Free For All Friday No. 907 by Eve

Planning as a Tool vs. Planning as a Hobby

Now that I’m three months into my “One Year, One Planner” challenge, I’m beginning to see a clearer distinction between planning as a tool and planning as a hobby. It turns out that understanding this difference has been one of the most important parts of sticking with one system up until now.

For years, the two were so intertwined in my head that I didn’t really see them as separate. My planner was both the way I organized my life and the way I engaged with a hobby I enjoyed. This year however, I’m noticing how different these two planner identities actually are, and how mixing them together has kept me in some unhelpful (and expensive!) patterns.

Here’s what I’m learning:

1. Planning as a tool feels steady, while planning as a hobby has lead me to restlessness

A planning tool is predictable; it thrives on repetition, routine, and consistency. But a planning hobby likes novelty, change, exploration, and experimentation.

When those two collide, it’s easy to think, “I need a new planner because something feels off.”

But now that switching is off the table for me, I can tell that the “off” feeling is usually the hobby side causing me FOMO, rather than a flaw in the actual tool itself. 

2. The tool supports my life while the hobby became more about dopamine hits

My planner has been essential for running my day for literally decades. Those pages are where I can find my tasks, priorities, reminders, deadlines, decisions and be reminded of my mission and goals. But the hobby piece was about something completely different - testing different sizes, comparing layouts, reviewing inserts, fiddling with structure, making content for social media, etc.

Both served a purpose but only one is required for me to actually function.

3. The hobby demands change! Whereas the tool thrives on consistency

It’s almost funny how opposite they are. The hobby says, “Let’s try something new! The tool says, “Just shut up and use me every day already.”

The more I stick with the same planner, the more I realize how much smoother my days run when I’m not tearing down my system and rebuilding it constantly for the sake of novelty.

4. Separating the tool from the hobby has made me a better planner

I’m no longer letting hobby-impulses dictate my planning decisions. If something feels off, I don’t automatically assume the planner needs to change. Instead, I ask myself better questions like, "Am I craving change for the sake of change?", "Am I bored in some other area of my life?", "Is it really my panner that feels off, or is it ME?"

5. My planner works better now that I’m not constantly “auditioning” alternatives.

There is something almost magical about committing to one system and just...letting go. A planner really does become more powerful the longer you use it. For me, it has. helped me to stop fighting the format and use it more fluidly.

Three months into this challenge, I’m discovering that planning as a tool is more peaceful and grounding than I ever expected, and planning as a hobby can still exist, just in a healthier, more sustainable way

The year is still young!! Are you still in the planner you started the year with?

As always on Friday, feel free to discuss anything ring planner related.

Vintage or Classic Organisers

The debate about what is and what is not a 'Vintage Filofax' has been discussed endlessly, most people seem to agree that anything before some time in the 1980's is considered 'Vintage' although you will find people on Ebay using the terms 'Vintage' and 'Rare' or 'Very Rare' for anything!

Let's put 'Vintage' to one side for now, we will park it for the time being and come back to it later.

For a moment think about the term 'Classic Car' you will see this phase used for anything no longer in production. They don't have to have been expensive either to be considered a 'Classic'. Before I get carried away and you lose interest, let us now think about 'Classic' in terms of organisers.

There has been a 'Classic' Filofax model, we will not just think of that model only. A Classic can apply to anything no matter what age it is. A Classic is one that is no longer in production, it doesn't even have to be rare in terms of the numbers made (Filofax Journey we are thinking of you!)

A Classic could be one we don't often see these days. Or the one that people will often comment 'I wish I had bought one of those when they were for sale'

They can even include ones that were not loved at the time so much, but are now considered 'Classics'

There could be Classics in particular sizes or colours that are still made today in other colours/sizes, for example the Crimson Malden, it was only made in two sizes (Personal and Pocket) and only for about a year.

The Filofax Winchester could be considered both Vintage and a Classic, both terms can apply.

In the car world you hear the term 'Future Classic' this is a model that is still in production or recently ceased production that might become a Classic in the future, in Filofax terms that could be the Filofax Chester or the Heritage.

We might need to come back in ten years time to see if they are considered Classics or not.

With cars you will sometimes hear people refer to a 'Barn Find' these are cars that someone put away and forgot about, only to be rediscovered many years later and got started again. An organiser 'Barn Find' equivalent could be an organiser you discover in a charity shop or on line. The one you wanted to buy at the time they were for sale, but for what ever reason you didn't buy it, then you forget about it only to rediscover it years later.

Classics should be used and cherished at the same time. They should be bought back in to use, may be not for the daily grind but certainly for occasional use.

Classics shouldn't only apply to Filofax organisers either, there could be Classics from other brands too.

What Classics do you own or wish you owned?