The Case for the Ugly Planner

I love looking at pretty planner pages. The symmetry, the colors, and the loopy handwritings combine with clean lines, doodle art, washi, and stickers to make the best of planner porn. I could spend hours immersed in the world of planner blogs and Pinterest, just admiring the beauty of those carefully crafted planners.

I take a different approach.

Yes, some of my planner pages actually look like that.

Oh, and like this, too.

I asked in my Facebook group for pictures of ugly pages, where a group member named Kim came up with this picture of her planner in action.

And then, topping off the ugly, another group member, Karen, had this coffee-stained delight.

I loved these pictures, even more than the air-brushed beauty that I usually see in planner blogs.

The thing is that these planners are used. They are in action, doing the dirty work. Maybe they have stains, ugly doodles, and no color coordination. But they are practical. They are loved.

Philofaxy, one of my favorite websites, only allows pictures of planners in use - not decorations - in its Facebook group. I appreciate that, a lot, even though I love decorated planners, because it allows me to see actual planners in their native dress, as instruments for thinking and recording, instead of just beauty.

Also, I think Karen's picture above is beautiful, even while it's ugly. Sometimes, in the world of planners, ugly and beautiful can exist as one.

At least the outside of my planner is pretty, right?

Etcetera.

How To Plan School Lunches

My kids only pack lunch to take to school a couple of times a week. The school cafeteria is pretty good and we want them to explore new foods, but we recognize that there are days that just are not to their taste, so we let them pick a couple of days per week to bring a healthy lunch instead.

There are a few steps that I follow every month to make sure that lunches are organized and easy.

1. Check out the menu at the beginning of each month.

The kids select the days when they would prefer to bring lunch.

2. Note the selected days on my monthly calendar.

TIP: Use a code. For my kids, the code is their first initials, in a circle.

3. Create a limited, repetitive menu for packed lunches and add those items to the grocery list.

My little one doesn't love sandwiches, so we usually do spaghetti or a hot dog with chili, a fruit (they get to choose, but I keep canned fruit cocktail in fruit juice in case), and a yogurt. My older kid likes sandwiches, so for him, it's ham and turkey on wheat, a slice of cheese, a fruit, and some carrots.

We really don't vary from this at all. After all, they could always have school lunch instead.

TIP: If you do lunches daily, have an every other day main entree', a fruit, a veggie, and a snack.

EXAMPLE:

Mon - spaghetti, fruit cocktail, cheese stick
Tues - turkey sandwich, apple, yogurt
Wed - spaghetti, banana, cheese stick
Thur - turkey sandwich, fruit cocktail, yogurt
Fri - leftover stew (because you might as well use your leftovers), grapes, cheese stick

4. Make them responsible for bringing lunch.

We make lunches the night before and they have to put out a sticky note on their backpacks, reminding them to bring lunch.

TIP: To save money and the environment, use reusable bags and containers.

5. Make them clean up.

When the kids arrive home, they empty trash into the garbage and put the containers in the sink. They also wipe down the lunch box and store it.

That's it. Making a lunches is easy and quick - and not a lot of work for mom.

Etcetera.

The Desk Reset

Whether you work from home or at an office, you likely have a table or desk where you work. I work from home (or in libraries or coffee shops), so I have a small bookshelf type desk that I work at, either blogging, novel writing, doing legal research, or planning and budgeting.

Every now and then, a desk reset is in order.

Personalize Without Fear

Don't make your desk something for others to enjoy. Make it shine with your personality. You have to work there. You have to love the space. 

Yes, I am a lawyer and, yes, I do mean this in your stuffy law firm, too. Be the quirky one. You won't get fired for it, but you might get noticed. (Okay, you probably won't be fired for it. I'd do it anyway.) Of course, keep it tasteful and consider 

whether only coworkers will see it, or if clients will see it, too.

I have my special basket designed by a quilter friend for stuff that leaves the house, like my keys and glasses (upper left hand corner), a personalized zipper pouch full of planner supplies (upper right hand corner), and my "READ MY BLOG" ornament (lower shelf, in front of the pens and scissors).

Maximize Desk Space

Desk space is limited. Use it wisely.

Even though I personalize my space, very little is just decorative. Notice the wipe/erase board, the hole punch, and all the other bits and bobs that I actually use almost every day. 

Prioritize Placement

Place items that are used daily in the most convenient space, things that are used weekly in a less convenient place, and things rarely used in a different space.

Also, group like stuff together whenever possible.

I am very careful about placement. Things that leave the house go near my purse (the hanging blue one on the upper left hand corner). The space where I plan and write? It's not even in the picture because it just stays empty and ready for my laptop and planner.

Use Interesting Containers

Don't think that you have to use square containers from office supply stores.

I use an open mouthed glass canning jar for unprocessed receipts. I use my quilted basket for things to leave the house. My makeup travel bag is perfect for planner supplies. A purple pill case holds my magnet bookmarks, while a suction-sealed spice jar holds binder and paper clips.

It's a good time to reset your desk. Make it your own. You'll be happier and the desk will be an easier  to use.

Etcetera.

Time Mapping

A friend of mine is teaching a college writing course, tutoring, and working a third job from home. She needs to work at the extra jobs for 30 hours per week. Plus, she is a mom with all the responsibilities that come with parenting a young child.

Another friend is a nurse, working three to four shifts per week. Her hours are not 9 to 5.

I also work a strange, part-time schedule. I generally work about 15 hours a week as a lawyer. I also substitute teach, blog, write, and volunteer.

For anyone without a regular, 40 hour per week schedule, keeping track of available time becomes important. I use time tracking to figure out how much time I have.

I used this print out and highlighters to create a time map of my next week and figure out how much time I have left to work between the hours of 7 a.m. (when the kids leave the house for school) and 4 p.m. (when they return home).

Red is a scheduled time item that is not flexible at all.

Yellow indicates that I must do the task, and that the time noted is the optimum, scheduled time, but it is flexible. (For example, I still need to workout each day, but could do so in the morning instead.)

After adding up the time available, I have about 25 hours. I work no more than 15 hours at my grown-up, big girl job, leaving me 10 hours to schedule everything else. 10 hours is a lot of free hours (more than usual), so I will probably tackle a big task (like taking down Christmas decorations and cleaning out the freezers).

TIP: Time tracking does not need to be limited to figuring out free work hours. Use it to schedule or to visually record how you spend your time.

I don't use time tracking every day or every week. But every now and then, it really does help. 

Etcetera.

Featured At Planner Fun

I did a guest blog at Planner Fun today. Enjoy.

Etcetera.

Best E-Planning Apps for the Surface Pro 3

I am a paper planning person. It's my nature and that's not ever going to change.

That said, I am adopting a few apps on my Microsoft Surface Pro 3 that can help with planning.

NOTE: I do not duplicate information. Either it is in my planner, in OneNote (things like work research projects), or in an app.

The apps that I am currently loving (all free at the Microsoft app store) include all the ones in the picture below in the Planner section.

TIP: Scroll from the middle of the top of the Start screen down with your finger to customize your app layout.

Calendar (purple)

The default calendar that comes with the Surface is good enough for me, since I won't use it to input information. Instead, it just reminds me of the date, built-in holidays, and Facebook birthdays.

Daily Tasks (green)

Daily Tasks is a simple calendar that allows the user to check off tasks each day. Blogging, laundry, dishes, straightening the house, and prepping for the next day all do here. The live tile tells me what still needs to be done today, so it is right in my face whenever I log on.

to-dos (dark yellow)

I rarely use this app, but it shows a live tile of whatever is entered on this one-time task list, so I can use it to remind me to do something on my computer that is not time sensitive.

Spending Tracker (beige)

This may be my favorite free app. It's a simple checkbook format and shows me a live tile of my current budget balance.

TIP: If you have more than one budget number or account to track, this is not the app for you. 

This only works for me because my husband does the budget, subtracting out all the regular stuff, like mortgage and electricity bill, from our expected income. Then he gives me a number, which is the amount left to spend this month on other expenses. 

NiftyList (light yellow)

NiftyList allows repeating tasks on a monthly or weekly basis. 

It is perfect for the twelve household tasks that I regularly try to do each month: cleaning three bedrooms, two baths, a kitchen, and a living room; doing one organizing and one outside project; and straightening three areas that regularly collect clutter.

TIP: Do not put anything critical in the apps. Reserve your planner for the truly important stuff. 

Notice that I use apps for stuff that I can recreate (like budget numbers, by calling my bank) or stuff that is routine (like housework) or can be skipped (like blogging, which I only do when I have time and if I feel like it).

NOTE: All of my app choices are simple-to-use apps. I don't have time to bother with anything complicated!

Which apps (not just Microsoft) are your favorites for planning?

Etcetera.