If you’ve had a conversation with me, even if it’s just for five minutes, you probably already know how OCD I am. I crave organization and order, often to a fault. Because of this need to have everything together, I have developed an obsession with planners and planning. I have tried practically every kind of planner out there, watched more hours of planning videos on YouTube than I care to admit. I’m not saying I’m a planner expert by any means, but I know at least enough to give you a little advice.

1. Find what works for you functionally. No matter how cute the planner is, if it does not offer what works for you, do not buy it (I’ve said this to myself at least a few times in the Office Aisle at Target). There are so many different types; one of them is bound to work for you. My personal favorite is the planner with the week on two pages. This offers more room for writing in daily tasks than just a monthly planner, but not too much space from a day on one page planner.
2. Find something you actually want to look at. If it is not cute, I probably will not carry it with me. Plain and simple. If you are the same way, find something you think it cute, but do not sacrifice functionality for cute. If you find something that is plain, but functionally works for you, make it cute. A simple search on YouTube for “Plan With Me” videos will yield thousands of possibilities. I put stickers all over my planner. If it is something I want to look at, I will actually keep it open and use it everyday.
3. Decide what you want to use the planner for. Is it for school, work, personal activities,or all of them above? Once you’ve decided, keep track. It takes 21 days to create a habit, so stick with it.
4. Plan the week ahead. I spend every Sunday afternoon looking at the week ahead to plan out all the tasks I need to get done and place them on days that work best. I make a grocery list in my planner on the day I want to go shopping. If everything is in one place, that is when I function best.
5. Create tasks lists daily. Even if it is something you do everyday, or every week, writing it down and being able to cross it off makes you more likely to put not-so-routine tasks in your planner and actually do them on time.
   

One of the best reasons I can give for time management is being a person of integrity. When I say I am going to do something, and I do not, I look like someone who is flaky and unreliable. Even if that is not true in the slightest, I can come across that way to my employer, my friends, other people I meet.

And, for all the curious, I use a traveler’s notebook to plan in. Traveler’s notebooks have the capability of housing my journals, my work notes, AND my planner. This works best for me and my brain – a one-stop-shop for all my daily writing needs.

What works best for you? Share your planner pictures and stories in the comments below. I would love to see what you are doing. If you want to see pictures of my planner, I’ll be posting a picture everyday this week on my Instagram, @jhook37.