I’ve written before about HOW I use my planner, but thought today that I would talk about WHY I use a planner and how it helps me feel in control (well just a little bit anyway!) of our everyday life. Hopefully this post also helps you make a decision about if using a planner is right for you and if it does, you can enter my competition to win one of two Leanne Baker Daily Planners that I’m giving away – see the bottom of this post for all the details.
I’ve been using diaries and planners for as long as I can remember and while I’m all for using technology to help make my life easier, when it comes to planning, I really don’t think you can go wrong with a ‘real life’ paper planner.
Now I know how I use my planner isn’t for everyone, however for me, having things set out in my planner helps me to feel more organised and in control of life, and reduces a lot unwanted anxiety and stress. Over the years I’ve used a few different types of diaries and planners (usually a weekly view) however since switching to a daily view this year, there is no turning back. My daily view planner gives me the extra space I need to not only keep track of appointments, deadlines and ALL of my boys social activities (of which there is a LOT of!) but it also allows me to plan and space out jobs I need to do around the house, errands to be run ad goals and targets that I personally want to achieve. Some of the other reasons why I use a planner include:
Keeping on top of housework
Yes it’s not very glamorous, but keeping a schedule of jobs around the house that I need to do and tentatively popping them down on different days to do them (because let’s face it ‘life’ often happens and things change) helps take away some of the overwhelm I used to feel about trying to keep on top of cleaning around our house.
Time for me
The idea of ‘scheduling’ some time for myself into my day came along when I started using my Leanne Baker Daily Planner and following her Facebook group at the beginning of this year. It’s so easy to forget to do things throughout the day that make you happy and feed your soul and having a daily reminder to do something for myself, even if it’s just washing my hair or reading a chapter from my book has had a positive impact on my life.
Goal Setting
I use the notes pages within my planner to write down and then keep track of goals that I set for myself and that our family sets for ourselves throughout the year. Having these goals written down (with an anticipated timeframe for completion) helps to give us the drive to complete them – and there is also that sense of satisfaction ticking them off.
Meal Ideas
My current planner includes a weekly meal planner that I sit down each weekend and fill out. When I find myself stuck for ideas, I now flick back through previous meal plans to get some meal and snack inspiration – and if I’m still stuck, I check out this post of 50 family friendly dinner ideas that I put together 😉
If you are looking for a daily planner to help you get your life organised, I’ve got TWO Leanne Baker Daily Planners (Flourish and Celebrate designs – which you can view here) to give away. For your chance to win a Planner, please leave a comment below telling me why you need one of these gorgeous planners in your life.
This competition has now closed – congratulations to Kelly and Nic who have won a planner.
Also congratulations to Tania, Rachel, Tamara, Lesley and Kirraleigh who have also won a LBD Notepad.
Thank you to EVERYONE for your response, I’ve been blown away by the comments and just wish I had purchased a few more planners to giveaway – next year I’ll buy a few more!!
Also if you are looking for a fun (and delicious!) 2018 calendar filled with 12 Thermomix recipes and a handy conversion chart – make sure you grab your copy of our ThermoBliss calendar before they sell out!
Terms and Conditions:
- Entries close on Wednesday 15th November at 6pm AEST.
- The two winners will be announced on Friday 17th of November 2017 via Facebook and through email.
- Planners will be sent via tracked Australia Post.
- A valid email address is required with all entries.
- Competition open to Australian residents only
- This is a game of skill, the judges decision is final and no correspondence/communication regarding the result will be entered into.
- This is not a sponsored post, I just really love these planners!
Nitisha Khatri
The planners are well designed and look gorgeous. Being a mum of 2 little sprinters, this would really . ABSOLUTELY help me improve my time management and distress. more importantly , helps me stay organised.
TeenaL
My daughter used a planner for the first time this year and it really helped her get her stuff together both on a personal level for sports and after school jobs, school and to keep on track of her chores at home she has to do. This is particularly beautiful so I know she would love it 🙂
Andrea Leonard
Hi yes pretty please would love one for a friend of mine ❤️❤️
Kirraleigh Johnson
Im a mumma of 4 beautiful children, a wife to one amazing husband and help hubby run our 2 businesses – so life is crazy hectic around here and a planner would really help me keep on top of everything so things arnt forgotten in my crazy head full of ‘stuff’ that needs to be done and remembered 🙂
Laura Scriven
Got married this year,
And having a baby – what cheer!
But there is so much to get through,
And I always forget something I have to do!
Tania C
Hi Lauren
I’ve gotten carried away with digital organisation and between managing an online calendar, Trello boards, a Tick Tick to do list, Evernote, and multiple school and sports apps as well as an assortment of paper notebooks, I don’t know whether I’m coming or going! I think I need to regroup and simplify by going back to a paper planner where everything is in front of me in one place. I tend to work better when writing things down and crossing items off my list(s), and when that resource is pretty, I’m even more inspired to use it!