Now that we are a couple of months into the school year, I realize the planner setup I was so optimistic about at the beginning of the term isn't working as well as I'd hoped. I'm experimenting with some alternatives, but am considering switching to an A5 Filofax or desk size Day-Timer binder for the large page size and writing space, and ease of changing weekly layouts when needed.
Are you making any changes to your planner setup now, or in anticipation of the new year?
And as always on Fridays, feel free to discuss anything ring-binder related!
I like to integrate my task pages in with my diary, so that I can see appointments and tasks all on the one page. However, slipping the task page in between the Week on 2 pages is beginning to irritate me, as I never get a full view of the week ahead's appointments and tasks. It seemed to work better when I had a WO1P with tasks on smaller lines on the next page facing.I am thinking of putting this week's task page next to a daily page, so that it may work better. I wanted to change up to more space, as I know when I get back to full time teaching work, that a bigger diary space will be needed, and I thought, I'll do that for this year to trial. Not quite a planner fail, more of a planner tweak required for next year, but to what now I don't know. I wanted to see how the planner would work in a new format. Not sure now that the prior one wasn't better!!!!
ReplyDeleteI feel very much the same way.....I've already bought and deployed a Wo2P lined FF Personal diary for 2015, but am now thinking about a WPP with the tasks on a lined page to the side. of course, Moleskine produce a diary where the appointments are *always* on the left and the notes (tasks) page is *always* on the right, and it looks like a nice layout. I suppose there's no chance of FF following suit...........
DeleteI like that format very much David and may go back to it next year.
DeleteBTW Laurie, many congratulations on your Quo Vadis role. I enjoyed your first post, and wow, what a well deserved honour to have been chosen for that. Brilliant!! xxxx
ReplyDeleteI shall like knowing where we can find that want to say WO2P, MO2p, etc.... Thank you.
ReplyDeleteWell Laurie and David Popely you have just given me the biggest light bulb/ lightening bolt moment in my life regarding my planners for work and personal. I don't need two planners I just need two recording books and one planner to rule them all.
ReplyDeleteI have noticed that it all depends on the amount of appointments and tasks. I used to get by with a WO2P quite well, with an additional leaf with weekly tasks in between pages and random post-it notes here and there. Ever since the appointments, tasks and employees have increased. For some time already I´ve managed to stay of top of everything by the same A5 Malden with WO2P and an additional regular TN with weekly page, notes on another page for weekly tasks and goals alone. I also have daily pages in it for daily planning and note taking. This works like a well- oiled machine for me.
ReplyDeleteBut again, it all depends on how much you have on your plate, how detailed notes keep you focused or do you perform well with just general outline of actions planned and how much different appointments and actions do you have.
I too have this problem. My weekdays are divided between days when i have *lots* of back to back meetings, such a when I'm in Bristol or London, and 'task days', which are all the rest and are basically when I'm at home in the office (the office being at home). It's a tricky one....
DeleteIn order to complicate things further, I like having a daily plan made before I leave my desk the day before, but also like to be able to see my week at a glance.
Don't fikofax do a WPP plus notes?
ReplyDeleteI'm very happy with my A5 filofax which I've been using since March-ish. But I keep wavering between Wo2P (from Paperchase) and DPP. My problem is that I need the DPP occasionally, and the Wo2P suffices the rest of the time. So in the mean time I am making do with post-its and inserting extra pages as required. But like Butanben this can be annoying when I can't see it all at once.
ReplyDeleteSo, my "solution"? I put pages from my pocket sized ff in my A5 as extras. Seems to be working though my mum keeps laughing when I open the A5 and there are smaller sheets waving around ;)
I switched to a Franklin Covey pocket binder, a different week insert, and a different multi color pen. The pen has three colors and a pencil in a slim barrel. I also cut a note pad to a small one to slip in a card slot on the back cover of my binder. I did this after seeing the post on cutting a slit on the cardboard of a large note pad to fit in the back pocket. I use the note pad to write lists that I can access quickly as opposed to writing them on pages in the rings or on sticky notes. For now I don't have dividers in my binder. I found the diary and address dividers unnecessary since I know where these sections are. I may make dividers for my notes, information, and project sections or color code the side of the pages. It saves me a little space in the rings. I like carrying a smaller binder with personal size inserts and I think that these changes will be effective.
ReplyDeleteI devoted the entire month of September to experimenting with different formats. My pocket worked fabulously April through August, but towards the end of summer it was bursting at the seams. With all the end-of-the-year work coming up, I knew I'd have to make a change. So I went whole hog and got an A5, which was lovely, too lovely for my current lifestyle and oh my goodness HUGE! Besides which it had a gap in the rings, which felt like nails on a chalkboard every time a page would catch. I went back to my personal Domino, which I never bonded with and also has gap-y rings, but seems to a be a workable size. I found a personal Portland on eBay, reasonably priced with some wear, which I actually prefer to new. I work in food service and would rather have something that's been previously dinged up before I get a hold of it. It arrived this week, as promised. It had glitter glue on the back, crayon marks on the black plastic flyleaf, and it smelled like grandma. The glitter glue might be there to stay, I got rid of the crayon marks, and after about twenty minutes it smelled only like the restaurant. But…. the rings are perfect, the leather is pillow-y and amazing. I moved into it right away. Best part: My husband, who knows I've been struggling (not with this but with many other things) noticed it on my desk on the day it arrived. He never once commented on the pocket or the A5, but when he saw the personal Portland he said, "I think it's so cool how you write everything down now." And just like that...peace at last.
ReplyDeleteI am just restarting with my filofax, last time was years ago. I used pocket and mini. I bought a new domino personal for more space to write and decorate and hope it will fit perfect for me. I think A5 would be to big to carry around with me, my handbag is already heavy and full with stuff I really do need (umm.. once in a while...).
ReplyDeleteI am so excited about his site here and all those freebees, but some don't work. for example the month on two sites 2014 for personal print out in A4, the monthnames on every second site are out of their place, when you cut the pages they are totaly cut of. So I used the month on two sites for personal precut paper, and on the backsite of the december I wanted to go on with january 2015, but there (and year on one page also) the pdf file is like a4 vertically and I cant print it out on my precut page. Also I find it is paperwaste, to print it out on an A4paperpage. If I set the printsetting on the papersize of an personal page it comes out wrong, like only the left corner. I really would like to use the print outs, but it seems to be impossible. Would you make the pdf's for 2015 personal on personalpaper the right papersize, please? Oh and I am sorry for my bad english ._.
Thank you for all those great freebees!
Greetings from Berlin, Germany, Sandra
For the first time in my LIFE I am going for a WO2P for 2015. I am a traditional DPP girl but the Erin Condren planners have struck an interest in me. I have watched tons of reviews over the last 6 months on youtube and have decided to try one. The postage to Australia almost made me change my mind, but I did it. I ordered it on the weekend. Whether I stick with it is another story.
ReplyDeleteI have learnt from using my A5 Malden DPP inserts from Ms Wendahh that my work meetings have lessened yet my home life things have increased. I use my diary for work and home. I need more writing space for my home things, and sometimes my work things too. So the Erin Condren planner looks suitable. Time will tell I guess. If all else fails, its back to my trust ole Malden.