Since the new year, I've been on the hunt for the "perfect" planner but so far, to no avail. This happens all the time though. My need for custom made merchandise is nothing new, from always needing my clothing tailored to searching the internet for hours trying to find the perfect hack for my blog. I need a planner to organize both my business and my personal tasks, that has a monthly view as well as daily task pages, chic styling, pockets for junk I collect throughout the week, and is slim and lightweight enough to toss in my purse. Is that so hard?
Today I found this article by GO MOM! Inc. founder Molly Gold that gives tips for how to figure out what style of planner is right for you.
Calendar Clues to Help You Choose The Right Planner
I'm often asked what kind of planner is best for busy Moms, all with different families and needs. Too often Moms make do when it comes to calendars, not realizing there is a marketplace full of products that will make order out of chaos and open the door to a more balanced and fun year ahead. Every Mom needs to look at how they plan, and then look for that great organizer with the totally cool cover and even better, a layout with pages that keep your family on time and your to do list done. How will you know? Use these four Calendar Clues that will identify your planning style and point you in the right direction for a wonderful 2008 with the calendar you've been waiting for:
- Calendar Clue #1: This Mom schedules appointments, is rarely at her desk at home, has to have something portable, keeps a calendar not only for herself but her entire family, doesn't like to add or remove pages, and wants something easy to carry. She will thrive with a Wirebound Appointment Book which can be found in many different sizes often with a choice of layouts including daily, weekly, or monthly.
- Calendar Clue #2: This Mom manages a complicated and busy schedule full of activities, prefers detailed records no matter what the topic, is happiest when all her reference information is in one place, likes to customize her organizer by adding information pages that meet her personal needs, and likes a planner that is an extension of her personal style. This is our Mom who will actually use all the pages in an Organizer made in a binder format in various sizes from purse to desk with every calendar layout you can find.
- Calendar Clue #3: This Mom likes to plan for the future, often needing to double check her dates as she goes, does well with very little detail, is scheduling for her entire family as well as working with older children to track projects, finds her schedule changes frequently so her calendar does too, and needs to have that calendar available for everyone to see. This Mom lives in a family that has growing independence and might not all be together at the same time. A color coded Wall Calendar is her most reliable asset for communication and the bigger the better to make the most of every square.
- Calendar Clue #4: When it comes to making your product actually work, make time to plan daily, build in extra time to give yourself flexibility, be realistic about how much you can do in any given day, and be sure to delegate and defer tasks to future dates whenever it is more efficient. For families, it's crucial to have a gatekeeper, usually Mom, to maintain a master calendar for everyone and provide a fun family Wall Calendar that stays at home for ready reference. When you keep it updated and synched with your Mom Only Calendar, you are sure to have a New Year full of balance and the joy that being part of a busy family can be all about!
What kind of planner do you use? Did you buy it or create your own? If you have tips you'd like to share on how to find, customize, or design from scratch the perfect planner for you, I'd love to hear them. Here are few other websites I found to help us in picking a planner:
- D*I*Y Planner -- Planner kits, templates, tips, discussions
- Truly Mom -- Day planners for mothers
- momAgenda -- Upscale day planners for multiple schedules (click to sign-up for their newsletter)
- Organized Families.com -- Free printable planners for busy families
1 comment:
My experience has been that finding a perfect planner means experimenting with a few different planners and the modifying them for your family.
I have also learned that as my busy life changes and new responsibilities enter my life, my planner needs or requirements change :)
Try to find a planner that works with your other organizational needs.
I use a palm treo ( If it doesn't BEEP at me I will forget !) with Outlook 2007 and supplement it with a planner containing sections that I personally need. I also print out the monthly calender and stick it on the fridge for family items such as birthday party invites, PAC meetings, classes, and school events.
Good Luck!
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