I tried to resist it, but it seems I’m not immune to the allure of trendy products. When it comes to tequila shots, I’m a champion at saying no. But when it comes to office supplies? Well, that’s a different story.
I have a soft spot for all things paper, from notebooks to sticky notes. My husband once witnessed my slightly obsessive joy in The Container Store as I held up sticky notes the size of my head, squealing like a child. So, it was only a matter of time before I succumbed to the Erin Condren Life Planner phenomenon.
What’s not to like? Adorable designs, an excuse to buy washi tape and colorful markers—all backed by friends who swore it would revolutionize my life. They promised that with this planner, I would achieve organization, world peace, and maybe even a “My Child Is on the Honor Roll” bumper sticker—all simply by planning my days.
So, I caved. I found one of those planners at a local store and splurged more than I should have. I also stocked up on all the extras—markers, dividers, stickers, and washi tape. I scoured Pinterest for ideas on how to harness this magical tool for life transformation. I meticulously picked colors for each family member, only to forget who was assigned which color and ended up writing everything in my daughter’s designated hue.
I even bought a white-out pen, only to decide that color coding was just too much hassle.
I made an earnest attempt. I set aside a morning to plan my week, determined to find a method that worked for me. I kept my to-do list manageable, thinking I could actually accomplish it all. But soon enough, I set the planner aside and did whatever I felt like. My to-do list remained untouched, tasks meant for Monday got pushed to Tuesday, then Wednesday, and ultimately became irrelevant as I abandoned the planner altogether.
“But it’s life-changing!” my planner-obsessed friends would exclaim, their eyes glazed over from marker fumes and washi tape bliss. “Just give it a chance! You’ll love it! You won’t know how you lived without it!”
So I tried again. I sat down, mapped out my plans, and took tiny steps toward a more organized life. Then I put the planner aside, only to remember a doctor’s appointment I had jotted down that I neglected to transfer to my phone.
I thought, “Maybe I should give the life planner another shot,” as I placed it back on my cluttered desk.
But I didn’t.
Now it lies at the bottom of a pile of other forgotten items on my desk. I knew this would happen. This isn’t my first encounter with the siren song of planners promising productivity. I’ve never managed to complete a year with any of them. Having a pricier one filled with stickers and color-coded family events wasn’t going to miraculously change my habits.
Have I learned my lesson? Not really. But perhaps next time, instead of falling for the shiniest new option, I’ll make an effort to actually use the planner I already own. After all, there are still 13 months left in this planner—13 months to either finally master it or let it continue to serve as the foundation for my stack of notebooks. Place your bets on which outcome is more likely!
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In summary, my attempt at using a fancy planner to organize my life didn’t quite pan out as expected. Despite the hype and the promises, I found myself reverting to my old habits, leaving the planner buried under other items on my desk. Maybe next time I’ll focus on utilizing what I already have instead of chasing after the latest trend.