Recording and planning daily

Recording

Best Bit Book - here I record the 'best bit' of each day in a single phrase, on a single line. My note book should last from 2016 until 2021 and I'm in the second year of recording. It takes no time at all to jot down my 'best bit' and it's fun looking back at last year's entries.

Bullet journal - this is by the side of my bed to capture flitting thoughts during wakeful hours. I also have other 'in boxes' in bags, the kitchen and my office. All bits of information are sorted and acted upon - to dos in my every day Filofax on the master list or scheduled, thoughts put into a projects list and immediate tasks acted upon.

Notable occurrences are written on my monthly pages. I have a 2 page spread with the dates noted down one side. On the first page are meetings, birthdays, anniversaries etc and on the second page are dated journal type entries. These monthly pages are the only pages that I will archive so I like a few memories on them. 

Planning

The every day Filofax is my most important tool for planning and I also use my online calendar for alerts on my watch. My 'computer game' Filofax contains my next steps for each game I play and my Christmas Filofax contains planning for Christmas (of course!). I have an Ebay Filofax which houses information of things sold and notes for future items to sell. 

Each day I will - 

1. Fill in my 'best bit'.

2. Record a journal entry or just look at upcoming dates.

3. Enter information in my gaming planner.

4. Enter information and next steps in my every day planner from my 'inboxes'.

Happy Planning

Time to leave home

I've only used my Pennybridge as a wallet up to now as I didn't want to run the risk of losing one of my Maldens but I decided that this little lad is ready for the big world outside and as well as being my Bullet Journal Thought Capturing Brain Dump he's now my wallet come mobile holder. My Pennybridge and 'phone case are now resting. This is my Pocket Malden and the dingle dangle I chose for this is a trolley coin for use when I shop at the supermarket.

I'm on a roll with the Autumn theme and this is a plastic pocket with a cutting from a magazine inside.

Opposite my flyleaf I keep coins in the zip pocket and my card in the slip pocket. It doesn't seem as secure as in a dedicated card slot so I may transfer it into a plastic pocket.

My ICE information is in the next plastic holder,

followed by my year at a glance.

Inside is my Bullet Journal Thought Capturing Brain Dump plus some handy bits of note paper for shopping lists or notes.

The back pocket holds my mobile 'phone and in the other pocket is a bus timetable.

My bus pass fits in one of the front pockets and other relevant bus times are slotted in behind.

I really must crochet a suitably autumnal coloured ring protector. This purple one came out of my mini and is not quite the right size.

Happy Planning

My Filofax Collection

My planner collection is growing and I need to make sure that I am getting optimum use out of all my Filofaxes. I love collecting the different styles and colours and for variety I swap and change around with their contents as my planning and organising evolves. No one system stays the same for long as I find my way to planning efficiency. Life changes and so plans change - using my Filofaxes keeps my ideas fresh and more creative. 

Here is a list of all my planners and their current uses. There is only one that lies empty at the moment and that is because I need to match its colour with its use - the fluro-pink is so bright and cheerful and is crying out for fun and frivolity to be stored inside. Perhaps it could be a party planner - but we don't have parties here. Maybe it could be a fashion planner but I'm afraid I'm not into fashion, just wearing what I want to wear and not what fashion houses dictate. A Bucket list planner could be a good idea mapping out plans to put my wish lists into action - but I don't have a bucket list as I am content with what I have. I'll just have to keep thinking. Meanwhile here is my list as it stands at the moment.

1. Red Piazza personal

Christmas planner

2. Lime Piazza personal

Monthly, weekly insert storage from 2016

3. Black Finsbury A4

Home binder

4. Fuchsia Original A5

Ebay binder

5. Lilac Piazza personal

Monthly insert storage from 2015

6. Red Pennybridge pocket

Wallet and shopping planner

7. Ochre Malden personal

Daily diary

8. Dark Aqua Original A5

Hobbies binder

9. Ochre Malden pocket

Bullet Journal / Brain Dump

10. Ochre Malden mini

Weight loss recorder

11. Lavender Original A5

Recipe binder

12. Fluro-pink Original A5

Just there to be admired at the moment :)

13. Pear Original personal

2017 Diary for forward planning

14. Blue Active personal

Travel and Holiday planner, journal and diary

15. Burgundy Classic Cross personal

Paper storage

My main 'families' are the Maldens and the Originals. The Maldens to me are the workhorses that take handling in their stride, are comforting to touch and satisfying to use. The Originals are exciting and colourful and they to me are the eye candy of my planning empire being so simply stylish.

Happy Planning

PS I may use my Fluro-pink as a project planner. Now that could be exciting and fun!

Bullet Journal and Filofax

I use my pocket Malden as a Brain Dump and it is set out in Bullet Journal style. It captures thoughts, reflections, don't forgets and ideas, all of which transfer to my different Filofaxes. As soon as an entry is done, scheduled or forwarded then it is crossed off. Once I have finished writing a 2 page spread I move any un-ticked entries on to the next page. (This helps me to increase my productivity and I'd like to finish most of the tasks before I turn over and then I won't have to repeat an entry.)

When all entries are completed the whole page is crossed out.

I don't need an Index page in my Bullet Journal as I don't need to reference any particular page regularly except the current one and that page I mark with a sticky tab. When I finish all the pages in the planner I shall compost all the pages that are crossed out and deal with any Topic or Collection pages that are left.

Happy Planning

PS I've just looked through my BJ and found some Topic pages I've not crossed. One is of my veggie garden layout and I shall be transferring this information to my new (to me) Filofax which should be arriving soon. Yippee!

Another is the Shipping Forecast areas - Viking, N. Utsire, S. Utsire etc. I shall keep this page for a while longer until I can recite them all! :)

A third is some Pimms recipes. I shall transfer these to my recipe book.

I did try forming a Yearly Plan. That one's going!

Meal Suggestions will go in my Home Binder.

Well that's all the pages sorted now. Time for some big crossings out! Perhaps I need a stamp that says - 

ALL DONE

Morning Routine and Filofax Routine

My Morning Routine does not need to be written down in my planner as it is more or less the same every day involving breakfast, getting up, washing, tidying etc. As for the Filofax I just have a quick look at what is written for the day to remind me of the tasks that need to be tackled, the appointments to keep and the errands to run.

It's in the evening when I have the time to sit down that my Filofax Routine takes place. Armed with any receipts, my Brain Dump Bullet Journal and my in-tray.

I first of all sort out my cash tracking and note down any further actions on the finance front.

From my Brain Dump Filo inspirations are transformed into tasks and to-dos or scheduled on the calendar.

A check on the meal plan is next so I know what to take out of the freezer for the next day. If I've put something in the freezer such as leftover meals this will be noted down in the relevant place.

I look at yesterday's entry and tick off tasks and to-dos etc. and check my calendar to look at anything that needs to be noted in the weekly pages.

I like to record, in one sentence, the Best Bit of the Day and this goes in my Best Bit Book which has dates for the next 5 years. In future years I can compare what I've liked on any particular day. There's always at least one 'Best Bit' in the day even if it's just - "Turned over and snatched 5 minutes more sleep this morning."

I note in my mind any tasks, appointments or errands, even though I look at them again in the morning and I record or note, if necessary, any follow ups to the tasks of my day such as - details of any medical appointments.

Finally I tackle any stray pieces of paper from my in-tray and note, recycle or file the papers.

Really it's just taking stock of the day and preparing for the next and the chore becomes a hobby when using a Filofax.

Happy Planning

PS A click on the labels at the side or under the post will give more detail on the Bullet Journal.

Bullets for a Bullet Journal - portable dashboard

I use my pocket Malden as a Bullet Journal because it is the only one of my planners that moves around with me. It's portable and convenient and one place to put all my ideas as and when they occur to me! I suppose it's my own portable dashboard.

I've been playing around with my own design of bullets for my Bullet Journal in my pocket Malden. It has squared paper pages, (there's a name for this kind of paper and I keep forgetting it), and I thought I'd try a simple way of marking my notes. 

Most of my notes are tasks that are to do and these get marked off when done - so a simple tick does the trick. Some tasks I move into my personal diary Filofax to do another day so they are 'Forwarded' there. 

I couldn't get my head round the difference between Forwarded, Migrated and Scheduled so my Scheduled mark means that I put that task on my Master To Do list which I dip into from time to time. 

Abandoned means either -

great idea but not a chance of carrying it out

or

rubbish idea, why on earth did you write it down!

Put back means - it's a possibility - stick it in a goals list somewhere and I may or may not get round to doing it. I can't decide.

From the first mark many different arrows can be drawn. I couldn't think of what I could name them.

Watch this space!

Happy Planning.

Filofax system

At the moment the following system is working for me. Of course, systems change all the time due to circumstance, re-organisation and whim!

1. Brain Dump

This Filofax Pocket Malden is a 'take around with me in the home' place to put down everything that occurs to me - facts, ideas, things to do, thoughts. This Bullet Journal way of working has proved to work in motivating me to 'Get Things Done'.

2. From here I filter relevant details to my -

a. ABC list and information black organiser

b. Filofax Personal Malden Daily Planner and Diary

c. 'Out and about' Filofax Mini Finsbury wallet

d. Hobby organisers - Filofax A5 originals

e. Home Binder - Filofax A4 Finsbury

3. Then comes the action. The facts are noted and acted upon if necessary. e.g. looking up the date of St. George's Day and digesting the information.

The ideas are added to the Project List if necessary and further broken down for the Master To Do list. 

The To Dos are put in the daily diary so they will get done.

The thoughts are pondered upon and may be put into action or dismissed.

So far, so good.

Happy Planning.

Tan Pocket Cross

I was expecting. No, not babies. I was expecting a parcel in the post following a winning bid on Ebay. While waiting I dismantled a small notebook from B&M. The outer cover came off.

The pages were trimmed ...

… and holes were punched.

Here's what was in the parcel.

A Tan Pocket Cross Filofax.

This one I'm going to use as my Bullet Journal. The trimmed pages from my notebook were pressed into service …

… and a March calendar was set up. The rest of the pages are blank so far as I'm finishing February in my old bullet journal.

The pocket seems quite big and plenty more pages will fit in it. It feels silky smooth and has a lovely leather smell. I will keep this by the side of my bed for my nocturnal inspirational thoughts!!

Happy Planning.