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Guest post by: Stephanie Calahan Become an Author

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Even with the influx of Blackberries, smart phones and Palm, many people still stick with their paper planners. There is something about writing on paper that makes them comfortable and pleased. If you love your paper too, check out these strategies to make the most of your planning tool.

More Uses for a Cookbook Stand
Use a cookbook stand to keep your paper planner or reference books open and viewable while using a minimal amount of your desktop workspace.

Identify Your Planner!
Remember to put your name and phone number in your day planner. If you lose it, some kind soul will be able to return it to you. I put "REWARD IF FOUND" on mine.

Rearrange Your Planner if You are Left Handed
If you are left handed, place your management section pages (eg. goals, key information, note paper, addresses, etc.) at the beginning of your planner. Place your monthly tabs and planner pages after the management section type pages. By doing this, you will raise the pages to the left of the binder rings and it will be easier for you to write on your daily/weekly planning pages.

Use the #/ABC Tabs Most Planning Systems Provide
Rather than writing miscellaneous pieces of information about a project on the daily planning pages (which can spread the information across weeks or months), choose a numbered or alphabetized tab and assign it a project. A project could be an assignment, standard meetings, or recurring topics. File all of the related information behind the tab for easy reference.

Use Color to Keep You On Track
Highlighters now come in multiple colors. Use them to your advantage! Highlight your "A" prioritized tasks and other important appointments so that you know at a glance what must be finished that day. Or, you can use color for a quick glance at what types of activities you are participating in. For example, for me, green = personal, blue = client meetings, orange = volunteer time, et. By taking a quick glance at my screen (or page) I can tell exactly how balanced my time is.

Use a Good-Quality Pencil
Rather than using a pen, use a good-quality pencil to keep your calendar neat; things get really messy, really fast, when you can’t erase or move things around. Consider carrying a mechanical pencil because you will never need to sharpen it, and it can be refilled easily.

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