Using A Planner According to YOUR Personality
For women who use planners, or would like to use planners, here’s a bit of advice: Read my article Personality Based Time Management. Then, think about what you’re trying to accomplish.
When you’re trying to remember tasks or simplify the order in which you do things, you MUST take your personality into consideration. Why? Because using a planner according to your personality will save you time and frustration. Some women need to have pages for each day, week, and month. If you’re a Type B personality, this just won’t do.
Here’s what I do to Simplify My Life. I use monthly tabs/pages. You really need those to keep things straight and up to date. I have sticky notes notes that fit right into my planner. They also happen to fit on the border of my monthly pages. (If you use the regular, square ones, fold them in half; or just use the ones that are tab style.) Notes that don’t need to be documented for future reference are written on the sticky notes and, when I complete those tasks, I take the sticky notes off and throw them away. That lets me complete specific tasks without having to store them in my memory bank.
Our family travels quite a bit. Therefore, I always have my child-information pages at my fingertips. These pages have my children’s blood type, shot records, sizes of clothes and shoes, as well as their most recent trip to the doctors (if it was important). I also include my OWN medical information page. Also important are address pages and tabs. When we’re on the road, we usually try to stop and visit friends. We have those phone numbers with us at a glance.
Every time-management consultant will tell you to write things down! As a reference, it’s the best way to help you remember those things you MUST do, (which are the things that are on your schedule). However, you only need what “YOU” need, not what a company wants to sell you. So don’t purchase so much that you end up not using your planner at all.
Carrying what you need with you at all times will also fill in those gaps of time you feel are wasted. For example, waiting at the doctor’s or dentist’s office can really eat up lots of precious time. I usually have note cards to remember friends I haven’t seen or spoken with in a while. The stamps are in my vinyl zipper pouch and their addresses are in my address book ALL in my purse. Or, what about writing a note to a very good client? That always wins brownie points. Sometimes I bring a book to read. Find what works for you and just do it.
I often say, “Less is best,” at least in most cases, “because you’re going to be carrying it with you.” That’s why I occasionally get to check my friends purses, to see if they’re carrying too much and if it’s time to have a purse-cleaning party. For some of us, getting all those new sticky notes and clean pages makes us feel like we have accomplished something. Sound funny??? Well, look at your business schedule and lists! Do you have everything important at your fingertips or is it hard to find the things you need?
Using a planner according to YOUR personality is the key to less stress and better time management.
Now what are you waiting for? “Get Started!”
©2003, 2014 Susie Glennan
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