It might be a little late to write about the importance of planners since we're already three months into the year... but I have seen how my life is much more organized and my day more productive with one so let me write about it anyway and say that it's never too late to get one or get back to it!
I'm sure there are days when you just feel so overwhelmed as your mind reels with a list of to-dos as you contemplate the day ahead. Minsan, Monday palang, you're already longing for Saturday. I know I am, haha! And that is usually the case when I am just merely reacting to everything thrown at me.
Sometimes I feel like a victim of my emails. :( Nafeel nyo ba yun?? I open my inbox first thing in the morning then two hours passed, hindi pa ko tapos. Then more hours passed and you realize that you haven't even done the most important thing, yet you feel like you have done so many things already!
So the other day, in the hopes of being more in control, I whipped up my planner. And as I peruse the old pages, instead of seeing the things to do with time blocks for each, all I saw were numbers jotted down to be called and scribbles of activities across the page. And there were even days that I did not use it at all. If there were such a thing as planner backsliding, this was definitely it.
So to get back on track, I did not open my email that day until I finished planning the day ahead. And after that, I really felt better and more in charge.
U Planner
Planners abound nowadays and if you still don't have one, the first thing to do is to find a planner that fits your personality. Like in my case, I am not as picky with a planner anymore. I just like mine with hourly time block for each and space on top and at the bottom.
Belle de Jour does it how I like it. It has the most important things on top of the page and hourly time block for scheduling those things to do. Although, right now I am using our company planner because it practically has the same template. So it does not have to be those expensive ones, just as long as it works for your personality and it gets the work done, then goooo!
Make it a habit
Then after getting one, get into the habit of using it. And since it is called a planner, it has to be written down on for planning, meaning, before you get into the day or time scheduled. Some people like doing it the night before, some in the morning before starting their day. It's your call, really, just make sure that you do it before diving into the myriad of activities.
Cross it like a boss
I find it really fulfilling when I see an activity struck out to signal that it's done! So give yourself a pat on the back as you see your day turning into a productive one as you strike out the activities one by one. You can use a different colored pen or just put a check-mark beside it. The idea is for you to see what else still needs to be done and how much you have done already!
As I write this, I had to bring out my planner to take my own advice, kasi nagbukas na ako ng FB and blogger without planning what I need to do for the day. Heehee! Yaaan. Now I feel better. :)
I'm sure there are days when you just feel so overwhelmed as your mind reels with a list of to-dos as you contemplate the day ahead. Minsan, Monday palang, you're already longing for Saturday. I know I am, haha! And that is usually the case when I am just merely reacting to everything thrown at me.
Sometimes I feel like a victim of my emails. :( Nafeel nyo ba yun?? I open my inbox first thing in the morning then two hours passed, hindi pa ko tapos. Then more hours passed and you realize that you haven't even done the most important thing, yet you feel like you have done so many things already!
So the other day, in the hopes of being more in control, I whipped up my planner. And as I peruse the old pages, instead of seeing the things to do with time blocks for each, all I saw were numbers jotted down to be called and scribbles of activities across the page. And there were even days that I did not use it at all. If there were such a thing as planner backsliding, this was definitely it.
So to get back on track, I did not open my email that day until I finished planning the day ahead. And after that, I really felt better and more in charge.
U Planner
Planners abound nowadays and if you still don't have one, the first thing to do is to find a planner that fits your personality. Like in my case, I am not as picky with a planner anymore. I just like mine with hourly time block for each and space on top and at the bottom.
Belle de Jour does it how I like it. It has the most important things on top of the page and hourly time block for scheduling those things to do. Although, right now I am using our company planner because it practically has the same template. So it does not have to be those expensive ones, just as long as it works for your personality and it gets the work done, then goooo!
Make it a habit
Then after getting one, get into the habit of using it. And since it is called a planner, it has to be written down on for planning, meaning, before you get into the day or time scheduled. Some people like doing it the night before, some in the morning before starting their day. It's your call, really, just make sure that you do it before diving into the myriad of activities.
Cross it like a boss
I find it really fulfilling when I see an activity struck out to signal that it's done! So give yourself a pat on the back as you see your day turning into a productive one as you strike out the activities one by one. You can use a different colored pen or just put a check-mark beside it. The idea is for you to see what else still needs to be done and how much you have done already!
As I write this, I had to bring out my planner to take my own advice, kasi nagbukas na ako ng FB and blogger without planning what I need to do for the day. Heehee! Yaaan. Now I feel better. :)
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