What's in a planner?

Choosing a planner to keep your and/or your family's life in order can be overwhelming these days. A lot of people use electronic planners to keep their busy lives in order, and then there are people like me who just love the art of writing on a piece of paper. There are endless planners out there and range drastically in size, color, price and options.

Most of you have probably already purchased or created your 2013 planner, but if you haven't, or if yours isn't working for you now, you might want to consider a few things before purchasing your next one.

I found this checklist at www.myattentioncoach.com that can help you determine what your planner should include.

To use the checklist, place a check mark next to each characteristic you would like to have in a planner and indicate an A, B or C priority next to each characteristic you check.

A = planner must have this

B = would be nice for planner to have this

C = not so important to me

After you select which characteristics are important, take the list with you to the store or have it next to you while you search on-line. This will help narrow your search and end up with a planner that really works for you.

Planner Characteristic Checklist:

_____ Month-at-a-glance view

_____ Week-at-a-glance view

_____ The ability to see each day separate from all others

_____ Spiral bound so I don’t lose any pages and can have the entire year in one product

_____ Binder format so I can add and remove pages as needed

_____ Zippered binder so I don’t lose any pages

_____ Electronic with no need to print

_____ Electronic with the ability to print a To Do List

_____ Electronic with the ability to print an appointment schedule

_____ Paper so I can write in it when needed

_____ To Do List available for every day

_____ To Do List for the whole month

_____ To Do List for each week

_____ Room to plan for multiple roles (i.e. Employee, parent, spouse, business owner)

_____ Calendar and To Do List integrated into one planner

_____ Calendar and To Do List separate from each other

_____ Small size for easy portability

_____ Large size for ease of writing and room for more items

_____ Medium size as a compromise between small and large

_____ Time slots for meetings and appointments all day

_____ Specific time slots included in the Calendar section

_____ Pockets for other items such as cell phone or wallet

_____ Wall calendar format

_____ Portable format

_____ Attached strap so it can be carried like a purse or briefcase

_____ Price is no object

_____ Budget = $______

Add your own characteristics here: __________________________

Here is the one I ended up purchasing at Wal-mart and it was less than $10! It comes in different colors and sizes. I chose the Morocco pattern in pinks and yellows and the size is 8 1/2" x 11".

I love having the 2 page spread for the quick glance at my calendar.

The individual week pages give me plenty of space for "to do" and notes for the day.

Good luck making your selection and happy planning!