keeping my life together…

One of my absolute must-haves for school (and life in general) is a good planner.  I love being busy but if it wasn’t for my 3 calendars (yes, I have 3), I would forget to finish tasks, double-book myself, or forget to show up to something important.  If you’re in the same boat as me, keep reading to find out how I use my planner (and calendars) to keep my life as organized – while still being flexible – as possible! (:

what planners/calendars do I use? 

I mentioned that I use 3 calendars, which I know seems excessive (it probably is), but they each have specific uses… here’s what they are!

• Google Calendar

I use this calendar as an app on my phone, and I highly suggest using if you like getting notifications about when things are scheduled.  Plus, you can not only add events but also tasks and goals – and it’s color code-able!  I use Google Calendar to remind myself of random tasks I need to get done, schedule in my work shifts and other important events to remember.  I do not include my classes or homework assignment due dates on here, as it gets really crowded and looks messy (which just stresses me out).  I also like this calendar because I can view the whole month but also click on a specific day and see all of that day’s events and then scroll to see the next few days.

• White Board Calendar

I also have a white board calendar hung up on our bedroom wall, and Nick and I try to put both of our important events on there.  Mostly, it’s for writing when we’re working but we’ll add other things, such as his cross country races or our family and friends’ birthdays.  This is helpful because we see it all the time – it’s right next to our closet – so it’s easy to access and seeing it so often helps me remember what’s going on in our lives.  This one is also nice to have because it’s monthly, so I know what’s going on the whole month.

• Passion Planner

This last calendar of mine is where things get a little crazy. (; It’s my Passion Planner… which is my FAVORITE!  I got a 2020 version in a senior year goodie bag and used it during my first semester at college.  It’s been perfect for me!  You can customize them when you order one, so I prefer the weekly hourly layout, but I there are other options too (such as a monthly layout or non-hourly).  For me, the weekly hourly layout works best because I can fill in what time my classes are at, when I work, and then schedule other things into my free time.  It’s also customizable in the fact that you can choose if you want a dated or undated planner, which is awesome if you’re not someone who uses a planner every single day of the year.  I also love this planner because there’s a little box where you can write your intention for the day, as well as a space for your intention of the week.  There’s also a box for you to write down good things that happened, so you can fill that in as the week goes on – great way to practice gratitude every day!  And, of course, there are 2 to-do list sections: one for personal chores and another for work-related items.  I love using the “work to-do’s” to write down all my school tasks and assignments that are due that week – doing this has saved me many times in multiple classes.  There are so many other great things about this planner – goal-setting exercises, lots of extra space to jot down whatever you need, the price, and the look of it. (:

If you couldn’t tell, I love using lots of planners and calendars to schedule the most important things in my life and keep me organized.  I’ve found what works for me right now, but that is probably different from what works for you.  The most important thing to keep in mind when planning is that it should work for YOU, not necessarily anyone else.  If the things I just mentioned sound like they would work and you want to try them, go ahead!  But don’t worry if you need to tweak something here and there; just make it work for you and your life. (: