Tell me if this has ever happened to you: you’re walking around your favorite store and then you see it–the perfect planner! You love how it looks, the price is right, the paper is nice, and the layout is just right for your needs…except…the weekend format is all wrong! Depending on your preference, you either feel cheated because Saturday and Sunday were ‘smushed’ together or overwhelmed because the weekends have the same amount of space as the weekdays meaning wasted space since you’ll never use it. You think, “Why oh why have the planner gods cursed me this way!?” (Okay that was a little dramatic but you know what I mean. 😉 )
I’ve rejected many planners/inserts over the years because of this very reason–having the ‘wrong’ weekend format. For my personal/home planner, I need the same amount space (sometimes more!) for Saturday and Sunday because that’s the only time during the week when I can tackle the most tasks. Like most working moms, weekends is our chance to play ‘catch up’ and complete those tasks we just can’t get to during the week. Whether it be chores, errands, family activities, or special events, I personally look forward to the weekends to both get things done and unwind.
On the other hand, I prefer a condensed weekend format in my work planner. Monday thru Friday, my work schedule is packed with meetings and conference calls, numerous project tasks, and jotting down lots of project details and reference information. Believe me when I say I use every single spot on the weekly layout which is why minimizing the area taken up by the weekends is ideal–I just don’t need it. As a result, I’ve re-purposes the weekend boxes for jotting down my weekly project status updates (very handy to find and refer to when I’m on a call or someone asks a question!).
In case you’re interested, I’m currently using The Happy Planner vertical layout pages in an A5 binder as my personal/home planner and the large black/white stripe Day Designer academic planner from Target which I’ve discovered is the perfect work planner for me!
There are many reasons affecting our decision to choose or pass on a planner/insert and the weekend format is just one of them. What about you? Do you prefer the same amount of space for the weekends or for Saturday and Sunday to be condensed? Please share in the comments below!
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Until next time,
♥ LilD ♥
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Canterbury-Church-Diary-personal-organiser/dp/1848257724/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1447786930&sr=8-3&keywords=the+canterbury+church+book+and+desk+diary+2016 an interesting concept 2 days are given for sundays
Wow, very interesting!
Now that I’m a semi-retired empty-jester, it really doesn’t matter anymore. However, I prefer my weekend days together. One the thing that drives me batty, is to begin planning a weekend activity on the right side then stop and continue on the opposite side or page. Yes, I’m picky and lazy, but I want my weekends together.
I love your title. Very James Bond -esque. 😉
Thanks! I love the title too and was hoping it wouldn’t be too ‘cheesy’. 😉
I agree with your pet peeve. A lot of planner companies are now doing a Monday start on the weekly layouts–genius! I never realized how much better this format was until I started using it.
I made a work planner for myself with 5 days, I use the sixth column for task list. And for personal: of course, all day has to be the same size, and weekend together.
Nice! The great thing about that is that if your schedule or needs changed, you can change the layout accordingly. I’ve also designed my own pages for some of my planners. If you check out the tag on my blog for ‘custom inserts’ or ‘Bella Pilar’–I’m a huge fan of her art!–you’ll see the pictures in past posts.
Thanks for sharing!
I thought I was the only one who thought this way about the weekends!!! I get so much more done on the weekends than the week days, I prefer a layout where Saturday and Sunday are given equal footing. Since I have a portable size Malibu, I’ve taken to only writing appointments on the planner’s weekend boxes because their size, and using additional paper in my planner for my weekend list.
Nope, you’re not the only one! I used to do what you did and try to cram weekend tasks into those little boxes then I just gave up and bought a planner which offered the same amount of space for the weekends and that worked out perfectly. Plus it gave me a reason to buy another planner! 😉