For years, I used a Franklin Day Planner after listening to one of the original 4 cassette tape series on using it as well as value based time management.

I carried that thing around with me everywhere. Until someone said, “What are you doing with that?? You should use a PDA.”

Here I am, in the IT business, still using paper and pen… so I thought I should go to a PDA system combined with scheduling on my computer. Should save me time right? Not having to re-write tasks that I move forward to the next day, etc.

Well, for me, it seems the action of writing out something means I am more aware of it and my daily habit of going through my tasks and assigning A’s, B’s and C’s plus then numbering them after just is psychologically more beneficial to me.

At least that’s what I’m thinking five years after having given up the paper system and been frustrated with an electronic system. I haven’t yet gone back to the paper Franklin system because I feel… guilty! Guilty about being in IT – and still enjoying paper and pen.

But I’m seriously considering going back, realizing how much I have NOT got done in the past five years, compared to what I did get done with the simple habit of starting my day with paper and writing things out.

The one thing about the paper planner is storage issues, I agree. And searchability can be advantageous using electronic systems.

But I really liked the “side by side” system of the Franklin, To Do List, Daily appointment calendar, and journal, laid out flat in front of me. I just can’t seem to get that back in any useful way for me with an electronic system.

I agree there are benefits of a PDA; however, it just didn’t work for me. Am I alone in this?

Congrats on getting your Day Planner! How have you survived up till now without one??? Great that you’re working with your mom on this. Might as well make your parents rich, too!

I used a Franklin Day Planner, regular size, for about 10 years before I switched to a PDA. My first was a Palm III. I’ve been through several Palms over the last 6 years, but I’ve had my current one for three years now. My current PDA is a Palm Tungsten E.

I believe FranklinCovey carries a line of Franklin-ready PDAs. It would be nice to have that, but you can do it yourself on a blank PDA.

After you’ve used the paper system for awhile and learned the principals behind the way the planner works, at least a year, you’ll want to graduate to a PDA or a Smartphone (PDA + cell phone).

The cost of the PDA will pay for itself after a couple of years because you have to buy refills each year for the paper planner, and those aren’t free.

A PDA does everything the paper system does and more. It has alarms in the calender, and customizable color coding for the calender so you can see who or what the entry is for at a glance. It has a prioritized and sortable to-do list, a memo pad and a notepad (they operate just a little bit differently) and the address/contact book can hold 12,000 contacts, and it’s searchable. It’s a minicomputer, so the whole thing is searchable actually. It will also hold up to 5 years worth of appointments, to-do’s, memos along with all those contacts.

It has a computer interface so you can enter all your info in the Palm software on your computer and sync it to your PDA. You also back it up to your PC, so if you lose it or it’s damaged, you can replace the unit and download all your data to the new one without losing more than a few hours of information, if any at all.

It also fits well in your purse, pocket or backpack. Taking notes is a bit hard, but I carry a Franklin Satellite notebook and type my notes into memos when I get back to my computer if I need them on my Palm, or I scan the pages into a pdf file if I need to save them on my computer and not on my Palm.

There are MS Office compatible programs for the Palm and Pocket PC so your Office docs can go with you. If you need to do a lot of typing onto your palm away from your computer, fold-up keyboards are available to make digital note-taking easy. I’ve never had one, but there are times when I’ve wanted one.

There are also tons of free and paid application programs for your PDA to enhance it as a small computer. Some even have built-in mp3 player.

I’ve gotten all but my first one on eBay for $199 or less. They last at least few years, depending on how much you drop them:) After I stopped working in a chemical plant they’ve lasted a long time. I think the corrosive atmosphere was harmful. I know it was to my lungs. My asthma is much better now than it’s been since before I worked at the plant.

You can get them with internet and web access now, too. So, learn the lessons of the paper FranklinCovey Day Planner well, and when it’s time to make a change, consider a PDA or Smartphone. Who knows what they’ll come up with in another year or two!!!

All my best,
Sherri

And what a sweet daughter you are to help your mom out like that. Your mom is in good hands!

That should be your new WSO. “Niche creation” or “How to use NVU”

I searhed for NVU help and your way was the only that worked for all aspects including marketing.

Thank you again!