Hi guys!
Today, I’m talking all about planners! I use these guys every single day for every single thing. Today’s quote comes before the end of the post today since it’s so vital to our topic: “Failing to plan is planning to fail.” Perhaps this quote taken in the larger scheme of life doesn’t quite apply, but for day-to-day chores, like homework, planning is a crucial step for success!
Afters years of trying, investigating, and determining the best planners, I’ll share the best ways to start organizing your days. Let’s get started!
Start: Choosing the Planner!
I love picking planners! The cheapest, money-for-values ones I find at typically at either TJ Maxx, Ross, or Marshall’s. As a gift, I received a Happy Planner this year, which has been great! This is no plug for this brand, by the way, but I really love how the pages don’t get ripped from the book.
If the traditional paper and pencil aren’t your cup of tea (speaking of teas…), check out some calendar-type apps like the Homework app, which works best for students. I seem to like the paper agendas more because I seem to remember to do things better. However, the online versions of agendas often have a feature that lets you create a reminder to pop up. I tend to use the Reminders App on my iPhone for those small things I have to get done.
The planner above is my school agenda for the 2018-2019 year. Although it looks small, it’s actually the perfect size! The laminated cover and back prevents my planner from falling apart, which use to happen my old ones. I think the planners with sturdy covers often work well!
Fill out the monthly calendar, then weekly
As you can see with the photo above, some calendars allow you to mark up the entire month before concentrating on the tasks of each day or week. Getting a zoned-out view of your month ahead might help you write reminders for yourself.
Then, once you finish doing the monthly work, try starting your weekly or daily plans. I tend to start these layouts like the one above on Sundays, when I begin looking at the week ahead. Most times, these templates aren’t completely full until the end of the week, when I’ve written down so much stuff!
If you find that your agenda doesn’t have enough space, use sticky notes. I use these green sticky-notes to write down the small, tedious things like, “talk to … about ….” or “send an email about tutoring” and when I complete the task, I check it off. When I have really important meetings I can’t forget about, I go over them in highlighter.
Decorate!
As you can see with the stickers added to the monthly, and occasionally weekly, planning, I love to decorate my agenda so that it’s something fun to look at. As you all are familiar with my obsession with quotes, I try to include a quote somewhere for the week. In the picture above, there’s already a short quote that says “Do your best.”
The stickers that I use to decorate my planner comes from The Happy Planner brand. They have a large collection of stickers for every type of idea, tasks, or reminder you need. My favorite stickers are the ones with quotes on them, of course!
Lastly, I have to make a HUGE shout-out to my amazing aunt (& Godmother) Tia Claudia (@cloudia39)! Thank you for introducing me to The Happy Planner, which I love, and for always helping me continue my journal obsession!
Wait a minute… Another bonus quote?!
“It’s how you deal with failure that determines how you achieve success.” – David Feherty
Have a wonderful week and don’t forget to start planning! 😉