@werehatrack My ADHD requires one. Putting anything on my phone is like dropping it into a black hole, “out of sight, out of mind” being the operative cliché.
@lisagd@werehatrack
Thank you, putting it in my phone doesn’t do anything for me. I could have reminders going off all day and still forget. I need to be able to visually see, feel and write down my appointments (if that makes sense) to be able to stay focused. Plus I take care of my father and schedule all his appointments and take him to them. I also had a stroke and I feel like that part of my brain shut off. I was always the first one of the group at work and now I can’t be on time to save my like. I get so distracted now matter how focused o try and be.
@Tadlem43 Fair enough, although I’m with @werehatrack . There must be something else wrong with both of us. I’ve got lots of problems, so it seems likely.
Planners always seemed like a good idea and even fun (along with a lot of other papery, pen-ny things), but I can’t ever quite get myself to use them consistently. Also, after about five minutes, I tire of using a pen (bluebook PTSD). A while back, some coworkers turned me on to the idea of a running journal. Being not at all interested in the hassles that come with paper, I started with Evernote (which I still have, but because of issues inside my agency’s firewall . . .) then switched to Simplenote (very highly recommended; includes checklists and markup, links and shareability, but isn’t straddled with all of the other shit I really don’t need, so I think it helps keep me focused). I also use Trello for some stuff. I use a half a dozen other tools intermittently–OneNote, Excel, other text editors, list apps, spreadsheety and databasey things.
I’m buying a couple of these cool-looking fuckers, but I’m likely to fail with them too.
@werehatrack I have told my daughter and now two different wives (and a multitude of coworkers, relatives, friends, minor acquaintances, et al.) that if they mean for me to actually track something, I have to receive it digitally. Worst case, send me a text or chat.
To be fair to myself, I tend to be the guy that can find both my own and others’ digital documents and data, so my system works at least as well as any other, as far as I can tell, and has numerous advantages. At least until the grid goes down (in an apocalyptic sense; and I suppose eventually then I’ll go back to paper, but I’m just as likely to die in the first wave anyway).
That’s very generic. A day planner? A project planner? Did you mean a planer? Those are useful.
I appreciate having a PM (project manager) so I don’t have to deal with all the bullshit, can get the work done, and when I lose track of something in all the shit I’m supposed to be doing they remind me. They are… Sort of a plan manager not the actual planner.
Architect isnt quiet a planner either though.
Let’s just say plans are good. But no plan survives contact with the enemy.
@unksol Yep, my wife is my project manager. She is the meticulous one who documents and files all the important stuff. Good thing, too, since my filing system is mostly my brain plus a bunch of scrawled-on sticky notes or the back sides of the page-a-day calendar.
@macromeh the business side of life I have covered. That’s a very simple list. The social side I don’t engage with much/don’t really want to there. So I guess I could use a female social media manager/planner. Although a fellow homebody would be preferable
The apps on my phone provide my calendar, planner, to do list, contacts, goal setting, motivation, and Astronomy Picture of the Day. Betcha the Pandamanda can’t do that last one.
@hchavers I’m a big fan of APOD, but have to point out that you could create your own pics, by looking upward and employing (and in the process, developing) your drawing skills.
In case you don’t already use it, here’s a great Chrome extension.
Yeah, we have computers now. Some of them even fit in a pocket or handbag. And they all sync so when you drop one in the toilet or leave it on the roof of your car when you drive off, all the information is already on all the others.
Nearly everyone needs something or someone to perform most of, if not all of, the functions that a planning notebook facilitates. However, when there are current bushes available to plug things into (which are notable absences in disaster areas, for instance, though generators and fuel and solar are becoming more common) many of these functions are more easily performed via technology more advanced than pen and paper. Especially when the fancy technology can sync with other people’s fancy technology and keep their various planning processes moving in the same direction without having to work at it. There are people who just do better with a pen and paper than any computerized solution, and this is a good option for them.
I have of course noticed since my original comment that you are selling a paper day planner.
That’s going to be a hard no. A blank legal pad works better for me when I do it because it’s not a plan.
I draw 7 lines vertical with the days. I put the 6 -8 base items on left I know I will have time on.
Then I just start adding ones I know I’ve been asked about, spent time on, wasted time on but don’t have a ticket number. Then there is a priority request, then an emergency then reprioritize etc etc lol
When you are shifting a lot, planning a scratch pad is good. You notes to remind you. But still. You need a manager to back you. Planning is complicated especially when your a tech lead managing SEs and a system. A PM not a planner is required. Never mind stuff interlinking modules or the client. Or multiple projects in flight.
My brain is… Decent. Extremely good at my system. And can explain. But when I’m on 4 projects. At the detail level. I’m not your umbrella
Back in the day, (the day being 40 years ago), i rocked a big 8 1/2 x 11 format ring binder organizer. It was like a professional version of a Trapper Keeper. Calendar pages, contact lists, business card holders, It was incredibly useful.
I feel like I benefit from writing things out (such as to-do lists). Physically writing is tediouser, but usually more effective.
The problem I run into is that I never go back and look at them again.
Sure, writing out my “top 3 priorities for tomorrow” is a good exercise, but too often I come in tomorrow morning and jump straight into what I’m pretty sure is the most important thing to work on. (usually it isn’t)
I don’t think this magic planner will change that in any way. Yet I’m still wanting to get one just to see what it’s like… but I won’t. Probably.
I like structured notepads with outlines for meetings and time organization, but tend to give up on full out planners because once I’ve missed a week or two I get hung up on what I “missed” rather than what I’m planning to do. I might do better with this erasable planner, who knows if I’ll ever actually use the digital functions, I just like the idea of not having to flip past a month’s worth of blank pages to use it.
I have a small rocket notepad and it is incredibly useful. I take notes during meetings and lectures and use the app automatically generate a PDF of everything and email/upload it to wherever.
It is much easier to draw/sketch on the notepad than on my laptop and much harder to accidentally erase things with an errant keyboard mash.
The only part that I find tedious is to erase the pages. I usually wait until they are all filled and then have a bulk eraser session with a damp paper towel or three.
Yep, @ one time I had a day planner. That gave way to the Palm Pilot that kept all my phone #s, contacts & of course the yearly calendar, then that gav way to the iPhone 5. I now have a iPhone 12 which die oh so much more that that paper Day-planer… I now plan stuff years in advance!
I actually like giant calendar planners; the ones that take up an entire refrigerator door or cabinet wall so that people can just look up and see the event they’re about to be late for.
@somf69 I happened across a site that lets you totally customize your planner, from the size, to the cover image, to the layout and design of the pages, to what’s on the supplemental pages at the back. What sealed the deal for me is that you can have the planner start with any month you want. In my mind, the year still starts in September, so now that’s when I have my planner start every year.
Guess it depends on if you need to plan something…
@shahnm Whoa! Didn’t see that coming.
My ADHD made them useless. My phone now contains that half of my brain. Planners are for the tech-illiterate.
@werehatrack I’m very tech literate and I use a planner…so… that’s not necessarily true.
@werehatrack My ADHD requires one. Putting anything on my phone is like dropping it into a black hole, “out of sight, out of mind” being the operative cliché.
@lisagd @werehatrack
Thank you, putting it in my phone doesn’t do anything for me. I could have reminders going off all day and still forget. I need to be able to visually see, feel and write down my appointments (if that makes sense) to be able to stay focused. Plus I take care of my father and schedule all his appointments and take him to them. I also had a stroke and I feel like that part of my brain shut off. I was always the first one of the group at work and now I can’t be on time to save my like. I get so distracted now matter how focused o try and be.
@Tadlem43 Fair enough, although I’m with @werehatrack . There must be something else wrong with both of us. I’ve got lots of problems, so it seems likely.
Planners always seemed like a good idea and even fun (along with a lot of other papery, pen-ny things), but I can’t ever quite get myself to use them consistently. Also, after about five minutes, I tire of using a pen (bluebook PTSD). A while back, some coworkers turned me on to the idea of a running journal. Being not at all interested in the hassles that come with paper, I started with Evernote (which I still have, but because of issues inside my agency’s firewall . . .) then switched to Simplenote (very highly recommended; includes checklists and markup, links and shareability, but isn’t straddled with all of the other shit I really don’t need, so I think it helps keep me focused). I also use Trello for some stuff. I use a half a dozen other tools intermittently–OneNote, Excel, other text editors, list apps, spreadsheety and databasey things.
I’m buying a couple of these cool-looking fuckers, but I’m likely to fail with them too.
@werehatrack I have told my daughter and now two different wives (and a multitude of coworkers, relatives, friends, minor acquaintances, et al.) that if they mean for me to actually track something, I have to receive it digitally. Worst case, send me a text or chat.
To be fair to myself, I tend to be the guy that can find both my own and others’ digital documents and data, so my system works at least as well as any other, as far as I can tell, and has numerous advantages. At least until the grid goes down (in an apocalyptic sense; and I suppose eventually then I’ll go back to paper, but I’m just as likely to die in the first wave anyway).
@joelmw @Tadlem43 @werehatrack It’s a matter preference. Some people just like using paper and pen(cil).
That’s very generic. A day planner? A project planner? Did you mean a planer? Those are useful.
I appreciate having a PM (project manager) so I don’t have to deal with all the bullshit, can get the work done, and when I lose track of something in all the shit I’m supposed to be doing they remind me. They are… Sort of a plan manager not the actual planner.
Architect isnt quiet a planner either though.
Let’s just say plans are good. But no plan survives contact with the enemy.
@unksol Yep, my wife is my project manager. She is the meticulous one who documents and files all the important stuff. Good thing, too, since my filing system is mostly my brain plus a bunch of scrawled-on sticky notes or the back sides of the page-a-day calendar.
@macromeh the business side of life I have covered. That’s a very simple list. The social side I don’t engage with much/don’t really want to there. So I guess I could use a female social media manager/planner. Although a fellow homebody would be preferable
The apps on my phone provide my calendar, planner, to do list, contacts, goal setting, motivation, and Astronomy Picture of the Day. Betcha the Pandamanda can’t do that last one.
@hchavers I’m a big fan of APOD, but have to point out that you could create your own pics, by looking upward and employing (and in the process, developing) your drawing skills.
In case you don’t already use it, here’s a great Chrome extension.
Yeah, we have computers now. Some of them even fit in a pocket or handbag. And they all sync so when you drop one in the toilet or leave it on the roof of your car when you drive off, all the information is already on all the others.
@SSteve I didn’t know it would sync in the toilet. Thanks for the heads up.
@SSteve @tweezak Unless you’ve filled the toilet with enough floaters that it holds the phone up.
@SSteve @tweezak If you fill the toilet bowl with mercury, the phone will float while synching.
Nearly everyone needs something or someone to perform most of, if not all of, the functions that a planning notebook facilitates. However, when there are current bushes available to plug things into (which are notable absences in disaster areas, for instance, though generators and fuel and solar are becoming more common) many of these functions are more easily performed via technology more advanced than pen and paper. Especially when the fancy technology can sync with other people’s fancy technology and keep their various planning processes moving in the same direction without having to work at it. There are people who just do better with a pen and paper than any computerized solution, and this is a good option for them.
I have of course noticed since my original comment that you are selling a paper day planner.
That’s going to be a hard no. A blank legal pad works better for me when I do it because it’s not a plan.
I draw 7 lines vertical with the days. I put the 6 -8 base items on left I know I will have time on.
Then I just start adding ones I know I’ve been asked about, spent time on, wasted time on but don’t have a ticket number. Then there is a priority request, then an emergency then reprioritize etc etc lol
When you are shifting a lot, planning a scratch pad is good. You notes to remind you. But still. You need a manager to back you. Planning is complicated especially when your a tech lead managing SEs and a system. A PM not a planner is required. Never mind stuff interlinking modules or the client. Or multiple projects in flight.
My brain is… Decent. Extremely good at my system. And can explain. But when I’m on 4 projects. At the detail level. I’m not your umbrella
I want to change my vote!
Back in the day, (the day being 40 years ago), i rocked a big 8 1/2 x 11 format ring binder organizer. It was like a professional version of a Trapper Keeper. Calendar pages, contact lists, business card holders, It was incredibly useful.
@pmarin
I like that description. Similarly, charcuterie boards are grown-up Lunchables.
I feel like I benefit from writing things out (such as to-do lists). Physically writing is tediouser, but usually more effective.
The problem I run into is that I never go back and look at them again.
Sure, writing out my “top 3 priorities for tomorrow” is a good exercise, but too often I come in tomorrow morning and jump straight into what I’m pretty sure is the most important thing to work on. (usually it isn’t)
I don’t think this magic planner will change that in any way. Yet I’m still wanting to get one just to see what it’s like… but I won’t. Probably.
I like structured notepads with outlines for meetings and time organization, but tend to give up on full out planners because once I’ve missed a week or two I get hung up on what I “missed” rather than what I’m planning to do. I might do better with this erasable planner, who knows if I’ll ever actually use the digital functions, I just like the idea of not having to flip past a month’s worth of blank pages to use it.
I have a small rocket notepad and it is incredibly useful. I take notes during meetings and lectures and use the app automatically generate a PDF of everything and email/upload it to wherever.
It is much easier to draw/sketch on the notepad than on my laptop and much harder to accidentally erase things with an errant keyboard mash.
The only part that I find tedious is to erase the pages. I usually wait until they are all filled and then have a bulk eraser session with a damp paper towel or three.
Lists on scraps of paper for things to do at home.
Sticky Notes app on PC for work queue.
Google keep on phone and PC for store lists.
Task app on my phone for personal tasks and a planner in Teams for my work tasks that don’t fit into a story on ServiceNow
Yep, @ one time I had a day planner. That gave way to the Palm Pilot that kept all my phone #s, contacts & of course the yearly calendar, then that gav way to the iPhone 5. I now have a iPhone 12 which die oh so much more that that paper Day-planer… I now plan stuff years in advance!
If this could be integrated with ClickUp I could probably be tempted.
I need a planner that will implement for me what is listed on the planner. Oh. Wait. I think you call them employees
also you can use children.I actually like giant calendar planners; the ones that take up an entire refrigerator door or cabinet wall so that people can just look up and see the event they’re about to be late for.
I used to love going to the Franklin Covey store…
@somf69 I happened across a site that lets you totally customize your planner, from the size, to the cover image, to the layout and design of the pages, to what’s on the supplemental pages at the back. What sealed the deal for me is that you can have the planner start with any month you want. In my mind, the year still starts in September, so now that’s when I have my planner start every year.