In the Beginning

In the beginning, before personal digital assistants and electronic or digital organizers, I used a Franklin Day Planner. I found the classic size with the daily layout to be the most convenient for my needs at work and in my personal endeavors.  I enjoyed the size of (5 ½” X 8 ½”) divided into the hours of the day on the left page and the right page for notes in a diary fashion.

This organizer proved to be a great improvement for my personal organization, resulting in increased productivity, and keeping track of my appointments. The benefits were immediate – fewer missed appointments, more on-time appearances, more actual scheduling and therefore productive outcomes. I was also able to make and manage lists of tasks to be performed with due dates to meet.

The planner had an alphabetized section for all of my contacts both business and personal, with their phone numbers, addresses and other valuable information. This feature replaced the rolodex file, a stationary fixture and a less than portable item on my desk.

I also purchased blank pages and set up my printer and word processing to print useful information to be kept in my binder. I used additional tabs to organize this information which included notes from meetings, reference materials and data, talks, meeting agendas, and other useful information.

This planner, even though it was two inches thick - the size of a thick book, almost became my constant companion and was nearly always with me, at my side, on my desk, on the table in front of me in the meeting I was in, or beside me in the car.

Such was the beginning of my personal organization, pre electronic organizer, digital organizer, personal digital assistants or communication device.