Will I need a section for phone numbers? Will I use it primarily for remembering appointments? Do I want a day planner that lasts for more than one year? Do I want my day planner to replace another organizing tool (such as my to-do lists)? Do I want a simple, plain notebook, or one with lots of different features and sections? Would I rather have a day planner that is small enough to fit in a pocket or one that is large enough to handle notes from my meetings?[2] X Research source Do I want a day planner that provides more space for weekdays, or will I need my day planner primarily for weekend activities?
Pay attention to the aesthetics of the inside of the planner as well as the outside. Some people prefer unlined pages to lined pages, for example. Some people like symmetry; others might like more dynamic layouts. You might also prefer certain typefaces to others. Make sure that you find your day planner pleasant to look at–inside and out–in order to further incentivize your daily use of it. [5] X Research source
Your briefcase or work bag Your purse Your work desk Your desk at home Close to your landline phones If you are someone who consistently loses pens and pencils, consider storing an emergency pencil inside your day planner itself. Some day planners even have a little bit of storage space you could use for a spare pencil.
Remember that good habits are more likely to form when you are concentrating on just one at a time, so do not overload yourself with new time management habits. For now, focus solely on keeping your day planner. [7] X Research source Try to think of your planner as a guide to your day. [8] X Expert Source Adina Zinn, MPACertified Career & Life Coach Expert Interview. 30 March 2022.
Great places to store your day planner at home include a table next to your landline, your work bag or briefcase, or next to your cell phone and car keys. Great places to store your day planner at work include on top of your desk, the central drawer of your desk, next to your work phone, or in your briefcase.
Your laptop On top of your desk Next to your phone On your door On your kitchen table On the bathroom mirror You can remove these notes after you have developed the habit of bringing your day planner with you to work and back home.
Important contact information for your family, friends, colleagues, and clients Work meetings Your class schedule Deadlines for work or school projects Shift changes (if you work a job without a consistent schedule) Medical and dental appointments The birthdays of your loved ones Special work events Special personal events Key dates for your hobbies or extracurricular activities (e. g. the dates of your play rehearsal or your zumba class)
Try to schedule your most mentally exhaustive tasks during parts of the day when you’re most alert and productive. [14] X Expert Source Adina Zinn, MPACertified Career & Life Coach Expert Interview. 30 March 2022. You can even start planning out your schedule the night before! Think about your tasks and what you’ll need to accomplish during the next day or week. [15] X Expert Source Adina Zinn, MPACertified Career & Life Coach Expert Interview. 30 March 2022.
Cross off all accomplishments and appointments as you finish them. When you are feeling low, take a look at everything you have crossed off and feel proud of everything you’ve done. Give yourself a reward for accomplishing a certain number of tasks. Allow yourself a small treat for every 5 items you cross off your day planner. For example, treat yourself to a coffee or a short walk once you have hit your desired goal. This will motivate you to use your day planner properly as well as to accomplish your tasks. Do something pleasant when you consult your day planner. Try not to think of your time consulting your day planner as a chore. Instead, look at it as a key productivity tool. In order to associate your day planner with positive feelings instead of negative ones, do something pleasant every morning and afternoon when you look at your planner. Drink a cup of delicious coffee, have a chocolate, or listen to your favorite song. Your brain will soon associate your planner with positive feelings. Give yourself a special treat for every week you use your day planner properly. While you are still in the early stages of keeping your day planner, you might need to give yourself some extra motivation to bring your day planner with you and update it each day. For every week where you remember to bring along and update your day planner, do something extra nice for yourself: buy an ice cream, go to a movie, or have a drink with friends. In a few weeks, you will be in the habit of remembering your day planner at all times. Write positive things in your day planner as well as your more serious responsibilities. By using your day planner to remind you of your favorite activities (having lunch with a friend) as well as your not-so-favorite activities (seeing the dentist), you will be more likely to stick to your new habit.
If you find yourself getting overloaded, shift some items into a separate “backlog” category that you can work your way through at an easy pace. Don’t demotivate yourself by staring at tasks that can never be accomplished in a normal workday. [18] X Research source
It might be useful to have a back-up plan in place for those times when you’ve forgotten your day planner at home. For example, you might enter new work appointments on post-it notes and bring those home with you to enter. For extremely important events and deadlines, you can also use an online task manager to send you timely reminders: that way, you will not forget a key date even if you forget your planner.
