This week has been very difficult for me with my mental health, so I appologise for my lack of posts this last week. However I am back for this week's installment of confessions of a Planner-O-Holic. This week it is our second Q & A that we kindly asked you all to request questions. So with out further a do here we go.
So this week has been a very hard one with my mental health. It has been another week of accusations and being spoken too like a child. I also had a very hard therapy session too, I was so tired after it as I ended up crying for around 24 hours pretty much non-stop. So when it came to writing this post I thought that maybe I could let you know why I started using a planner and how it has helped me.
So I started to have a planner after watching loads of videos on Youtube. I purchased my first planner from one of the Facebook planner groups. I ended up getting a second hand Erin Condren Planner which I got for a steal as the lady just couldn't get on with the system. So I was really enjoying using stickers and using bright colours. I had noticed that my mental health had been getting worse and worse so I wanted to use a planner to try to keep me motivated and to track the affects my mental health was having on my everyday life.
I initially used it as a way to write down a few things that I wanted to try to do everyday. Which then ment that I was noticing that I had lost all drive to do anything. I have always been a creative person from painting to crochet; but even these loved hobbies were being left behind. I kept trying to do them but was finding it harder and harder. I gave in and went to see my GP, it was really helpful to have my diary with me as I could show my GP what was going on, as my memory was getting awful. He said it was a very pro-active way to keep an eye on things, and hopefully see if there were any trends or triggers.
However, after around three months with my Erin Condren I was noticing I wasn't using it daily and would find weeks would go by without me using it. As all us planner girls know your eyes start to wonder and those pesky Youtube videos of filofaxes, travellers notebooks, websters pages etc would give me the itch to want to try a different system. So before I took the leap I asked around in the Facebook groups and asked for help and advice to see what people would recommend for my needs. One lovely lady asked for my address as she wanted to send me a RAK, which I was so shocked when it arrived. She had sent me a black travellers notebook (which I now use for my blog). I was so suprised and found myself crying at the kindness of the groups of other planner enthusiasts. Of course my husband couldn't understand why I was crying and quiet why the planner I had wasn't working, typical!
So I ended up trying to use my TN for just tracking my mental health, medications and also any mood changes I was noticing. I found this super helpful and now own two other TN's. I love how versatile the TN is but I kept being drawn back towards a ring binder. So yet again I made the leap into a Websters Pages planner. I fell in love straight away, I was able to make sections so I could try to keep trackers separate from other aspects of my life, which has been helpful. I do find now that I keep them separate that I am using my planner more and more. I wonder if subconsciously if I wasn't using my other planners because as soon as I opened them it BAM right there in the page (which made it feel like a big neon sign saying 'Hi I struggle with my mental health and I'm not good enough').
So where am I today, 18 months on from having my very first planner. Well I currently own around 20 different planners. Too many? Nah I am still on the look out for planners. A girl cannot have too many, although my husband moans about how many I have, and how often I change which I am using. But well sometimes a certain planner is calling to me so I just move all of my inserts over. Just like changing into a certain outfit that is calling to you. You get it don't you?
I hope you have all enjoyed this weeks Confessions Of A Planner-O-Holic. I look forward to seeing the other girls posts; don't forget to head over to their posts (links below). Until next week keep planning!
So yesterday I was having a really bad day with my anxiety and depression. I tried my usual things to try to help; including the PlayDoh my therapist gave me. But nothing was helping at all, but Mr Postman kindly delivered some Happy Mail that I had forgotten about. I was really suprised as I only ordered them at the weekend, so very fast delivery indeed, and they gave me a bit of a lift. When I am struggling with my depression the online shopping starts. I hope I'm not the only one?
You others in the crafty world will know that feeling when we either 'stalk' our Postman or that happy feeling when he brings goodies as well as the bills!
On the second installment of 'Confessions Of A Planner-O-Holic' all of us girls are doing a Q & A session. We all have the same questions which were asked by you, the planner public. And we're all going to answer them. I hope you all have fun while reading this, and drop me a comment below if you have any other questions. So let's get to the questions!
1) What is your favourite planner?
This is a hard one, I love all of my planners. I have noticed that I am more at home in the Personal size, whether it is a Paperchase, Filofax, Websters etc. However, I switch between my planners quiet often depending on my mood, the season and just if I want a change really. (I know your guilty of this too)
Myself and some other fellow Planner-O-Holic's have decided to all join together and all do a series called 'Confessions Of A Planner-O-Holic.' This series is going to be posted every Monday; and I have added the links to all the other lovely ladies blogs or Youtube's at the bottom of my post.
So this week I thought I would post about my life with my Planner. Now I consider my planner to be my best friend. Why wou ask? Well here goes. I have big issues with my mental health and trust is one of my biggest issues. So, since I started using a planner and journal; just over a year ago. I have found that they have become a best friend. I can trust them and have no worries they will ever let me down.
Now I know that is so sad, my husband is always saying that I love my planner more than him! Men just don't get it thought. When I explained that it is a bit like the way he is with his Xbox, he still didn't get it. Hmmm, perhaps I should hide his Xbox Controllers for 24 hours and see if he understands then? Haha that's just mean. But you guys get it right? It is great to have somewhere that I can write down my thoughts and feelings; plus it is great to know that I have a rough plan and reminders on important dates etc so I don't have them springing up on me like they used too. (Although something still springs up that I have not written down or not written on my weekly pages, but hey that is a whole other post about my bad planning habits right.)
Do you have any fun stories or do you feel the same about your planners and journals? I would like to think that I am not alone in this (fingers crossed.) I look forward to catching you next Monday with the second installment of Confessions of a Planner-O-Holic. Until then keep planning, Vicky
For the last few years 'One Book July' has been getting more and more popular with us planner addicts. It was started 3 years ago by Rhomanys Realm, Carie Harling and Miss Vicky Bee. I have wanted to try it the last few years but saw it as kind of scary and just enjoyed watching all of the planner videos. But this year I have decided to take the plunge. I need to get out of having so many books and hoping to pick up on any bad habbits that I have with my journals and planners.
So what I thought I would do is post up my current planners (yes I am working in more than one book) and the set ups that I have in them. So I currently have a pink Travellers notebook with four inserts in from HarrisTweed,
a Paperchase personal sized Dogtooth ring binder that is my 'Main' planner; and a black faux dori that I have put a mermaid decal onto. Until I sat down to do this blog post I didn't realise that I was working in three books on a regular basis; so now I am a little bit scared of cutting them down but we shall try.
So first up is my HarrisTweed TN; I have recently re-homed this TN and moved in straight away. I initially had this planner as my catch all so to speak. I have three books in here and then one plastic zip/buisness card holder. This TN is home to my Gratitude journal, which I started after being recommended it by my therapist; as a way to focus on at least one positive per day and to try to start to change my mindset a little.
I also have a purple deer insert; this is my 'dear diary' journal. I have only started keeping a journal as a way to work through my emotions since my Dad's death, as well as a way to work through my feelings and keep them in check. For obvious reasons I haven't shared the insides of these inserts due to their very personal nature. My final book insert is just a plain notebook for me to write down notes, include photos etc a little like a smashbook idea. Then of course us planner girls cannot go anywhere without having some washi tape with us, so my business card holder holds just that. I also keep a few journaling cards, pens and extra washi in the zip pocket. This pink TN is mainly journaling and just as an escape from my own head really. I also have an angel charm on the top binding as a reminder of my Dad.
Then next is my Black TN with the gold decal on. This planner was gifted to me around a year ago by a very kind lady. Her name was embossed on the bottom corner of it, and to 'hide' it I simply added a vinyl decal and it has helped to make the TN feel a lot more like my own.
This TN journal is what I use for my blog planning as well as my 'therapy' book. I take this TN to all of my therapy sessions and will use it to write down anything that is important that I feel I need to remember, or to write down any emotions or thoughts that I have had between sessions. I have found that since my anxiety and depression as gotten worse my memory has gotten awful so to have those notes with me is really useful and remind me of anything that I feel is important and I need to bring to my therapists attention.
The first book in this TN is my weekly diary for my blog. This is a week on 1 page layout with a page of squared paper opposite for me to make notes and ideas on for the blog. This has been helpful in keeping me focused on work that I need to do for this blog.
My next insert is a plain white paper insert that I recently won on instagram. I will be doing a review of the shop and the inserts soon. This book is where I am hoping to start a recovery journal in. I have found many posts on Youtube and online referring to a recovery journal and how it is helpful to get out the emotions and feelings; whether it be in words, paintings or drawings. I am hoping that this will help me to bring back my enjoyment of art and being creative which I have lost the passion for.
And finally I have my Paperchase Dogtooth Personal sized ring binder. This is my main planner. This is the one that holds the traditional calendar planner and is always with me. I have many different binders but the contents is usually the same idea when I decide so switch and change. I have been using a ring bound planner for a year now and I enjoy the ease of pulling out and putting things in with great ease. You may also notice that I have added a slit in each of the pages to allow me to pop pages in and out without having to open my rings. This is purely to keep my rings in the best condition that I can for as long as possible. I have included a video below of my flip through of my main planner.
Now the fun begins trying to work these planners down to a smaller concept for 'One Book July'. So fingers crossed and wish me good luck.
So us ring bound planner folk need a way to archive our previous layouts. I have been struggling with this a lot since I moved over to ring bound planning. I have been using an old websters pages box to store my old pages. I keep them not only to refer back to if needed for appointments etc. But I also keep them as a way to reflect on my mental health progress; as well as it is just fun to reminisce sometimes.
So I have been looking for a while and finally fell upon the t-tag. It seems so simple whem you think about it now. These are very similar to the treasury tags that I remember us using back when I was at junior school to bind our work together. These however are so much better than the original. They are vert sturdy, yet bendy. Plus we already have holes in our ring bound planner pages, so it makes sense.
I personally only have my inserts from the beginning of 2016, so that is 7 months now, but there are too many to store in one of my many filofax's or websters page planners. Plus I don't want to damage the rings by over stuffing them. So these are a fab compromise. They also look really bright and colourful, which well means they are also very easy on the eye too. So why not head over and have a look yourself and let me know how you find them?
Ok, so here it is I have always been one of those really organised people that makes lists and is always ready for holidays and special events weeks or even months in advance. Well one of the first things that I noticed when my anxiety and depression was getting worse was that I wasn't doing anything. Don't get me wrong most days are still a struggle but I have found one way to keep myself focused and motivated. Plus my planner is a good way to channel my creativity and allow me to track my days.
So yesterday I was having a really bad day with my anxiety and depression. I tried my usual things to try to help; including the PlayDoh my therapist gave me. But nothing was helping at all, but Mr Postman kindly delivered some Happy Mail that I had forgotten about. I was really suprised as I only ordered them at the weekend, so very fast delivery indeed, and they gave me a bit of a lift. When I am struggling with my depression the online shopping starts. I hope I'm not the only one?
This is a hard one, I love all of my planners. I have noticed that I am more at home in the Personal size, whether it is a Paperchase, Filofax, Websters etc. However, I switch between my planners quiet often depending on my mood, the season and just if I want a change really. (I know your guilty of this too)
So what I thought I would do is post up my current planners (yes I am working in more than one book) and the set ups that I have in them. So I currently have a pink Travellers notebook with four inserts in from HarrisTweed,
So first up is my HarrisTweed TN; I have recently re-homed this TN and moved in straight away. I initially had this planner as my catch all so to speak. I have three books in here and then one plastic zip/buisness card holder. This TN is home to my Gratitude journal, which I started after being recommended it by my therapist; as a way to focus on at least one positive per day and to try to start to change my mindset a little.
Then next is my Black TN with the gold decal on. This planner was gifted to me around a year ago by a very kind lady. Her name was embossed on the bottom corner of it, and to 'hide' it I simply added a vinyl decal and it has helped to make the TN feel a lot more like my own.
This TN journal is what I use for my blog planning as well as my 'therapy' book. I take this TN to all of my therapy sessions and will use it to write down anything that is important that I feel I need to remember, or to write down any emotions or thoughts that I have had between sessions. I have found that since my anxiety and depression as gotten worse my memory has gotten awful so to have those notes with me is really useful and remind me of anything that I feel is important and I need to bring to my therapists attention.
The first book in this TN is my weekly diary for my blog. This is a week on 1 page layout with a page of squared paper opposite for me to make notes and ideas on for the blog. This has been helpful in keeping me focused on work that I need to do for this blog.
And finally I have my Paperchase Dogtooth Personal sized ring binder. This is my main planner. This is the one that holds the traditional calendar planner and is always with me. I have many different binders but the contents is usually the same idea when I decide so switch and change. I have been using a ring bound planner for a year now and I enjoy the ease of pulling out and putting things in with great ease. You may also notice that I have added a slit in each of the pages to allow me to pop pages in and out without having to open my rings. This is purely to keep my rings in the best condition that I can for as long as possible. I have included a video below of my flip through of my main planner.
So us ring bound planner folk need a way to archive our previous layouts. I have been struggling with this a lot since I moved over to ring bound planning. I have been using an old websters pages box to store my old pages. I keep them not only to refer back to if needed for appointments etc. But I also keep them as a way to reflect on my mental health progress; as well as it is just fun to reminisce sometimes.
