Mr. and Mrs. Planner

I was having a discussion with some folks from Philofaxy (the best blog ever, so if you haven't visited, you should) when the topic of how to use your Filofax came up. 

I have a theory.  Your relationship with your planner is like a marriage.  It can last a lifetime (or until the rings break, at least) or it can fall apart rather quickly.

Planners have personalities. 

If your personality does not match your planner, things will never work out.  I like pretty colors, but my planner needs to sort of go with everything.  It doesn't have to match, but in true What Not to Wear style, it needs to coordinate.  It can't be too boring.

Right now, I have a black planner. Not my first color choice, but it has little time swirls all over the cover, giving it texture.  I can't stand a boring black planner, so this works for now.  I really tend to gravitate towards blue planners.  And while many people love leather, I prefer a nonleather planner.  But that means my planners don't last long enough, especially as the only nonleather planners that I find tend to be vinyl. 

How a planner feels also matters.  There needs to be a spark when you hold it.  You should like to touch it.  (Pro tip: DO NOT UNDER ANY CIRCUMSTANCES STROKE YOUR PLANNER WHILE IN PUBLIC.  I am a criminal defense attorney and I've seen people committed for far less!)


Planners need time together with you. 

Your planner needs to be portable enough to fit your life.  And you have to fit your life to your planner.

I use a Franklin Covey compact size.  (It is roughly equivalent to a Filofax personal size, but a bit wider.)  An A5/classic size is too big for me but anything smaller is too small.

Keeping your planner with you is hard work, just like a marriage is hard work.  I choose bags that fit my planner.  My backpack, purse, and messenger bag all have a designated spot for my planner.  At home, I have two places where I am willing to put my planner down - and that's it.  If you like your planner open in front of you all the time, consider getting a recipe stand (like chefs use in kitchens).  The stand will hold your planner open on the counter.

Planners need to communicate with you.

My planner has monthly and weekly pages.  That's enough communication for me.  Daily pages feel like I am being nagged!  And naggy marriages just don't work.

Planners have to be nurtured. 

Write everything down.  Use your planner everyday, in every context, for everything.  Don''t assume you will remember something if you don't write it down.  You won't.

We don't remember any of the things that we have forgotten!

Happy honeymooning.

Etcetera.