Comments on: The Planner Pad Organizer

By: Nathan

Nathan — Sat, 27 Mar 2010 03:45:19 +0000

I’m a fairly new PP user, since Nov 2009, but it’s the first system of many I’ve tried that just seems to work.

@frances
I also follow the GTD principles, and the way I work it, I use the weekly pages with the following columns: Online, Work, Contact, Home, Errands, Read/Review. The last two are on the same column, and this leaves me a couple open for notes or inbox. You don’t have to fill out all your daily tasks at the start of the week–there’s nothing you HAVE to do in the PP system–just put stuff down there that you really, really want to try to have done that day. Check it done there, or in the lists above.

I have a spiral-bound executive-size, and use the writing space opposite each monthly calendar for my Projects list. I have too many to fit them on a weekly column, plus, I don’t want to keep re-writing them weekly. But this means every month I have to move them forward, which is a pretty good frequency for rethinking the list.

I don’t make full use of the notes section in the back. I use one page for someday/maybes, another for waiting-for and delegated tasks, and another as a log for evaluation bullets. On a couple planning/goals pages I have some GTD notes: checklists for weekly reviews, my areas of focus, the natural planning model… but I don’t find myself using those notes very often. I probably should, but I keep a lot of long-term notes on my iPhone. For day to day working notes, I carry a pocket-sized moleskine cahier, and for project planning or longer notes I use a legal pad that I carry in the cover for the planner.

Lastly, I also print out a weekly checklist on an index card that helps me remember and track daily and weekly tasks like taking my medications and cleaning the cat litter box. And doing a weekly review.

I wouldn’t call it a perfect system yet, but I’ve been refining it over the last five months. The PlannerPad is a great foundation for a GTD system.

By: NL

NL — Wed, 27 Jan 2010 16:00:00 +0000

Very poor customer service, not interested in addressing issues

By: )oug

)oug — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 05:17:35 +0000

Have used for over 10 years The Planner Pad! It’s just a great, efficient organizer that keeps things focused on the week at hand. So easy to plan and take inventory of what needs to be done for the Day and the Week in one easy viewing. Also, not near to bulk of the big names (which I’ve used … and just don’t like). The price is right as well. Always been pleased with this product … I’m in the invesment management business and my top areas are Key Tasks / Clients / Prospects / Portfolio Mgt / Campaigns / Family / Personal

Good luck,

By: Kara Harman

Kara Harman — Wed, 11 Nov 2009 08:12:58 +0000

I’m getting my first Planner Pad delivered today, and cannot wait. Been reading comments, have studied Jan’s Organization tips from PP’s website and already – Big Sigh – feel myself supported in so many endeavors. Loved Jan’s thought’s on Procrastination and why we may do this. Knowing is Winning.

Will update after using.

Thanks, Kara

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Tue, 15 Sep 2009 03:33:26 +0000

I tried the planner pad after trying just about everything else (Covey, daytimer, dayrunner, electronic PDA, online organizers). I have ADD, and I find writing things on paper helps me remember them. I like the PP layout better than anything else I’ve tried. (I use the smaller size, with the looseleaf system). I just wish they offered the kind of variety their competitors do. This year I’m going to order extra note pages and see what I can do to make mine more aesthetically pleasing, since I’m visually oriented. Like others in this post, I’d appreciate any customizing suggestions.

By: Kenneth

Kenneth — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 13:21:36 +0000

I have used paper organizers or electronic organizers since the late 80s. I still prefer Stephen Covey’s original “perspective of the week” Planner pads are about the only ones I have found that gives you the same amount of space for the weekend days as for the week days. I make my own Stephen Covey style Compass Cards.

The pads work well for my combination of a value based and gtd system. In January I will be switch to the executive ring binder so I can have more personalized pages. I have been using the same lambskin binder with the spiral executive refills for almost 10 years.

If you are new to planner pads you could check out the close out section of the website. You can usually find a partial year spiral binder for about $7.00. It will give you an inexpensive way to give it a test drive.

By: frances

frances — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 16:06:52 +0000

I find the ringed personal size is the perfect planner. I can use my daytimer inserts in it, they are not as wide, but they ring in just fine. I bought the monthly dividers from PP to reuse each year, and then have my normal daytimer sections in front of those wider pages.

I was very sorry daytimer never figured out how to do a week at a glance for people who needed more room for planning. I spent years trying to work that out before I changed over. Just bought my refill for my second year of Planner Pads. This and the moleskin diary are the ticket for my needs.

By: diane

diane — Mon, 31 Aug 2009 00:36:07 +0000

I love the format of Planner pad, but hate that they don’t have some of the tabs and sections that Franklin cover has. I use the executive size and find the binder is way too big, too. I’ve used Daytimers for years, tried the Franklin and the Planner Pad, and I prefer the Planner pad format. Sigh! Why can’t I find the perfect planner??!!

By: frances

frances — Tue, 14 Jul 2009 17:09:04 +0000

I gave in to Planner Pads last year after 20 good years of pocket Daytimers. I needed to move to a week by week system, and none of the others matched my needs on that. As a self-employed creative, I have thoughts and papers flying everywhere all the time. The open binder personal system works great for me, if you seven hole punch a sheet of legal paper and then fold it in half, you can slip your entire mind-map / brain dump in as needed. Also letterhalf forms slip in easily.

I found this site while researching what others are using for categories. I am rereading GTD, but think using those categories will be harder on my rememberer than the ones I started with.

My categories across the top are:
Key Tasks / Quick Tasks / Uh-Oh / Need-Shop-Buy / Bizness Actives / Phone-Write-See / Personal

Recently this has begin to morph toward next actions and project lists, and I am beginning to miss things on my lists. Curious to know how others merge styles or organization.

By the way, Uh-Oh is an important column for me. That probably is the closest category to Next Actions!

I use the middle section to attempt to plan my days, but keep my time summaries there with the actions listed as I accomplish them.

My problem has been diary space, which I used my Daytimer for extensively. I have slipped a medium Moleskin notebook into the pocket and keep my day logs and notes there. This will store easily as well, and should be good enough for my business records.

So, all in all, after 3 years trying to transition, I am happy enough to buy the refill this fall. Ideas from others on how they organize their thoughts in theirs would be great.

Thanks.

By: Don

Don — Sat, 28 Feb 2009 21:28:30 +0000

hey Brad,

I’m new here, and glad I found your site. The irony of this thread, is that I’d googled ‘planner pad’ to order yet another.

I’ve 6 years of ‘Planner Pads’, and I noticed that it’s dang near a ‘journal’ of sorts too.

Anyway, after going through some personal transition, I’ve gone back to work. I screwed up, and tried using two other systems that have failed me miserably.

I started 2nd guessing my decision (ADD), and was about to purchase a Franklin/Covey system. I’m glad I read this blog. I’m about to go to their site, and order my 7th Planner Pad!

Regarding ‘notes’. You can get the open binder, and add a legal pad at the rear. It works for me.

This system is good for me as I work from lists. Everything pretty much starts at the top, and you ‘move’ it down the funnel, or move it forward.
You can be creative in regards to prioritizing too.

Thanks for everything,
Don