Planning in 2017

Keeping track of my schedules and tasks is an event in itself.  Between my family, work, civic organizations and crafting, it will be chaotic if I don't find myself a system to be able to get a hold of all of the things and people that needs my time and attention.

A Little Background


I have been keeping journals and notebooks since I was seven.  The simple notebook I had when I was seven, later became two.  One was an assignment notebook for school to keep track of homework and projects and another I kept as my journal.

Then, in High School I discovered Filofax and kept my days in order in it until College.  Then, in College I read the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People and made myself planning worksheets patterned after the Stephen Covey's weekly planning template.  I punched holes in it so that it would go into my Filofax. It was in Law School that I decided to buy myself a very expensive Franklin Covey Planner and this I used every year, until I discovered the Belle Du Jour Planner in 2006 and I had one every year ever since.

During this entire period of going from one planner to the next, I always kept a notebook as a journal. That is only one notebook for all my journaling, whether it be for travel, book review, movie reviews or just rambling on about my day.  Sometimes I would faithfully do this everyday, but most of the time, my journal was left untouched.  So when Starbucks started to come out with a planner I got myself one every year too for my daily journalling.

When I started working 10 years ago in my present job now, I receive a free planner from Manila Bulletin (a broad sheet newspaper) every year.  I would usually just give it away, but three years ago, I started using it because it became very handy to bring with me during meetings.  It was not very thick unlike the BDJ Planner and had a serious look to it rather than my whimsical looking BDJ.  It became my workhorse.

My 2016 Planning Workhorses: (L-R) The Manila Bulletin Planner,
The BDJ Petit Planner and a notebook I use as my Daily Log Bullet Journal.

So, for three years my planning constants were my BDJ Planner, the MB Planner, and the Starbucks Planner.  This also includes a notebook, no specific preference, for my meeting notes and project planning.

Now, last year, BDJ came out with their Petit Planner.  I purchased this handy planner and it quickly turned out to become my primary planning tool.  It had monthly pages, but the squares are too small and it primarily featured weekly pages.  The paper is thick 85 gsm so the planner, although small is thick.  I loved writing on it it and used it for most of 2016.

The Stephen Covey Worksheet.  I used this from August to December.
It has the Roles area on the left and the weekly planning template.
I used the blank area below the weekly template area for
notes and reminders.  

Then, at around July last year, I just felt so unmotivated.  One day, I decided to read again Stephen Covey's 7 Habits and got motivated enough to print the weekly worksheet again and this time I also printed the sample daily pages from the Franklin-Covey website.  This is the link to the free printable planner: http://www.franklincovey.com/tc/mediaengine/public/files/31_sampleplanner.pdf

You can also download the printable Stephen Covey Weekly Planning Worksheet here: http://momssmallvictories.com/free-weekly-planner-printable-based-on-7-habits-of-highly-effective-people/.

Franklin Covey Daily Sample Planner Sheets

The system worked very well for me.  I wrote everything on the daily and weekly pages and I could attach receipts of my expenses.  I felt more motivated and this continued until the end of the year.  The sample I posted here does not show my daily entries as it is too personal.  I take note of my expenses and attach the receipts on the sheet.  After the end of the month, I archive it in a binder along with all the finished sheets for the year.

I still had my MB Planner and my Petit Planner but rarely used my BDJ and had little time to write on my Starbucks Planner.



Life Audit

Sometime 2007, my brother gifted me with the book Life Audit.  At that time, I thought it was a good idea.  I faithfully followed the activities in the book for a Life Audit and started a notebook where I would monitor where my time is going and whether I give time to all the things I feel is important.

Last year, at about the same time I started working on the covey planning worksheets I started a daily log notebook inspired by the bullet journals I saw on Pinterest and by my Life Audit Notebook.  I was not very faithful in doing this.  But around December I finished one month and I found it very useful in monitoring my productivity and making sure I do all my chores and routines.  I will continue doing this and will be discussing this in this blog in the future.

This Year

As the new year was drawing near, I decided on several changes in my life.  First on my list was to declutter.

My clutter was getting into my productivity, my relationship with my family and is a cause of a lot of my troubles.  I had to be very mindful now of what I keep and I truly have to start organizing my stuff.

This would have been my 2017 Planning Workhorses.
I changed my mind.  I still have it just in case I want to
switch planners mid-year.  Crazy planner addict!

So, early on I decided that I only need one major planner, then a small one that I could keep in my handbag.  I would keep my meeting and planning notebook as I need it for work.  Then I have to continue my Life Log notebook/bullet journal because it really helps me start my day.

However, yes, I bought the BDJ Planner along with the Petit Planner because I bought it before I made the decision to keep to my two planners.

I did not receive the MB Planner for 2017.

I also deliberately did not fill up my Starbucks sticker sheet last year so that I will no longer have any chance to get the Starbucks planner that I thought would just add to my clutter.  My husband said I should have just filled it up and gifted the planner to someone else.  Well, knowing me, I know if I got that planner I won't be giving it to anyone.

So, I started surfing the net around November to get ideas on what planner to get this year.  If I didn't find a planner that I liked, then I would have to go make do with the covey worksheets and find a way to put it in a binder.

The Hobonichi

Being the planner addict that I am, I learned about the Hobonichi years ago.  However, my desire to have one was never strong enough to motivate me to get one.  First, it was difficult to procure.  I don't really like purchasing online.  I only do so when there is absolutely no way for me to purchase the product myself physically.  But, this year, looking at the Cousin, I thought, I've got all I need in that one planner.

My Ultimate 2017 Planning Workhorses:
The Hobonichi Cousin, The Hobonichi Weeks and
My Daily Log/Bullet Journal

The Hobonichi Cousin was of a size I was really comfortable with.  It also had montly, weekly and daily pages, the formats that made me keep all the planners that I was keeping.  The Monday start didn't bother me as I start my week on Mondays anyway.  The Japanese quotations was fine too as I could just washi over it.  So, I purchased it online from the Hobonichi website.

The Hobonichi Weeks came as an afterthought.  I needed an on-the-go planner.  Last December, I was already using the Petit Planner, but I figured, why not purchase the Hobonichi Weeks as well and make it as an experimental notebook before doing anything artsy on my Hobonichi Cousin?  So, I went on to add the Hobonichi Weeks to my purchase.

Now

We are now on the 3rd Week of the year and I am loving the Hobonichi Weeks and Hobonichi Cousin.  I will blog about how it is going as I go from week to week to week.

Happy Planning.

Peachy :-)