Stationery

Part of our job as professional organizers is to help clients learn about time management skills and systems. Being organized is not just about having physical things in the right place; it's also about getting yourself in the right place at the right time! If you're constantly racing against the clock, a day planner can be a great tool to help you win the battle.

While technology offers a machine or device for every need, there are still lots of people who would rather stick to the basics when it comes to daily time management. Some might view a paper-based calendar and address system as archaic, but others find it comforting never to have to worry about crashed computers and lost data.

We live in a world of endless choices and selecting a paper-based system from the ever-growing options can be an overwhelming process. But it doesn't have to be. When it comes to day planners, I'm of the less-is-more theory. Nobody wants to be a slave to their own planner and updating multiple sections of a daily agenda shouldn't be a full-time job. Keep things simple. You want your system to help you, not own you.

As long as your day planner includes a few basic features, you're good to go. I recommend choosing a size that is easily portable. When I used a paper system, I used one that could fit in my handbag. To keep the contents streamlined, the only things I needed were a month-in-view page, an address section, and notepaper for keeping track of “to dos” or shopping lists. That's it. Anything else was wasted on me because I simply didn't use it.

If you've become tied down by your own daily system, or if you're in the market for a fresh start, remember to take a bit of time to think about what it is YOU need. And what you don't need. Because when you find the right day planner system that works for you, you can get time back on your side.