13 Things I Write in my Planner

Everyone uses a planner in their own way. Some use them to keep up with household chores or health and excerise. Others use them as a record keeping tool. I like to think I use mine for additional memory space. Here are some of the things that I use my planner to keep track of.

 

1. When I change my contacts. I wear monthly contacts that can potentially last up to two months. Whenever I change to a new pair I jot it down on my monthly spread. This way when my eyes start feeling scratchy I can refer back and see if it's time for a new pair of contacts.

 

2. When I give the pets their meds. I give my cat a flea treatment monthly and I write this on the monthly pages as well.

 

3. Worrisome medical symptoms. Anything out of the ordinary that if persisted I would need to see a doctor I write on the monthly pages on the date it occurs. For example, I had severe stomach pains on two different occasions that occurred out of the blue and lasted about 30 minutes each. I wrote this in my planner so that in the event that it keeps happening I have a record for the doctor. They inevitably ask how long a problem has been occurring and the answer "for a while now" isn't exactly what they're looking for!

 

4. My work schedule. I'm not sure why I write this down since it seems to change every other day, but this is the only way I know what time to show up at the office every day. It invariably gets whited out or marked through several times during the month but it is a life saver for me.

 

5. Appointments. Duh, right? This doesn't need alot of explanation.

 

6. Special events. Church events and potlucks, school programs, weekend activities, a movie showing on a certain day, etc.

 

7. Bills to pay. I pay bills on my paydays as opposed to the due dates so when a bill comes in I write the name, amount and date it's due in the day of my weekly spread that I plan to pay it. My paydays are the 15th and the last day of the month so that's where these are usually written. Since I pay most of my bills online from my work computer this saves me from stuffing the whole bill in my planner and carrying it everywhere. I write down the information on the date it will be paid and file the bill away at home.

 

8. Errands. Any errand that I need to run. These usually get done on my lunch break. For example, I need to go by the vet to pick up medicine for the pets. If I don't write that down I will definitely forget it!

 

9. Web stuff. I know. Really technical term huh? I don't have Internet at home and I go to the library often so if there is a specific web site or subject I want to look up I jot it down in my planner to refer to when I get to the library. If I don't write things down as soon as I think of them they ain't getting done!

 

10. Phone calls to make. It seems during the weekend I'm always thinking of phones calls that need to be made during regular business hours.

 

11. Meal plans. On the bottom line of my weekly pages I write what we are having for dinner each night. I've kinda slipped away from this since we have become (almost) emptynesters. We seem to be eating out alot. I really need to get back to this one.

 

12. Things sent or ordered. When I mail off something that requires a response such as a medical reimbursement form, I write down the date I mailed it so I know when to expect a response.

 

13. Bible class prep. I teach a children's bible class on Sunday mornings and there is usually some prep to be done...copies to make, supplies to get, etc. If I don't write it down to do during the week Sunday will sneak up on me!

 

So that's it!  Of course, I write other stuff down as well but these are the regulars. What kind of things do you keep track of in your planner?