I tried and tried to make up my own housekeeping planner and notebook and frankly, I hated it. My homemade version didn't seem to look "professional" and I did not like to use it.
After some thought I decided to go back to what I used when I was working full time: a Franklin Planner System. Yep, I forked over the money back in January to purchase planner pages that I had used in the business world and that I am now using at home. What a difference in my day.
I have used the Seven Habits of Highly Effective People planner pages for years and just as they worked for me in the office; they work equally well at home.
Last fall I needed to order new planner pages but when I was surfing the internet one day I noticed planners that women had created on their own for homemaking. At the time I felt that this would be a better option for me now that I was home full time and would also be cheaper since I would be creating the pages myself. I tried for 3 months to use my new system and I struggled with it. I finally had to admit that my homemade version just wasn't working for me and it was time to go back to what had worked in the past.
Using the planner pages that I had used for years was like partnering with an old friend again.
I have a PDA that I can use also, but for the most part I love to see things written out on paper on planner pages as it is easier for me to "see the whole picture" of what I need to get done in my day.
I didn't totally abandon the Household Notebook idea in that I have kept in it information about my houshold such as when we purchased an appliance along with the serial numbers; paint samples and their numbers for different rooms in the house; decorating ideas from magazines and so on. I find that it is a convenient place to keep bits and pieces of information that I can have at my finger tips.
In trying to save money I came up with my own planner and design and in so doing I ended up with something that I didn't want to use day to day. It was useless to me. The best way for me to explain it is to say that it just didn't look professional.
The new/old system works. Now I use my planner daily to schedule appointments, to keep me on track with housework, to track spending and most importantly to help me decide what is really important in my life and to set goals with those things in mind.
4 comments:
First of all,I am a HUGE fan of Steven Covey. I have been to several of his seminars and they have completely transformed my life. You need to read his new book The 8th Habit, if you haven't already.
Getting back to the planner, I totally agree with something that is more professional vs. something homemade myself, too. That may be due to the fact that having one less thing to organize keeps me more organized. Does that make sense? If I make it, I'll have to make sure that it's "just so", and in the process wasting extra time.
Also, I believe that if you are born before the 1990's, having something written down on actual paper instead of a PDA is essential, at least in my case. I still need to be able to jot things down, cross them off, doodle, you know, stuff us "middle aged" women do.
We also have a monthly dry erase calander in the mudroom, where we can put monthly doctor appointments, sports activities, birthdays, etc.
It's really just a matter of taste-whatever floats your boat. In the end, as long as you can stay one step ahead of your game, you'll be A O.K.
:))
As to the middle aged comment, I am well on my way. My birthday was yesterday and I turned 51. Loving everyday and getting more organized thanks to Covey.
It is worth the money to have a year's worth of planner pages.
HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!!!
The reason for the middle aged(it was actually more like elderly!) remark was that my darling Alex called me that the other morning, and it sort of took me by suprise. I'm 45 after all, but for some strange reason I don't consider myself middle aged! I believe that you and I will live to grow older and wiser throughout the next umpteen years... ;0)
There is an award for you over at my blog!
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