About a year ago, I posted a blog about my super cost-efficient, paperback Five Year Planner, ordered on Amazon for $8. It was the start of the new year, and I sort of outgrew spending $50-$100 on a bulky-but-super-organized planner.
You can read more about why I chose this planner, where I heard about it, and see the blank pages inside by visiting last year’s blog HERE.
I ordered this simple planner instead of my typical school/office job choice because I needed to be LESS detail-oriented in planning my day-to-day life, and I needed to start thinking bigger for my future. With all of the traveling I do, this book made the most sense.
After the first year of five comes to a close, I wanted to share an update of pros & cons of only scheduling by months. (There are a lot more pros than cons, but that’s because this fits my lifestyle!)
Pros of the Five Year Planner:
- Big thinking. I am already making plans for years to come, rather than focusing on plans over the next week/month. This helps a lot in planning for future weddings, work trips, and vacations!
- My planner is super light-weight & easy to travel with in my backpack. It sits next to my laptop and isn’t bulky at all.
- I don’t have to buy a new planner this year. Or next year, or the year after, or the year after that… Saving at least $250+ here!
- My to-do lists mean more. I don’t have room to put “laundry” or “work out at the gym” on my to-do list. Those things must become daily habits as an adult, while real efforts toward monthly deadlines get accomplished with intention. I have a to-do list for each month and a resolutions list for the year.
- It’s easy to reflect on the work I’ve accomplished this year and feel clear in making attainable goals for the upcoming year. I achieved most of my resolutions because I saw them daily. I can measure my progress and budget my time.
Cons of the Five Year Planner:
- The paperback edges are as worn down as I thought they’d be with constant packing/unpacking over the year. I was very careful, but I only foresee these edges getting more ripped up over the next few years.
- There isn’t a lot of room for tiny scheduling, which I preferred for the most part, but also made me feel more disorganized. I may have bit off more than I can chew with my current job titles this year, and ultimately I feel more frazzled.
Moving forward, I am going to start adding in more details about my flights, obligations, and scheduling, as I did have a fair amount of empty space in 2019. I’d like to rely on the planner to stay organized before changing my planner method.
Last year, I recommended this planner to one of my best friends, Catie, because she started a similar job with V!ROC and this may best fit her lifestyle. She got it for Christmas and sent me the picture of the 2020-2024 version!
Thinking of trying it out? 2020 seems like the perfect year for it. I wouldn’t recommend this planner to someone who works an office job and can sit down to organize their day, or to someone who has multiple jobs (or I guess family members?) to keep track of. But, if you hate it, you only lost $8 and can always go back to your fancy Erin Condren.
Happy Planning!
-ksex
KSL 