I've decided to use only a pocket planner in May instead of my personal-sized Filofax. I really want to give it a try instead of using a personal Filofax and constantly wondering "What if a pocket size would be better...?" Everything that I really NEED does fit in the pocket and it is so small and portable, but I kind of miss the extras.
I don't enjoy taking notes as much in the pocket (small pages, big rings, cramped hand), I've quit tracking gym sessions and don't keep reference notes with me. I wouldn't bother to keep pages about my budget in the pocket, except for a finance tracker. I also feel that I would be more likely to keep my personal sized pages as a memory, whereas I would rather just throw away a pocket calendar insert at the end of the year. I guess I need more time to figure out if I miss those sections or if I can function without them :) I barely decorate, so that's not an issue.
What are your experiences with a transition from a A5 or personal-sized Filofax to a pocket?
Don't have much experience yet, as it is just in the past week or so that I received a pocket and a mini to try out. Like you I asked the question whether I could be OK with using a small binder.
So far, I've been pleasantly surprised to see that I can use the pocket and even the mini at work. It really has surprised me to feel this way as a few months ago I felt I had to use a A5 and could not see how people could use a 'small binder' such as personal.
I do find that using the pocket or mini does force you to think very carefully about how you will use it as the pages are of course so much smaller and with smaller rings, you have much less pages with you. But I'm starting to think maybe that is a good thing in a way, as I'm being more thoughtful and disciplined in what I write.
We shall see how I feel about this in another week or two as I continue my experiment at work. But for now, it sure is nice to have a smaller and lighter binder to carry around all day......
I agree that you have to think more about what is actually kept in the binder. It is liberating to not have all those pages with you. And here I thought I only kept essential pages in my personal Filofax! I guess it is easier to make the transition if you have a working system. A mini might be a tad to small for me, but I am glad that you can make it work. I'm curious to see how this experiment works out for you!
You're right that it is constraining to not have a lot of pages with you....what we need is a pocket or mini with 30mm rings!.... ;-)
As for making it work, it is only been about a week, so, too early to conclude whether or not it really does work for me long term....we shall see....just saying that so far it is surprising how well it does work considering how small the pages are.......
Will let you know how it goes in another week or two.....
Anyone has photos of well used Filofax Original in Patent Fuchsia?
ReplyDeleteI'm interested how this type of finish holds up.
This question was just posed in the Philofaxy Facebook group, just in case you want to check it out. No replies yet though.
DeleteI've decided to use only a pocket planner in May instead of my personal-sized Filofax. I really want to give it a try instead of using a personal Filofax and constantly wondering "What if a pocket size would be better...?" Everything that I really NEED does fit in the pocket and it is so small and portable, but I kind of miss the extras.
ReplyDeleteI don't enjoy taking notes as much in the pocket (small pages, big rings, cramped hand), I've quit tracking gym sessions and don't keep reference notes with me. I wouldn't bother to keep pages about my budget in the pocket, except for a finance tracker. I also feel that I would be more likely to keep my personal sized pages as a memory, whereas I would rather just throw away a pocket calendar insert at the end of the year. I guess I need more time to figure out if I miss those sections or if I can function without them :) I barely decorate, so that's not an issue.
What are your experiences with a transition from a A5 or personal-sized Filofax to a pocket?
Don't have much experience yet, as it is just in the past week or so that I received a pocket and a mini to try out. Like you I asked the question whether I could be OK with using a small binder.
DeleteSo far, I've been pleasantly surprised to see that I can use the pocket and even the mini at work. It really has surprised me to feel this way as a few months ago I felt I had to use a A5 and could not see how people could use a 'small binder' such as personal.
I do find that using the pocket or mini does force you to think very carefully about how you will use it as the pages are of course so much smaller and with smaller rings, you have much less pages with you. But I'm starting to think maybe that is a good thing in a way, as I'm being more thoughtful and disciplined in what I write.
We shall see how I feel about this in another week or two as I continue my experiment at work. But for now, it sure is nice to have a smaller and lighter binder to carry around all day......
Mark
I agree that you have to think more about what is actually kept in the binder. It is liberating to not have all those pages with you. And here I thought I only kept essential pages in my personal Filofax! I guess it is easier to make the transition if you have a working system. A mini might be a tad to small for me, but I am glad that you can make it work. I'm curious to see how this experiment works out for you!
DeleteYou're right that it is constraining to not have a lot of pages with you....what we need is a pocket or mini with 30mm rings!.... ;-)
DeleteAs for making it work, it is only been about a week, so, too early to conclude whether or not it really does work for me long term....we shall see....just saying that so far it is surprising how well it does work considering how small the pages are.......
Will let you know how it goes in another week or two.....
Thanks.