A Penchant for Planners

Lisa Hess explains how the purchase of a new planner has led to newfound productivity.

I recently bought a new planner. I didn't need a new planner. I have plenty of planners.

Yes, planners. Plural.

But it was pretty. And undated so, theoretically, it will outlast my current planners.

Did I mention it's pretty?

Shallow as that sounds, I really don't judge a planner by (just) its cover, though I have learned that attractive organizers attract. In other words, if I like the look of the organizer, I’m more likely to use it.

In the end, while pretty was a key (and relevant) factor, the interior layout sealed the deal. Each page has room for my daily schedule, three daily priorities, and a to-do list. There's also room at the bottom to note food and water intake for the day, should I so desire.

I don't.

My hope was that having my schedule, priorities and lists bound into a book would reduce the ubiquitous flurry of papers that litters my desk, and I would (almost) never need to dig to find my to-do list. Once I had the planner in my hot little hands, I discovered that the pages are perforated, making it easy to pull out an unfinished list and tuck it into the next day's page, rather than re-writing it. I haven't yet done that, and it's nice to know it's an option, but I can’t help but feel that will pull me right back into multiple to-do-list palooza.

planner

Am I sorry that I splurged? Not a bit. When it comes to organizing, sometimes the plan precedes the tool and sometimes the tool initiates the plan. It took almost no time for me to develop the habit of bookending my day with it. I check it in the morning and keep it beside me in the evening when, between my husband and my end-of-day brain, a plethora of lists develops. And now they have a home — all in one place. Not only do I have fewer snippets of paper floating around but, even better, this beautiful book is also living up to its name.

It’s a planner. With the emphasis on plan. And it’s been a long time since I had one of those.

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Organizing is a practical process. If the tools we use aren't up to the task, we need to replace them. #catholicmom

Organizing is a practical process. If the tools we use aren't up to the task, we need to replace them. But, from time to time, we all need a tool that's pretty and practical because that combination can make organizing not only easier, but fun as well.

woman writing in planner