Do you ever feel like your time is not your own? My I suggest an absolute essential item to have? A planner is a must where you can record all of your appointments, to do lists, phone numbers grocery lists and a variety of other things.

I was called a few days ago and asked if I would speak at a women’s group. I immediately checked my planner and told her I would get back to her on Thursday. Then I decided unexpectedly to go out of town to a conference when realized I needed to follow through on calling her back. What saved me was I had written on Thursday the woman’s name so it reminded in all my rushing around to leave that I needed to call her. As a professional organizer the last thing I want anyone to think is that I am unorganized. And besides I can’t stand it when someone tells me they will get back to me and then they don’t. I must say though that I am a professional organizer, not a perfect organizer.

If you are like me you sometimes plan parallel events at the same time. And if you are lucky before both of those events happen you realize what you have done and can make changes. A planner is essential in helping us with time management and organizing our lives and those of our family. We are just too busy and have too many things to remember everything, fortunately we don’t have to.

Do you have a favorite planner you use and do you have a unique way you use it? We are always looking for new ideas and tips.