DIY: Make the Perfect Planner

I am a list maker. 
I love lists--writing them , checking them off, keeping track of things. 
I also love schedules. 
And the big picture. 
And room to scribble. 
My planner must fit in my purse. And since my purse is only about 7 inches square, worn as a hip bag (Think Fiona if you watch Burn Notice), that's a tall order in itself.
I do NOT love address books or sterile looking pages. 

Since this appears to be a rather tall order for a premade planner, I decided to take the plunge this year and figure out how to make my own. 


Step 1: Gather your stuff. 

I bought a small moleskine notebook with gridded pages and gathered my favorite pins for making the inside bright and delightful. 

Step 2: Know what's important to me. My top three things in a planner are 1) monthly pages, 2) Lots of to do list space, 3) a place to write a schedule for each day, all with enough space left to scribble notes around the margins. 

Step 3: Place and create month pages. I put mine on the last 12 pages (6 spreads) of the book. I use these for remembering birthdays, due dates, doctor's appointments, etc, so I want them accessible, but not necessarily at the front.  

 One of the great things about having gridded paper, is that it's super easy to make a nice, even calendar. I used the extra space on the sides to create a little "notes" box, too, for reminders, etc. 

Step 4: Design and make your daily pages. 
(Disclaimer: all of 2014 probably won't fit in a notebook this size because it has 192 pages, and I'm using a 2 page "spread" for each day. This doesn't particularly bother me, but if you want all year in a single place, you could use just 1/2 a spread for each day. That would be particularly feasible if you have a larger notebook. Mine is only 3.5x5.5 inches).  

On the left page I have the date, day of the week, what I'm cooking for dinner, and a to do list (on days when my list is not quite so long, I'd also have general scribble space). On the right side, I map out a schedule for the day around things like appointments, going to the gym, etc. Again, I like the grid because I think it adds a general neatness to the look. 

One other tip:
In case you're worried about how time consuming this could be: I've only made the calendar pages for Jan and Feb so far, and I've only made daily pages thru next week. Not only does this break it down so I can just add as I need pages and months, it also means that I could change up my layout at almost any point during the year if I wanted to try something new. 

There you have it, folks! A personalized planner in your favorite colors, patterns, and layouts for less than your average pre-made planner! Happy 2014!

Adventure well; Live fully. 
HAK 

 

2014

Happy New Year!

As you may have seen on Twitter or Facebook, the Hubster and I celebrated fairly simply and had a lot of fun with just the two of us and the two dogs we're petsitting. We played Monopoly (he won), sipped champagne, watched The Fall of Sam Axe, and hid under the table with the pups when the fireworks freaked them out. You think I'm joking:

Yesterday we dutifully, and delightedly ate our pork roast, kraut, black eyed peas, greens, and cornbread. I was very pleased that I managed to cook all of the above--four first times in one meal was a bit daunting--especially the greens which I bought fresh! I was glad I had saved some of our Christmas ham in the freeze for flavoring the beans and greens, too. yummmm.

Anyway, I also spent some time reflecting over the past couple of days, looking back at 2013 and ahead to 2014. I thought a lot about the "hats" I wear. 

I became a wife in 2013--a role that I love and am still growing into. 

I learned a lot about being a daughter, a friend, an adult. 

In light of two of my best friends' moms dying this past year, I have been both mourner and comforter, prayer and prayed for. We carry that weight with us into 2014--a weight of grief and a weight of the hope of glory. We're all hoping that this year brings renewed joy and peace as we weave memory and hope into our hearts. 

I continue to be a student, and, for maybe the first time in my life, I struck a healthier balance between schoolwork and the rest of my life. I was astonished that, other than in French which is really hard, my grades didn't change that much even though my quality of life did. 

I started a business, too--something that maybe surprised me as much as anyone else. Mes Aventures, Crafts & Co. started as an art shop about place and has already morphed a bit to be about all kinds of life adventures--big and small. With this rather big leap I became an entrepreneur/ small business owner and, of all things, a professional artist. 

I don't ever remember not wanting to be an artist. Whatever else I was pursuing, I always seemed to add "and an artist." in my head and heart. But after about age 6, it was always like that--a sort of afterthought. 

And yet, here I am, a newlywed in 2014 (another thing I didn't see coming ;-) ), who has decided to take a break from the education required for all those other pursuits (after I finish my B.A. this semester), to encourage and grow the "afterthought." 

But now that I "really am" an artist, I find myself paralyzed with fear of my own inadequacy. 

I didn't go to art school--I'm a lit student, teacher, and budding linguist by training. I find myself spending plenty of time thinking about art and much less time doing it. I want that to change. I don't want to just pursue the idea of art or creativity. I want to embrace and act upon them. 

So, a couple of days ago, I sat down with journal and tea to make a plan. (Just ask April: I love plans. She can tell you, too, that things rarely go according to plan.)

 Across one page I scrawled the words of Andy Warhol:

"Don't think about making art, just get it done. Let everyone else decide if its good or bad whether they love it or hate it. While they are deciding, make even more art."

That's where I'm heading this year. As I create, I know my skills will improve, as will my focus and routine. 

Maybe by the end of 2014 I won't feel so sheepish when I tell people I'm an artist. ;-) 

Adventure well; Live fully. 

HAK

10 Tips for Surviving Finals

Maybe this post is a little late to help this semester, but maybe you're already thinking, "Next semester will be better. Next semester I'll sleep more, eat better, etc." If so, this is the post for you! A few ideas on how to relax, study efficiently, and, hopefully, be a little happier and healthier when you get home for break. 

1) Make like Hermione and create a plan and start early. Finals start in two weeks? Set aside a simple one hour per day to finals prep. That could add up to 12 hours of studying (assuming a 6 day study week--that gives you a "freebie") over a period of time which is perhaps more effective than you might thin. That's before finals week even strikes. In addition to that kind of plan (Which should include which classes you tackle which days), make a plan for finals week that include several hours of studying, but also leaves time for other things. 

2) Organize everything BEFORE your reading days. During that early study time? Take a few minutes for each class and make sure all your notes and other papers are in the same place (preferably a binder) and in some logical order. By doing this early, you'll have plenty of time to track down profs or other students for anything you're missing before everyone else's stress levels rise, too. 

3) No one's joking around when they say you should sleep. You're making your plans early. PLAN SLEEP. And don't mess around about getting it. 8 hours is best, but if you're worried about that, 7 is still way better than 4 or 5, or less. You will think more clearly on rest than caffine, and you'll be less mean by the end of the week too. ;-)

4) Eat. Eat well. Let's assume a few scenarios: If you're a meal person, value that time. Set aside a little extra time for meals: don't take your books, just enjoy the break. More of a grazer? Plan what you have on hand: make sure your snackage include proteins, fruits, veggies, carbs. Don't end up stealing easy mac from your roomie or buying chex mix from the vending machine. Remember this, too: You are stressed. You will want comfort food. Think that through, too. It's better to, say, buy dark chocolate or your own thing of ice cream and have a limited quantity than to go in hunt of comfort every night when you get frustrated with your homework. 

5) Exercise. Even if you just go for a twenty minute walk a time or two per day. Go to the gym, a jog, ride a bike. Something, anything. And, most importantly, don't take any homework. Eating and exercise are no homework zones. Give your brain a break and restore it and the rest of your body with good nutrients and getting up and moving. 

Okay, you've been planning and preparing. You have schedules drawn up, snackage stocked up, and classes are about to end. Reading days and finals are eminent. 

6) If you've been following the early study plan (so your stuff is already well under control) and you live close enough, take a reading day and go home. See your family; see your friends. They're a huge part of why you're so anxious for the break, so take some of the edge off and get some time with them. If you don't live close enough to go home for a day, take a day to do something with friends at school. Take a day trip, go hiking, even just do dinner and a movie. Give yourself a taste of break long enough to defrag. 

7) Don't study until bedtime. In addition to taking periodic breaks during the study stretch (which we all know is important), stop studying at least an hour before you're due to crash. Take an hour to shower and do your own fun stuff--read, draw, knit, whatever. Unwind. You don't want to fall asleep with equations or random facts parading through your head. That's miserable. Again, defrag. 

8) Speaking of showers, take them. Regularly. Daily. Don't be one of those grubby, I-got-hit-by-a-bus students. Gross. Bathe, brush your teeth, wear real clothes (at least jeans and a sweater or something), put on your make up, shave. You get the idea. You will feel better and focus better if you're confident and clean. 

9) Don't cram right before each test. That would be a great time to exercise and then shower. Go in to your test fresh. 

10) CELEBRATE after every test. Go to Starbucks for your next study session, eat some of that chocolate, pop a balloon. Something to give closer to each step CELEBRATE at the end, too. Plan that ahead of time so you can count down and look forward to it. (This semester, I'm spending the afternoon at Barnes and Noble reading Atlas Shrugged and drinking coffee, then going out for dinner and a movie with the Hubster. So much motivation!)


There. These are common sense things, but they will make a difference. I haven't been very good about this in the past, and I don't really remember the few days following finals for most of my college experience. I was often feverish and beyond exhausted. Finally, I got sick of feeling like that, and I'm trying to prevent it this semester. 

Here's a sample schedule, assuming one exam on this particular day.
7- Up, breakfast
8- Emails, social media, general getting things ready for the day
9- Gym
10- Shower/Dress
11- Study for Exam B (The following day's exam)
12- Review for Exam A (this day's exam)
1- Lunch/ Other non-studying necessities
2-Exam
3-Exam
4- Break
5- Study for Exam B
6- Dinner
7- Study (for Exam B or other subsequent exams)
8- Study
9- Study/ Other necessities
10- Wind down
11-GO TO BED 

Notice that this gives 6 potential study hours in just one day! That should be more than enough time, especially if you use it effectively. AND you won't be crazy by the end. :-) 

Adventure well; Live fully.
HAK