How I Stay Organized - Lauren James Planner & Notebook

Even though I am no longer in school, September seems to still mark a new part of the year. Also, is it a coincidence that most planners start in September/August?? I think not. It’s a point in the year where I like to reevaluate myself – how I’m doing with my goals for the year and what I need to do to finish on a high note. This post should be titled How I TRY TO stay organized, because it’s a daily struggle. Everyone needs to figure out what works for them, so I’m going to give you some tips on how I keep myself organized.

First off, how cute is this Lauren James planner?! Lauren James is an Arkansas-based company, with the most adorable preppy girl style EVER. I was lucky enough to meet their Social Media Coordinator at TBS Con back in August and the LJ team gifted us both the planner and notebook. The planner is timeless meaning you can use it for any year! I love the daily calendar section, because it has a box to check off how much water you’ve been drinking…so smart! Plus, the monthly section (see below) is so thoughtful – you can fill in different goals for Love, Family, Health, etc. and then check them off as you go!

Tip No. 1 – Use both a monthly AND daily calendar. I use my monthly view to track big events, such as trips, weddings, parties, family obligations, etc. Plus, I add in all the classes that I teach, so my barre and ZUMBA class times, which change weekly. I also work for the Northern Virginia Yelp team, so I add in those events. Highlighters and different colored pens are my best friends. Then, I use my daily view solely for work. For me, work changes on a daily basis, so it’s a lot of tasks and projects that get moved around. I’m constantly making lists and checking items off, and then moving that list to the next week.

Then, I also put things into my Google calendar. I only put big events into my Google calendar, so that when I’m out and don’t have my planner with me, I can take a quick look and see my monthly schedule. I know it’s a lot, but this is what works for me!

Tip No. 2 – Keep a notebook. I LOVE notebooks, especially this floral printed one from Lauren James. My mind goes a mile a minute, so I like having a place to jot down blog ideas, big to-do lists, doodles, etc. All my blog stuff is written into a notebook and then I kind of just schedule it from there. Especially when I am on a plane, I love thinking up new ideas and plans, so having ONE place to write them down is key. Believe me, using 20 post-it notes is never a good idea.

Tip No. 3 – Go back and edit/update your calendar. A well-thought out planner does nothing for you if you never look at it! I used to be totally guilty of this. Every year I’d get a cute new planner and fill it out and then completely forget about using it. Now, I look at my planner every. single. day. It is in my purse no matter what! I am constantly editing, reviewing, and updating my to-do lists and calendar. With so much going on, this is the only way I can stay sane and somewhat on top of things!

Tip No. 4 – Be flexible. At the end of the day, most things are not going to go according to plan. And that’s ok! A part of life is rolling with the punches and realizing that some things are out of your hands. I know, this probably sounds odd coming from a self-proclaimed Type A personality. I LOVE plans and when things go EXACTLY the way I plan them, which is, oh, probably less than 25% of the time. What I’ve learned is there’s no use in getting upset, because the to-do’s can always be moved around on your list!