Like many of us who use organizers, I love what I have, but I can't help lusting after what I don't have!
For example, for years I've been using a ring-bound organizer, but I can't stop looking at bound planners such as the Full Focus Planner, Hobonichi Techo, or the Therapy Journal. In fact, I've not only looked at them, I've bought them! But I don't write in them: I use them for inspiration! I can often adapt layouts and journal prompts from these books to my own organizer pages.
Do you buy to use or to copy?
As always on Fridays, feel free to discuss any other topics related to ring-bound organizers!
Finding a diary insert that works for you is essential! Personally, after years of struggling with the two-page-per-week and page-per-day formats in a personal size, I found the A5 Time Management diary. It is perfect for me (I use my Filofax mainly for work as well as personal planning)! I do create and print pages (such as reference information) on A5 paper (rare here in Canada), but I find it far easier and less expensive to buy a commercial refill than fuss about printing one myself. I don't mind spending $50 per year for the benefits that my Filofax provides. If you use Outlook or other software, you can print pages that already are populated with your appointments, meetings, and other calendar events, but I find most printer paper has a coating isn't very good to write on. Filofax paper is nice for writing, and thin as well, so you can maximize how many sheets you fit in your planner.
ReplyDeleteI don't buy planners but look at them in online shop photographs. I look at them and try to visualise how I'd use it. I always come back to the fact they're not for me. I use a WOTP to record important dates and appointments but I keep going back to a cheap, notebook from amazon for bullet journal use. I keep looking at my filofax for that but something doesn't feel right. Mind you I've now got an A5 so there's room to use the wrong side of the page so I might get into it.
ReplyDeleteI think new organisation systems / notebooks result in new setups to develop to suit you. I'm at that stage. Filofax isn't quite working for me yet. I'm in development stage with added frisson of a new job that I've no idea what exactly that will involve!
I adore the idea of the bullet journal, but loathe the limitations of a bound book. I have found a way to satisfactorily bullet journal in rings yet, but what I currently use is working so I'm hesitant to change anything.
ReplyDeletePerhaps a good starting point for you would be the subject indices that Filofax offered in the past -- tabs for Diary (calendar), Notes (your bullet journal?), Projects, Financial, Addresses, and Information (reference). Since addresses are probably going to be stored in your smartphone, you can use the "Addresses" section for something else, like a voicemail log or a list of clients to call. I like the Time/System tabs, and you can look at configurations from other vendors like DayTimer and Franklin Covey for ideas. Priority Manager is a great source of ideas for business use. The beauty of a Filofax is that you CAN customize it, unlike a notebook. As you say, people fine tune their systems over time, so jump in and get started, and you will learn what you need quickly through using it.
ReplyDeleteI use address section for passwords or important info like accounts, usernames etc. There's no filofax password insert for A5 only personal and smaller. There's alternative uses for existing inserts.
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