Day Planners

[Aimeedyan]

I use paper for work - I attend too many meetings/conversations where a phone or tablet wouldn't be appropriate to pull out and use. My planner contains not just a calendar but also notes, to-do lists, brainstorming (I do that best with a pen, often in a coffee shop atmosphere), reminders, etc. I just add personal dates to my calendar so I have everything on one thing. I custom order one from Plum Paper so it's exactly what I need.

I'm a visual person so having the entire month laid out is helpful for me.

In the office, I have a shared Google calendar with my staff but only things that pertains to our work/building go on it. I also use Google sheets for collaborative projects.

 

[SpaceMan5]

I am a little of both, paper and electronically. For work. I went to the dark side and do about 99% electronically. (I do like my hard files and the pen to paper aspect)

DW just bought a paper calendar to track all of the appts for ourselves and the kiddos.

 

[barkley]

Then,, maybe early 90's, I faithfully used the Franklin Day Planner. Bible size, with a zippered, leather case, for calendar and contacts. New refills every November.

i still have my franklin planner zippered leather case-use it to store gift cards and other odds and ends. my former government employer was big on using them at one point-spent an obscene amount on actual franklin planner trainings for managment staff and bought us all those cases and yearly refills.


these days as a retiree i (and dh) rely on the paper calendar on the fridge-i list all appointments and such and put reminders of when certain future appointments need to be made (like yearly maintainance/servicing), reminders of when to replace hvac/water softner filters. quick visual reference for us. i also have a small entire year calendar above my desk with small page marker post-it's that note if something occurs in a given month (like needing to call sirius to play the cancelation song and dance to get a better renewal rate, remind my oldest we need to complete some yearly bi-annual paperwork and get it filed).

 

[RangerPooh]

My work is on Outlook and my office wall calendar, and there'll be a new scheduling calendar to add to the mix come spring. Home is on a wall calendar and paper planner. The planner goes with me to scout troop meetings, and booster club/parent meetings. The wall calendar and dry-erase board in the kitchen is more for the grandparents to see which direction everyone is going.

 

[Moliphino]

I haven't used a planner since they forced us to in high school. All work stuff is through Outlook, personal stuff is all over the place (paper appointment cards on the corkboard in the kitchen, emails, my brain).

 

[Sacahara]

Eh..kinda both phone and paper. I put all of my personal (with notifications) on my phone but everything work related goes on the large desk calendar at work....but I also work in the lobby and have to keep my relief updated on what's going on in the department while also being the first point of contact with the public so I have to be able to answer their questions.

 

[Newsies]

I was an Erin Condren girlie in college to help me keep track of my assignments, sorority events, work schedule, etc. But now I work at a company that uses Slack, and the Google Calendar integration has been life-changing. I put everything on there-- meetings, focus time, workshop time, even Dr/Hair/Dentist/Nail appointments-- and it sends a ping to my work computer and phone at the appropriate time.

 

[slo]

I don’t use any day planners or paper calendars - everything goes into my phone. If it’s not in the phone, then it’s probably not going to happen. I have a family calendar (app) for the three of us and then I have a ton of stuff in my own calendar.

 

[Turn the Page]

I still have a flip phone and refuse to get a regular phone. I have a paper day planner that I write all our appointments and events in.

I even keep a check register that I regularly balance. People think I'm nuts but it works for me.

 

[Gracedis1]

I love a good paper planner! I'm looking for a new one. Any recommendations? Must haves are a good monthly calendar space to make to do lists weekly.

 

[GroguAndStitch]

My phone is my "master" calendar if you will. personal appts, work calendar, and shared family calendar syncs to the phone.

BUT, weekly planning for me is done in a "happy planner". I need to write down with pen and paper the tasks for the week, the events coming up, and visually see them in that spread. My brain recalls events visually as how they're laid on paper, so I can't stay with just my phone, as much as I wish I could!

I dont use the paper planner for scheduling anything, just brain dumping!

 

[Lord Manhammer]

I love a good paper planner! I'm looking for a new one. Any recommendations? Must haves are a good monthly calendar space to make to do lists weekly.

I used Franklin Covey for years and I think that they are still a good system. But I've gotten to the point where I prefer smaller planners that are nice to look at so I buy them now on my travels from stationers. Someone else mentioned a custom planner service which might be good for you also.

 

[tcufrog]

I made everyone in the family join my Google Calendar. Everyone has their own color and there’s a color for whole family events. My husband was resistant and wanted us to switch to the calendar he uses but I put my foot down and told him that we’ve been using the family Google calendar for years and have tons of reoccuring stuff on it. Switching would be too difficult for us.

We finally solved this by figuring out a way for us to import our calendars onto each other’s calendar apps. Now I can say don’t ask me if you’re free for something. Check the calendar and add it if there is no conflict.

I recently shared my grocery app with the rest of the family and that’s been a game changer. Everyone’s for putting their own stuff on it and if I’m not free to go to the store my husband has the list.

I still use paper to do lists though. I find it more effective to be able to see all the most pressing items on one sheet and have Google Docs lists for other things like Christmas preparations. My favorite list notepad divides the paper into 4 boxes: task, errands, correspondence, and notes. That’s the way I divide my day anyway so that really works for me. It also has a very stiff back so I don’t need a writing surface.