How to Use the Monthly Chart?

A monthly chart is a table with on column for tasks, or anything else :) and 30/31 columns for the days. In cells you can draw, check off, color, write.

1. Planning

I tried to use a monthly chart for planning before, but it didn't worked for me. Like: add tasks to the left column, and mark on which day you have to do this. I planned very well, just never checked :D 

2. Tracking projects

On the top of my chart I track on what project I'm working when. I want to summarize after couple of months to see, which type of project how many days need. As you can see, I color when I'm worked on something. My patterns stayes from more steps, where you see letters, means, where I am in the progress.

3. Tracking goals

On the bottom I mark, when I did something to my goals. When I have planned something on a day, I draw a square. As you can see, it is not going perfectly :D

4. Other ideas 

Weight loss

Write the weights to the rows, and mark every day, where you are.

Mood, other well being tracking

Write every day to every category how you rate it. Like 1-5 or 1-10...

You can also leave for something (headache) so many rows, how many value you want to use, and color so much, for how many you rate that day.

Keep track events

Mark no school days, your husband work schedule, trash days...

You can download this insert from my Etsy shop. For my readers I have 20% discount, use the SRBLOG coupon code!

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Technique and paper - hand in hand

I struggled always how and where to write my routines. 
- When I kept them on a list somewhere in my planner, and wrote on my daily page "morning routine", I had to flip there, and I coudn't mark off the tasks, and I forgot to go back to the daily.
- I tried laminated page (where I can mark off and clean for the next time), but I had have a whiteboard marker and something to clean the page - I never had.
- I kept the list on my day marker (marker problem again).
- On sticky notes. (Cannot mark it off.)
- I wrote all tasks every day (huge work, big, overwhelming list),
- I made stickers, I made daily pages printed with the tasks - this items looked different as what I added with my hand - so I "didn't saw" them. Really. I know.

Using an app

I tried uncountable app already, but I always failed. I can't tell the reason. And I can't tell, why I now succeed? I use the Todoist app. I use it mostly on my computer, but it is also available on my phone. I can "throw" everything with a move into my inbox without leaving the program what I use on my computer. This is a huge advantage for me, because I won't forget what I made. And I don't have to find the place in my planner to write - in this time I can forget what I wanted to note! That is really annoying. I can add aoutomaticly tasks into my list with IFTTT (my favourite app ever!) - like "if I posted on Instagram, create me a task for today: write tags for the post in comment", or "if I got a text message on my phone create a task to answer". With IFTTT I also can create a list in an other app (I use Google Drive) what I've done. I can share projects with others, the most important I share with my husband is the shopping list. I write the list, he checks the items off, when he puts in the shopping basket. Great, isn't it?

And you will laugh: I use an other task manager app (TickTick), for the routines. That way in Todoist I have the task "morning routine", and in TickTick I have the items for it. This way I can keep my Todoist task list shorter. 

And then you don't need your planner any more???

Yes, I do! I plan in my planner. The app keeps the tasks neet and safe and can remind me. I have my calendar, and organize appointments here. I plan out my week on my weekly pages. I make my weekly review in my planner (with the help of my checklist in the app :)). This combination solved the "I  have to make this task one time, maybe not today, but soon" problem - not a perfect way yet, but more better as in written form ever. I snooze these task for tomorrow, or maybe for next week. They are there, in my today's list, but when I go trough my day on the morning I can decide, if I leave the here or snooze farther, without making a mess on my todo list. Sometimes I write some MIT in my planner, to know on what I have to concentrate, and I check the little ones in the app. The app can remind me if I have a task I want to make in a specific time (to post on Instagram at 14:00 :)) 

So my loved planners stays with me, and didn't changed too much, only I write in them not so much tasks. I will also slowly remove the project tasks list from my planners - but project pages with informations and notes might will stay on paper! 

For now I'm very pleased with this hybrid solution.

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How pocket size works for me and why?

If you are with me for a long time, you know, I tried personal size, and I found it too small. And now I use a pocket size Filofax. How???

Filofax on the go

My first try to have a separate Filofax for on the go was the Compact size Pennybridge, what I use as a wallet. The idea was not to bring the A5 with me, but having the possibility to make appointments, have important informations by hand, taking notes, writing on to dos, when it falls into my mind. I had here monthly calendar, once also weekly, and todo lists, and note paper, but it doesn't worked. Why? I never took out it from my bag. It would be very risky - In might let it home... So - I wrote a task in that or a not, when I was far from home? Never read it again. I just brought my A5 with me - just in case.

The difference with the pocket

Wallet stays in my bag. But the pocket not! I take out. I bring the pocket with me - to the couch, to the bed, to the table, or when I leave the flat. It's small, it is so simple to take with me everywhere!

How it's calendar works with other planners together?

The pocket is not a planning tool. This is a capturing and storing tool. I have a monthly calendar here.

I write condensed only those thing here, what can influence any appointment I should organize. You can ask me - you wrote before, you can have only one calendar or that will be a mess. I have the solution. The Calendar which knows everything is an A5 booklet. Principle I organize here everything. But out of the house it is not with me. If I make a new appointment in the pocket, I don't write it on the paper, I write it on a small post it note. In my daily routine I have an item: "the red Filo" - means, I have to check, if I have a new appointment, note, to do, etc, and copy it for the right place. The post it note gives me a clue, that I have to copy that appointment. At the same time I can synchronize also in other direction too.

Daily notes

I got these inserts from someone in FB for free! I'm so happy. I didn't wanted to pay for daily inserts too much, because I didn't know, if I will use them? The answer is, yes! I use. Not as a task list, but a sort of journaling. I write in some words, what I did on the day. Not feelings, they are going to my real journal :)

Other stuff

Notes

I jot down everything here, ideas, learned stuff, tasks. I keep here a page markers, that I can reach the first clean page quickly.

Knitting

I made an insert for this. I take notes belonging to the project.

I tried keeping knitting notes on a planner before - it doesn't worked, because I kept designing notes, tasks for the designing process also here, and I never knew, where the planner is. At my knitting? On the desk? I'm lazy to search. But keeping designing stuff and other notes separate works really well! And if I need a note for the pattern - no problem, the little pocket is always with me.

Lists

I didn't liked keeping lists in an A5 binder, while I think it is wasting paper. The pocket size is ideal for lists - the pages are (almost) filled out.

A-Z section

I love A-Z sections, but I took it out from the A5 - for free out ring space. Here I have enough space (yet) for this bunch of dividers. I want to copy addresses here, and other good to know stuff, like passwords (not sensitive once), insurance numbers, "contact" infos - I don't know how to call this, by GTD is called contacts, they are pages for people with stuff I want to discuss, when we meet, what he/she told, etc. It can be a friend, a doctor also. Until now I have these here, but I know I will find other very important stuff to bring with me :D

Some extras

Stickers for headers

Sticky notes

White/black/gray cards for photoshoots

So this way I can let the A5 at home and I have every informations with me, what I need.

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