Using a planner requires a certain amount of work. You have to write in it and look at it often. Then you have to carry out those plans. But at what point does work turn to struggle?
In addition to my Plannerisms weekly planner, I've been using my day per page diary all year as my daily record and capture device. Even though it works well as a record of each day, it has been a struggle to continue to use it all year due to the weight of the book, lack of list space and limit of one page each day. You can see in this year's What I'm Currently Using that I went back and forth a lot. Even though I intended to finish the year in it, I have so much going on right now I just couldn't struggle with it any more. So I started my new notebook system for 2014 a little early, and am already feeling better!
Ideally your planner itself should fade into the background and you shouldn't need to think too much about HOW to use your system, you just use it. But some systems are more work to keep up on than others, especially if it doesn't perfectly fit your needs.
At what point does your planning system tip from Work to Struggle?
And as always on Fridays, feel free to discuss anything planner-related!
As I have floundered along this year trying different set ups. I found that certain one's didn't make two days, some made a week, but when I was constantly trying to figure out how to make my life fit the pages the struggle was too much and I would drop it. On the other hand, when the puzzle pieces come together and it was easy and enjoyable-I found that the pages were an extension of my life. It's so darn hard to remember we are each so different that what works for one might not work for us. Nothing is perfect, but there is something out there for each of us that will work 90% of the time for us and we need to keep that in mind. I'm guilty of tweaking, but when I spend all my time doing that instead of the list of items for that day--it's become work.
ReplyDeleteThis is the primary reason why I always use just one planner: too much work to maintain two. I also find that I don't fiddle with my setup much anymore because I'm too lazy to copy information.
ReplyDeleteJosh LaPorte,
DeleteYou seem to be very happy with your system--can you describe it?
I agree with you, Josh - it's just too much trouble.
ReplyDeleteI used to have planners for different things and found that was impossible to maintain. They also took up far too much room! What I find frustrating is that I have friends who don't use any planning system or just have a pocket diary from the £ shop and they never forget anything. Sadly I don't have such a good memory!
ReplyDeleteI think the reason I've struggled in the past is because I hop on a new format bandwagon. So, I spend a week or two fitting everything into the new system and it works for a bit...and then I learn of something else that's new, improved, and "better." In the past 2 years, I've really tended to think things through BEFORE switching, and that's helped some, but not always.
ReplyDeleteI want a letter paper size but the portability of a Filofax mini! Talk about a wacko want.
And here I thought I was the only one wanting big paper writing estate carried in my pocket!
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