Getting Cutesy With Erin Condren: February

Leap Day is throwing me off, majorly. I conceptually knew Super Tuesday was March 1st, but in my mind I kept thinking it was already the middle of March. Then, I completely spaced on March entirely and wrote a check with Feb. 27th as the date. I swear if I'm not late, I'm early. I'm never on time.

I wish I could blame that on my current "season of life" but I've never been a particularly punctual person.

I've had an Erin Condren Life Planner for a few years now and I love them. I hate the nearly obscene turnaround time (and the accompanying nearly obscene cost) but they work really well for my schedule and me.

What I haven't been good about with the planner is using the full month view, or getting cutesy with stickers—mainly because I have giant handwriting and nothing ever fits in the damn squares. Plus, I have a lot of stuff going on during a given day/week/month that I don’t always stop to write everything down. Or find some cute sticker to tell me I need to get my brows waxed in three weeks at 3:30.

As part of my non-resolutions for the New Year, I am trying to take time at the beginning of every month to plan out what goes where. I'm also taking the opportunity to look back at the month I just finished. I've got some lofty goals for 2016 (500 Pure Barre classes being one) so hopefully this new system will help me attain them. 

Previously, when a month was finished I would rip out all the pages and recycle them responsibly—toting around a year's worth of paper when you already had that meeting six months ago got annoying. Now I am getting rid of just the weekly pages, and hanging on to my month view. Hoping this will also help me track goals better and have a realistic look at my year come December 31st. Paper clips on the front side of the monthly view help me keep little notes and invites I want to save to remember how fun and special things were.

I also keep a copy of Dr. Jonathan Meisel's card as well as Alex's hospital bracelet on the inside front cover to remind me that no matter what fills these pages, there's something a few someones much more important. Because life is all about perspective.

 

I set a goal of 20 PB classes for February and that went out the dang window. I had a week long trip to Memphis and Atlanta I wasn't planning on, plus a stomach bug. Despite writing my niece's birthday in my calendar (and purchasing the gift) I still mailed it late. It was a busy February and that's exactly how I like it!!

March looks to be just as ridiculous with three work trips to three different states in three weeks—plus St. Patrick's Day events and Easter. Can't forget the 20 Pure Barre classes in 31 days challenge I stupidly signed up for, in addition to three full length feature stories to write and one complete magazine to put together. Good thing we get more daylight, I sure could use more time…