Anyone who knows me, knows that I like to meticulously plan my day. Knowing exactly what my day is going to entail and working my way through a to-do list fills me with great joy.
However, I know how overwhelming it can be when trying to find the appropriate type of diary (it took me a while to find the right combination which suited my lifestyle and personal requirements) and so I have put together a comprehensive guide of the seven planners I use every day.
- The electronic phone calendars
This is my go-to calendar, it is great to have a portable calendar which you can use to schedule on the move. Follow this university guide on how to sync your university timetable with your phone’s calendar for easy planning wherever you are.
- The traditional daily diary
I keep my personalised Papier diary on the hall table for taking note of my daily tasks. I usually take time on a Sunday evening to write out a comprehensive plan of what needs doing each day of the following week. The best thing about this organising method is the satisfaction gained from physically crossing off completed errands.
- The electronic homework app
MyHomework is an app developed for students to track assignments which can be used on all compatible electronic devices. Having a portable means of scheduling deadlines means that I am never caught out by an unexpected submission date or exam. Late night cramming sessions and midnight essays have certainly become a thing of the past.
- The undated weekly work planner
I have a lovely Fabrook’s flip planner that rests on my study desk. I use it to break down my blogging and university work into smaller and more manageable chunks throughout the week. It certainly removes the overwhelming stress felt by large projects and looming deadlines.
- The kitchen chalkboard
I found my rustic chalkboard from Esty, which I utilise to plan my meals for the week to ensure that no food goes to waste. It makes a great addition to any kitchen as the ‘key hooks’ can be used to hang up kitchen towels and oven mitts.
- The electronic training platform
Xhale is an online subscription platform designed for multisport athletes. It enables my coach and I to ensure that training is carefully scheduled to ensure optimum efficiency and progression, whilst keeping track of biological metrics to access fatigue levels. If you are serious about your training and want to get it right, it is important to adopt smart planning and continuous tracking.
- The electronic family assistant app
The FamilyWall app helps users to manage a household’s everyday life by sharing everyone’s schedules. My partner and I find it extremely useful in order to create a joint weekly shopping list from separate devices and ensure that we never leave the market having forgotten the all-important teabags.
Whilst I love to plan and have adopted different methods to do so, this approach is not for everyone. If you are new to scheduling and getting organised, start small by mastering a single approach before getting a little more creative.
Happy planning and keep studenting!