A Successful Search

At the beginning of last summer, I began the search for the perfect planner. I looked at dozens of planners of every conceivable size, shape, and color. I even tried designing my own in a binder. The options were endless and ridiculously overwhelming.

Any system that I looked at would have been acceptable....and none were perfect. Finally, I forcefully narrowed my choices by asking myself one question:

"What must the planner have? What is the one non-negotiable?"

Surprisingly, that one simple question solved my dilemma almost instantly.  

I needed a planner small enough to carry.

If I didn't have the planner at my fingertips, it was useless. Twelve different kinds of lists and 6" x 6" daily calendar blocks weren't going to help me if they weren't with me.

Then it dawned on me. The planner I have been using for the past three years fits perfectly in my purse or book bag.

In an earlier post, I listed three other characteristics that my planner would ideally possess. I realized the planner I've been using has most of these. I've been able to track my expenses on the spreadsheets in the back for three years...why do it differently next year?. There's space in the back for notes, lists, and memos. It's cute and classy.

Furthermore, Day Runner's standard 3 3/4" x 6 3/4" pages (normally available for about $1.99 at the grocery store) fit perfectly. More writing space would potentially be useful, but I don't think more white space is actually going to make or break my life at this point.

Suddenly I couldn't remember why I was looking for a new planner in the first place. And so I stopped the frustrating search for a planner, leaving space in my brain for more important things.

Lesson #1: Sometimes you already own the item for which you're shopping.

Lesson #2: Sometimes just accepting an immediate and reasonable solution saves a lot of frustration, time, and energy.

So what are your planning tools for 2011?