In my previous podcast, Before You Buy A Calendar, Listen To This!, I shared tips on how to choose a calendar that works for you. In this week's podcast I'm sharing the calendar that I chose and why. I also talk about why I made the shift to a paper-based calendar. I have to admit that I have been procrastinating about sharing this podcast with you out of fear that some of you may disconnect from me totally as a result, but there's two reasons that would not be a valid decision on my part: 1) Fear is not an emotion compatible with my belief system and 2) My business is about sharing the truth as I experience it, so here goes! (Podcast Duration: 04:33)
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Podcast Transcript
Hello, I'm Barbara Hemphill. My passion is helping you accomplish your work and enjoy your life, and I'm so glad you've joined me again today!I have to admit that I have been procrastinating about sharing this podcast with you out of fear that some of you may disconnect from me totally as a result, but there's two reasons that would not be a valid decision on my part: 1) Fear is not an emotion compatible with my belief system and 2) My business is about sharing the truth as I experience it, so here goes. I have made a decision to return to a paper-based calendar –specifically a Planner Pad, which was my calendar of choice for over a decade before I decided that I needed to change to an electronic calendar for numerous reasons from assuming it would be more productive to wanting to be up-to-date in my thinking! Ironically, the decision to return to Planner Pad fits totally with my philosophy that "Clutter is Postponed Decisions," since that decision has come out of several months of experiencing a cluttered brain!
This podcast is going to sound like a commercial, because it's the only way I know to tell the story, and frankly it is, because if you haven't found a calendar that works for you, I highly recommend you join me in using Planner Pad to see how it works for you.
As I once heard someone say, "You can have anything you want, but not everything." That's certainly true in selecting a calendar, but here are the 7 reasons that I have decided to return to Planner Pad:
- It is faster for me to make an appointment with someone when I have paper than when I use electronic. (I didn't want to give up my ability to use Tungle for other people to schedule appointments with me, but I've figured out a solution for that too!)
- I have a yearly calendar for current year and 2 years ahead. This enables me to really plan how I am spending my life -- not just my days.
- It also has a monthly calendar, which I have not used in the past, but may in the future.
- I like the physical size. I am using the Executive size which is 8 1/2 x 11 -- wirebound, so that it folds back and is easy to use in a meeting and carry in my computer bag/purse.
- I like the physical layout: Two pages comprise one week. The bottom third is for fixed appointments for others or for me, and I particularly like that all 7 days have times from 7 am - 9 pm. The middle third of the 2 pages is for things I want to do on a specific day, but not at a specific time. The top third can be used for a variety of things from "to do" to phone call notes. Periodically I have used it to make sure I have proper balance in all the roles in my life from wife to committee chair.
- It has a section for contact information where I can list numbers that are extremely important to me, and/or numbers that I just need temporarily (I use pencil and can erase those when I'm done)
- I always have a place to capture quickly anything of importance that I wanted to return to in the future, including:
- to do lists divided into categories
- agendas for discussions with team members
- shopping lists
- meeting notes
- ideas
- notes from telephone calls
- expenses
Choosing your calendar is a very personal decision. I have yet to find any calendar that is perfect. Planner Pad is my calendar of choice.
Post your comments or questions in the comments area of this episode at barbarahemphill.com.
If you like this podcast and think a friend or colleague can benefit from it please share it with them using the Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn buttons on the podcast page on my website." Until next week, I'm Barbara Hemphill. Thanks for listening!
