My life revolves around To Do Lists. For home, for work, for the kids, for the PTA – you name it. It’s largely because 3 pregnancies have left my short-term memory non-existent. I’m not even exaggerating! I have to write everything down or it’s not getting done. A doggone shame. My cousin’s girlfriend tried to get me on Lumosity to strengthen my short-term memory skills but, ahem, I never remember to logon.
While I am in love with all things digital, I tend to do better when my tasks are hand-written. Maybe it’s the act of actually writing them out that helps them stick, but I’ve been toting around a notebook with lists and notes for as long as I can remember. My BFF and college roommate can attest to my love for agendas and the like when she thought it would be hilarious to play a prank on me during college and hide my agenda from me. Bad idea.
For the past year or so I’ve been relying on Google Calendar for my appointments and such, and I love that I can set reminders in there that pop up on my phone, iPad, email, and what have you but I’ve been missing the good old paper calendar where I can quickly jot down fleeting thoughts and see everything at-a-glance.
Which is why I am delighted to go back to my agenda roots with the MomAgenda Home Office Edition Day Planner! It’s perfect for me: hardcover (to protect against wear and tear, toting to and fro, and most importantly – KIDS); lots of space to write (I’m a print-er and still write in bubbly highschool letters); an includes dedicated space for my work week items, my kids’ schedules AND dinner menus.
There are also 3 unlabeled spaces for each day and I use those for my different projects: (1) my blog; (2) Blogalicious tasks; and (3) Justice Fergie Lifestyle Media projects.
And I’m giving one away! Thanks to Nina and lovely MomAgenda team, you can enter to win one of your own MomAgenda Home Office Edition Day Planners. Just leave me a comment telling me why paper agendas rock your world.
Next up = a white board.
So simple, yes? But for some reason I haven’t had one in my home office all year. I desperately need some sort of mechanism – short of an actual Project Manager – to allow me to keep track of all of the dozens of projects I have going on at any given time. I’m hoping it will be helpful for me to see everything in one place that I’m able to modify and cross off as I go along. I’ll report back on whether this strategy is working in a few weeks.
Finally, I have a trusty spiral notebook that will be my 2013 Notebook. I think I fell into this strategy while working at the law firm. I devoted one legal sized notepad to each matter I worked on so that I could keep my notes organized. Having everything related to a project in one place worked well for me then, and that translated to my own businesses. It also helps to cut down on random notes jotted on random pieces of paper that end up all over the house, car, bottom of my purse, etc.
And these are my ‘To Do’ toolbox mainstays for the year. What do you think? Do I stand a chance? Next up: organizing my home office…
A grateful ‘thank you’ to MomAgenda for gifting me with my Home Office Edition Day Planner!
Updated:
Congratulations to Commenter #5 – Krystal Grant! She’s been selected as the winner of the MomAgenda Home Office Edition Day Planner. {see the Random.org number generator here:}
Oh I LOVE paper agendas…although not a mommy yet, my Auntie, Godmommy and everywoman duties keep me super busy and having one place to keep everything together would be heavenly
I have a thing for agendas…I really love planners and any type of organizers.
Paper agendas rock my world because I do so much online that sometimes I don’t focus or process my priorities as well. But if I write it down? It’s clear, it’s complete, and because I tend to doodle when I’m thinking things through…it’s fun to look at later.
I think, like you, that the act of writing things down helps me to remember them. I take notes at meetings, church you name it. My kids ask why I always take notes and I tell them I wouldn’t have a clue what anyone said if I didn’t! So, writing down appointments and to do’s just makes sense.
I’m like you. I HAVE to write everything down if want to remember to get it done. But instead of using an agenda, I use receipts. Yes, I keep every receipt for every single purchase I make. My purse is a mess!
When I get an inspiring thought, or try to write down a “to do” item, I use the first thing I grab from my purse…and that is one of my many receipts. It’s pitiful.
Needless to say, I don’t get many things crossed off my to do list because I can never find where I wrote it down!
I love paper planners, especially ones that give me a way to see my monthly/weekly plans at a glance. I do use Google Calendar but nothing beats paper when it comes to my editorial calendar.
I love paper planners! I need all the help I can get! My family makes fun of me for calendars in every room, but we’re keeping track of EVERYTHING! By any means necessary.
Having Twins, a 15 y/o and a Husband is such a demand. Between appointments,sports,church,dinner,excercise and occasional R&R ie..pedi and mani…lol if I dont write it down on something its going to be forgotten. We as Women are designed to be Super Moms and Super Wives but we need help to do it All! Yes, Our short term memory Sucks…what did I just say?…Lol. I love what you are doing. Many forget about the ease of planning and remembering by going old school and putting the pen to paper. As you know(Im sure) when we write things down its like a contract we have to abide by so we dont procrastinate. No More Procrastination! I too just cleaned my pocketbook out of random stickies and pieces of paper. Im still using my 2012 agenda but my stickies are dated for this year…smh. Continual Blessings Justice Fergie. We Rule!
Just the other day I left my iPod at home because it needed to charge. I was on my way to my next appt and realized I didn’t have the complete address…it was in my iPod calendar. It is time to go back to pen and paper, no need to be charged, lol
Writing to-do lists is orgasmic for me. (Am I allowed to say that here??)
I will give you a pass {as usual} Jonez! lol And I’ve been a first-hand witness to your to-do list obsession…lucky me!! xo
I’m a lister, too. But not organized in my lists–so there are bits are scrap paper all around. LOL
With three teenagers in several sports, one who sees the doctor once a month, along with my schedule it’s an absolute must to keep a schedule/agenda. I’m also a lover of paper, notebooks and pads… I generally keep a digital calander, and a paper one. I know it sounds crazy… but it works.