Slimming down the VDS

I think I may have finally found my peace.  I have bought a new planner and I couldn't wait to move in and set it up...it's another VDS Touch Me in senior size but in classic black!  I have decided that this is the size for me for my everyday carry - and trust me I don't/won't go anywhere without this!! It's not that it has tons of important meetings, appointments or information in it, it's just because I feel lost without it in my possession.  What if I needed to write something?  I do sometimes get the urge to just write something, anything, and it's always when I am paperless...so I no longer allow that situation to happen by always having my planner with me, always.

I have designed and created some new inserts as I felt as though my calendar was taking up too much space for the information I need.  This was resulting in less paper space for me to write my sudden urges in whatever they may be!  

After having a good look at my calendar I have realised that I do have appointments but usually just one in any one day but the days are also used, in the main, for to-do's and little reminders.  I tried using a rolling list but it just didn't work for me as I couldn't tell when I needed to do what and that was frustrating so I ended up having to write it on the day as well which defeated the object of having a rolling list.  I also thought of using sticky notes but the additional clutter would stress me out.

Then in a moment of clarity I realised!  If I reduced my calendar to week per page and then only added in a to-do list when I had lots to do then I could throw it away once completed - AND I had the idea of putting the days on it so that I knew what needed to be done and when...genius if I do say so myself!  If there isn't much to be done that week then I can simply write my to-do on the day, if there is loads then I can add a sheet...it really isn't rocket science and I kind of already took this approach many years ago when I lived out of a pocket planner as my main and only planner...(I'd love to know how I did that!!)  I used to have a week on two pages and my to-do's were added to the day, on those days where I had tons to do I used a to-do list - and I always had loads of room in my planner and now I'm thinking that was before the multitude of  'sections' and copious amounts of sticky notes, page flags and oli clips - they all take up that space!  I NEVER use them either, nor do I use paper clips or project life type cards...I didn't even have dividers back then!  I don't have tabbed dividers now either but I do have my glittery tab-free ones that I love, love, love!!  It's all about the glitter :)

Anyway, whatever it was I used to be able to do when life was so much less complicated, I can't do it now, it just doesn't work for me anymore.  I don't know why, I've tried to remember, to figure it out but alas I have no idea!

I will update once I have had a chance to run with this system and let you know how it goes :)

Until next time, take care xxx

iPad mini and Flex working well

I am so excited to have finally found something that is going to work for my studies!!  It was an idea I had all along but there was something niggling me....and for the price of 75p in Tesco I have found the solution!

This notebook is perfect A5 size and the pages are easy tear out so I can hole punch them into my filo when I'm done and I don't have to carry a filo round with me, I am feeling so excited about this you have no idea! Today I am going back to Tesco and buying the rest of the stock!

I was also trying to find a bag that I could use as I didn't want to put it all into my handbag. All the styles I found were just dull and not really me. Then I realised I had this little waterproof bag and it is a bit more jazzy than the usual ipad or netbook bags and it has two compartments so one for study and one for my lunch!

Cute isn't it!

And a view of the inside :)

Top view of the flex with my iPad and notebook

Work in progress...textbook has been scanned onto iPad

I am really happy with how this is looking, I am convinced it is going to work wonderfully but as always I will update at some point to say whether it has or not!

Until next time, take care xxx

Planners and Overwhelm

Planners are supposed to help you deal with the overwhelm.  Help you deal with organising and breaking down of tasks to more manageable chunks to avoid the feeling of overwhelm.  

I'm not sure that I have mastered the art of this planning lark.  Since I got into the Planner War I have felt totally at odds with everything!  So, why is that?

After thinking about it for a while I have come to the conclusion that using a planner forces me to write everything down, all my appointments, goals, to do lists, chores, bills due, birthdays, engagements...I'm thinking that prior to this Planner War, ignorance may have been bliss!

I think I find having everything documented in the same place is causing me stress. Realising that I have so much to do and so little time to do it is causing me to procrastinate even more resulting in less time resulting in more stress.  I tried colour coding once and that made me realised that I spent more time doing stuff for other people and hardly anything for myself so I stopped colour coding.

We all have 24 hours in a day so how come some people seem to get more done than others?  I spent a long time wasted reading up on this when I could have been doing stuff instead!  I have books and books and books about reducing clutter - ironic isn't it!?

Everywhere you look there are books on how to get things done quicker, easier and more efficient. There are self help books galore, all promising to provide you with clarity of thought and a determined more positive and focused outlook.  I have read so many of these and all they have ever provided me with is more brain fog together with a spiraling feeling that I am just not good enough...

Enough is enough.  All I want is a simple life that is fun.  I don't want to live my life by a schedule, I just want to live my life.  I am not getting rid of my planners, hell no - but I am going to re-purpose them into fun things rather than something that provides me a regimented schedule that constantly berates me for not doing enough - I am doing enough, I really am but I am not superwoman, and what's more - I don't want to be.

My beloved Senior VDS Touch Me is the only planner I am going to use - as a diary. Not a planner, I don't want to plan any more.  It's too time consuming and it just sucks the fun out of my life.  It is just a diary with gentle reminders that I have something to do and somewhere for me to put photographs and ticket stubs and happy thoughts.  My to-do lists are going to be on post it notes so I can throw them away when done, I don't want to look back through my diary and be reminded that three weeks ago I spent the whole day cleaning, shopping or doing boring stuff.  I do want to be reminded that in four weeks time I will be relaxing in the sun in lovely Cyprus with my fantastic Husband at my Parents house :)

Until next time, take care xxx

Studying in a Domino Snake with Ipad Mini

After much deliberation and plenty of mind changes I think I may have found a solution for my study planner woes!

I had intended on using my Flex but the bound notebook bothered me, a lot. It wouldn't have been so bad if I could have found a notebook where the pages detached cleanly and easily but those seem to be only the top bound ones and there is no space in a Flex for a notebook like that. 

I wanted to be able to write my study notes and then transfer them to a filofax, the one I had in mind was my beautiful Aston but to carry that around in my bag there is a weight issue.

I needed something light.  Something that had a little structure and little room on the interior to add bulk.

I started looking at the Pennybridge Ipad Cases but I didn't want something that zipped either and the ones with zips tend to be slighter bigger anyway.

So, for now, my solution is my Bronze Snake Domino. Seemed a shame to have him sitting on a shelf when he could be put to use so here he is in all his glory!

Clean simple interior

My iPad mini fits in the to opening envelope!

And a pad at the back for my notes

Once I have written my notes I can transfer them to the correct section.  Genius!!  Not sure why it has taken me so long to figure that one out but still...I got there in the end!

My 'text book' has been scanned on so I can access it using my iPad instead of having to lug about a huge textbook too.  Another good idea :) I'm full of them today it seems...

I am not going to 'set it up' instead I am going to just let it evolve otherwise it will detract from the studying I am supposed to be doing! Study first, play at rearranging last.  I might even start to decorate the notes to try and make them more visually appealing - not much more boring than reams of notes on Insurance Law!

Until next time, take care xxx

My VDS Planner and Custom Diary Stickers!

As usual for a Tuesday night I met up with my BFF Karen to catch up, drink coffee and have cream tea (cherry scone, clotted cream and fresh strawberries!) and of course to swap planner ideas, inserts and her latest homemade wonder which for this week were stickers (last week was her faux dori, have a look at this post).

I only have my little VDS Senior so I needed something small but functional and as usual, she didn't disappoint!

A small selection that she has made

I wanted to bring some along with me while I was out today but didn't have a little envelope to put them in, then I spied this little pill box that she gave me for keeping my meds in and thought it would be good to pop them in there for today...it's working out very well actually and I know that my little stickers are safe from getting squashed!  I may have to now get another one for my meds!

A little pill box for safe storage!

These stickers are the perfect size for my senior size planner - I love them!!

She's done me proud, yet again!  I'm guessing that the 'coffee' one is going to run out fast!!  And as it is now the 1 April, I am hoping that the 'study' ones are going to start getting used soon :)

Check her out on Etsy!

Until next time, take care xxx