, a "cult could be defined as a religion with no political power." I use my planners for just that planning, they always look business like with just the necessary items of what is needed to run my life on an efficient basis. I am astounded by some that I see on here and on the videos of all the bangles, beads, and bright shinning things that are part and parcel of peoples lives, it always gives me cause to wonder if their lives are as cluttered as the planners are. Having said that, if that what it takes to keep one on the beam and progressing along life's course, I should not be critical, God knows I have enough faults of my own.
I have to admit to being a tad obsessed - even people at work are talking about arranging an intervention... If I´ve run out of space when my next 2 arrive(late Friday night) I may have to take action - or maybe stop taking action...
I've decided that I'm going to step back a bit too! I'm going to continue reading Philofaxy every day, like I normally do, but for other Filofax blogs, I will only read them on Tuesdays and Saturdays from web finds, instead of all day every day! I will only watch Filofax videos on Thursdays and Sundays from the previous Tuesday's and Saturday's web finds, instead of as soon as I see them on youtube. This is because I really need to think of all of this as a hobby like my others, and find a specific time for it during the week like I do with my my other hobbies, instead of it letting it take over my day and distract me from what I'm supposed to be doing. But at the moment, I've still got loads of web finds to read (I'm still reading September's!) and loads of videos in my youtube Watch Later list, so I'm still catching up! But I will implement my changes soon!!
Kate That was my original intention with Webfinds to give our readers a 'one-stop-shop' for all of their Filofax/Ring Bound Planner blog post reading. A complete and comprehensive list of all the latest posts.
So that you could sit down once or twice a week to read the ones that appealed to you.
The same with videos. People doing Filofax videos need to start thinking about doing something new and different, so many of them follow the same formula, I'm not surprised people don't watch all of them all the way through.
May be one Tuesday or Friday we can come up a list of things we would like to see Filofax Video makers do, include, not do etc. But without naming individuals of course!
Oh purleese... She spent two seconds short of seventeen minutes talking about how she was spending too much time on Filofaxes??!! In all seriousness if anyone really does spend ten hours a day doing any one thing or spends the weekend in bed then yes, I think its safe to say that there is an issue there about balance in life. Anything can become an obsession and if that is the case it is a very good thing to recognise it and step back so kudos to her for realising that. I think it is also important to realise that the Internet encompasses the whole world ( well, no, the whole developed world but you know what I mean.) it is easy to think that because there is a lot of material out there everyone else must be spending hours on filofaxes ( or whave other topic you are browsing for) or that you must consume all the material. Not so. The library has lots of books - just because I cant read them all doesnt mean I should not borrow the ones I have time for. Learning to choose and prioritse is a life skill. Personally I read all the webfinds but in the 'cracks of the day' here and there and it may take a day or two. I subscribe to a good few blogs on many topics but I read in Flipboard as and when I feel like sitting down and reading in a batch. I watch webfind videos if I need something to relax for a few minutes before sleep or as background whilst doing something more useful and it is nice to see what people are up to ad beentertained in that way without dedicating time to it alone... I watched this one while I made a batch of twenty cakes filled with cream and strawberries and I have to say the video took longer than the cake making. Normally I would sample for a minute or so and if it was waffle off it goes. Persevered with this one so I could comment. I have a twitter and facebook account but I hardly ever go there. When I do it is mostly because I am tired and need sme brain mush time to switch off for five minutes... But we will all find benefit in different asects of the internet and the filofax community so people should put out what they wish. That sthe thing with blogging / You Tubing.. You never know who will find it of benefit. I would say however that it is probably best to think about he main points you wish to make in a video and get on and say them succinctly if you can!
I'm very intrigued by this discussion. I have to admit that I've had obsessive moments with planners, specifically when searching for the right system. Now that I've found that, I wouldn't consider myself obsessed (I wouldn't have even considered myself obsessed then, maybe just had obsessive thoughts now and then). I consider it a passion, something I'm genuinely interested in, the way people plan and manage their time, etc. many people have different passions - scrapbooking, knitting, etc. - and for me, this is no different, just a different outlet.
With that said, I do need to budget my time when indulging in that passion. In addition to my own blogging time (twice a week if I can manage it, more if I'm off from work), I allow myself to read blogs for a half hour in the morning while enjoying my coffee, and about 15 minutes during lunch. I read certain blogs first (this one) and the rest gets read when they get read. I don't watch YouTube videos. I tried in the beginning, but I have to admit that I did so out of loyalty to the community. I prefer to read blog posts because I can skim through them much easier than I can the videos. And I realized that I was not spending my time wisely watching them just because I felt I should when I really didn't enjoy them. I still scroll through the video finds to see if something strikes my fancy, but as a general rule, I don't watch the videos. I am a member of the Facebook group, but I rarely visit the page since I use Facebook for personal friend and family connections more than anything. I am on twitter specifically for filo chat but I seem to join in the conversation sporadically - I will be very chatty for a while and then I'll go for days without logging on. I can't tweet at work and I find it very difficult to keep up with conversations over more then a few hours. So my main focus is the blogs. I keep track of everything via google reader and save only those posts that strike my fancy and read them when I get to them. I used to try and stay on top of all the posts, but as the list of blogs has grown to literally hundreds, I just can't, and it's not worth the stress of trying to keep up. So I guess I've backed away from certain aspects but am still very involved in others.
@Helen: Yes! Prioritizing and choosing are important life skills. I do not read *all* the web finds or watch *all* the videos. Videos in particular can get to be extremely repetitive and are my equivalent of "junk tv." I recently re-joined facebook but just don't get it. I look at it briefly occasionally. I waste tons of time on twitter but that encompasses all of my interests, not just planners. I follow legal news, library news, planner folks, fashion, friends, colleagues, neighbors, politics...
I think, Kate, that as you move on into your professional adult life, you will find that you have less time, more to do, and can't spend too much time obsessing over your planner. I go through phases when I'm hyper-focused on my planner but go for weeks at a time without thinking about it much, and really just USING THE HELL OUT OF IT. Because I need to in order that I can keep up with everything I need to do.
As one who rambles on at length on my videos, which I realize is not to everyone's taste, I must say that I do try to economize on words and time but also want to explain the process thoroughly. I hope the videos help others. I see a lot of videos of people's planners looking like scrapbooks, which is totally cool, but I wanted to show more of how they can be leveraged in a business environment.
I will admit that at times I become entirely obsessed with the philofaxy community, but it tends to be fairly brief and I rapidly refocus on more pressing needs. I also recognize that tinkering with my planner is a MOST convenient way to procrastinate! So whenever I start messing around with things I try to identify what I'm not working on that I should, and redouble efforts to get it done.
I also realize that while I swap binders regularly I have basically used the same setup for over a year now, with a few experiments with alternatives but only for the diary itself. Swapping over content becomes a massive undertaking and can be a complete waste of time.
As you know I don't work full-time and even I find it difficult to keep up with all the discussions on Facebook and Twitter as they are being added to on a 24 hour basis, I tend to prioritise things and I try to answer questions on the blog before devoting time elsewhere.
I wish more people asked questions on here, they are easier to track here compared to Facebook, where things just vanish down the order so quickly!
As Josh says as you enter full time employment Kate your views and outlook on life will change and your free time will be taken up with other things. It happens to us all over time and you just have to adjust to things.
Don't stop your videos Josh, they are ones I definitely watch all the time!
I may be the only one to say "yes" to this, but that is where I stand. I love you guys, but I have backed away quite a bit, and now mostly read Philofaxy more to see how you all are than to find out who is using how many binders with how many inserts and etc. I still read on Twitter, but signed out of the Facebook group. It just seems.., a bit over the top to me. And I will stop now. As I said, I know I am by far in the minority here.
I'm in the same boat. A lot of the posts I used to read actually started to shock me for a number of reasons (eg. unrealistic expectations; the obsession with the fashion as opposed to the function). 'Backing away' is a great expression for it.
I also kind of backed away some. I hardly watch Youtube video's now a days. (mainly because a lot of them really bore me) and I don't get on twitter as often as others. If I do, it's never to have conversations about FF. I go on the Facebook group but that is only because I am bored at work, not because I HAVE to be on it. I love FF, but my hours can be better spent elsewhere.. like with my daughter :)
I dont spend half as much time online anymore, only read what applies to me or search online only if i'm looking for a solution, i very rarely blog now, i just dont have time, thinking of just using flickr to show what my binders look like.
I became obsessed with the perfect binder, the perfect size, perfect set up, perfect paper, perfect pen, perfect journal only to be dissapointed, there is no such thing as perfect and i now try to accept that, im using more paperchase lettersets and notebooks cutting and punching which gives me a cheaper alternative to filofax paper and it suits my style better. I may even start to print my diary inserts myself now I have a new printer.
I now visit philofaxy a couple times a week rather than a couple times a day and im getting much more organising done which is the very reason I bought avfilofax in the first place :-)
Franklin Covey USA website specials month of February: buy a binder, get a free planner insert. Each week it's a different binder that's eligible. Last week it was the Giada, this week it's the Vintage, then the Boston and week four-not sure. You may be limited to one or two insert choices as well.
In light of the discussion above regarding obsession, my apologies :)
Not sure how I feel about this yet. When I used FC all those years it was simply utilitarian...I didn't decorate it or buy lots of sticky notes or other stationary. I sometimes had trouble sticking with one size going from compact to classic in fits of frustration but I did not buy one or more binders a month! I did own many binders but not all at once. As for the insert I rarely tweaked it; it was pretty much DO2P for the entire year. I have spent more money on binders than I should but will hopefully sell some before folks loose their enthusiasm for them and stop buying!!! As for time spent on web...yes...too much on you tube as of late but please don't stop we finds! This will all stop when I return to the working world hopefully in the spring.
For now I like to call this more like a hobby bordering on obsession :)
I have been thinking for a long time about changing to a filofax. Here is my problem. I have a dayrunner I've had for years that I LOVE. It has two zipper compartments. One side has the filofax type stuff: calendar, address book, etc. The other is like a zipper purse. It has a middle section for change and bills or other stuff you want to put in there. then along one side is slots for credit cards and such but one long slot to put mail and such in and on the other side there is also a long slot. What I generally do is put mail and such in it so that I don't lose it and I have it with me all the time. I hate carrying a wallet so this works for me most of the time. While I love it, it's beginning to fall apart. I have had it over 14 years now and I'd like to have another set up like it. Filofax doesn't seem to have two zipper pockets that I can find and for that matter neither does anything else. Anyone have any ideas?
I think I saw something like you mention on the Sweden Filofax website, or maybe it was Denmark? They had a compact filofax with a wallet on the backside, kind of like an inside out pennybridge.
I love that Journey.. shame I can't read the site. and I hate red :( eh well something will come along that I find I like. The Holborn doesn't have the back zipper pocket that I would love like the Journey one does. :(
Hi, I am new to filofax but I am already addicted :) I am in the USA. Can you tell me if or when Fiolfax comes out with its new lines? Or does it? It seems that a lot of them are being discontinued so I was assuming that they come out with new ones at some point. Thank you for any advice to a newbie. Take care, Vicki
I completely agree with Kate .....luckily I found the crazy life of J blog where she has so brilliantly managed to stick to 2 Filofaxes ....she made me realise it's possible to stick with one planner and appreciate other people's binder and system without actually going out and buying what someone else had.
That blog has saved me a ton of money because the past year I obsessed over adelphi,osterly,Malden and amazona. My first ff was a red pocket metropol and now I've graduated to a pocket black amazona. Im using one planner now and the current system is working great. I'll only buy a new planner when this one disintegrates:)
Oops. Never obsessive! It's great fun to look at all the posts and there can never be too many. I admit I'm better at planning than executing, but procrastination is a way of life for me and I've learned so new many ways to play.
Seriously, I have learned a great deal from these posts and have been inspired so much.
Ha!I am a lucky collector ;o)) I never searched for a perfect system,cause I am used to this sort of calendar (vertical),that I used for my job since...14 years.I figured that Filofaxes are perfect,because I can put all the stuff inside,that I need for my job. The blogs and videos are so much fun!I just like watching photos of nice&beautiful binders :o)and I think I have kind of a leather-fetish*gg*And in this dark,dark wintertime I love "hibbeling"for an Ebay-auction!!Harharhar...the last 6 Winter I spent some time playing "world of warcraft"*LOL*but I never got too obsessive with stuff like that ;o)
Very disappointed in Montgomery Pens customer service. I ordered a Filofax last week and just today got an email with a refund saying the item was 'out of stock' and won't be getting any more. Really???? They didn't know this at the time I placed my order and they charged my credit card?
Then they end the email with 'sorry for the inconvenience'. Really?? Didn't sound it to me. Very poor customer service; won't be buying from them in the future.
Just wanted to vent. Has this happened to anyone before? I do alot of online shopping and I've never been charged then told a week later that the item is 'out of stock'.
Think you'll find if you look around online, that they have a mixed track record....some people think they're OK and some not.....
If you do a google search on them, look for posts over at FPN (fountainpennetwork) or surf over to the forums and do a search from there....you'll find plenty of comments...
I don't have a question so much as a comment. I have a personal classic cherry that I used off and on when I first purchased it a few years ago but haven't used it much since. I recently came back to it and after training it to lie flat noticed some unsightly creasing down the spine. I emailed Filofax customer service and received a reply that day asking me to send pictures. A few emails later I received word I would get a brand new replacement in the mail. I just received it yesterday (within two weeks or my original query) and couldn't be happier. I was really impressed with the customer service, especially after having read a few negative comments online about them.
Hi - just a quick question. I'm currently trying to find the perfect inserts for my Malden for university. A plain diary style isn't really working for me, as it doesn't seem to keep me very organised. I ideally want something like the Filofax Day Planner, without the notes pages. I THINK your Day Planner (two days per one page) is just what I need, BUT I can't print them off (printer issues). Would it be possible for someone to potentially print a couple off for me, and send them to me so I could try them out (would be willing to pay postage).
Also, is there any chance of creating this layout smaller, so you get a full week to view (with the weekend as one combined box)? I think that would be my perfect layout. OR this layout, but with a notes page every fourth page (so a box for each day, then a notes page per week)?
Not really sure how possible any of these ideas are possible. Thanks in advance!
I am quite new to ffat but I wondered if any of you use Collins inserts in your Filofax(s)? I bought the Collins week to view 2013, purely for the reason that it cost less than Filofax's one, the paper seems thicker than my usual ff one and I think I am a convert, anyone else got an opinion?
ReplyDeleteHave you tested the paper with a fountain pen? I'm sure others would be interested in hearing about the results.
Delete+1 for testing with fountain pen....
Delete:-)
Looks like I will dig out my fountain pen! Will let you know how it performs x
DeleteOops could only find a disposable Pilot fountain pen, medium nib, lots of bleed, sadly, but still fab paper for those of us who can get away with using a Frixion ♡
DeleteRegards jo x
Kate posted a video on You Tube yesterday. At first it made me laugh, but actually I think there is quite a serious message behind the video.
ReplyDeleteAre we becoming a little too obsessive? With us spreading our thoughts on so many channels (Facebook, Twitter, You Tube) I can see how easily it is to get sucked in to this whole love affair we have with planners and organisers.
Compared to say 2-3 years ago, the number or people contributing in a public sense has I would say gone up quite dramatically, and there's no sign of it slowing down.
Any thoughts?
Here's the video link, it will be in Video Web Finds later:
http://youtu.be/j76jdUygIUQ
I think Kate made a good point! I work the whole week and the weekends are for 'home' stuff, 'me' time and 'boyfriend' time. I actually spend the whole weekend looking at FF videos and reading blogs. Also keep changing mine system. I put the stuff that needs to be done in the planner, but spend mine time of the FF sites. And then I realize, that the stuff I should have done, is not done. I love the videos and blogs. So mine solution is: combining! Huh??? Yes, when I am doing the laundry I put the video's on. When I am ready with the stuff I have planned, I take a tea time moment and read some of the blogs. And the idea's that I can implement in mine own diary I write done, think about it and see if I can use it. And when I am tempting in buying something new I just think, do I need it? No, ok, keep going.
DeleteSocial media is great, but I have to keep using mine senses and thinking: I bought a FF to organize, not to become an obsession!
I absolutely agree with both of you (Steve & Kate). I started getting sucked into a similar situation as Kate but fortunately pulled myself out before too much damage was done (hah - who knew there was danger in the world of planners??). Now I only read Philofaxy posts, as opposed to searching out blogs, and I explore the weekly webfinds very cautiously indeed - if at all. I realised that I don't really need to see someone else's brilliant idea, because odds are I don't need it in my system, and the internet time consumed (something I've been trying to cut down on) became excessive....it felt productive because I was researching organisation, but really it was just a way to keep me at my computer (my personal demon, as opposed to Kate's search for The Perfect System). I have to admit that I laugh at my own brief search for perfection and cannot help but wish that others would take a step back & take a closer look at their own 'search'.
DeleteMy system now isn't perfect, but fully functional. Isn't that its own form of perfection as opposed to some fantasised ideal? Food for thought.
I also (obviously) spend way too much time thinking about planners and my system. I don't usually watch You Tube vidoes (although I did watch Kate's in its entirety, which is very rare for me) so I don't have that as a time suck, but I do spend endless hours searching on the internet for new planners, seeing what other people are using and tweaking my own system. I also spend money on planners that I should be using for other things.
DeleteI love planners, for me they are a fun hobby when it's fun. But often I find myself getting too fixated on finding my perfect system, and then it just becomes stressful and frustrating.
The convenience of Filofax and other binder systems is the endless possibilities. But then it's like opening Panodora's box because there are endless tweaking possibilities and you can drive yourself crazy trying all the permutations of the binder, tabs, forms, pages, diary inserts, on and on. I have my days when I look at what I'm using and think, do I really need all this?
Is 'Filofax cult' too harsh?? ;b
DeleteA little harsh... yes!!
DeleteThat probably is a bit harsh, a "cult could be defined as a religion with no political power." I use my planners for just that planning, they always look business like with just the necessary items of what is needed to run my life on an efficient basis. I am astounded by some that I see on here and on the videos of all the bangles, beads, and bright shinning things that are part and parcel of peoples lives, it always gives me cause to wonder if their lives are as cluttered as the planners are. Having said that, if
Deletethat what it takes to keep one on the beam and progressing along life's course, I should not be critical, God knows I have enough faults of my own.
Just a thought.
I have to admit to being a tad obsessed - even people at work are talking about arranging an intervention... If I´ve run out of space when my next 2 arrive(late Friday night) I may have to take action - or maybe stop taking action...
DeleteI've decided that I'm going to step back a bit too!
DeleteI'm going to continue reading Philofaxy every day, like I normally do, but for other Filofax blogs, I will only read them on Tuesdays and Saturdays from web finds, instead of all day every day!
I will only watch Filofax videos on Thursdays and Sundays from the previous Tuesday's and Saturday's web finds, instead of as soon as I see them on youtube.
This is because I really need to think of all of this as a hobby like my others, and find a specific time for it during the week like I do with my my other hobbies, instead of it letting it take over my day and distract me from what I'm supposed to be doing.
But at the moment, I've still got loads of web finds to read (I'm still reading September's!) and loads of videos in my youtube Watch Later list, so I'm still catching up! But I will implement my changes soon!!
Kate
DeleteThat was my original intention with Webfinds to give our readers a 'one-stop-shop' for all of their Filofax/Ring Bound Planner blog post reading. A complete and comprehensive list of all the latest posts.
So that you could sit down once or twice a week to read the ones that appealed to you.
The same with videos. People doing Filofax videos need to start thinking about doing something new and different, so many of them follow the same formula, I'm not surprised people don't watch all of them all the way through.
May be one Tuesday or Friday we can come up a list of things we would like to see Filofax Video makers do, include, not do etc. But without naming individuals of course!
Steve
Oh purleese... She spent two seconds short of seventeen minutes talking about how she was spending too much time on Filofaxes??!!
DeleteIn all seriousness if anyone really does spend ten hours a day doing any one thing or spends the weekend in bed then yes, I think its safe to say that there is an issue there about balance in life. Anything can become an obsession and if that is the case it is a very good thing to recognise it and step back so kudos to her for realising that.
I think it is also important to realise that the Internet encompasses the whole world ( well, no, the whole developed world but you know what I mean.) it is easy to think that because there is a lot of material out there everyone else must be spending hours on filofaxes ( or whave other topic you are browsing for) or that you must consume all the material. Not so. The library has lots of books - just because I cant read them all doesnt mean I should not borrow the ones I have time for. Learning to choose and prioritse is a life skill.
Personally I read all the webfinds but in the 'cracks of the day' here and there and it may take a day or two. I subscribe to a good few blogs on many topics but I read in Flipboard as and when I feel like sitting down and reading in a batch. I watch webfind videos if I need something to relax for a few minutes before sleep or as background whilst doing something more useful and it is nice to see what people are up to ad beentertained in that way without dedicating time to it alone... I watched this one while I made a batch of twenty cakes filled with cream and strawberries and I have to say the video took longer than the cake making. Normally I would sample for a minute or so and if it was waffle off it goes. Persevered with this one so I could comment. I have a twitter and facebook account but I hardly ever go there. When I do it is mostly because I am tired and need sme brain mush time to switch off for five minutes... But we will all find benefit in different asects of the internet and the filofax community so people should put out what they wish. That sthe thing with blogging / You Tubing.. You never know who will find it of benefit.
I would say however that it is probably best to think about he main points you wish to make in a video and get on and say them succinctly if you can!
I'm very intrigued by this discussion. I have to admit that I've had obsessive moments with planners, specifically when searching for the right system. Now that I've found that, I wouldn't consider myself obsessed (I wouldn't have even considered myself obsessed then, maybe just had obsessive thoughts now and then). I consider it a passion, something I'm genuinely interested in, the way people plan and manage their time, etc. many people have different passions - scrapbooking, knitting, etc. - and for me, this is no different, just a different outlet.
DeleteWith that said, I do need to budget my time when indulging in that passion. In addition to my own blogging time (twice a week if I can manage it, more if I'm off from work), I allow myself to read blogs for a half hour in the morning while enjoying my coffee, and about 15 minutes during lunch. I read certain blogs first (this one) and the rest gets read when they get read. I don't watch YouTube videos. I tried in the beginning, but I have to admit that I did so out of loyalty to the community. I prefer to read blog posts because I can skim through them much easier than I can the videos. And I realized that I was not spending my time wisely watching them just because I felt I should when I really didn't enjoy them. I still scroll through the video finds to see if something strikes my fancy, but as a general rule, I don't watch the videos. I am a member of the Facebook group, but I rarely visit the page since I use Facebook for personal friend and family connections more than anything. I am on twitter specifically for filo chat but I seem to join in the conversation sporadically - I will be very chatty for a while and then I'll go for days without logging on. I can't tweet at work and I find it very difficult to keep up with conversations over more then a few hours. So my main focus is the blogs. I keep track of everything via google reader and save only those posts that strike my fancy and read them when I get to them. I used to try and stay on top of all the posts, but as the list of blogs has grown to literally hundreds, I just can't, and it's not worth the stress of trying to keep up. So I guess I've backed away from certain aspects but am still very involved in others.
@Helen: Yes! Prioritizing and choosing are important life skills. I do not read *all* the web finds or watch *all* the videos. Videos in particular can get to be extremely repetitive and are my equivalent of "junk tv." I recently re-joined facebook but just don't get it. I look at it briefly occasionally. I waste tons of time on twitter but that encompasses all of my interests, not just planners. I follow legal news, library news, planner folks, fashion, friends, colleagues, neighbors, politics...
DeleteI think, Kate, that as you move on into your professional adult life, you will find that you have less time, more to do, and can't spend too much time obsessing over your planner. I go through phases when I'm hyper-focused on my planner but go for weeks at a time without thinking about it much, and really just USING THE HELL OUT OF IT. Because I need to in order that I can keep up with everything I need to do.
As one who rambles on at length on my videos, which I realize is not to everyone's taste, I must say that I do try to economize on words and time but also want to explain the process thoroughly. I hope the videos help others. I see a lot of videos of people's planners looking like scrapbooks, which is totally cool, but I wanted to show more of how they can be leveraged in a business environment.
I will admit that at times I become entirely obsessed with the philofaxy community, but it tends to be fairly brief and I rapidly refocus on more pressing needs. I also recognize that tinkering with my planner is a MOST convenient way to procrastinate! So whenever I start messing around with things I try to identify what I'm not working on that I should, and redouble efforts to get it done.
I also realize that while I swap binders regularly I have basically used the same setup for over a year now, with a few experiments with alternatives but only for the diary itself. Swapping over content becomes a massive undertaking and can be a complete waste of time.
Thought provoking.
As you know I don't work full-time and even I find it difficult to keep up with all the discussions on Facebook and Twitter as they are being added to on a 24 hour basis, I tend to prioritise things and I try to answer questions on the blog before devoting time elsewhere.
DeleteI wish more people asked questions on here, they are easier to track here compared to Facebook, where things just vanish down the order so quickly!
As Josh says as you enter full time employment Kate your views and outlook on life will change and your free time will be taken up with other things. It happens to us all over time and you just have to adjust to things.
Don't stop your videos Josh, they are ones I definitely watch all the time!
Steve
I may be the only one to say "yes" to this, but that is where I stand. I love you guys, but I have backed away quite a bit, and now mostly read Philofaxy more to see how you all are than to find out who is using how many binders with how many inserts and etc. I still read on Twitter, but signed out of the Facebook group. It just seems.., a bit over the top to me. And I will stop now. As I said, I know I am by far in the minority here.
ReplyDeleteI'm in the same boat. A lot of the posts I used to read actually started to shock me for a number of reasons (eg. unrealistic expectations; the obsession with the fashion as opposed to the function). 'Backing away' is a great expression for it.
DeleteI also kind of backed away some. I hardly watch Youtube video's now a days. (mainly because a lot of them really bore me) and I don't get on twitter as often as others. If I do, it's never to have conversations about FF. I go on the Facebook group but that is only because I am bored at work, not because I HAVE to be on it. I love FF, but my hours can be better spent elsewhere.. like with my daughter :)
DeleteI dont spend half as much time online anymore, only read what applies to me or search online only if i'm looking for a solution, i very rarely blog now, i just dont have time, thinking of just using flickr to show what my binders look like.
ReplyDeleteI became obsessed with the perfect binder, the perfect size, perfect set up, perfect paper, perfect pen, perfect journal only to be dissapointed, there is no such thing as perfect and i now try to accept that, im using more paperchase lettersets and notebooks cutting and punching which gives me a cheaper alternative to filofax paper and it suits my style better. I may even start to print my diary inserts myself now I have a new printer.
I now visit philofaxy a couple times a week rather than a couple times a day and im getting much more organising done which is the very reason I bought avfilofax in the first place :-)
Franklin Covey USA website specials month of February: buy a binder, get a free planner insert. Each week it's a different binder that's eligible. Last week it was the Giada, this week it's the Vintage, then the Boston and week four-not sure. You may be limited to one or two insert choices as well.
ReplyDeleteIn light of the discussion above regarding obsession, my apologies :)
Not sure how I feel about this yet. When I used FC all those years it was simply utilitarian...I didn't decorate it or buy lots of sticky notes or other stationary. I sometimes had trouble sticking with one size going from compact to classic in fits of frustration but I did not buy one or more binders a month! I did own many binders but not all at once. As for the insert I rarely tweaked it; it was pretty much DO2P for the entire year. I have spent more money on binders than I should but will hopefully sell some before folks loose their enthusiasm for them and stop buying!!! As for time spent on web...yes...too much on you tube as of late but please don't stop we finds! This will all stop when I return to the working world hopefully in the spring.
ReplyDeleteFor now I like to call this more like a hobby bordering on obsession :)
Well their own logo is 'Filofax... It's a way of life'
ReplyDeleteVery true for me, although I would reword it to 'Philofaxy... it's a way of life'!
I have been thinking for a long time about changing to a filofax. Here is my problem. I have a dayrunner I've had for years that I LOVE. It has two zipper compartments. One side has the filofax type stuff: calendar, address book, etc. The other is like a zipper purse. It has a middle section for change and bills or other stuff you want to put in there. then along one side is slots for credit cards and such but one long slot to put mail and such in and on the other side there is also a long slot. What I generally do is put mail and such in it so that I don't lose it and I have it with me all the time. I hate carrying a wallet so this works for me most of the time. While I love it, it's beginning to fall apart. I have had it over 14 years now and I'd like to have another set up like it. Filofax doesn't seem to have two zipper pockets that I can find and for that matter neither does anything else. Anyone have any ideas?
ReplyDeleteI think I saw something like you mention on the Sweden Filofax website, or maybe it was Denmark? They had a compact filofax with a wallet on the backside, kind of like an inside out pennybridge.
DeleteTonya, I would highly recommedn the personal Holborn for your needs!
Delete@Josh, I think you are thinking of the Journey:
Deletehttp://www.filofax.dk/store/organiserdetails.asp?sizeId=3&rangeId=157&dsizeId=3
Steve
Exactly! Thanks, Steve!
DeleteI love that Journey.. shame I can't read the site. and I hate red :( eh well something will come along that I find I like. The Holborn doesn't have the back zipper pocket that I would love like the Journey one does. :(
DeletePop the site address in to Google Chrome and it should give you an approximate translation
DeleteHi,
ReplyDeleteI am new to filofax but I am already addicted :) I am in the USA. Can you tell me if or when Fiolfax comes out with its new lines? Or does it? It seems that a lot of them are being discontinued so I was assuming that they come out with new ones at some point. Thank you for any advice to a newbie. Take care, Vicki
I completely agree with Kate .....luckily I found the crazy life of J blog where she has so brilliantly managed to stick to 2 Filofaxes ....she made me realise it's possible to stick with one planner and appreciate other people's binder and system without actually going out and buying what someone else had.
ReplyDeleteThat blog has saved me a ton of money because the past year I obsessed over adelphi,osterly,Malden and amazona. My first ff was a red pocket metropol and now I've graduated to a pocket black amazona. Im using one planner now and the current system is working great. I'll only buy a new planner when this one disintegrates:)
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ReplyDeleteOops. Never obsessive! It's great fun to look at all the posts and there can never be too many. I admit I'm better at planning than executing, but procrastination is a way of life for me and I've learned so new many ways to play.
ReplyDeleteSeriously, I have learned a great deal from these posts and have been inspired so much.
Ha!I am a lucky collector ;o)) I never searched for a perfect system,cause I am used to this sort of calendar (vertical),that I used for my job since...14 years.I figured that Filofaxes are perfect,because I can put all the stuff inside,that I need for my job.
ReplyDeleteThe blogs and videos are so much fun!I just like watching photos of nice&beautiful binders :o)and I think I have kind of a leather-fetish*gg*And in this dark,dark wintertime I love "hibbeling"for an Ebay-auction!!Harharhar...the last 6 Winter I spent some time playing "world of warcraft"*LOL*but I never got too obsessive with stuff like that ;o)
Very disappointed in Montgomery Pens customer service. I ordered a Filofax last week and just today got an email with a refund saying the item was 'out of stock' and won't be getting any more. Really???? They didn't know this at the time I placed my order and they charged my credit card?
ReplyDeleteThen they end the email with 'sorry for the inconvenience'. Really?? Didn't sound it to me. Very poor customer service; won't be buying from them in the future.
Just wanted to vent. Has this happened to anyone before? I do alot of online shopping and I've never been charged then told a week later that the item is 'out of stock'.
What were you trying to order? It seems some retailers don't remove old models but leave them on their sites but with zero stock.
DeleteThink you'll find if you look around online, that they have a mixed track record....some people think they're OK and some not.....
DeleteIf you do a google search on them, look for posts over at FPN (fountainpennetwork) or surf over to the forums and do a search from there....you'll find plenty of comments...
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/
FWIW, I go through phases regarding planners, inserts, setup, task management strategy, paper planners vs digital planners, etc....
ReplyDeleteLately, I've been in paper planner mode... ;-)
Hence, spending more time reading articles and posts, some videos, and occasionally posting here...
Overall, very enjoyable, lots of great and useful ideas, and good people...
Thumbs Up!
I don't have a question so much as a comment. I have a personal classic cherry that I used off and on when I first purchased it a few years ago but haven't used it much since. I recently came back to it and after training it to lie flat noticed some unsightly creasing down the spine. I emailed Filofax customer service and received a reply that day asking me to send pictures. A few emails later I received word I would get a brand new replacement in the mail. I just received it yesterday (within two weeks or my original query) and couldn't be happier. I was really impressed with the customer service, especially after having read a few negative comments online about them.
ReplyDeleteHi - just a quick question. I'm currently trying to find the perfect inserts for my Malden for university. A plain diary style isn't really working for me, as it doesn't seem to keep me very organised.
ReplyDeleteI ideally want something like the Filofax Day Planner, without the notes pages. I THINK your Day Planner (two days per one page) is just what I need, BUT I can't print them off (printer issues). Would it be possible for someone to potentially print a couple off for me, and send them to me so I could try them out (would be willing to pay postage).
Also, is there any chance of creating this layout smaller, so you get a full week to view (with the weekend as one combined box)? I think that would be my perfect layout. OR this layout, but with a notes page every fourth page (so a box for each day, then a notes page per week)?
Not really sure how possible any of these ideas are possible. Thanks in advance!