05.18.08

Using Your Daily Planner

Posted in Uncategorized tagged , , at 1:20 am by

As previously mentioned one of the key steps to organisation is using your daily planner. I have to be honest and say that there are times when I ‘forget’ to use my planner, at these times I certainly don’t do as well as I do when I use the planner daily. My planner is my guide and reference, I can see what I want to do, what I have to do and what I would like to do. I can also see what I have done and what I still have to do. As a reference it contains my personal and business contacts, it contains books I have read and books I want to read, it contains ideas and quotes, things I have collected for my various projects. I also use it as my ‘journal on the go.’  I keep a journal-generally online, but obviously I can’t access this when I am out and about, so my planner comes in handy. There are many times, often on a daily basis, that I am out and have a few minutes when I can write…often it is when I am waiting for an appointment or a few minutes early picking up my daughter from school, at these times I can pull out my dairy and make a journal entry. I can refer to these entries when I am working on my online journal.

Here is how I set up my planner: Each page is divided into 3 coloumns. The first column is down the left hand side of the page (my particular diary has times down this side of the page). This is the column that I write down any appointments or things that should be done at set times (daughters music lessons, sports games and doctors appointments etc). The 2nd and widest column is my journalling  column, it is amazing how quickly I can fill up this column! The 3rd column is the ‘To Do.’  It usually features my objective for the day, any tasks I would like to complete and people to contact etc. It is where I write books started and finished. For curiousity purposes I like to keep a record of what I read…last year I read 82 books (kind of a record, I usually average about 60), and it is good to look back.  This column is where any miscellaneous items go. 

I recommend you use your planner daily, set it up in a way that works for you. If you don’t carry it with you, do be sure and check it at least morning and night. I encourage you to take it with you, you will be able to refer to it throughout the day and add things as they come up.  I love my planner, make yours yours, use it daily and you will find out for yourself why it is a big key in the organisational journey.

Regards,

Marg

05.17.08

The Diary/planner – a key tool

Posted in Uncategorized at 2:35 am by

Do you use a daily planner, diary or calendar? It’s a necessity! It is a key step in being organised.

Obviously there are many types available,,, I recommend a day per page format. I like an A4 size diary, I try and take it everywhere with me. Yes it is kind of large to be lugging around but I have tried lots of formats and this is what works for me! I could possibly get by with a page a day A5 size at a pinch.

If you don’t have a diary/planner, my first suggestion is to go out and get one. Mine is key to knowing what I am supposed to be doing when, it also serves as my ‘journal on the go,’ its where I keep a record of books I am reading, current goals & objectives; contacts etc. I’ll go into more detail on each of these aspects are we go along.

I also recommend a large wall calendar… this is essential if you have family members in which you need to share and correlate info with. Place it somewhere that everyone can see it. Go through the calendar and fill in all the birthdays and special events for your family. (Be sure and transfer this info into your personal diary). Put in the kids activities (sports games/practice, music lessons etc) and any other things that are particular to your household.

The key to making the diary and calendar an asset is to use it. Be sure and check them everyday. I think a good habit is to check it at least twice a day…morning and evening. In the morning I check what is ahead for today and make a note of what I want to achieve. In the evening I am having a quick look at tomorrow…is there anything I need to plan ahead for?

I believe that a diary/planner used on a daily basis is a key in the journey to being an organised individual!

05.16.08

About

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:25 am by

Hi my name is Margaret and I have struggled with organisation. I am naturally disorganised, my life is often chaos. For the past couple of years and more seriously this year I have read and studied much on personal organisation. There is so much information on this subject out there. I have tried loads of different things, some worked for me and some didn’t. Through this blog I wish to share those things that have made a difference to me, someone who struggles to be organised.

Hello world!

Posted in Uncategorized at 12:25 am by

Hi! Friends have asked me to share some of my organisational tips and ideas with them. After much discussion it was decided that a blog was the way to go. So here it is, organising4the disorganised! I have to be honest and say that I am not the most organised person, in fact it is something that I have really struggled with. I think that I am naturally disorganised. Being organised is something that I have to work at, but in saying that I have learnt and put in practice some simple strategies that have literally changed my life. With this blog it is my endeavour to share some of these tips with my friends and anyone else who is interested. In each future blog I hope to share a tip or strategy that works for me and that will hopefully be of benefit to you. 

Things to come: the bright start, lights out ritual, menu planning, home management folder and more!

I look forward to sharing these ideas, they have really helped me. You will benefit from this blog if you can relate to any of these scenarios…you always miss out on getting the discounts for prompt payment on bills because you can’t find the bill or have no idea when it is due to be paid; you are busy all day, but have nothing to show for it at the end of the day, school permission slips are returned late or not at all; you feel out of control and overwhelmed. If you can relate then join me on this journey, you can learn to be organised.

Be back soon,

Margs