Working On My 2023 Dayplanner

 

This may sound odd to some of you, but I derive a great deal of comfort as well as joy in having a dayplanner.  I wondered if, once retired, I would even need a dayplanner anymore and I've decided yes, I still can find it quite useful.  So I got busy and began working on my 2023 planner as I usually do this time of year.

 

I pulled out lots of fun goodies to use to make my dayplanner

My planner has changed and evolved to fit my needs as my life has evolved and change as well.  I think flexibility is an important part of life, especially when it comes to planning and mapping out our daily lives.  I love the predictability of my routines, there is a lot of structure and comfort in that, but here are so many variables that will come into play as we navigate our days so the ability to be flexible helps a lot.

 

I prefer to use a month at a glance calendar with a monthly planning page

Writing things down makes my life so much easier and less stressful if I'm not trying to remember everything I need to do inside my head.  Grocery lists, meal plans or ideas, recipes, appointments, projects and goals, it all fits neatly inside my dayplanner.  I've often joked that while I do have a head on my shoulders my brain is in that book.

 

I use all kinds of pretty papers to inspire me and make me feel good

Right now I don't really need a dayplanner as much as I did when I was a working full time busy mom with two active children with loads of extracurricular activities and school.  Nonetheless I can still see the value in having one to use.  I still want to know what day it is, I do have appointments every now and then that need to be remembered, I still go to the grocery store and pay bills, I still have projects to complete, I still have dreams and goals I'd like to see come to fruition.  Plus, retirement has not made me suddenly better at remembering things.

 

I included labeled tab dividers to keep it all organized

I'm always looking for ways to improve my dayplanner and this coming year I'm adding a monthly journal page to document anything special that may have happened.  Time is scurrying by at a rapid pace and I think it would be nice to be able to look back at these pages and see whatever it was I highlighted each month.  I also think this will be a lot of fun too.  My planner will now be a partner to my daily journal.

 

I already have a new daily journal ready to go for next year

I use a 5 X 9 mini binder to make my planner, I really like that size,
and I like to change out the cover each year too

I keep a pencil pouch of colored gel pens, mechanical pencils, an eraser, glue stick, post it notes and correction tape.  I have stickers, and pretty papers in my planner, calendar pages, monthly planning pages and blank pages, as well as postage stamps, contact information and places to tuck whatever else I feel needs to be included inside.  By creating my own planner I'm able to fit it to my needs and make changes as I need to.  I am very much looking forward to the remainder of 2022 and all that 2023 may have in store.