How I Stay Organized and Keep Track of My Schedule

As a working mom of 3, I have a lot going on in my life.  I'm always looking for a way to keep track of everything so I don't miss any meetings, appointments, or bill payments.

There are so many apps and websites to help keep you organized but I prefer the old fashioned way.  I like using a planner.  I like to open up my planner and see at a glance what is going on for the week and the month.  I am a visual learner so I am able to memorize things better if I see it on a page.

I have a lot that I need to keep track of.  We pay our daycare per child, per day, so every day is different and therefore our bi-weekly payments are always different.  The twins go to school in the morning 3 days a week but of course, sometimes they have days off where they are at daycare all day.  I keep track of a who goes to daycare each day in a monthly view calendar so I know how much we have to pay every other week.

For my day job, I have a lot of meetings and client calls that I have to attend and need to prepare for.  After work, I also have work events that I have to attend.

On top of my work commitments, I also need to keep track of personal events such as doctor appointments, birthday parties, and haircut appointments.  I like to view all of my work and personal commitments in a weekly view.  On the left side of the page, I keep track of my appointments and on the right side of the page, I have a running to do list for my work assignments.  I break every task down to its smallest element so I have more to check off on my to do list.  It makes me feel more accomplished.

I looked all over to find a planner that would fit my needs but nothing was quite right.  One night when I was up in the middle of the night feeding the baby, I discovered bullet journals.  The concept of bullet journals is to create a planner that works for you.  Some people use it for a calendar, a to do list, to track debt or weight loss, etc.  Pretty much anything you need to keep track of.  I keep it basic and create a monthly view to track my kids' daycare and a weekly view to keep track of what is going on each week.

I purchased a dotted Leuchtturm 1917 notebook for my planner.  I purchased the dotted version to ensure that everything would line up correctly vertically and horizontally.  I go crazy for symmetry and organization.  To add some color to each calendar, I use these beautiful, pastel colored midliners and use a different color for each month.  I also love using Faber Castell artist pens because of the way they write, the beautiful color, and the fact that the pens don't bleed.

If you think a planner would work for you, try one of these beautiful planners or make your own using a blank journal!