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Friday, May 30, 2014

Free For All Friday No. 37: "Next year I'll use..."

Already online I've seen several people who have written something like, "This year I'm using Planner X, and it's okay, but next year I'll switch to Planner Y."

There was a time not long ago when I would have thought, "That's crazy! Why suffer through seven more months of planner dissatisfaction? Just switch now!"

But now, after having gone through years and years of switching planners several times each year, I'm fatigued of it. My years are scattered throughout dozen of books. Now I understand not wanting to switch planners mid-year. If it's working well enough to get you through the year, why spend the time and expense setting up a whole new system? January will be here soon enough.

Do you switch planners during the year if you are not absolutely satisfied with it? Or if it's working well enough, do you wait for the new year?

And as always on Fridays, feel free to discuss and/ or ask anything planner related!

16 comments:

  1. I'll be keeping my Mo2P/Wo2P (in FF Personal size) combo; however, I'll be switching back to Filofax inserts. I prefer the plain layout and simple colour scheme, and I DON'T like the lines on my current (Collins Debden) inserts.

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  2. There is such wisdom in not switching! I've switched repeatedly between sizes (personal, A5) and brands (Filofax, Franklin Covey) and finally switched in late February to an Erin Condren Life Planner. It was early enough in the year to fill in the months from January on, and so far so happy! I'm experimenting with note-taking in a Midori TN, and I'm seeing some interesting setups for Filofax, which are tempting, but after so many years like you of having my year spread out in multiple places, I'm not planning on switching until 2015. Which gives me lots of time for thinking and dreaming about what might work better...

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  3. Funny you should say this. I have just bought the inserts for 2015 as I like my current set up so much. Personal Wo2P Filofax lined, with a Mo2P. I find switching stressful, so have resolved not to do it.

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  4. Last year I used multiple planners, got so sick of having to recopy that this year I will stick with one. Bought 2015 this week.

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  5. I've been faithful to my TimeTraveler daily planner thus far in 2014. It does what I need it to do without being overwhelming. 2015 may see me in the Life is Crafted planner pages, although I hate shelling out that much moola for something that may not work. The additional funds to purchase a "back up" planner in case it doesn't work for 2015 bears in mind as well. It would be nice to buy a quarter sample of pages from Life is Crafted like Franklin Covey used to do. Sigh...

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  6. I found a new loose leaf page layout I really like that I'm using for work: Day-Timer Wellness Weekly.

    I'll probably continue using it for the year, but I might research and see if I can find a similar layout in a bound planner. if I can't, I'll see if I can find a better binder - the used Flavia one I have is falling apart, and the rings are too big anyway.

    http://www.daytimer.com/daytimerstore/mwv/product/2-Page-Per-Week-Wellness-Planner-Refill-Desk-Size-/17416?searchClickId=&catId=&prodId=17416#

    I'm using them somewhat differently than they are designed - rather than using the timed section for schedule, I'm using it for task due dates, and then the right page is for tasks due this week. The bottom three sections that are actually for wellness - I'm using for my two staffers and my boss.

    It's a pretty cool layout - do you know of a bound planner with a similar weekly view?

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    1. Bree the Uncalendar Half Size has a similar layout: http://www.uncalendar.com/unc?action=display&orderCode=ULH-00002

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  7. I'm using an Erin Condren Life Planner and a rather generic Staples planner for work, but I am thinking of splurging on the Hobonichi Techo for 2015.

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  8. I really think the Hobonichi Cousin will be The One in 2015, but I would be sad if I wasn't using any of my binders.

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  9. I found the Franklin Covey "5 Choices" planner format to be very helpful for me, and have reordered it for July 2014 - 2015. Laurie, it's very similar to your Plannerism's planner but I find the smaller schedule and larger note taking areas to be very useful. (I am looking forward to seeing your 2015 version, though!) It's a wire-bound planner. You have to specifically search for "5 Choices":

    http://franklinplanner.fcorgp.com/store/buy/All-Planners-and-Refills/5-Choices-Wire-bound-Weekly-Planner/prod1160044/?skuId=62515

    I also use David Seah's Mini Emergent Task Planner as my daily planner (5x8 size, punched for a small binder). It's really cool to use. It lists the schedule on the left side of the page with your top 3 tasks for today listed on the right side, and, as a motivator, room for 4 more tasks if you're successful with your top 3. Plenty of room for notes, also. I use it as a daily journal.

    I intend to continue using this system, although the new year always affords an opportunity to google new varieties!

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    1. Wow I didn't know FC had that planner, it looks really good!

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  10. I've switched between two sizes and then among different calendar formats within those two sizes. If I try something and find it's not working, it's out, because I need a functioning planner. Fortunately I have finally finally finally settled on a size (Franklin Covey Classic/Day-Timer Desk/almost Filofax A5) and on a calendar format (two days per page). That combination is PERFECT for my needs, so no more switching. Planner page peace at last. For now I am drawing my own pages on paper I have on hand, which is a pain, but when finances allow I will be purchasing printed pages in that size and format from Piaric.

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    1. Oops, forgot to mention that I supplement the two-days-on-one-page format with a month-on-two-pages overview section.

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  11. I can't even imagine what I'll use in 2015 at this point. I'm just praying that the insanity of endless tinkering burns itself out before then. Right now the system I've got seems to be working (FC compact Aurora w/Mo2P and Do2P plus self drawn week overviews). The problem is a desire for novelty that makes my existing system look very dreary. Maybe...it's my LIFE that's dreary and that's what I need to change. And a change of planner is not going to do that for me.

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  12. I stick with my Moleskine Daily planner and use my own abbreviation system that changes based on how my life changes. I wouldn't mind using something else in addition to the Moleskine Daily, but it would be for info that is different than the things I record in the Moleskine Daily planner. That planner plus electronic to do lists and calendars are my system. I'm so happy to have found your web site--it gives me ideas of ways to use my planner as well as helps me see what's out there.

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