Saturday, September 12, 2015

Slacking

I have been slacking so much on my blogging. I would like to offer up some wonderful excuse but there really isn't one. I've been feeling pretty meh about a lot of things, especially my knitting. That leads me to have nothing good or interesting to say.
I signed up for another term of Harry Potter Knit and Crochet House Cup and honestly, I was partly hoping the cool fall weather, and the required one class a month would get me motivated which would help me fall in love with my knitting projects again. The truth is that I should probably have a frogging fest because I don't love most of them. Some of them I should power through and just finish but it's time to do something new that I'm excited about. I'm not sure what that is exactly yet.
In the meantime, I can do a little planner talk. As much as I loved One Book July and made it work so well, I was feeling pretty blah about it by mid-August. I decided to try using my Filofax again. When it comes to planning, especially daily task lists and to do lists, for me, nothing beats a ring-bound planner for looking at least semi-professional and allowing me to get everything I want to on a page. I have a system, I use it and it works. 
Here is an example of a recent page. Everything I need for the day is there. I can do my daily devotions, keep my food log (which I am slacking on so badly) keep track of the schedule for myself and the husband, my home to do list, my work to do lists and anything else that comes up. Even any medication I take or anything else like that. Since I have insomnia and often find my anxiety is higher if I'm overtired, I also track my sleeping habits so I can be aware of extra wake ups or other issues before they affect me in other ways. 
Here's a day where I was running a fever. (See the little thermometer icon I drew?) I can also keep track of things like that so if I read the cold medicine bottle and it says; if you have a fever for more than 5 days, discontinue use and see your doctor, I can look back and see just how long I had that fever. All these little things help me. 
Here's a day when an Internet order I had placed arrived. When I order something I write it on a page flag and stick it on a plastic ruler near the monthly calendar. Then I know what things I'm waiting for. I move it to the daily pages when it arrives. 
These are all simple things that help me feel more in control of everything going on day-to-day. For me, it just works. I have tried multiple electronic methods for this and it will not work for me. I need the tactile writing down on paper and not having to worry if the battery will die. That has happened to me too many times! 
Do you have any little tips and tricks that you use to stay organized? Let me know! I would love to hear it.