Organization. It either creates peace or panic depending on an individual’s skill set and temperament. After all, some people enjoy chaos and some of us enjoy managed chaos. I’ve tried formal planners, and I’ve tried the BuJo trend. Neither work for me. The planners don’t have enough room to capture everything I need and the Bullet Journal is just too complex to be helpful. Really. Even with a symbol key I get a grand case of dyslexic confusion. Enter free form Daily Planning Journaling!
This is not my “own” thing. I know other people who keep a similar type of organizational journal. This is just my personal take on it. Hopefully, by sharing how I set up my daily planning journal it will inspire you to create, and USE, your own!
Here is my old planner. As you can see, I was adding in sticky notes just to have enough room to write down EVERYTHING.
As you can see in the photos of my new hybrid planner I have different lay out styles. They all have the same info. But since my days are never the same, the amount of area I need for each block of information varies.
This allows me to set up my journal every few days in a layout that will work for what is on my current docket. This means setting aside a few minutes of planning time every evening to actually know what’s on my plate over the next few days. I keep track of major events on the month plage.
Next to the date I put a sticker for the predicted weather. I keep track of my food intake, coffee, turmeric tea, and elderberry syrup consumption. There is a place for my top three priorities, a general schedule, what I have on the docket for the next day, notes, fitness and water tracker/reminder, and a little blurb on what I’m writing. On the last page of the month I keep my goal tracker, moments that I’m proud of, books I’ve read, and what I’d like to improve the next month. IT’s my only “fancy” page. The single strip of tape marks the end of that month and the beginning of the next.
It’s fluid. It’s easy. Here’s the kicker. You have to ACTUALLY USE IT for it to be helpful. If you can implement a planner that actually keeps you organized and on track your life will be so much easier. Otherwise, it’s just another point of stress. It doesn’t have to be fancy or complex. It just has to work for YOU.
By the way – I get all my regular daily planner supplies at the local Walmart. I’m a huge fan of Pen & Gear. My stencil set was $2.88 and the actual journal was $4.84 before tax.
Be Well and In Peace (with your planner),
Moriah
Kind Fibers 