What Planner Do You Use and Why? (Pen & Paper ONLY!

[KeepsItClean]

I'm interested to hear everyone's method of using a planner. A new year is coming up on us quickly and it'd be interesting to hear what awaits you all around the corner.

I am leaning towards using a Leuchtturm 1917 Monthly with Notebook for the new year (although that's just 1 element of my organizational system)

My entire system includes 4 parts:
- Monthly Calendar with Notebook - Keeping the month in perspective
- Daily To Do List - To keep today in focus
- Misc Notes - If I'm brainstorming something or tracking something like going to the gym or saving for something
- Google Calendar (for specific appointments)

 

[Runnin_Ute]

I am a long term (January 1986) user of the FranklinCovey planner system. The paper is pretty good and plays pretty well with fountain pens. I use the 2 page per day version. Left hand page is a Prioritized Daily Task List, a place for appointments etc. On the right is a "Daily Record of Events" for notes etc. I use the "Classic" size. 1/2 letter/A5 type size. They make some styles in wire bound others in ring bound. Ring bound you can buy various types of refill pages. I have every year still since 1986. The up front cost is a bit more as you need to have the binder (7 ring), a master refill including 12 months of pages and supplemental pages and a 3 ring storage binder. But then each year its a refill and a storage binder. (look at franklinplanner.com for all the details)

 

[rickcharles606]

I am a long term (January 1986) user of the FranklinCovey planner system. The paper is pretty good and plays pretty well with fountain pens. I use the 2 page per day version. Left hand page is a Prioritized Daily Task List, a place for appointments etc. On the right is a "Daily Record of Events" for notes etc. I use the "Classic" size. 1/2 letter/A5 type size. They make some styles in wire bound others in ring bound. Ring bound you can buy various types of refill pages. I have every year still since 1986. The up front cost is a bit more as you need to have the binder (7 ring), a master refill including 12 months of pages and supplemental pages and a 3 ring storage binder. But then each year its a refill and a storage binder. (look at franklinplanner.com for all the details)

^^^^THIS^^^^

Only difference is that I've only been using the Franklin-Covey planners since 1990, and I love them and would be lost without it. I find that their system better helps me organize and prioritize my days, weeks, months and even year. I've purchased them for my employees for years and even my family uses them. If you follow the system, you cannot go wrong and they do play well with fountain pens and most inks. I too use the Classic size and have a very nice leather binder/planner. You can go less expensive, but the leather planner I've had for years and it's butter soft now. Good luck

 

[Suntzu]

I have been using the Day Timer system since 1983. I use the 3"x 6" size. Just received my 2017 refill last week. Highly recommend.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

This is what the 2 page per day looks like.

 

[garyg]

Back in the day, I knew people that carried those around. I recall one that is now a Vice President at a Fortune 10. The other I remember is retired and stocking at the supermarket. I used a folio I could carry that my sons bought when they were small, and a 3x5 card for the good stuff. Some folks over-use the planners, forcing a halt in communication whilst they diddle around making notations. Just guessing, but the choice of planner might depend on on the choice of the head cheese(s)

 

[robptaylor]

I know this was specific to a paper based planner but I stopped using a paper based "planner" a long time ago. Too many things change in my day and I need a running list of tasks and paper results in too much erasing.

I would, however, be completely lost without my Moleskine notebook to take notes. I use the standard size, hard back, and ruled. I have tried the Evernote version and found it non-value added. I tried several smartphone based note taking apps but nothing beats plain paper for note taking and these Moleskine notebooks can take a year's worth of beating and still look great.

Moleskine + smartphone = great combination.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

Another Franklin Covey Planner user. Classic size, 2 pages per day.

 

[KW Driver]

I use Bullet Journal

coupled with a Leuchtturm 1917 gridded notebook. it's imminently modifiable to your needs. each day takes up as much space as you need it to, and not a bit more. it also allows you to spend as much space as you need. need a weekly page or two? make them. don't like the symbols given? make your own. this system give you all the flexibility you need, not what a preprinted format allows. I just never liked running out of room in a pre-printed daily, for example. you're captive to the designer's idea of what's appropriate.

I run a couple scratch pages for books, music, or whatever genre I want to remember/look up later, monthly calendar, monthly task page, then dailies. I can task/appointment as deep as I need, grocery list below/beside that, journal the day below that.... on the road, I can list my location on the monthly, and at the top of the daily so I can remember where I was, then what I was doing, or needed to do for the day.

it's easy to run alongside a digital calendar/notes system too, populating a digital quickly, then going to paper. I found that this also reinforced what I needed to do, with another exposure to it.

 

[KeepsItClean]

I use Bullet Journal

coupled with a Leuchtturm 1917 gridded notebook. it's imminently modifiable to your needs. each day takes up as much space as you need it to, and not a bit more. it also allows you to spend as much space as you need. need a weekly page or two? make them. don't like the symbols given? make your own. this system give you all the flexibility you need, not what a preprinted format allows. I just never liked running out of room in a pre-printed daily, for example. you're captive to the designer's idea of what's appropriate.

I run a couple scratch pages for books, music, or whatever genre I want to remember/look up later, monthly calendar, monthly task page, then dailies. I can task/appointment as deep as I need, grocery list below/beside that, journal the day below that.... on the road, I can list my location on the monthly, and at the top of the daily so I can remember where I was, then what I was doing, or needed to do for the day.

it's easy to run alongside a digital calendar/notes system too, populating a digital quickly, then going to paper. I found that this also reinforced what I needed to do, with another exposure to it.

I like the idea of a bullet journal but also appreciate some of the consistency that an 'off the shelf' planner provides. I need to be able to see a month-at-a-glance so I can see the time left in the month to accomplish any goals I have.

I like having a daily "to-do" list that I can reference throughout the day.

Habit tracking is important to me for exercise, hobbies, reading, etc.

Encompassing a journal/diary, note taking portion for things like brainstorming that I might want to reference later is important to me too.

Lastly, an online calendar (gcal or outlook) is great to coordinate with others, although it does need to be transposed into my daily "to do list"

After rereading this, I guess I'm a bit high maintenance!

 

[KeepsItClean]

View attachment 687450
This is what the 2 page per day looks like.

That looks really good overall. I worry that the rings in the middle get in the way of writing.

 

[Toothpick]

I use the "quick forms" from my printer to print monthly calendar pages. I printed the whole year and stapled them. They just sit on my desk and I use it to track bills and out of town trips mostly.

I don't really need anything to take with me because....I really don't have anything going on that requires appointments. But I do like that Bullet system.

 

[KW Driver]

I like the idea of a bullet journal but also appreciate some of the consistency that an 'off the shelf' planner provides. I need to be able to see a month-at-a-glance so I can see the time left in the month to accomplish any goals I have.

I like having a daily "to-do" list that I can reference throughout the day.

Habit tracking is important to me for exercise, hobbies, reading, etc.

Encompassing a journal/diary, note taking portion for things like brainstorming that I might want to reference later is important to me too.

Lastly, an online calendar (gcal or outlook) is great to coordinate with others, although it does need to be transposed into my daily "to do list"

After rereading this, I guess I'm a bit high maintenance!

you can do all of that with the bullet... that's the beauty of it. build it how you want it. the hardcover Leuchtturm 1917 has two ribbon bookmarks sewn in that can let you bounce between two pages quickly.

but do what works for you, YMMV…

 

[Runnin_Ute]

I keep last month, this month, next month at any given time in it. Maybe it's me, but I have not had that issue. And maybe keeping 3 months helps with that.

 

[jovan]

My brother uses a Rhodia A4 planner. Has the week on left side and plain paper on right. Nice small size. The other one he was looking at was from Japan, uses Tomoe River paper I think. Similar set up but it is a different paper than Rhodia. The 2017 are on sale now for both. Another brand is Moleskin but I think pricey unless you get on their email list, they send discounts on regular basis.

 

[Hirsute]

I made a printable template based on the "uncalendar". I can print them on paper as nice or cheap as I want, then I punch the sheets and put them in a Levenger-style ring binder.

This is an image of the basic format from the web. Mine is done in greyscale (like Uncalendar used to be 20 years ago when I first started using it) but you get the general idea. I love the flexibility of it. Happy to share my printable form of its of any interest--just PM me your address.

 

[RSC]

I've been using the DayMinder SK53 (3" x 6", month at a glance) for many years. That and a 5" x 7" spiral notebook for daily notes.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

I bought a Leuchtturm1917 medium weekly planner to use for 2017. For about the past 10 years I've been either using my phone, or random bulleted notes in daily carry notebooks that I've had throughout the years. I figured I'd give the Leuchtturm1917 planner a shot because the paper that's in it works well with most of my pens and inks, the size and feel of the notebook is right for me, it seems durable, the blank notebook pages spaced out throughout the book, the holiday and events calendar, etc. I've heard quite a few people recommend it, so I guess I'll just have to see how comfortable I get with the layout come 2017.

As far as pens go, for the most part I just use whatever I feel like at the time. If I'm in a setting where I know I'll need my pens I usually carry a decent fine tip pen with some dark ink in it, a cheap throw around pen with a lot of ink in it, and a fun pen with bright or bold ink and an italic or flex nib. I'll switch it up, but usually it's one for business, one for utility, and one for fun.

 

[Toothpick]

I gotta get out of here, ya'll got me spending $$$

I just ordered the Gallery Leather 2017 Desk Monthly Planner/Notebook
http://www.galleryleather.com/planners/desk-monthly-planner-notebook

As I posted above, I just use a printed monthly sheet that stays on my desk. I also have about 3 post it notes and other various sizes of paper on my desk that I have notes and "to do" lists written on.

I think this desk planner will allow me to consolidate everything in one nice notebook.

Each two page month at a glance is followed by 4 full notebook pages

So my plan is to get rid of all the Post It notes and other papers containing my lists and instead put them all in the planner. So I'll have my month at a glance followed by the monthly "to do" lists and notes.

Plus it matches the Desk Journal I got from them last Sunday.

 

[carne]

View attachment 687450
This is what the 2 page per day looks like.

I used this same system for 2 years, great set up. For the last 2 years, I have been using a Moleskine planner; the blank pages allowed me to stretch it out adding multiple days to one page when I didn't have a lot of notes. However, I am now looking at going to just a notebook that is plain lined, graph or dots (interested in the dots).