Whether you are in school, in a deadline-driven career, self-teaching a new skill, or just want to manage your time better, there are many ways to conquer a planner this semester.
As a junior at Stephen F. Austin State University and as a member of the “daily grind” (the workforce), I have and am currently facing the issue of managing my time. From low grades to low sleep, and from interviews to class projects and planning a wedding, I knew my previous scheduling habits were hurting my health and productivity. So, I tried several forms of scheduling to try to make a change in my life.
Each of these have truly helped me organize better, learn better, become less stressed, and operate in school and out more efficiently. So, take in these tips with a critical eye and determine how you could best initiate them into your daily life. However, each have also hampered me in some way because they are for a different type of person. So, I found out what mixture of scheduling techniques fit my personality the best. In order to help you choose the best planning system for you, I will add which personality types do well with which planner. The personality types I will be using for this list are Types A, B, C, and D.
- People with a Type A personality are very organized, ambitious, and strategic people. Type A’s can be extroverts or introverts, but they are typically introverts with extroverted attributes. They are often stressed, but they operate well while stressed.
- People with a Type B personality are flexible, uncompetitive, calm, patient individuals who enjoy small accomplishments and stopping to “smell the roses.” Type B’s are often extroverted and enjoy spending time in groups rather than alone. They operate well during times of change.
- People with a Type C personality are sticklers for details, perfectionists, rule followers, deep thinkers, and investigators. Often introverted, Type C’s have a hard time making decisions and like to avoid conflict. They also like asking “why” and “how” things happen.
- People with a Type D personality are creatures of habit, consistency, and emotion. Type D’s can be introverted or extroverted, but they need stability in their lives. They need stability and security in their life and will often avoid change.
So many different planners and scheduling strategies litter the web for creating a workable schedule. I have tried several different methods and have plenty of feedback on scheduling on the daily.
The Planner
The most common form of scheduling is the daily/weekly planner. It is great for the Type A and C individuals who can organize their thoughts into a box and input data into small, tight spaces. Type B’s should avoid this form of planning for a more flexible form of planning, and Type D’s could have an equal amount of success or failure with this form; the consistency fuels their sense of security So, grab an inspirational, aesthetically pleasing functional planner from your school’s bookstore or from Walmart, and get those dates set. Add all important due dates and don’t forget to add time for both studying and having fun.
The Bullet Journal
A relatively new style of planning, at least to me, is the bullet journal. A bullet journal is the planner for the creative, on-the-go type of person, like a Type B or C. Types A and D might want to avoid this form of planning unless they add it to another form. Unfortunately, at first, it does require some assembly. You need to number each page and make sure you set aside pages for an index, but other than the first few details, there is very minimal instructions. The goal is to make a planner that is entirely yours. You are free to doodle, rip out pages, and write just about anything in the journal that you wish. I went to a couple sessions with a tutor at SFASU, and she brought me a journal with the words “She believed she could, and so she did” on the cover to use as my bullet journal. I’m not following the exact guidelines that BulletJournal.com says to follow, but I think that is the point. Plus, it just so happens that I found a coffee mug with the same phrase on it a few days later. I had much better success with this type of planner.
 The Marker Board
The next form of planning is the marker board. I bought a magnetized marker board for work to keep on my file drawer and one for home to keep on my refrigerator. This is a week-by-week form of planning that is best used in addition to another, long-term planner by Types A, B, and C. Type D should avoid this form of planning because it lacks consistency. Marker board planning is simply drawing a visual of your week and adding the things you need to do each day of the week. It is easily erased and modified, and it is plainly visible on places like a refrigerator or a shelf.
The Smart Phone
The final form of planner I am including is the smart phone. Almost every smart phone comes with a built in calendar, or Google Calendar is available for free on both Android and Apple devices. This form of planning is not good for personalities who need to feel a physical form of planner like Type B or possibly Type A, but it can good for Type B in that it allows the user to access it at any time or any place. If you are like me and often forget your planner every time you leave the house, then this is a great supplement or primary planning strategy.
When it comes to a planner, feel free to use one or any combination of strategies to best keep track of your schedule. You have to experiment to find which type is best for you. My current planning strategy uses each of these. I primarily use the marker board strategy for work. I primarily use the planner for homework and due dates. And I use the bullet journal and my smart phone for work, school, personal life, wedding planning, on-the-go appointment setting, and just about everything else.
Good luck to everyone in starting out this new semester on the right foot!
