The first three sections of my binder are Daily Do's, Weekly Plans, and Monthly Plans. To make a template for each of these sections, I used Microsoft Publisher.
First, can I just say? Publisher ROCKS! I'd never used it before starting my new job... here I've been trying to format Word pages and getting frustrated at figuring out layouts and stuff... ugh. Publisher works so much better. And I'm totally and completely behind in the world of technology, I realize. My middle school computer teacher would be ashamed.
Anyway. Here are a couple of examples of my pages. Again, heed my tips for making a planning binder work- Make it Yours, Make it Flexible, Make it Routine. My template probably won't work for you. That's cool. Make it Yours! Your first template will probably need to be adjusted to fit your needs, your life, and your schedule better, and that's okay. Make it Flexible, and Make it Routine!
Daily Do's Pages:
Half page (landscape), double sided.
Here's the gist of these pages. The top allows me to write in the day and date. That way, if I don't use my planner for a day (like a Sunday, or if I know that an entire day will be dedicated to one event), I don't feel guilty about wasting a page.
I have two columns on these pages.
The left column first has my "Daily Docket" or a schedule for the day that I can fill in if I need to remember a specific time for something (like, 8:30 Staff Meeting! or 6:15 Dinner with the Joneses!).
Next I have my meal prep section entitled "What's Cookin', Good Lookin'?" where I can write in any meals I'm making, notes, and anything I need to prep.
Next is a section for my FAM Notes. I have a horrible memory, so writing down my exact observations as they occur really helps me. I have a spot for my cycle day, my basal body temperature, and spots to write in my CF observations at different points in the day (waking, 9 am, noon, 4 pm, and evening).
At the bottom I leave a space for tracking my goals. I get to cross of a circle any time I meet my goal for the day. My goals include excercise, not biting my nails, taking my vitamins, and reading a chapter in the Bible (with a place to keep track of what chapter I read).
The right column has "Morning Do's" at the top of the page, with three circles for me to cross out as I get things done. I like having household tasks in the morning- it makes me feel like I've accomplished things before work!
Next is my "Work Day Do's" section, which is just like the one above it. At night, as I look ahead to the next day, I sometimes suddenly remember something I should have done at work- an e-mail I needed to answer, a payment I should have processed... so I write it down for the next day, so I won't have a sleepless night of trying not to forget something!
After that is my "Evening Do's" section.... which is pretty self-explanatory, given the above two.
My "Prayer Requests" section and "Notes" section close out this column. Again, my bad memory means I often forget, by the end of the day, that someone has asked for prayers. Also, the staff at the Bible Camp where we work have a prayer time every morning, so anytime I think of something, I like to write it down! "Notes" is really just a catch-all... I've used it for phone messages, things I needed to ask HH about, account numbers so I could cancel my phone plan... you name it.
Weekly Plans Pages:
Half page (landscape), double sided- one side has a "Week at a Glace" template, the other side has a "Weekly Household Chores" template.
On the back side of these pages (so the left side of the picture), I have a list of household chores that should get accomplished every week or so. As I get these done, I cross them off here. It helps me to have a detailed list of things I need to get done, without having a strict schedule. That way, I can tackle smaller tasks on busy days, without feeling like I'm failing because Monday is laundry day and I just didn't get a chance to do the laundry.
On the front side of the pages I have a "week at a glance" where I can write down menu planning, events, and reminders.
Monthly Plans Pages:
Half page (landscape), single side. These were super easy to make- just make a chart and then you can fill in the dates and months as you go.
I like having these calendar-type pages for looking farther forward. I can make small notes about events on this page, and I also keep track of my cycle on this page (marking ovulation and menstruation with little symbols).
So there you have it! Three of my most-used pages in my planning binder! What tools do you use to keep your life organized and running smoothly?
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