Throwback Thursday: Planners by Style

Last week, I wrote about three questions to ask when buying a new planner, but all of them were about the planner itself, and that's only part of the story. When planners (or any organizing tools) work, it's because the interaction between tool and user is a good fit. Choosing a planner (or, again, any organizing tool) is about choosing the one that's best for you.

If you've already taken the styles quiz and know your personal and organizational styles, read on. If not, you might want to take a minute to take the quiz and see which one(s) of the styles below best describes you. 

• Do you need to see it? I need to see it folks can be very picky about the view. Some like month-at-a-glance, while others are die hard day-by-day planners. Finding the view that works best not for just your life, but for your personal preference plays a role as well. Personally, I need to see white space. A cluttered planner stresses me out, so trying to cram everything into one of those pocket-sized calendars is an absolute guarantee I won't use it, no matter how cute the cover is.

• Do you like to be busy? I love to be busy folks need calendars that travel easily. Many I love to be busy people choose electronic planners and apps for just that reason. Whether you choose paper or electronic, however, finding a consistent home for your planner is key. A lost planner is of no use whatsoever, and is more stress-inducing than no planner at all.

• Do you drop and run? Then you need a place to corral all of those appointment cards and reminders or you need a planner that makes them obsolete. Electronic planners or desk planners may rise to the top for this style because it's less likely that we'll set down a device that serves multiple functions and forget about it than a single-function paper planner. Your personal style may also lead the way here. An I love stuff/drop and run person may gravitate toward a different planner than the I love to be busy/drop and run person.

• Do you know you put it somewhere? Once again, location is key. While personal style may lead the I know I put it somewhere organizer to a particular planner, the most important thing for someone with this organizational style is deciding on a consistent, convenient home for the planner so that it always goes in the same "somewhere." Electronic planners, desk calendars and the ever-faithful kitchen calendar just might do the trick.

• Do you cram and jam? Electronic planners and apps may be your saving grace. Not only do you not have to worry about deciphering all the information you crammed into a small square on a paper planner, but their electronic counterparts will notify you of all the things you tried to squeeze in as well.

• Do you love stuff? You, like me, might be suffering from (or reveling in) too many planners from which to choose! Using just one calendar is often your battle. Notice that I said using, not owning. I love stuff is not my primary personal style, but I do love stationery stuff, so you'll find multiple planners in my house. Each has its purpose, however, and when it comes to scheduling appointments, they all must go on one calendar, or you need a plan to integrate your multiple planners. But, take heart, next week's post focuses on some of the things you can do with all the other pretty planners you just had to have.

When styles (yours and the planner's) and functionality align, using a planner is not only easy, but it makes your life easier as well, giving you that much more time to do all the fun things you put into the planner in the first place. 

Or at least to relax, secure in the knowledge that you've written it down, and don't have to rely on memory alone because writing it down takes us one step closer to getting it done.