I switched because:
a) the tiny Hobonichi (A6) was so cute but I couldn’t stand how small the weekly views were
b) the separate weekly insert was a good idea in theory but so annoying in practice
c) a new planner is clearly going to solve all of my life’s problems during this difficult stage!
RIGHT?*
The above is an Erin Condren LifePlanner (2018) that I bought on clearance – 50% off. I ripped January through March out of the spiral binding. It is almost offensively pretty but at the same time very functional. I have no idea what all of the sudden made me feel overwhelmed by my previous system but . . . there you go!
I’m sure I will be back to the gorgeous Hobonichi products in the future, but probably not the A6 (Cousin only!).
Nothing like starting out a new week with a fresh planner, empty inboxes (FINALLLLYYYYY after being very behind in all realms for quite some time), and a 5.5 hr sleep stretch from G (7:30p – 1a – unfortunately I only was asleep for about 3 of those)**.
* This is actually my first true PlannerFail I’ve had in quite some time. Usually I can at least get through the year!
** Yes at 4.5 months old a ‘good’ night = sleeping 7:30 – 1, then up again at 3:30 and I hear her making noise now (not crying) at 5:48 but I am currently ignoring it. Oy.
13 Comments
I’m sorry your system didn’t work out for you, but based on your discussion of it I switched from the cousin last year to the A6 with weekly insert and I LOVE it. Fits my small notebooks (three) nicely in the cover (using the avec) and the weekly insert being separate let’s me look at weekly/daily at once. It’s probably different for me because I have zero kids so I’m not coordinating childcare or as many weekend (or weekday) activities. sonething to keep in mind if I end up getting pregnant by the start of next year.
Long story short – I’m sorry it didn’t work for you but I am grateful you talked about it because it has really helped me!
Just want you to know …when your baby is waking up every few hours, it can feel like every other baby on the block is sleeping more or longer or better than yours …. please don”t feel alone!! My little one woke up every 2-4 hours until she was 8 months old …. sometimes I”d cry because I felt so alone and like I was doing something wrong. Reality is night time wake ups are normal !!! It”s just a shame society expects us to function like they”re not.
I also switched to the A6 – I was already thinking about it and then hearing from you about the weekly insert sealed the deal. Lots of pros – the weekly insert fits neatly into my oversized wallet so I’m never without my diary and the switch to A6 definitely helped feeling weighed down by my bag all the time. BUT…my system isn’t working great at the moment. Not the Hobo’s fault though – I’ve made the transition from full-time student/part-time work/part-time freelance to a full-time very busy management role, where I have my email/computer open pretty much all day and people pop appointments into my electronic diary all the time. And then outside work I don’t have a lot of social commitments (still getting settled back into home town after years away) and my husband has FINALLY embraced planning (somewhat) so our weekend commitments and his work travel are on a beautiful color-coded calendar on the fridge door. I’ve also been so busy/tired/disrupted that my weekly planning has fallen off a bit (gasp!). Anyways, guess I’m just trying to find a new planner stride that suits this season of life. Glad to hear you’ve found something that works for your new season too.
Yay new planners! I hope the shrimp curry and yoga are awesome today!
I once ordered a calendar that I realized quite quickly wasn’t going to work. In the trash. Life is too short to be irked daily by something that is so easily changed.
I’m the one who previously said "if I write things done I have this feeling of not wanting to do them" which is just due to me really liking to go with the flow. But with kids, husband and job I was dropping too many balls. I have a bullet journal and my synced outlook calendars (phone and work) that seem to be working.
You inspired me to stick at it and I’m finally enjoying the bullet journal even though I do get behind. I just pick up where I left off. And I had to find a lunch meeting from last year that seems to have been deleted from my online calendar and lo and behold it was in my bullet journal!!
I gotta say, when you announced your original planner for the year, the whole insert thing sounded a little annoying to me, but then again, my planner of choice is literally the "minimalist", so what do I know? I hope you feel less overwhelmed with this new system! I do find that organizing things a different way can help me at least FEEL more in control when life is a little chaotic.
I was gifted a Hobonichi A6 and tried to use it for a few weeks even though I had already bought an Inkwell Press for 2018. Big fail. I could not stand the small size, the lack of weekly pages, and I DID see bleed through with Inkjoy jet pens I used. I just really didn’t enjoy it, so I went back to the IWP and am still using it.
I used to feel a little embarassed about gravitating towards the prettier, albeit very functional, planners until I recently noticed that my boss, a very type A and ambitious person, uses a Happy Planner. Probably one of the most whimsical pretty planners out there! She even boasted that one of the things that appealed to her were all the accompanying stickers. Ha! Next year I might consider a Happy Planner or go back to the ECLP.
But yes, I can completely see why the A6 would be a planner fail for you with so much going on right now.
You switched to the planner I’ve been talking myself out of all year!!
I am on my third planning system of this calendar year…sigh.
Good on you for changing the system when the old wasn”t working! I know I struggle to do so because I feel once I”ve committed I should make it work, which is just crazy type A thinking. I hope the new planner brings a sense of calm and control to things! It sounds like you”re doing a really amazing job at a gruelling time 🙂
I hope this new planning system helps during this crazy time! I love that you have the complete opposite of the stereotypical doctor handwriting 😉
My favorite planner for crazy times is The Get to Work Book, by Elise Cripe. It might be a little big for you but other than that I think you would love it. It’s really flexible. Also, she is super into productivity and planning too and I believe also writing a book about it,so she might be a fun person to check out. She has a blog but doesn’t write on it anymore, but her Instagram is fairly active. You’ve probably already heard of her, but just in case!
I know the feeling – I have been a dedicated Bullet Journaler for almost 3 years but this year I’ve gone through a couple of different planners just trying to get a better system going, and I’m currently going way old-school and using a Franklin Planner!
Looking forward to your review of this one!
I currently have a START Hustle Weekly and love it, but I have heard so many good things about EC planners. New planners have a magic that can make things happen!
Very nice. one of the best and interesting post