Planning for 2016

Is it too early to begin planning for 2016? And to purchase the planner that we'll use for 2016? Maybe it's too soon for some, but for those of us who love our planners, it is not too soon! 

I've used many different types of planners over the years, but this year (2015) I started using a new one ... the Simplified Planner. You can read all about it on their website - click here. I haven't posted about it during 2015 yet, as it was the first year that I have been using it. But now that I know that I love it for sure, you can expect more posts! 

I have already ordered my new Simplified Planner for 2016 (photo above) - it is a beauty! And if you click on the link and go to the Simplified Planner website, you will notice that there is a price to pay for these planners ... more than I have paid for planners in past years. But for me, and for others who place a great value on their planners, it is worth saving up for and purchasing.

The format of the Simplified Planner is quite simple, as the focus is on simplifying life, and focusing on the things of most importance. Each day. The format consists of two components: a calendar for each month, and daily pages for each day of the year (though Saturday and Sunday are on the same page). 

Very simple. All you see each day is the day that you are living in - the present. On the left side of each page is the hourly time slot for the day: 6 am through 9 pm. On the right side of the page is a place for a "To Do" list. On the lower left: a section entitled "Dinner", and on the lower right: a "Notes" section. Not a lot of clutter, and no list of tasks or responsibilities that are for a future day. Just one day at a time ... keeping it simple.

Emily Ley (creator of the Simplified Planner) makes it a great priority to focus on the things of most importance, and loves to encourage others to do the same. I love the heart behind this planner.

The Simplified Planner is what is opened up on my desk (or my kitchen counter) throughout the day, with the cover turned back, so all I see is one day at a time. Not a lot of busy work for the rest of the week. Just one day.

To keep track of broader goals, and to keep a running list of all the various things that I don't want to forget about: priorities and tasks that need to be cared for each week/month, I use a smaller notebook that fits right inside the front cover of my Simplified Planner. Each of these notebooks holds about four months of notes for me, so I'll use three different ones throughout the year. You can purchase notebooks at the Simplified Planner website, or you can pick them up elsewhere. I purchased mine at Target - they come in a set of three - perfect for one year.

In this smaller notebook, I'll have sections for each of the main priorities that God has placed on my heart, for me. And I also have pages where I break these main priorities down into monthly and weekly portions throughout the year. And in the new year I hope to share a post about how I then transfer and enter these priorities onto the daily pages of my Simplified Planner.  

You can read about my priorities, thoughts that keep me focused on the most important things, by clicking here. I started out as a young mother with these priorities as I learned from various authors and speakers, and even now, these priorities are a main part of my planning and my days.

It's been fun for me to write this post, as I love planners! I hope to share more in the new year, but wanted to share this much for now, just in case this would be helpful to any of my readers who may be looking for a planner for 2016.