Planner Pitfall #1 – FOMU
You have been anxiously waiting for the arrival of your new Erin Condren planner. Now that you have it in your hands you are “waiting” to start using it. Why? You have a bad case of FOMU. No, that isn’t a typo. I must tell you, I am incredibly impressed with myself for coming up with this. What is FOMU? Fear of Messing Up!
I can’t even count the number of times I have sat down to make notes in a new planner and felt paralyzed. I start thinking, “Maybe I should wait until I come up with the perfect system, find the perfect pen, etc.”
Rid yourself of FOMU and JUST GET STARTED! As you begin using your planner you will figure out what works best for you. That brings me to mistake #2.
Planner Pitfall #2 – Thinking everything must be consistent.
Once you finally get over the fear of messing up, stop thinking you need to do things the same way each week Try something this week and if you don’t like it, do something next week. It’s okay to figure out what works best for YOU! Your planner can evolve with your life and needs. You may need to use more space for appointments and commitments this week than your to-do list.
I use an Erin Condren vertical planner that has 3 boxes for each day. I have changed how I used these boxes many times. Just when I think I have figured out what works best for me another kind of obligation or activity enters my life that needs planner space. Or… seeing how someone else uses their planner sparks a new idea. Speaking of how others use their planner…
There isn’t one right way to use a paper planner, but by avoiding a few Paper Planner Pitfalls you will develop the style that works just right for you!
Planner Pitfall #3 – Comparing your planner style to the pictures you see online.
Don’t compare your planning style to someone else’s. It’s great to get ideas from others, but it’s too easy to get discouraged when we start thinking our pages need to look just the pages we ‘ve been admiring. Develop your own style. I go back and forth between using mostly pen and using a combination of Washi tape and stickers. Again… your style needs to meet your needs.
Conclusion
Avoiding these Paper Planner Pitfalls will give you the freedom to develop the personal planner style that fits your needs and your life.
Do you have other ideas to add to this list! Please share!