According to a recent article in the Washington Post, paper-and-ink schedule planners are at least as much in vogue right now as they ever were… almost as if computer software had never been invented.
I confess, I am cheered by the news.
For one thing, it means I am much more likely to find a good calendar still on the store shelves. Most years, I feel like a blacksmith might, if he’d wandered into Home Depot looking for horseshoes.
“A calendar, ma’am? This is the 21st century. You have one already — it’s right on your phone.”
“No, no, I want something I can write on. With pages.”
“Excuse me — What are ‘pages’? What is ‘writing’?”
“Never mind. I’ll just whittle myself a little book from this pile of lumber.”
According to lifestyle reporter Caitlin Gibson, these systems are aimed, not at analog dotards like me, but squarely at millennial women, trying to be in control of their busy lives.
The idea is that, satisfying as it may be to accomplish things on your to-do list, it is even better if you can write “goal crushed” next to it. Better yet, you can celebrate with a sticker. Some brands even come with an entire “complementary sticker pack!”
I am a sucker for many things — including the whole concept of paper-based planning systems. I’m afraid I can’t stop believing that “If you buy it, you will improve.”
It is not even an exaggeration to say that at one time, the self-improvement corner of my closet contained no less than 10 different Filofaxes, calendars, day planners, or what-have-you. All of them blank, waiting for inspiration to strike. Or maybe lightning — that would have been faster.
I am now down to five — a massive achievement! I do not know what the ultimate customers of Big Brother/Big Sister of Long Island will make of the five I have managed to donate — but that’s their problem, not mine.
I have read all about the “magic of planning.” If, for example, one wants to become a world-famous author, it is really incumbent upon one to break it down, and plan out the steps. Like this:
Step One: Become an author.
Step Two: Become world famous.
Hmm. Perhaps that would have worked better in reverse order. I see what’s been stopping me, now!
Here’s why I’m a believer. Back when I was the sole associate producer for a very busy video promo department, I discovered by trial and error that the only way I could stay on track was to write myself a to-do list at the end of every day, for “what must get done in the morning.”
A few years later, at home with two small children, I tried to-do lists again. By then, my list had shrunk to one or two items — say, “Call plumber, get toilet fixed!” — and was often carried over, untouched, from one week to the next. But if I pinned the list to the calendar by the phone and looked there in the rare quiet moment — at least sometimes that thing would get done. Hashtag goal crushed! Plumber requested!
And I must tell you, it is far more satisfying to cross off an item — or better yet, run a day-glow orange hi-liter over it and write “done” in the margin — than it is to just move on to the next item on an electronic list.
Yes, I am a sucker for many things. But I draw the line at stickers.
When I was young, my mother tried them, as a motivational system to get me and my two brothers to do our chores. So many points for making your bed, brushing your teeth, etcetera. Each point earned you a sticker, and 10 stickers got you a gold star.
But when my baby brother discovered that at no time did any part of this system convert into cold, hard cash — he was done. My other brother and I soon followed suit.
So let the fancy stationers market those “complementary sticker packets” all they like. If stickers couldn’t fool my baby brother, they’re not going to work on me! I’ll take just the planners, thank you.
