The Perfect Planning System?

I confess, I'm a fan of all things pens, pencils, fountain pens and paper. I don't think I've walked past a notebook that hasn't called my name and begged me to take it home in years (just ask my wife). I've tried every analog and digital planner system. Come to think of it, I try every technology I possibly can. With all of this, you might think I would be incredibly organized, or - more realistically, perhaps - you would hope I would be incredibly organized. Truth is, as so many people do, I find myself jumping from notebook to notebook and system to system trying to find the perfect way to simplify my planning and my life only to add more piles of notebooks and half-written thoughts in multiple locations.

I've been inspired by, and envied, so many of the great creators in Bullet Journal and Planner communities. But then I find myself discouraged when I can't even draw a straight line with a ruler, let alone multiple pieces of art to inspire me throughout the month. So, when the Retro Design Team talked about doing a BuJo post for September and asked if anybody wanted to write a blog to accompany it, I may have broken out in a cold sweat. I decided I should take this opportunity to give it another shot and see what cool things I might be able to do with my own planning journey. Then I thought about it some more and realized maybe I didn't need to do something really cool. There are amazing designers at Retro who can already do just that (thanks for the BuJo calendar post, Liz!). Maybe what would be better for me to do is to give some other ideas of what we can all do to make our planners more effective and simplify our lives. 

First off, I spent years working with students to develop productivity systems that worked for them, and I found that the simplest solution is often the one that's right in front of us. Do what works for you. If you find that jotting down notes on a 3x5 card to plan your day works for you, then that's an ideal system. If you find that drawing elaborate creations gets your creative juices flowing and helps you hone in on what you want to accomplish, then that's a perfect system. If you find that your digital calendar with reminders get you where you need to go, then that's the perfect system for you. Get it? We don't need to overcomplicate it. The thing that we will do consistently is the best system for us. Even when that does mean changing up that system from time to time. I suppose the message here is: Go with the flow. 

Second, there's nothing wrong with mixing systems. Go ahead and jot a note down on the back of your hand (that's for you, Richard) and then add that note to your phone or computer's calendar later. Put a reminder in your digital calendar to spend some time each day being creative with pen and paper. Have a note on your desk that says take a moment to breathe. Keep a charm or token that reminds you to go for a walk and take some time to think. All of these things help you plan for and have a better day.

Third, there really is no perfect way to plan your day. Maybe you're someone who likes to schedule every moment with a time blocking method. Or maybe you like a simple checklist. Perhaps, you use your journal to reset and refocus on your goals as we head towards the end of the year. You could use your planner as a habit tracker or for daily reflections. Meal prep and planning is a great thing to do in your planner. There are never-ending options and so many great resources to dig into for ideas about how to make your planning work best, but I think we'll save detailed methods for another blog post.

Finally, what has become most clear to me as I've reflected on all of this is I don't need to be intimidated by the beautiful creations that other people build into their planning. I can be inspired, jot down my to-do list for the day, think about the week ahead, and do a little Doodle that makes me feel good. That's when planning is at its best. When it keeps you on track and makes you feel good to embrace the present day and the week, months, and years ahead. How we plan and what we plan in (or on) is up to each of us and doesn't need to be daunting. Instead, allow it to be simple, joyful, and fun.

About the Author: Adam F. is Co-Owner and Chief Marketing Officer of Retro51. In addition to loving all things stationery, Adam has spent much of his career working with, and educating storytellers and loves that he gets to continue that work with the amazing storytellers at R51.

——
If you are interested in sharing on a blog post for Retro51.com, we are looking for creators. Whether you write, sketch, doodle or even just fill out crossword puzzles with your Retros, we want to see and/or read about it. Contact: media@retro51.com; provide a short synopsis of your writing or a photo. We look forward to hearing from you!