First up: thank you so much for sharing all your thoughts on the subject of planners. (Speaking of, the photo above is my new Carpe Diem planner from Simple Stories. More planner stuff to love!) I’m still reading through your comments and creating lots of bookmarks. So much good stuff to check out.
And on the topic of schedules (that’s close to planning, right?) I’m trying out a new one for myself. Dan has started his student teaching experience this week at a local K-8 school. Part of his new life is getting up at the crack of early and I have decided to get up earlier too. Both as a sign of solidarity, but also as a way to get a treadmill walk in before the grueling task of waking my sleeping 16-year-old each day. Yep. I get to drive him EVERY morning and that also means I get to WAKE him up. Good times, people. Good times.
So far (the week is only a few days old) getting up early and knocking out that exercise is working great! Nothing like watching an episode of Narcos at 6:30 a.m. to get the blood pumping. It also lets me hit the work hour right after I get back from dropping Cole off. Right now, working smart is going to be the key to keeping all the balls in the air for the next several months.
Maybe I should learn to juggle while I’m at it.
That said, part of the new schedule is to really engage the planning process. For me, that will be more about task lists for now. I plan to play with all of my planners and see how it affects my productivity.
Now if you’ll excuse me, I have to check off “write blog post for Wednesday” and move onto the next thing.
Holly Corbett says
I have recently started using a bullet journal system and I am in LOVE with it!! Ryder Carroll is the creator (I think that’s how you spell his last name!) I have tried so many planners and none of them have all the things that I need and want. The bullet journal has solved this problem!
Emily says
I also love the Bullet Journal. Such a great system! I love the flexibility of it.
Kimberly O. says
Our alarm goes at at the butt crack of dawn. Actually, it is currently BEFORE the butt crack even shows… 5 AM. We also go to bed at the arm pit of sunset, or currently a little after that — around 8:30 – 9 PM on a “school night”. Although we don’t have kids and neither of us are in school. The good news though, is that since I’m at work around 7 AM, I am also done by 4 PM. I fit an hour’s worth of walking during my work day. 15 minutes at 9:30, 30 minutes during lunch, and another 15 minutes at 2.
Darn this planner talk!!! (Heck, I even put a fabric traveler’s notebook cover in my shopping cart at on Etsy. I already own one plus quite a few inserts – some I made and some I bought.) I keep looking at all of the links… I shouldn’t. I like my digital life.
Evernote is seriously the best app ever. My hubs and I even share a grocery list. I have my entire craft room in Evernote, by stamp company — including images and links between corresponding items (like stamp set and die). All of my embossing folders, all of my markers, colored pencils, etc. (Images and/or colored squares.) I even have a notebook of the nail polish I own along with what the color looks like. I like that I can access Evernote with my Android/Apple devices and all of my computers – either by the downloaded app or via the website.
Kimberly O. says
But I do love reading all of the comments!! 🙂
Abby P says
I’ve been a list maker for years — without it, I am hopelessly floundering and spending way too much time internet surfing. My reward for checking to-do’s off my lists is, you got it, checking out the internet.
Helen High says
Oh happy day for you!! I also have the Carpe Diem planner and I’m working on loving it! What got me with this one was the ring bound functionally and all the different things that can be done with it.
Like you said earlier this week, it is a whole new world and WHO KNEW it was so massive!
Welcome aboard this planner world train. . .I think it’s pretty awesome.
PS: This may sound a little self-serving, but I’m looking forward “goodies” you will most likely create to go along with this planner in your oh so lovely “Clean and Simple” world.
Holly says
how lovely! I am so hard on my planners! They go everywhere with me, thus get stuffed in a tote bad and it’s hard on them! I, too, love to cross off items on a list and the whole planner thing has made me happy since I can use my Cameo so much!
heidig says
Wow, look at your with the stickers! I didn’t picture you as a sticker kind of girl but I’m sure you’re gonna rock those things!
Tracy says
I really like the idea of a planner, but I just can’t bring myself to spend the $50+ that they cost (at least the ones that have all the functions/options that I want).
Leora Henkin says
I love the idea of planners and you are seriously tempting me. I gave up the traditional paper (boring though) planner a few years ago and went electronic. I have saved ALL my old planners though and it is fun to go back and look at them. I am just afraid that if I started one now, I would get through a month or two and give it up. Sigh…maybe next year!
Lisa Browning says
Like you, I bought Elise Blaha Cripe’s “Get To Work Book” last year, and it is my preferred planner for, well, planning. I did also buy the Scrapbook & Cards Today planner (and the stamp set you created for that 🙂 , but I am also getting into the Traveler’s notebooks (not Midori, though–I’m using the ZLYC brand from Amazon, really good buy and LOVE it); and then I’m participating in a year-long art journaling project called the Documented Life Project, by Art to the 5th, and this year’s theme is the Unplanner. Yep, it’s a planner format, but you can reinvent it any way you like. I’m doing mine more as a journal. I got the July 2015 through June 2016 Get to Work Book, and I love it. I intend to get the July 2016 to June 2017 one when it comes out later this year. LOVE that planner for the functionality. I can totally see the appeal of so many planners, but I hope I stop now. There are just too many cute ones!
Briel says
So interesting to hear about your schedule shift. My husband and I both get up early and work out. It is so great to share that schedule. On word from the wise (!). You have to change your bedtime if you change your morning wake up schedule. 🙂
Cathy Zielske says
Yes, this is becoming apparent. I already go to bed around 10, but this week? at 9 i feel done for the day!
Verity says
In our house, the time you are getting up is known as stupid o’clock or oh dark hundred. I’d much prefer teenager time! More power to you for the solidarity.
JulieE says
I’ve been looking for a new travel planner and happened upon this blog post detailing planner options. Too cute!
http://www.jetpens.com/blog/planner-decoration-plan-with-jetpens/pt/844
Cathy Zielske says
I’ll check it out! i’ve actually ordered pens from them in the past. Great customer service!
Tracy says
I did actually break down yesterday and bought the 2016 marbled planner from A Beautiful Mess. It was on sale for $21.00, which is the best price I’ve seen for a planner that has most (not all) of the features I like. Excited for it to arrive!
Natalie says
This is my first year using a basic book type calendar. It’s small but has good space (lines) for each day (bought it at Costco for cheap) and I can see the whole week on a two page spread. So far, for my tiny business I like seeing my tasks for the week and LOVE crossing things off with a black sharpie! If I keep it up I may see about upgrading to something a bit fancier but as my first go I didn’t want to get myself overwhelmed by options and colours and everything to end up not using it. So long comment short, I look forward to reading about your planner adventures. 🙂
Jacki says
Cathy I’m thinking of hopping on my treadmill before work and am wondering if you first need to eat or drink something? I’m worried my sleepy body will go into shock if I go from bed to exercising right away. Any tips? Thanks 🙂
Cathy Zielske says
Hey Jacki, i generally do not eat first. I have a few glasses of water when i first wake up, and I get about 1,000 steps before I do anything else, mostly by walking around my house, pulling out the laundry, whatever… Then I have a cup of coffee and hit the treadmill. Breakfast comes after that!
Judith says
I decided on the carpe diem planner too ☺️. Any hints or ways you are using it would be great! I find the challenge of combining work and home in the one diary but I am trying this year, and adding study to the mix!