“We all die. The goal isn’t to live forever, the goal is to create something that will.” ― Diary
Capturing all the mundane details seems like the opposite of something great and exciting. However, many accomplished people have kept diaries or logs. Why? They force you to focus on your goals. Diaries, planners, or logs give you reason to= pause. It is an act of planning that causes reflection. You ask yourself, “…is this how I spend my time?”
Doing this on a daily basis ensures that you spend your time deliberately. This is why I love my bullet journal.
Organize Your Life with a Daily Planner
Although I track other things, I keep my life organized with a daily planner. Below are some of the main things that I track.
1. Appointments
I keep track of appointments on both a weekly and monthly basis. I have a terrible memory so it helps me remember upcoming events. Usually, I sit down and check all of the different places where I get notifications like email, Facebook, work’s task management system, and my text messages.
Then, I write them all in my journal. This analog plan makes me contemplate whether I can actually attend each event. It’s easy for all the different activities to just pop into digital calendars and conflict. When I write it in my daily plans, it makes me think about the pace of each day.
2.Tasks
I mark tasks into each of my days, usually in the evening. If I don’t get something done, I either cancel or move it to the next day. It’s a good way to make sure nothing gets missed.
Additionally, I usually leave space for weekly and monthly tasks. Often, large projects are ongoing and I want to set smaller deadlines on the days with a large deadline at a later date. Putting them in writing helps me think through everything I’ll need to get it done.
3.Reminders
I usually have sections for reminders that fall into neither task nor appointment groups. It may be as simple as an inspirational quote, drinking water, or someone I need to talk to.
Whatever the reason, I find that a lot of other people who use planners do the same. We all have little catchall spaces for things we can’t forget.
How do you organize your life?
Let me know how you organize your life. Does it start with making lists? Perhaps you have a post-it note system or task manager that you like to use. Let me know about it in the comments or join the conversation when you follow me on Instagram.