How a Planner Can Save Your Life

Please read one of the next two paragraphs, whichever fits you, and remember what I tell you that you have going on this week.

If you're a parent: Your dog has a vet appointment on Monday at 3 PM, your sister's wedding is Saturday at 12 PM, Thursday the TV guy is coming over to fix the TV because you just moved, you're getting coffee with your mother at the local coffee shop on Friday at 9 AM, the house needs to be cleaned by Tuesday because the guests are coming over Wednesday at 6 PM, your child has a soccer game on Tuesday at 6 PM. OH! And you have work every weekday 8 AM to 5 PM.

If you're a student: You have biology on Monday at 10 AM, calculus on Thursday at 2 PM, Egyptian History on Tuesday at 11:15 AM, an english paper due by 11 PM Saturday night, you're attending a football game on Friday at 7:30 PM, your flash cards for your history class have to be turned in next Thursday, friends are coming over Wednesday night for a study group at 6 PM, you have a basketball game on Monday at 7 PM, Wednesday and Monday you have psychology at 1 PM. OH! And you have a psychology quiz next Wednesday that is worth 75 points.

So how do you keep track of all of this? As of right now, you may not have any form of organizing all these dates. They may be sloppily written down on a sheet of line paper or maybe they're just crammed into your brain waiting to be forgotten about tomorrow.

We all know someone who is NEVER late to an appointment or meeting, but instead they're 15 minutes ahead and brought everyone donuts. We also all know someone who is literally always at least five minutes late to everything. So how do you become someone who is 15 minutes ahead and bring donuts?

The first step to becoming that person is you buy yourself a planner. Now, it doesn't have to be a $50 planner that you buy online and comes with these awesome accessories. It can be a simple $5 planner from Target, or even a $1 planner from the dollar store. No matter what price it is, it will save your life.

The second step is one of the hardest, and that is to use it. Many times people will buy a planner with these big goals and ideas set in place with how they're going to organize and decorate it. But after two weeks, they throw it away. If you're going to buy the planner then use it. It cannot save your life if it is sitting at the dump.

Without looking back at the beginning of this article, what did I tell you that you had going on this Wednesday? You can easily blame your lack of not knowing on the fact that you didn't try to remember it all, or you can admit that you forgot. Well, if you had a planner then you would know that you have work until 5 PM and that you're having friends over at 6 PM. Or maybe you'd know that you have a psychology course at 1 PM and study group coming over at 6 PM because you have a test next Wednesday.

As a current student that is a part of honor roll, student government, dance team, religious group, attending every home football game, and still keeping up with my dating and social life, I have learned the best way to keep it all organized is with my planner. Nobody can remember everything they have to do, and if they can, then they're not busy enough to be having fun. I remember during my freshman year of high school I was so overwhelmed with all the homework, due dates, sporting events, places I had to be, and everything else, I asked a junior how she did it all. How she kept track of everything and knew what was when. She advised that I got a planner. The week I got one and filled it out; was the same week I got all my homework done on time, made it to all the games on time, was where I need to be, and was never late to anything.

With a planner you're able to see the free time that you have, know the dates and times you have something going on, plan for the future more, and not have to remember so much information. With a planner you'll never forget what time the meetings are, when your next deadline is coming up, or where the friends are meeting tonight.