02 October 2015

Free For All Friday No. 359 by Anita

I have always been a scribbler. When I last got together with my Dad, he said that I was an easily pleased child as I all I needed was a snack, a book and a notebook to write in and I'd be quiet for hours. I haven't changed that much really...

I know that I'm preaching to the choir here, but I still find that writing helps me study better and somehow a written to-do list means that I'm much more committed to completing the items there. At work, I do everything in spreadsheets and in accounting software, but if I need to figure something more complicated out I will always reach for some paper to lay it out.

I admit that I went through a stage of trying out lots of different digital to-do list managers like Remember The Milk, Todoist and Wunderlist. Whilst they're great in many ways, I eventually deleted my accounts and returned to paper as I realised that the time spent fiddling around setting them up could've been spent instead getting stuff done from my Filofax! I use a mixture of paper and digital as it seems to work well together for me, but my binder will always be the nerve centre of my system.

Do you find that using both digital and paper together makes for a better system for you?

And as always as it's a Friday, please feel free to discuss anything Filofax or ringbound planner related. Have a lovely weekend.

11 comments:

  1. I cannot do digital for the life of me!! I work part time as a independent contractor for my former employer, a global IT company. Twice I have scheduled meetings during my off hours to accommodate the invitees and screwed up by not attending because I did not write in my filofax!! How bad is that?!!!!

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    1. I completely agree. I've tried most of the digital solutions currently available, but I have never managed to *feel* properly organised when doing so. Digital solutions may be OK for recording data, but for me a proper planning process needs paper and pen

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  2. I'm not sure if this is the place to pretty please request a favour, but I'm hoping Steve or Ray would be so kind as to publish a Two days per page printable for Personal size paper. I've tried to jiggle things from the A6 version but end up in a mess. So... pretty please?

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    1. I would love this s well. It would be fantastic if they were also grid paper! Too much? Pretty, pretty please:)

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    2. I will take a look over the weekend

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    3. In the time management style would be great please. I'm currently re punching timesystem to personal size.

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    4. Now on the diary inserts page, I hope the design is ok. The source files are there too so you can adapt it to your liking.

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  3. I do rely on digital as much as paper, especially during those transition periods when I'm re-working my paper planner (which happens about 3-4 times a year). I capture appointments immediately in my phone's calendar and set a reminder and I capture all important written notes into Evernote or CamScanner.

    Writing, for me, is a way to cement ideas and plans in my head and to work out my road maps. Digital serves as my primary reminder mechanism and as a means to keep a secure and searchable archive. I need both!

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  4. I am using a small stencil for routine tasks and some recurring events. It has a row of circles that I draw on the day on my week layout. I shade different colors in the circles for the tasks. It is more efficient than writing them repeatedly, using a chart and check marks, or stamps and ink. I was writing the tasks on the month page but I wanted to see them on one line on the week layout.The stencil has some other shapes like an arrow that I can shade with color. I prefer this way sometimes instead of using many sticky flags. Anyway I like the stencil because it as small as a credit card.

    I drew my Wo2P insert on lined paper for the first few months of 2016. I will finish designing my computer version. I like using both devices and paper.

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  5. I find the combination of high and lo tech works out nicely for me. And I would never totally shift to all electronic. The digital stuff is great, but paper never needs electricity and a wifi connection!

    Ali

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