I used two planners in 2019, one for my desk to keep track of my projects and one I take to meetings to keep notes.

I keep the Productivity Planner from Intelligent Change on my desk and I love it and I use a Bloom daily planner for meetings that I got at a great price at Amazon.

Of course I don't need two, but I'm worried I'll lose the Productivity Planner if I remove it from my desk and I have notes in it that I don't want others to see if I do leave it behind.

So, I'm set for 2020 and am glad I'm not using an electronic planner because I'd have to carry a phone or tablet to meetings.

I have never used a planner but am always impressed with those who are in a routine of using them daily. I`m sure they must greatly improve productivity and time management. I keep pondering whether to have a try, it`s soon 2020 so a perfect time to begin in the New Year.

Orema are you very disciplined in using them and if you miss a day or two, or segments is it hard to pick it up again ? I doubt I`ve asked that question very clearly, you can tell I`m new to planners ! I`m not sure I can trust myself with being fastidious with one and then wonder if I`ll be guilt tripping myself if its a purchase that sits about unused ! But as I age I`m more forgetful and seem to have a long and often random of things I`m meaning to do and never get around to, I think a planner could be the answer.

:rrose:

Hi Daisy (waving at my monitor)! No, don't use it daily. My Productivity Planner is not dated and I use it to keep track of projects—so I don't always use it daily. Yes, I find it easy to pick up after putting it down for a couple days. The one I use for meetings is dated and helps me keep track of what happens in the meetings (commitments made, etc).

I'd think about getting an inexpensive one to see if it's something you'd like (some Bloom planners are less than $10 at amazon)

Also, if you have a phone, you may have a "reminder" app that can help you keep track of appointments and to-do lists.

You might find one useful.

I looked at the links, the Blooms ones are stunning ! Yes, your suggestion of an inexpensive one sounds good, I will get one for the new Year I think and challenge myself to utilise it during January, if it has the desired effect and I get the bug I can always invest in another. That`s me all over...."Hmmm not sure if I need one....actually I`ll take two !!" Well that used to be me, these days I`m thinking twice about what I buy after decluttering quite a lot this year. I`m finding a cooling off period helps !

I`ve only ever set a reminder via my calendar on my phone, I`ll have a look at a reminder app too.

Thanks for your feedback Orema, I`ll report back in January :writer:

I'm not Orema, but forgive me for jumping in with my .02 anyway. I have found that a pen-and-paper planner really helps me organize my life, and one of the best ways it does this is that I can look back and see if the things I planned are really what I did. I keep mine somewhat as a journal, and I have moved everything I can that is on paper into the planner/journal - like bill payments, and stuff I would have written on sticky notes (sometimes I just tape the sticky notes in there), and passwords, and a list of all my medications, and my check register, and notes about what I want to cover in planned phone calls, and a list of all the Christmas gifts I have bought each year, and my important addresses, and ideas for crafty projects, and doctor's appointments, etc. I still use my phone electronic calendar for appointments, too.

It has really helped with my memory problems. It has also cut down drastically on the amount of paper that I have to keep up with.

I use a plain old five subject notebook much the same way. Each page is a new list-shopping, To-Do, important dates coming up, notes for phone calls, and so on. I also break down big goals into little steps. It's not "daily" as much as a series of lists. I love not carrying around everything in my memory-addled brain. And it's very satisfying to check off items :).

Not at all GeorgiaMa`ma, I`m grateful for your sharing :bunchflowers:

You raise a good point, I had not thought about being able to look back and see if I actually accomplished what had been on the to-do list.

Many of the things you mention are things I too have scribbled in 5 maybe 6 random notebooks, old diaries and odd stacks of papers about the house. For instance, notes on ideas for Christmas decorations, what worked well, what needs replacing, things to shop for to revamp etc, Name spellings for cards, pet names even {yes I`m one of those people who always includes the pets on cards !} I would like a more structured housekeeping schedule, dull I know but still something I find niggles at me, I want a quarterly plan to keep track of when things get deep cleaned and serviced for example, even a `where things are in storage` list {I bought festive bedding for all the beds a couple of years ago and last year did not remember where it was until February, much to my annoyance} Also having two teenagers who often need prompting and are still in the head-space of `ask Mom she knows everything` {these days I sadly don`t !} I think a planner would be useful to manage/support them too. The more I think of it the longer and more varied the list becomes for my potential planner.

I have always had a pretty sharp memory and therefore never really relied on having records and lists to refer to in my younger years, that was until I had chemo a few years ago, add to that I`m now in my 50`s and I realise my instant recall has greatly diminished and I need to find ways to organise my head as well as my life !

I`m quite excited to try out a planner now and have to confess the fabulous range of stickers I`ve been drooling over are even more of an incentive !

That's a brilliant idea. I'm going to start using this one.

Stickers? Do tell - where?

If you follow Orema`s link to the Bloom planner GeorgiaMa`am you will see the stickers as an add on purchase, I then searched for Bloom planner stickers and a whole new world appeared !

Here's a link to the stickers I bought:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0...?ie=UTF8&psc=1

And there are more listed on the page.

In Chicago and need a planner for the new year?
 

Check out the following:

Greer 1013 W Webster, Field Notes 401 N Racine Ave, Kinokuniya 100 E Algonquin Rd, & All She Wrote 825 Armitage Ave

Hopefully one of them will have just what you're looking for....