Daily planning

As a busy scrapbooker, especially if you have lots of other calls on your time (you know - family, job, even housework!) then it can be a good idea to plan your day. I find I often rush rush rush around and then at the end of the day feel there's still too much to do and I haven't achieved anything - and I never have time to scrap.

So I created a daily planner that reflects my priorities. The idea is to get MORE out of EACH DAY.


So there's a central circle that represents me, and here's where I put one or two words that sum up my hopes or ideas for the day - or an inspiring word, phrase or quote that gives me a positive start.

Then the "rays" that come out from the circle are different sizes representing my priorities. A lot of space is given to HOME BLESSINGS - chores, and things one needs to do in the home or for oneself - pick up drycleaning, phone the dentist - your daily cleaning routine can go in here, too. WORK comes below - for the key tasks that I need to do today - phone that contact, finish that report. KIDS are in the bottom right hand corner - write letter to school, wash PE kit - they are separate from Home Blessings - I haven't thought where to put Husband!

At the top right - of key importance - there's ME TIME. That's not for mundane things like hair appointments but for things I enjoy and that pamper me (which may or may not also be mundane things like having a bath!). If you like clothes shopping it goes in here, if you don't, that's a home blessing. Scrapping time can definitely go in here.

Finally the two smallest rays are for personal goals - they are small because a goal will be a big thing with lots of tasks, and perhaps big things are best tackled a small bit at a time - this is where the one or two daily tasks go that will put me one step nearer to my goal. If my goal is to lose weight, then here the task might be "Take salad to work for lunch & nuts for snacks" or if the goal is to to take better pictures for my scrapbooks then my daily task might be "spend 10 minutes reading the camera manual about the settings". Short tasks that get me further toward my goals.

After about a week it works for me, and I would like to think that this tool would work for other people too. As a daily list, it can't be fully altered, it would take all my time just doing that! - but it does look attractive and thus makes me feel better than if it were a linear list. And I remind myself to do things for me and never stop being in pursuit of my goals.

If anyone wants the full Word file - feel free to get in touch and ask me.

Here's today's example:

I'm planning to keep all the planners in a file. Ticking off the jobs once done gives me a sense of satisfaction and I can see how I improve -over time - in my planning. Perhaps I need to become less ambitious about the number of jobs I can complete in a day!

Plus eventually - when I have time - I can look back over them to help me journal for a scrapbook page about my goals.