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Now we'll tackle the subject of visual systems, the calendars that are (hopefully) out where you can see them. They don't have alarms, but many people find a paper calendar necessary, even if they already have a PDA.
Paper-based organizers/planners can be a great tool in getting organized. Unfortunately, if you are like us you have memories (or piles) of various datebooks that didn't work out. All too often for people with ADD, the tool stops working when the novelty wears off.
Do you want the week to start with Monday or Sunday? We have found that having a Monday start gives you a little more room to plan weekend activities on the planner, since the space for Saturday and Sunday can be used as one "weekend" planning space.
However, a Sunday start lets you look at the week ahead before it is actually happening, which can be a plus.
Is the paper appealing to you? Sometimes - well, almost always, it's better to spring for the most appealing paper inserts you can find. Boring white paper is, well, boring. If you can find something that is colorful, it's more likely to hold your attention while you are trying to build the habit of using your planner on a daily basis. Don't rule out stu dent planners, which are for the "academic year" but are more likely to be colorful.
Is the exterior of the planner going to hold your interest? Novelty can make or break the system. Your planner should be visually appealing, on the inside and outside, to increase your chance of using the system for a long while.
Wall calendars: A new variation of the wall calendar is the magnetic weekly calendar, like the Week Over Week Calendar Magnet by Boone. Each week is on its own magnetic strip, and the dry erase pen is magnetic too - a little harder to lose that way. It can be used to plan the entire month. When the week is over, move that section to the bottom and start over. Or, it can be used as a family calendar - each person gets their own section, so you can keep track of one another. At work, you can keep track of coworkers’ schedules (on their own magnetic strip) if you have to coordinate efforts on a project.
Advantages of the Week Over Week Calendar:
Never have the experience of turning the page, only to find that you have forgotten about a deadline that’s coming up, uh, tomorrow! Always having four weeks in view helps prevent this from happening.
Helps you maintain the habit of a weekly planning session because of the need to move the sections each week. It creates an "event" that marks the end/beginning of each week.
Easily visible - good for those that need a visual reminder that time is passing.
See the Week Over Week Calendar in action:
If you are going to try one of these planners, keep these questions in mind as you shop:
If you have found a way to keep track of your planner, we’d like to hear from you! It’s not easy to keep track of something small like that when sometimes we can’t even find our car.
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