Organizers: Daily and Beyond

[Russ]

Many people comment on Moleskines and notebooks. Still others use PDA's and similar tools. Attached below are tools I developed to remain light, adaptable, and inexpensive. They are my organizers. I copy them using laser paper and throw them away when finished. They can be folded in half lengthwise and fit neatly into a coat pocket. Anything more permanent goes into word or PDF files on the hard drive.

 

Feel free to use them, replicate / modify, and comment. There is always something to be learned, a new way explored.

Edited September 9, 2007 by Russ

[MicheleB]

Many people comment on Moleskines and notebooks. Still others use PDA's and similar tools. Attached below are tools I developed to remain light, adaptable, and inexpensive. They are my organizers. I copy them using laser paper and throw them away when finished. They can be folded in half lengthwise and fit neatly into a coat pocket. Anything more permanent goes into word or PDF files on the hard drive.

 

Feel free to use them, replicate / modify, and comment. There is always something to be learned, a new way explored.

 

 

These look pretty good. Thank you. - Michele

[CharlieB]

Yep.... you've discovered that the best system is the one you design for yourself, and that, despite all the pretty pages sold by Day Planner, Day Runner, Franklin Covey, etc., maximum efficiency requires the use of the computer.

 

I have designed similar pages for my use over the years. At present, I'm in a large organization with centrally managed group calendars, so my secretary prints me out daily and weekly versions each evening before she leaves. I manage my "to do" list in a Word document with a format similar to yours with categories for different families of tasks.

[Russ]

I would enjoy hearing from others whether they really prefer electronic organizers or paper-based. I work for an agency that, for security reasons, cannot permit hand-held or personally-owned electronics within the institution. Your choice is either PC or paper. Since many of us are mobile, I went with paper.

 

I often see others such as emergency room nurses, rabbis, doctors, and others using PDA's. Given the issues of battery replacement, planned obsolescence, subscriber fees, and the inevitable synchronization failures with PC's, I have to wonder whether the costs of electronic organizers outweigh performance boost. After all, whether electronic of paper, a tool is only as good as the person using it. Attentiveness is everything.

 

 

[penguinmaster]

I would enjoy hearing from others whether they really prefer electronic organizers or paper-based. I work for an agency that, for security reasons, cannot permit hand-held or personally-owned electronics within the institution. Your choice is either PC or paper. Since many of us are mobile, I went with paper.

 

I often see others such as emergency room nurses, rabbis, doctors, and others using PDA's. Given the issues of battery replacement, planned obsolescence, subscriber fees, and the inevitable synchronization failures with PC's, I have to wonder whether the costs of electronic organizers outweigh performance boost. After all, whether electronic of paper, a tool is only as good as the person using it. Attentiveness is everything.

 

I keep going back and forth between both. I have pros and cons for each too I guess. I usually end up going back to a paper planner, but have taken the every once in a while break and jump back in PDA'dom. Doesn't help now either that I have to use a group calendar (outlook).

 

For paper, I just like the feeling of writing somethign down, it feels much more permanent to me than plopping it into a PDA. Although in a PDA, it's a snap to change things around. Also, with the PDA now, because of group calendars, someone can send me an appointment and it automatically gets put on. As well I need to keep my calendar up to date on the computer so others can see it, so do I really go redundant? Also, I just can never seem to find paper I like in daily planner, I'm going to probably just design my own up and have it printed on some nice thick paper and go the circa route with it.

 

Another big problem I end up having with the PDA is I load it up with tons of "oh, that looks like I might use it sometime in the next ten years" programs and wasting my time in what was class or now meetings playing around to much. I just find myself being less productive when using a PDA because of all the possibilities. Not to mention you can't use a FP on a pda now can you!

[WillAdams]

The biggest advantage PDAs afford is access to electronic reference materials which is invaluable for medical professionals.

 

William

(who used to work in a field where electronics were banned.)

[penguinmaster]

Just a quick update. You got me thinking and I ended up whipping this up as what I feel my perfect planner would look like. It's sized so I could make it in a circa junior style, which I probably will someday. I still have some tweaking to do on it to get everything lined up perfectly but that's my dream planner!

 

I just called staples copy center and to have the whole thing printed up on 67lb cardstock, which to me is probably way to thick, but who knows. Total price for copy, and coil-binding was 70 bucks. I think I'll risk buying 500 sheets of a heavier cream colored stock paper and print it off at work and do the cutting myself some night. Only problem is I don't have the circa punch so I'm not sure how I'll handle that one.

 

 

Edited September 10, 2007 by penguinmaster

[Ray]

Just a quick update. You got me thinking and I ended up whipping this up as what I feel my perfect planner would look like. It's sized so I could make it in a circa junior style, which I probably will someday. I still have some tweaking to do on it to get everything lined up perfectly but that's my dream planner!

 

I just called staples copy center and to have the whole thing printed up on 67lb cardstock, which to me is probably way to thick, but who knows. Total price for copy, and coil-binding was 70 bucks. I think I'll risk buying 500 sheets of a heavier cream colored stock paper and print it off at work and do the cutting myself some night. Only problem is I don't have the circa punch so I'm not sure how I'll handle that one.

 

 

If it's not too late, you might want to correct the spelling of 'miscellaneous'.

 

Ray

[penguinmaster]

HA, yeah I had a sneaky suspicion it was spelt wrong and when I looked it up it was. It's been changed and I have to put the updated one up. Thanks for catching that though! I'm off to the printer tomorrow to see how much it's going to cost to get 500 sheets printed up.

[Shelley]

I used to use a paper based organiser, and still jot the odd thing down on a paer calender but I find if I really need to remember something I stick it in my treo-sync that with my mac and there you go, the recurrence and alarms function is just so damn useful, plus updating addresses without twink is nice...

[CharlieB]

I love topics like this. I'm always fascinated by how different folk handle calendars, address books, to do lists, etc.

[Soupy1957]

I find that my Outlook in the PC on my desk at work, is my best friend when it comes to appointments.

 

I've tried little mini recorders (tape and digital); I've tried paper-page Day Planners; I've tried post-it note reminders; .....but once I leave work, it is just a scrap paper on the kitchen table that reminds me to take out the trash on Wednesday nights....teehee

 

-Soupy1957

[Russ]

I found the same problem but for different reason: My electronic calendar at work was unavailable and useless at night and during my days off. I also had a tendency to key in To Do lists and then become so visually familiar with the list that nothing changed ..... so I went back to paper. It stays in my brief or in my coat pocket, at home or at work. The longer list of Management Items to Complete (cf., above) I mark up with FP's during the week and then electronically revise and re-print before the new work week starts. I found that having to review each item and move it up or delete it led to more jobs getting done and fewer put off indefinitely. The same held true on my daily work sheets: I had to manually copy items from one day to the next. This gave me a few moments to make decisions, reprioritize, or eliminate items.

 

Each person is different, and a different system works for them.

 

 

[pmsalty]

PDA or paper? I sork for a company that issues us Treos. A "smart" phone. After severla years of using one I have gone back to paper. Yet iwht the experience of a small device I have just about abandonded my planner for a inexpensive version of the Levenger pocket breifcase. A leather 3x5 card holder. It's very portable. and anything really important gets put in the proper place in the computer. Personally I find I remmeber things better if I write them down.

 

I agree that electronic organizers are overblown money grabbing items that are instandtly obsolete and relly hard to use. Small keybords or buttons, small scrrens, battery life issues etc.

 

PMS

[Soupy1957]

As per the comment about not being able to read your e-mail or Calendar at home, my desk PC data is accessible at home, if I really MUST look it over.

 

Quite frankly however, I try to keep "work" at "work" and "home" at "home."

 

-Soupy1957

[Turbonerd42]

Just a quick update. You got me thinking and I ended up whipping this up as what I feel my perfect planner would look like. It's sized so I could make it in a circa junior style, which I probably will someday. I still have some tweaking to do on it to get everything lined up perfectly but that's my dream planner!

 

I just called staples copy center and to have the whole thing printed up on 67lb cardstock, which to me is probably way to thick, but who knows. Total price for copy, and coil-binding was 70 bucks. I think I'll risk buying 500 sheets of a heavier cream colored stock paper and print it off at work and do the cutting myself some night. Only problem is I don't have the circa punch so I'm not sure how I'll handle that one.

 

You might want to surf over to DIY Planner for some more options. Lots of good resources, including a "widget kit" to help design your own pages with Open Office, as well as a large number of community-designed templates.

 

One of the best tips I found on that site was about paper. The paper of choice seems to be HP Premium Choice LaserJet. It's a 32-lb bond, ultra smooth, ultra bright white that is very fountain pen friendly. $18 for a ream of 500 pages. I myself use Staples brand premium laser paper, with 30% recycled content. Not *quite* as nice, but just over half the price.

 

As far as the punch goes: I'd go back to the source, Rollabind. (Rollabind licensed their binding system to Levenger for an "upscale" version of their product). Check it out at Wilde Ideas. The punch is only $59 (less 15% for a sale they're running through Sept. 12), and shipping is free on orders over $50. Rolla/rollabind products are compatible with the Levenger pages/rings.

 

You might also want to check at Staples - they recently introduced their own version of the Rollabind system (they call it "Rolla" but the discs are stamped "Rollabind"). Faux-leather portfolios with a "starter pack," and pre-stamped refill pages in 8.5x11 and 5.5x8.5 sizes.

 

Another alternative is Myndology, which uses a similar ring-and-punch system but unfortunately is just different enough that it doesn't work with the Rolla/Levenger materials. Until recently Myndology products were only available in Europe, but I guess they've just discovered America.

 

At any rate, good luck! I've been tinkering with my paper-based organizer ever since I discovered DIYPlanner two months ago. I'm definitely more structured than when I was using Outlook exclusively. Keeping the task list current really helps me manage my day. And of course, its another excuse to use my pens.

[Hélène]

I use a Clairefontaine 2007 2008 forum agenda de textes, it is a planner with a page a day and a lot of other pages such as emploi du temps (timetable) and résultats de l'année scolaire (a place to record your marks for school). It also has Clairefontaine paper so it is fountain pen friendly. I purchased it in Paris and do not think it is sold outside of France or at most francophone Europe (France, Belgium, Switzerland). It is made for students and I find it nicer than any of the planners that have been provided by the school (elementary school, middle school, high school, university).

[macaddicted]

I would definitely second the use of the DIYPlanner pages. I modified them to my needs, but have become much more organized. Personally I am using the PDA sized (again modified for my own use) on 3 x 5 cards. I have my phone for schedule/numbers.

 

And you can't beat the price...

[penguinmaster]

Not to hijack once again on planners, but I finally started on mine. I have all the pages figured out I think. I printed them out on 110# card stock in ivory color. Let me just say I really enjoy putting stuff in my planner, very smooth writing.

 

The plan at the moment is I'm going comb bind them until the new year to make sure I really do like the layout and modify from there. Come January 1st though I'm going to move to circa or rollabind with a nice Levengers zip cover. I've already printed the pages so they will fit a Jr sized circa book.

 

Oh, and be careful around DIYPlanner...my is that site addicting!!!

Edited September 13, 2007 by penguinmaster

[Tricia]

...

 

The plan at the moment is I'm going comb bind them ...

 

Instead of comb binding, I would highly recommend a coil binding instead. It is much easier to fold back. (This is all depending on if you get it done at some place like Kinko's.)

 

And I agree about DIYPlanner.com - very addictive!

Edited September 14, 2007 by Tricia