1 00:00:09,640 --> 00:00:09,840 Speaker 1: Hi. 2 00:00:10,039 --> 00:00:13,920 Speaker 2: I'm Laura Vanderkamp. I'm a mother of five, an author, journalist, 3 00:00:13,960 --> 00:00:14,520 Speaker 2: and speaker. 4 00:00:15,400 --> 00:00:19,240 Speaker 3: And I'm Sarah Hart Hunger, a mother of three, practicing physician, writer, 5 00:00:19,560 --> 00:00:22,360 Speaker 3: and course creator. We are two working parents who love 6 00:00:22,400 --> 00:00:24,080 Speaker 3: our careers and our families. 7 00:00:24,800 --> 00:00:27,400 Speaker 2: Welcome to Best of Both Worlds. Here we talk about 8 00:00:27,440 --> 00:00:30,440 Speaker 2: how real women manage work, family, and time for fun, 9 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:33,440 Speaker 2: from figuring out childcare to mapping out long. 10 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:34,280 Speaker 1: Term career goals. 11 00:00:34,520 --> 00:00:39,400 Speaker 2: We want you to get the most out of life. 12 00:00:41,200 --> 00:00:43,840 Speaker 1: Welcome to Best of Both Worlds. This is Laura. 13 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:47,560 Speaker 2: This episode is airing in late October of twenty twenty four. 14 00:00:48,200 --> 00:00:51,880 Speaker 2: Sarah is going to be talking all things planners now. 15 00:00:52,080 --> 00:00:56,040 Speaker 2: Longtime listeners may recall that in the early years of 16 00:00:56,160 --> 00:00:59,600 Speaker 2: Best of Both Worlds, we did a handful of planner 17 00:00:59,680 --> 00:01:03,760 Speaker 2: Polu type episodes where Sarah would go over various planners 18 00:01:03,760 --> 00:01:07,319 Speaker 2: that one might purchase for the upcoming year. We started 19 00:01:07,319 --> 00:01:09,880 Speaker 2: doing less of that because, of course, she started her 20 00:01:09,920 --> 00:01:13,959 Speaker 2: own podcast called Best Laid Plans. For maybe the three 21 00:01:14,000 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 2: of our listeners who haven't checked that out, you should. 22 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:19,479 Speaker 2: But she talks a lot about planners there, and about 23 00:01:19,520 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 2: the whole concept of planning and all that. But we 24 00:01:23,000 --> 00:01:28,000 Speaker 2: thought since her content over there has also started expanding 25 00:01:28,040 --> 00:01:31,240 Speaker 2: into different planning related topics. You know, there hasn't been 26 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,319 Speaker 2: one episode recently about the planner to choose for the 27 00:01:35,360 --> 00:01:39,679 Speaker 2: next year. So here we are today doing that, Sarah 28 00:01:39,959 --> 00:01:40,560 Speaker 2: take it away. 29 00:01:41,120 --> 00:01:44,040 Speaker 3: Yeah, ooh, I'll have to like direct BLP listeners over 30 00:01:44,040 --> 00:01:46,400 Speaker 3: here too, just in case you know, they want to more. 31 00:01:46,800 --> 00:01:49,680 Speaker 3: I feel like we haven't done this like general overview discussion, 32 00:01:49,720 --> 00:01:51,760 Speaker 3: and this will be fun because I'll get Laura to 33 00:01:51,800 --> 00:01:55,040 Speaker 3: talk a little bit about her current planners as well. 34 00:01:55,400 --> 00:01:58,080 Speaker 3: But yeah, we're going to focus on considerations for using 35 00:01:58,160 --> 00:02:00,920 Speaker 3: a planner. Some of my favorite brands, and I will 36 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 3: not mention every brand in there. There are nine million brands, 37 00:02:04,080 --> 00:02:09,240 Speaker 3: some fun tools, accessories, et cetera. So to start us off, Laura, 38 00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:11,880 Speaker 3: what are you currently planning with? Like, what are your 39 00:02:11,919 --> 00:02:13,399 Speaker 3: paper tools right now? 40 00:02:14,240 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 4: So? 41 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:17,200 Speaker 1: I have a couple. 42 00:02:18,160 --> 00:02:21,799 Speaker 2: I have a paper calendar that is a weekly at 43 00:02:21,800 --> 00:02:26,400 Speaker 2: a glance brand calendar where you get the whole week 44 00:02:26,480 --> 00:02:28,880 Speaker 2: on one small page. It's like a pocket sized calendar, 45 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,200 Speaker 2: and I use that to write down time specific commitments 46 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 Speaker 2: sort of forward for the next however long. I tend 47 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,560 Speaker 2: to buy the next year's calendar in like July, so 48 00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:42,600 Speaker 2: it can be anytime in sort of the next eighteen 49 00:02:42,639 --> 00:02:45,080 Speaker 2: months that I'm writing down time specific stuff on that. 50 00:02:46,200 --> 00:02:47,360 Speaker 1: As for the. 51 00:02:47,320 --> 00:02:50,880 Speaker 2: Bulk of my planning, I do a weekly plan do 52 00:02:50,960 --> 00:02:53,280 Speaker 2: that on Thursday or Friday looking forward to the next week. 53 00:02:53,600 --> 00:02:57,480 Speaker 2: I'm currently this year doing that on a plum paper 54 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:03,080 Speaker 2: custom designed product. It has a nice little LV on 55 00:03:03,160 --> 00:03:07,080 Speaker 2: the cover and it was very pretty. It's been okay, 56 00:03:07,160 --> 00:03:10,440 Speaker 2: it's bigger than I was using. You would set me 57 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:15,760 Speaker 2: up with the Whitney English Weekly Planner, which, for whatever reason, 58 00:03:15,800 --> 00:03:18,440 Speaker 2: being smaller, I wound up using a bit more. I 59 00:03:18,600 --> 00:03:22,720 Speaker 2: do write the week's priority list on the left side, 60 00:03:23,400 --> 00:03:26,160 Speaker 2: where they have sort of open space for writing that 61 00:03:26,320 --> 00:03:29,520 Speaker 2: in two columns, which I like. Then the right side 62 00:03:29,560 --> 00:03:31,160 Speaker 2: is the days of the week, and I guess theoretically 63 00:03:31,200 --> 00:03:33,120 Speaker 2: I should be putting my daily to do list for 64 00:03:33,200 --> 00:03:35,400 Speaker 2: each day there, But when I have the whole thing open, 65 00:03:35,440 --> 00:03:37,720 Speaker 2: it's just so big that I don't like it, so 66 00:03:37,760 --> 00:03:39,480 Speaker 2: I flip it over so I only have half, and 67 00:03:39,520 --> 00:03:41,200 Speaker 2: then I make my daily to do list in a 68 00:03:41,200 --> 00:03:44,120 Speaker 2: tiny little notebook, which is just a notebook from Target 69 00:03:44,840 --> 00:03:47,000 Speaker 2: that I can also jot down notes like if I 70 00:03:47,000 --> 00:03:49,840 Speaker 2: have to write a random number, like I have to 71 00:03:49,880 --> 00:03:51,000 Speaker 2: make a deposit. 72 00:03:50,640 --> 00:03:53,240 Speaker 1: For x amount somewhere, like I write that down in there. 73 00:03:53,280 --> 00:03:56,120 Speaker 2: So it's got random notes plus the daily to do list, 74 00:03:56,400 --> 00:04:00,240 Speaker 2: so it's really a planner stack of three things at 75 00:04:00,240 --> 00:04:00,880 Speaker 2: this point. 76 00:04:01,080 --> 00:04:01,800 Speaker 4: So interesting. 77 00:04:01,840 --> 00:04:04,640 Speaker 3: I actually think that sort of reveals one thing people 78 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:08,000 Speaker 3: don't often think about, which is sometimes separate books are helpful, 79 00:04:08,080 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 3: especially if you want to reference one while you're writing 80 00:04:10,360 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 3: the other and you don't want to have it open, 81 00:04:12,480 --> 00:04:15,120 Speaker 3: or your desk real estate doesn't want to have a 82 00:04:15,160 --> 00:04:17,480 Speaker 3: two page spread open all the time. So I think 83 00:04:17,520 --> 00:04:20,280 Speaker 3: your little hack actually sounds like it makes a lot 84 00:04:20,279 --> 00:04:22,040 Speaker 3: of sense, and we've got to think about maybe a 85 00:04:22,080 --> 00:04:27,000 Speaker 3: smaller weekly task manager for you for the next time. 86 00:04:28,080 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 2: Maybe, I mean, I like all the space that I 87 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:32,840 Speaker 2: have for the one page for the weekly thing, so 88 00:04:32,920 --> 00:04:36,719 Speaker 2: I mean maybe it's but I did recently find a 89 00:04:36,760 --> 00:04:39,800 Speaker 2: hack for what to use that other page for ah, 90 00:04:39,839 --> 00:04:43,400 Speaker 2: which little spoiler alert, we may be coming up with 91 00:04:43,440 --> 00:04:46,960 Speaker 2: an episode soon where we talk about meals that we 92 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:52,000 Speaker 2: have eaten. So I actually recorded like I kept a 93 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,200 Speaker 2: food journal for the first time ever in my life 94 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:57,719 Speaker 2: over on that page which I only had to fill 95 00:04:57,760 --> 00:04:59,719 Speaker 2: in like three times a day or whatever. 96 00:04:59,680 --> 00:05:01,839 Speaker 1: Writing what I et and so I could just flip 97 00:05:01,880 --> 00:05:02,359 Speaker 1: over for that. 98 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,040 Speaker 2: But I don't know if I will do that from 99 00:05:04,040 --> 00:05:05,479 Speaker 2: now on because I don't really like to keep a 100 00:05:05,520 --> 00:05:09,760 Speaker 2: food journal, but in the interest of future content, I 101 00:05:09,800 --> 00:05:10,080 Speaker 2: did it. 102 00:05:10,400 --> 00:05:13,440 Speaker 3: Yeah, well maybe it could be a you know, an 103 00:05:13,480 --> 00:05:15,760 Speaker 3: evergreen different type of journal, like maybe one week you 104 00:05:15,800 --> 00:05:17,400 Speaker 3: do media and another week you do. 105 00:05:18,160 --> 00:05:20,040 Speaker 4: Cool things your kids. I don't know. 106 00:05:20,480 --> 00:05:22,719 Speaker 3: I'll have fun thinking of ideas for that other page. 107 00:05:22,839 --> 00:05:25,000 Speaker 3: All right, Well, you have a planner stack, Laura. 108 00:05:25,040 --> 00:05:25,480 Speaker 4: I love it. 109 00:05:25,640 --> 00:05:30,240 Speaker 3: My current planner stack is also three items. So I 110 00:05:30,320 --> 00:05:34,760 Speaker 3: have my Hobonicci cousin, which is my kind of ridered 111 00:05:34,800 --> 00:05:37,120 Speaker 3: eye planner that I seem to return to again and again. 112 00:05:37,240 --> 00:05:39,400 Speaker 3: There's no video, but I'm still holding it up for Laura. 113 00:05:40,200 --> 00:05:43,400 Speaker 3: But this has monthly pages, weekly pages, and daily pages, 114 00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,960 Speaker 3: and I do use it to keep my calendar. So 115 00:05:46,160 --> 00:05:48,200 Speaker 3: it is my source of truth in terms of what 116 00:05:48,320 --> 00:05:50,920 Speaker 3: is going on in my schedule as well as our 117 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:56,000 Speaker 3: household schedule. I have a Hobonicci five year journal that's 118 00:05:56,040 --> 00:05:58,760 Speaker 3: like more from memory keeping. Mine goes from twenty twenty 119 00:05:58,800 --> 00:06:01,000 Speaker 3: one to twenty twenty five, so I'll have one more 120 00:06:01,080 --> 00:06:03,719 Speaker 3: year in that volume that I'm super excited about. 121 00:06:03,760 --> 00:06:05,320 Speaker 4: It's been really fun to use. 122 00:06:05,880 --> 00:06:08,360 Speaker 3: And then finally I have kind of a like goals 123 00:06:08,400 --> 00:06:11,320 Speaker 3: and lists planner, and for that this year, I've used 124 00:06:11,360 --> 00:06:16,080 Speaker 3: a diskbound cloth and paper product that has like a 125 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:18,479 Speaker 3: reading list and notebook pages, and I just basically have 126 00:06:18,560 --> 00:06:20,919 Speaker 3: my annual goals there, my seasonal goals there, and like 127 00:06:20,960 --> 00:06:23,360 Speaker 3: any other list that I've wanted to keep throughout the year. 128 00:06:23,839 --> 00:06:25,680 Speaker 3: I probably am going to change things up a little 129 00:06:25,720 --> 00:06:27,960 Speaker 3: bit for twenty twenty five, as one does when one 130 00:06:28,040 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 3: has a planning focus podcast, But that is what I 131 00:06:31,160 --> 00:06:33,400 Speaker 3: have right now, and we're going to talk about what 132 00:06:33,440 --> 00:06:36,039 Speaker 3: you want in a planner. But I would say right now, 133 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:40,279 Speaker 3: my hope Anicchi Cousin is serving two big purposes. Is 134 00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:44,480 Speaker 3: my day to day task manager as well as my calendar. 135 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:46,960 Speaker 3: And then my disc bound is more of like a 136 00:06:46,960 --> 00:06:50,200 Speaker 3: big picture goalkeeping and then the five years really just 137 00:06:50,200 --> 00:06:52,280 Speaker 3: for fun and like is more of like a life 138 00:06:52,279 --> 00:06:54,840 Speaker 3: scrap book. So those are kind of my stack, and 139 00:06:54,880 --> 00:06:57,320 Speaker 3: for me that's actually pretty minimal. So I'm really happy, 140 00:06:57,920 --> 00:06:58,680 Speaker 3: very streamlined. 141 00:06:59,160 --> 00:07:03,080 Speaker 2: And I would say from my memory from talking with 142 00:07:03,160 --> 00:07:06,480 Speaker 2: you over the years and listening to bestlid plans. As 143 00:07:06,560 --> 00:07:11,000 Speaker 2: you often start the year in the Hobanici, you migrate 144 00:07:11,080 --> 00:07:15,160 Speaker 2: out of it because something triggers it, either that somebody 145 00:07:15,200 --> 00:07:19,320 Speaker 2: sent you a really cool planner or there's some you know, 146 00:07:19,360 --> 00:07:21,920 Speaker 2: schedule change that you want a fresh start, and then 147 00:07:21,960 --> 00:07:24,680 Speaker 2: you wind up back in the Hobaniici toward the end 148 00:07:24,680 --> 00:07:25,120 Speaker 2: of the year. 149 00:07:25,240 --> 00:07:26,120 Speaker 1: Is that correct? 150 00:07:26,400 --> 00:07:28,600 Speaker 3: That has been my pattern in the last two years, 151 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:30,200 Speaker 3: And it's kind of funny. I'll end up with about 152 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:32,480 Speaker 3: six total months or maybe six to eight months even 153 00:07:32,480 --> 00:07:34,880 Speaker 3: in the hobanichi, with like a break during this spring 154 00:07:34,920 --> 00:07:37,160 Speaker 3: and summer, And I think that does reflect that that 155 00:07:37,280 --> 00:07:40,600 Speaker 3: season has kind of like unique needs. Plus, as someone 156 00:07:40,640 --> 00:07:42,920 Speaker 3: who loves to look at different products, it does feel 157 00:07:42,920 --> 00:07:44,880 Speaker 3: like a nice time to like branch out and try 158 00:07:44,920 --> 00:07:48,720 Speaker 3: something else. I feel like for your daily planning purposes, 159 00:07:48,720 --> 00:07:50,280 Speaker 3: if it doesn't have your whole calendar in it, it's 160 00:07:50,400 --> 00:07:53,080 Speaker 3: very easy to switch between things and kind of play 161 00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:54,400 Speaker 3: with different things in different seasons. 162 00:07:54,440 --> 00:07:57,080 Speaker 4: But you're right, that tends to be the current pattern. 163 00:07:57,880 --> 00:08:00,800 Speaker 2: Well, just as throwing this out here to our listeners, 164 00:08:01,840 --> 00:08:04,480 Speaker 2: we think it's great to choose a planner for the 165 00:08:04,560 --> 00:08:07,200 Speaker 2: upcoming year, Like as you're selecting your planner for twenty 166 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:11,560 Speaker 2: twenty five. But you don't need to be paralyzed by 167 00:08:11,800 --> 00:08:14,080 Speaker 2: indecision if you're like, oh, my goodness, this is the 168 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:16,680 Speaker 2: thing that will either make me or break me for 169 00:08:16,760 --> 00:08:20,080 Speaker 2: my productivity over the next year. Like no, a no 170 00:08:20,240 --> 00:08:23,320 Speaker 2: planner does that. It's your systems, not the planner. And 171 00:08:23,720 --> 00:08:26,760 Speaker 2: two you can always change, right, Like, there's no law 172 00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:29,160 Speaker 2: against changing in the middle of the year if you 173 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:32,280 Speaker 2: don't like what you're using, So keep that in mind. 174 00:08:32,720 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 3: Yes, and people will bring up costs. I mean, some 175 00:08:34,720 --> 00:08:37,240 Speaker 3: of these products do get up there. We've gotten to 176 00:08:37,240 --> 00:08:39,480 Speaker 3: the point where a lot of companies are selling like 177 00:08:39,559 --> 00:08:40,959 Speaker 3: quarterly books for forty. 178 00:08:40,720 --> 00:08:42,880 Speaker 4: Dollars, So yeah, you can get up there. 179 00:08:43,240 --> 00:08:45,120 Speaker 3: But in the grand scheme of things for a tool 180 00:08:45,160 --> 00:08:48,360 Speaker 3: that you use every single day, I mean, even if 181 00:08:48,400 --> 00:08:50,800 Speaker 3: you amortize the cost of your laptop or phone, like 182 00:08:50,840 --> 00:08:53,280 Speaker 3: your planner is going to be so much less than that. 183 00:08:54,559 --> 00:08:57,240 Speaker 3: So I don't know, I feel like it's probably not 184 00:08:57,280 --> 00:09:00,240 Speaker 3: as big as a factor as many people talk about 185 00:09:00,240 --> 00:09:02,280 Speaker 3: it for the amount of use that it outs, Like 186 00:09:02,280 --> 00:09:04,440 Speaker 3: that outfit that you figure out costs per wear, that 187 00:09:04,520 --> 00:09:06,920 Speaker 3: pair of genes that you've literally worn one thousand times 188 00:09:06,960 --> 00:09:07,840 Speaker 3: like they were worth it. 189 00:09:09,240 --> 00:09:11,559 Speaker 2: All right, you could justify your hope and easy that way. 190 00:09:11,559 --> 00:09:14,000 Speaker 2: It's okay, Sarah. It's probably text deductible for you too, So. 191 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,439 Speaker 3: You know I flirt with that. I haven't because I 192 00:09:17,840 --> 00:09:19,160 Speaker 3: just I don't want to like. But they'll be like, 193 00:09:19,200 --> 00:09:21,600 Speaker 3: but you use it. I'm like, well, but okay, anyway, 194 00:09:21,640 --> 00:09:24,000 Speaker 3: we don't have to get into my taxes right now. 195 00:09:24,040 --> 00:09:26,560 Speaker 3: But no, I do not deduct my planners as of 196 00:09:26,600 --> 00:09:28,920 Speaker 3: this moment. Maybe some accountant will write me and say, 197 00:09:28,960 --> 00:09:32,920 Speaker 3: you are really stupid. All right, So considerations for using 198 00:09:33,000 --> 00:09:35,200 Speaker 3: a planner, So I'm going to go through a few 199 00:09:35,559 --> 00:09:38,440 Speaker 3: things that you might want to think about when you 200 00:09:38,520 --> 00:09:40,679 Speaker 3: are just trying to pick one out if you are 201 00:09:41,120 --> 00:09:44,280 Speaker 3: planning on starting fresh for twenty twenty five. So, first 202 00:09:44,320 --> 00:09:46,120 Speaker 3: of all, kind of Laura and I talked about what 203 00:09:46,160 --> 00:09:48,959 Speaker 3: we use our planners for. I think the biggest distinction 204 00:09:49,040 --> 00:09:52,560 Speaker 3: here is is this your calendar or not? Because for 205 00:09:52,679 --> 00:09:56,440 Speaker 3: many people they're very happy using a digital planning product 206 00:09:56,760 --> 00:10:00,280 Speaker 3: like Google Calendar, like the native Apple Calendar, like all 207 00:10:00,320 --> 00:10:02,880 Speaker 3: the different skins you can get for these things, fantastical, 208 00:10:02,920 --> 00:10:07,160 Speaker 3: et cetera, that they don't need their calendar portion of 209 00:10:07,160 --> 00:10:09,720 Speaker 3: the planner on paper, and that kind of is going 210 00:10:09,800 --> 00:10:12,520 Speaker 3: to influence what kind of layouts you're interested in. And 211 00:10:12,640 --> 00:10:14,280 Speaker 3: I think is kind of one of the first decision 212 00:10:14,280 --> 00:10:17,840 Speaker 3: points that you should make. So are you going to 213 00:10:17,880 --> 00:10:20,000 Speaker 3: use it as a calendar or is this primarily to 214 00:10:20,000 --> 00:10:23,160 Speaker 3: help you organize your kind of priorities for each day, 215 00:10:23,559 --> 00:10:26,559 Speaker 3: keep your tasks straight, keep various lists, et cetera. So 216 00:10:26,679 --> 00:10:28,800 Speaker 3: figuring out like is this your calendar and what do 217 00:10:28,800 --> 00:10:32,160 Speaker 3: you actually want to use it for, then you can 218 00:10:32,200 --> 00:10:35,160 Speaker 3: ask yourself, well, given what I actually want to use 219 00:10:35,240 --> 00:10:37,640 Speaker 3: this for, what types of views are going to be 220 00:10:37,720 --> 00:10:40,040 Speaker 3: most useful to me? And I will say that if 221 00:10:40,040 --> 00:10:43,440 Speaker 3: you are going to use it as your calendar, I 222 00:10:43,520 --> 00:10:46,200 Speaker 3: believe that the best way to visualize time is a 223 00:10:46,280 --> 00:10:49,680 Speaker 3: vertical weekly that has hourly markings. That is the same 224 00:10:49,760 --> 00:10:52,160 Speaker 3: view you're going to get if you pull up Google 225 00:10:52,200 --> 00:10:55,079 Speaker 3: Calendar on your laptop. Is the same view you will 226 00:10:55,120 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 3: get in what I make the ideal week. It allows 227 00:10:58,160 --> 00:10:59,840 Speaker 3: you to see all seven days and kind of see 228 00:10:59,840 --> 00:11:02,600 Speaker 3: how the hours are occupied. And I think if you 229 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,080 Speaker 3: are have a lot of moving parts, this can be 230 00:11:05,800 --> 00:11:08,400 Speaker 3: the best layout if you want to keep your calendar 231 00:11:08,559 --> 00:11:11,200 Speaker 3: on your paper planner. If not, that opens up so 232 00:11:11,280 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 3: many more options and you can kind of play with 233 00:11:13,240 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 3: how you think it would best make sense to fit 234 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:19,360 Speaker 3: your tasks. And honestly, if it's primarily a task manager, 235 00:11:19,520 --> 00:11:21,880 Speaker 3: that's probably not the layout for you because if those 236 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:23,840 Speaker 3: are the main pages in your book, it doesn't leave 237 00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:26,320 Speaker 3: a lot of room for brainstorming and big lists and 238 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:30,200 Speaker 3: things like that, so that's important. You also want to 239 00:11:30,200 --> 00:11:34,160 Speaker 3: decide how much structure you want. Do you want the 240 00:11:34,200 --> 00:11:37,480 Speaker 3: planner to give you all kinds of ideas for categories, which, 241 00:11:37,520 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 3: by the way, some companies sell custom options for this 242 00:11:40,760 --> 00:11:42,599 Speaker 3: so that you could have it print the categories of 243 00:11:42,640 --> 00:11:45,360 Speaker 3: your choice, like plum Paper is one example that does 244 00:11:45,760 --> 00:11:48,640 Speaker 3: offer that kind of customization. Or do you want the 245 00:11:48,720 --> 00:11:51,560 Speaker 3: sort of categories and structure to be very much imposed 246 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:54,080 Speaker 3: by the planner or do you want something very very 247 00:11:54,080 --> 00:11:57,839 Speaker 3: open ended And then what kind of blank space are 248 00:11:57,840 --> 00:11:58,600 Speaker 3: you looking for? 249 00:12:00,120 --> 00:12:02,600 Speaker 4: You kind of have an idea for what. 250 00:12:02,520 --> 00:12:06,160 Speaker 3: You'd like in terms of kind of format and usage, 251 00:12:06,400 --> 00:12:09,160 Speaker 3: then that kind of helps start limiting your decision. 252 00:12:09,800 --> 00:12:12,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, so were go ahead. Yeah, I was. 253 00:12:12,160 --> 00:12:13,680 Speaker 2: Gonna say, well, we're going to take a quick ad 254 00:12:13,720 --> 00:12:16,200 Speaker 2: break and then we'll hear a little bit more about 255 00:12:16,320 --> 00:12:26,480 Speaker 2: making this planner choice. 256 00:12:30,520 --> 00:12:34,160 Speaker 3: All right, we are back, so we're starting to discuss 257 00:12:34,240 --> 00:12:36,920 Speaker 3: ways to help choose your planner for next year. And 258 00:12:37,120 --> 00:12:39,280 Speaker 3: we began with as we talked about, kind of whether 259 00:12:39,320 --> 00:12:41,560 Speaker 3: you want your calendar there or not if it's primarily 260 00:12:41,559 --> 00:12:42,840 Speaker 3: a task manager, and then. 261 00:12:42,760 --> 00:12:45,280 Speaker 4: How open ended you want. That's the first question to 262 00:12:45,320 --> 00:12:45,959 Speaker 4: ask yourself. 263 00:12:46,280 --> 00:12:49,160 Speaker 3: The second one, which really narrows things down further and 264 00:12:49,200 --> 00:12:50,920 Speaker 3: also is going to make a big difference on kind 265 00:12:50,960 --> 00:12:53,480 Speaker 3: of the size and scope of your book, is do 266 00:12:53,559 --> 00:12:56,160 Speaker 3: you want a fresh page for every day within your 267 00:12:56,160 --> 00:13:00,840 Speaker 3: planner or not? Because really the choices for daily planners 268 00:13:00,880 --> 00:13:03,960 Speaker 3: are much more limited compared to ones that offer weekly 269 00:13:03,960 --> 00:13:06,600 Speaker 3: in other views, but some people really really want at 270 00:13:06,679 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 3: least a page per day. So I think that's another 271 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 3: really important question to ask yourself. Now, Laura, you do like, 272 00:13:13,800 --> 00:13:15,960 Speaker 3: do you have a fresh notebook page per day that 273 00:13:16,040 --> 00:13:17,959 Speaker 3: you use in your in your list making notebook or 274 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:19,880 Speaker 3: do you sometimes kind of just continue on. 275 00:13:20,480 --> 00:13:24,480 Speaker 2: I sometimes just continue on, but it winds up being 276 00:13:24,520 --> 00:13:26,240 Speaker 2: a fresh page a lot of days, just because it's 277 00:13:26,240 --> 00:13:28,679 Speaker 2: a very tiny notebook, Like it's like a pocket sized 278 00:13:28,720 --> 00:13:30,079 Speaker 2: sort of notebook. 279 00:13:30,440 --> 00:13:31,760 Speaker 1: And what I like about that. 280 00:13:31,679 --> 00:13:33,560 Speaker 2: Is it's very easy to stick in my purse or 281 00:13:33,840 --> 00:13:36,959 Speaker 2: just carry around if I need to go somewhere with it. 282 00:13:37,800 --> 00:13:41,960 Speaker 2: And it's not too precious to lose either, because it's 283 00:13:42,320 --> 00:13:45,760 Speaker 2: just the daily task list and where I put random things, 284 00:13:45,800 --> 00:13:48,040 Speaker 2: so it's not that important. 285 00:13:48,520 --> 00:13:51,280 Speaker 1: I guess this is how I would put it, So yeah, 286 00:13:51,320 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: I try to find a very small notebook for that. 287 00:13:54,640 --> 00:13:57,200 Speaker 4: Okay, that makes sense. I love having a fresh page 288 00:13:57,200 --> 00:13:57,679 Speaker 4: for each day. 289 00:13:57,760 --> 00:14:00,280 Speaker 3: That's like part of my planning ritual every day kind 290 00:14:00,320 --> 00:14:03,120 Speaker 3: of like look at set it up, figure out like 291 00:14:03,160 --> 00:14:06,440 Speaker 3: what my calendar items are, choose my tasks, and I 292 00:14:06,440 --> 00:14:08,679 Speaker 3: feel like I just I need that landscape. I need 293 00:14:08,679 --> 00:14:10,679 Speaker 3: that space in order to do the thinking the way 294 00:14:10,720 --> 00:14:11,480 Speaker 3: I want to do it. 295 00:14:12,400 --> 00:14:13,920 Speaker 4: So for me, that's why I. 296 00:14:13,840 --> 00:14:16,520 Speaker 3: Love the Hobannichi because you have that for every single 297 00:14:16,640 --> 00:14:19,320 Speaker 3: day and it is dated. But for other people that's 298 00:14:19,360 --> 00:14:21,880 Speaker 3: completely unnecessary and going to make their book way larger 299 00:14:21,960 --> 00:14:22,840 Speaker 3: than it needs to be. 300 00:14:22,880 --> 00:14:25,120 Speaker 4: So that's that's an important question to ask yourself. 301 00:14:25,720 --> 00:14:28,920 Speaker 3: The third is about binding in paper and size and 302 00:14:29,280 --> 00:14:30,880 Speaker 3: just kind of like what kind of do you want 303 00:14:30,920 --> 00:14:33,360 Speaker 3: this actual book to look like. Some people feel very 304 00:14:33,400 --> 00:14:37,720 Speaker 3: strongly about the type of paper, and I mentioned the 305 00:14:37,720 --> 00:14:40,280 Speaker 3: Hobanici and there are other planners in this category that 306 00:14:40,400 --> 00:14:43,480 Speaker 3: use very thin paper that is an acquired taste. And 307 00:14:43,880 --> 00:14:46,800 Speaker 3: for some people they use really like mercury pens and 308 00:14:46,840 --> 00:14:48,920 Speaker 3: they absolutely can't stand it because they're able to see 309 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,560 Speaker 3: a lot of ghosting on the back side of the page. 310 00:14:51,600 --> 00:14:54,680 Speaker 3: So does the paper weight mean something to you? And 311 00:14:54,760 --> 00:14:57,280 Speaker 3: do you like paper that is really really rough and 312 00:14:57,360 --> 00:15:00,880 Speaker 3: toothy like certain brands have. Aaron Condre in particular is 313 00:15:00,920 --> 00:15:03,320 Speaker 3: famous for very toothy paper, or do you like your 314 00:15:03,320 --> 00:15:05,880 Speaker 3: paper to be like silky smooth Plum paper is definitely 315 00:15:05,920 --> 00:15:09,000 Speaker 3: one of the smoother papers out there. So thinking about 316 00:15:09,000 --> 00:15:12,120 Speaker 3: your paper, whether it is a spiral bound or like 317 00:15:12,160 --> 00:15:13,960 Speaker 3: more of a book bound can make a really big 318 00:15:13,960 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 3: difference to some people. For planners that are on the 319 00:15:16,880 --> 00:15:19,160 Speaker 3: larger side, I always want them to be spiral bound. 320 00:15:19,240 --> 00:15:22,200 Speaker 3: Specifically for what Laura said desk real estate. There's some 321 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,000 Speaker 3: great planners out there that are kind of bigger and wider, 322 00:15:25,320 --> 00:15:28,320 Speaker 3: and if they're not spiral bound, then like a large 323 00:15:28,440 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 3: portion of your desk is going to be taken up 324 00:15:30,160 --> 00:15:32,200 Speaker 3: by the planner if you have it open, if you're 325 00:15:32,280 --> 00:15:35,080 Speaker 3: using it at all. So for me, that can be 326 00:15:35,080 --> 00:15:37,640 Speaker 3: a deal breaker for certain sizes of planners. I feel 327 00:15:37,680 --> 00:15:40,400 Speaker 3: like for me, a five and below and a five 328 00:15:40,520 --> 00:15:42,680 Speaker 3: is kind of like half a piece of notebook paper 329 00:15:42,880 --> 00:15:46,160 Speaker 3: folded A five and below. I can get away with 330 00:15:46,200 --> 00:15:48,280 Speaker 3: a non spiral, and then anything bigger I want to 331 00:15:48,320 --> 00:15:48,840 Speaker 3: have a spiral. 332 00:15:49,520 --> 00:15:54,160 Speaker 4: I don't mean to keep going. 333 00:15:54,240 --> 00:15:57,320 Speaker 2: But the book bound I think might also be an 334 00:15:57,320 --> 00:15:59,720 Speaker 2: acquired taste too. I mean it feels more professional in 335 00:15:59,800 --> 00:16:03,840 Speaker 2: a important maybe to have something like a hard background book. 336 00:16:03,880 --> 00:16:06,800 Speaker 2: But the problem is like getting it to completely live flat, 337 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:08,680 Speaker 2: like it has to be very well designed for it 338 00:16:08,760 --> 00:16:09,720 Speaker 2: to lie flat. 339 00:16:09,800 --> 00:16:10,720 Speaker 1: With that being the. 340 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:15,440 Speaker 2: Case, and I think a lot of people don't reach 341 00:16:15,520 --> 00:16:19,920 Speaker 2: that bar, so whereas a spiral obviously will lie flat 342 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:23,440 Speaker 2: because that's the whole physics of how it's structured. 343 00:16:24,160 --> 00:16:26,240 Speaker 3: Yes, although if you're left handed you have that bump 344 00:16:26,320 --> 00:16:28,600 Speaker 3: in the middle. If you that's true, you have to 345 00:16:28,600 --> 00:16:30,840 Speaker 3: write over so you're absolutely right. And that was actually 346 00:16:30,840 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 3: my next thing, does it lay flat? Because there are 347 00:16:34,440 --> 00:16:37,400 Speaker 3: some book bound planners that do meet that bar, and 348 00:16:37,920 --> 00:16:41,520 Speaker 3: they are not every planner. The hobonicci absolutely lies flat. 349 00:16:42,240 --> 00:16:44,600 Speaker 3: The hemlock and oak, which I mentioned that absolutely you 350 00:16:44,640 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 3: have to look for ones that say something like perfect bound. 351 00:16:46,760 --> 00:16:48,240 Speaker 3: You have to look at the comments. You have to 352 00:16:48,280 --> 00:16:51,080 Speaker 3: be careful about this, because I agree with you, a 353 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,440 Speaker 3: non lying flat book bound planner is kind of a 354 00:16:54,520 --> 00:16:56,560 Speaker 3: deal breaker. I mean, I guess if you enjoy having 355 00:16:56,560 --> 00:16:58,680 Speaker 3: like a book weight on your desk or something like that, 356 00:16:58,720 --> 00:17:01,800 Speaker 3: but otherwise can be just really frustrating to ride on. 357 00:17:01,960 --> 00:17:04,720 Speaker 3: And I'm a left hander, so extra important to me. 358 00:17:05,680 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 3: The fourth thing is aesthetics. So are you going to 359 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 3: enjoy using this planner? There are planners out there that 360 00:17:13,680 --> 00:17:17,240 Speaker 3: are absolutely Some people might think they're gorgeous and perfect 361 00:17:17,280 --> 00:17:19,399 Speaker 3: for them, and I'm like, that is so ugly. If 362 00:17:19,440 --> 00:17:21,400 Speaker 3: I had to look at it every day, I would die. 363 00:17:21,960 --> 00:17:24,200 Speaker 3: I mean, you know, like if someone handed me a 364 00:17:24,280 --> 00:17:27,000 Speaker 3: Lisa Frank planner in twenty twenty four with a zebra 365 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:29,680 Speaker 3: and rainbows on it, like my kids would probably love it, 366 00:17:29,720 --> 00:17:31,080 Speaker 3: and I would not want to look at that every 367 00:17:31,080 --> 00:17:34,640 Speaker 3: single morning. Is jarring or something. And nothing against Lisa Frank. 368 00:17:34,720 --> 00:17:37,960 Speaker 3: She was awesome, she was ahead of her time. But yeah, 369 00:17:38,000 --> 00:17:40,399 Speaker 3: I think the aesthetics are important, and there are so 370 00:17:40,600 --> 00:17:42,760 Speaker 3: many aesthetics out there, I think more than there used 371 00:17:42,800 --> 00:17:44,720 Speaker 3: to be. There are a lot of very neutral and 372 00:17:44,760 --> 00:17:47,399 Speaker 3: professional looking planners. There are ones with more of like 373 00:17:47,440 --> 00:17:50,280 Speaker 3: a kind of professional but like more glamorous kind of look. 374 00:17:50,359 --> 00:17:52,520 Speaker 3: There is colorful and fun if that's what you were 375 00:17:52,560 --> 00:17:55,959 Speaker 3: looking for. There are more just really kind of gender 376 00:17:56,160 --> 00:17:58,440 Speaker 3: neutral looking planners, which is great. 377 00:17:58,480 --> 00:17:59,040 Speaker 4: I feel like. 378 00:17:59,119 --> 00:18:03,000 Speaker 3: Since the bullet journaling movement, which tends to be a 379 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:06,679 Speaker 3: little bit less gender than the planner industry, kind of 380 00:18:06,720 --> 00:18:10,120 Speaker 3: came into being, there became more options, so there's really 381 00:18:10,119 --> 00:18:12,199 Speaker 3: a planner for everyone, but you do want to consider that, 382 00:18:12,240 --> 00:18:16,080 Speaker 3: and different brands definitely have their own vibes. Laura's nodding 383 00:18:16,080 --> 00:18:17,879 Speaker 3: when I was talking about ugly planners, you know what 384 00:18:17,920 --> 00:18:18,600 Speaker 3: I mean, right. 385 00:18:19,040 --> 00:18:22,000 Speaker 2: Well, you know, I mean people mean to be nice 386 00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:24,959 Speaker 2: and they like sometimes give you one or something, or 387 00:18:25,000 --> 00:18:27,960 Speaker 2: like there's a freebie that you get from somewhere, the 388 00:18:28,040 --> 00:18:31,960 Speaker 2: swag that they're giving out. It's so individual that it's 389 00:18:32,119 --> 00:18:36,640 Speaker 2: really hard to choose one for someone else. I guess 390 00:18:36,920 --> 00:18:40,280 Speaker 2: you have to know what you are looking for. And yeah, 391 00:18:40,320 --> 00:18:43,679 Speaker 2: I wouldn't want rainbows and unicorns, but I'm sure there 392 00:18:43,680 --> 00:18:44,560 Speaker 2: are people who would. 393 00:18:44,760 --> 00:18:46,720 Speaker 1: So you have to know yourself. 394 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:49,600 Speaker 2: But of course, knowing yourself as kind of the key 395 00:18:49,640 --> 00:18:51,600 Speaker 2: for having a planner that will work for you in 396 00:18:51,640 --> 00:18:52,200 Speaker 2: any case. 397 00:18:52,880 --> 00:18:54,960 Speaker 3: And I will say that is one thing I love 398 00:18:55,000 --> 00:18:59,680 Speaker 3: about Hobuniji, which is that the books themselves are completely 399 00:18:59,880 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 3: like neutral, like they're paper covered, but then they sell 400 00:19:02,680 --> 00:19:09,000 Speaker 3: covers in literally every aesthetic from completely professional black leather 401 00:19:09,160 --> 00:19:13,520 Speaker 3: plane to like comic book characters to like art and flowers, 402 00:19:13,520 --> 00:19:15,840 Speaker 3: and I mean it's super cool, so something for everyone 403 00:19:16,440 --> 00:19:19,440 Speaker 3: in that line of products, but many other diverse aesthetic 404 00:19:19,480 --> 00:19:22,600 Speaker 3: options as well. So yeah, those are kind of like 405 00:19:22,640 --> 00:19:25,280 Speaker 3: my main considerations. And then I thought we can go 406 00:19:25,359 --> 00:19:28,320 Speaker 3: into a couple of brand recommendations just in case someone 407 00:19:28,359 --> 00:19:30,760 Speaker 3: is starting from scratch and is like, I haven't bought 408 00:19:30,840 --> 00:19:34,040 Speaker 3: up planners since Franklin Covey and like what's out there, which, 409 00:19:34,080 --> 00:19:35,800 Speaker 3: by the way, they're still out there and they're still 410 00:19:35,800 --> 00:19:38,400 Speaker 3: making cool stuff too. There are kind of old classic 411 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,840 Speaker 3: planners from them and from Filofacts and stuff. But I'm 412 00:19:41,880 --> 00:19:44,719 Speaker 3: going to just share a few of to keep it 413 00:19:44,880 --> 00:19:47,720 Speaker 3: fairly limited. My favorite brands that you might want to 414 00:19:47,720 --> 00:19:50,040 Speaker 3: peruse right now, kind of based on what you're looking for. 415 00:19:50,240 --> 00:19:51,919 Speaker 4: I mentioned Hobin e g. A million times. 416 00:19:52,400 --> 00:19:55,320 Speaker 3: If you want thin paper and daily pages, that is 417 00:19:55,320 --> 00:19:57,640 Speaker 3: a great place to look You can get those on Amazon, 418 00:19:57,680 --> 00:19:59,119 Speaker 3: you can get them on jet Pens, or you can 419 00:19:59,160 --> 00:20:03,840 Speaker 3: buy them directly from Hobanichi. They now have their website 420 00:20:03,840 --> 00:20:06,399 Speaker 3: completely in English with dollars in the shopping cart, so 421 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:08,560 Speaker 3: used to have to shop with yen, which was actually 422 00:20:08,640 --> 00:20:11,240 Speaker 3: kind of fun, but not anymore. And if you want 423 00:20:11,240 --> 00:20:14,399 Speaker 3: that thin paper but you're looking for different layouts, there 424 00:20:14,400 --> 00:20:18,879 Speaker 3: are a million kind of Hobunichi inspired I don't even 425 00:20:18,920 --> 00:20:20,439 Speaker 3: I don't know if any all of them would admit that, 426 00:20:20,520 --> 00:20:23,600 Speaker 3: but to me, that's what it looks like. Inspired brands 427 00:20:23,640 --> 00:20:26,560 Speaker 3: that also use the very thin paper that Hobnichi is 428 00:20:26,600 --> 00:20:28,240 Speaker 3: known for. And I'm just going to name a few 429 00:20:28,320 --> 00:20:29,840 Speaker 3: just in case you're that's what you want and you 430 00:20:29,880 --> 00:20:33,840 Speaker 3: want to look into it. Paper Test Designs, Sterling Ink, 431 00:20:34,440 --> 00:20:37,560 Speaker 3: Wonderland two twenty two or a Estelle, and then a 432 00:20:37,600 --> 00:20:38,120 Speaker 3: new one this. 433 00:20:38,119 --> 00:20:41,480 Speaker 4: Year is just Scribble. So yeah, lots of options. 434 00:20:41,560 --> 00:20:43,680 Speaker 3: You can go down that rabbit hole if you are 435 00:20:43,720 --> 00:20:46,800 Speaker 3: interested in a very thin paper planner, and these tend 436 00:20:46,800 --> 00:20:49,359 Speaker 3: to have very kind of neutral, understated aesthetics. 437 00:20:49,960 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 4: Second, I want to mention. 438 00:20:50,920 --> 00:20:55,119 Speaker 3: Hemlock and Oak because if you want a vertical weekly layout, 439 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:57,520 Speaker 3: although they sell many others, but you don't like the 440 00:20:57,560 --> 00:21:00,199 Speaker 3: thin paper that comes in the Hopannichi. I always your 441 00:21:00,240 --> 00:21:02,720 Speaker 3: people to Hemlock and Oak. I just think they're beautifully constructed. 442 00:21:03,040 --> 00:21:06,399 Speaker 3: They are book bound, but they now have a soft 443 00:21:06,440 --> 00:21:09,359 Speaker 3: cover that makes a little bit more compact, and they 444 00:21:09,400 --> 00:21:13,000 Speaker 3: do lay perfectly flat. So just to know if you 445 00:21:13,080 --> 00:21:16,280 Speaker 3: want a daily planner with some structure built into it. 446 00:21:16,640 --> 00:21:19,919 Speaker 3: Full Focus is one of my favorites for that just 447 00:21:20,119 --> 00:21:23,000 Speaker 3: They actually came out with a wellness version as well 448 00:21:23,480 --> 00:21:26,520 Speaker 3: that I actually I think that one's really cool and 449 00:21:26,600 --> 00:21:28,280 Speaker 3: unique as well if there are certain kind of like 450 00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:31,760 Speaker 3: life factors that you want to track in your planner. Yeah, 451 00:21:31,800 --> 00:21:35,560 Speaker 3: they're both great, the original and the wellness. Laurel Denise 452 00:21:35,880 --> 00:21:38,720 Speaker 3: is a very hot planner brand, and I feel like 453 00:21:38,720 --> 00:21:41,760 Speaker 3: people are always sending me her stuff. Her stuff is 454 00:21:42,080 --> 00:21:44,360 Speaker 3: on the larger side, which is why I haven't used 455 00:21:44,359 --> 00:21:47,960 Speaker 3: them personally, But they do offer the ability to allow 456 00:21:48,000 --> 00:21:50,639 Speaker 3: you to see monthly, weekly, and a little space for 457 00:21:50,800 --> 00:21:54,080 Speaker 3: daily all at once. They have very innovative kind of 458 00:21:54,119 --> 00:21:56,400 Speaker 3: structure like that. So if you're the kind of person 459 00:21:56,440 --> 00:21:58,480 Speaker 3: who wants to see all the big picture in one 460 00:21:58,600 --> 00:22:01,640 Speaker 3: view and one book, you can check out Laurel Denise 461 00:22:02,200 --> 00:22:05,800 Speaker 3: Sprouted is another newer brand that's been super responsive to 462 00:22:05,800 --> 00:22:09,240 Speaker 3: customer feedback and they have very open ended layouts which 463 00:22:09,240 --> 00:22:13,080 Speaker 3: people appreciate. And then an old standard is Aaron Condren. 464 00:22:13,160 --> 00:22:16,720 Speaker 3: I mentioned her their paper before. They have a lot 465 00:22:16,720 --> 00:22:20,000 Speaker 3: of unique layouts, and in particular, there's one layout that 466 00:22:20,080 --> 00:22:24,040 Speaker 3: has three boxes vertically stacked for each day that has 467 00:22:24,160 --> 00:22:27,480 Speaker 3: just been great for like household management stuff. In the past, 468 00:22:27,560 --> 00:22:30,159 Speaker 3: I've used like the top row for my own scheduled things, 469 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:32,560 Speaker 3: the middle row for to do items, and then the 470 00:22:32,600 --> 00:22:34,800 Speaker 3: bottom row for anything going on with the kids, and 471 00:22:34,800 --> 00:22:37,160 Speaker 3: then there's still enough space below that to put workouts 472 00:22:37,200 --> 00:22:40,000 Speaker 3: and our dinners. So just really really kind of functional 473 00:22:40,040 --> 00:22:42,439 Speaker 3: and I haven't seen anything like that from any other brand, 474 00:22:42,520 --> 00:22:44,200 Speaker 3: So that's one to know about. 475 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:46,680 Speaker 4: And then two more things. If you're interested in. 476 00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,159 Speaker 3: Going disc bound, there are many places to do that, 477 00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:52,760 Speaker 3: but two of my favorites are with Cloth and Paper. 478 00:22:53,119 --> 00:22:55,199 Speaker 3: That's the brand that I'm using this year. They have 479 00:22:55,400 --> 00:22:58,080 Speaker 3: like just very minimalist aesthetics. I've been very impressed with 480 00:22:58,119 --> 00:23:00,800 Speaker 3: their quality, as well as ink Well Press. I think 481 00:23:00,800 --> 00:23:03,280 Speaker 3: we even had the creator of inkual Press on this podcast. 482 00:23:03,320 --> 00:23:06,720 Speaker 3: A jillion years ago Tanya Dalton and yeah, I've just 483 00:23:06,760 --> 00:23:09,440 Speaker 3: been around for a long time and also very well made, 484 00:23:09,560 --> 00:23:11,760 Speaker 3: very flexible. The nice thing with the disc bound is 485 00:23:11,760 --> 00:23:14,000 Speaker 3: you could punch your own pages and kind of mix 486 00:23:14,040 --> 00:23:15,119 Speaker 3: and match what you would like. 487 00:23:15,600 --> 00:23:18,080 Speaker 2: Can you disc bound For those of us who are 488 00:23:18,160 --> 00:23:23,359 Speaker 2: like scratching our heads here, sorry, so picture like a 489 00:23:23,520 --> 00:23:28,119 Speaker 2: ring binder, except they're actually held together by discs, and 490 00:23:28,240 --> 00:23:30,320 Speaker 2: it doesn't sound like that would be very secure. 491 00:23:30,840 --> 00:23:33,439 Speaker 3: Like picture like little circles and then the paper is 492 00:23:33,600 --> 00:23:38,320 Speaker 3: punched so that it slides into the disc. 493 00:23:38,400 --> 00:23:39,200 Speaker 4: That's kind of a bad. 494 00:23:39,400 --> 00:23:42,240 Speaker 1: So you could take the pages in and out is basically. 495 00:23:42,359 --> 00:23:44,639 Speaker 3: You can take the pages in and out. It's sturdier 496 00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:46,560 Speaker 3: than it sounds, and you can move things around in 497 00:23:46,680 --> 00:23:50,320 Speaker 3: any order. So and you can even buy your own puncher, 498 00:23:50,480 --> 00:23:52,560 Speaker 3: so like you know, you get something from school, okay, 499 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:55,080 Speaker 3: you can put that directly in your planner on paper, 500 00:23:55,200 --> 00:23:58,080 Speaker 3: So kind of a very versatile. The Staples version of 501 00:23:58,080 --> 00:24:00,879 Speaker 3: that is the ARC system. There's also the Levenger system. 502 00:24:00,920 --> 00:24:03,399 Speaker 3: There's like a million diskbound options, but those were just 503 00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:06,359 Speaker 3: two that I like. And then a blank notebook, don't forget, 504 00:24:06,560 --> 00:24:09,919 Speaker 3: I mean, honestly, for daily planning, I essentially, just want 505 00:24:09,960 --> 00:24:10,720 Speaker 3: a blank page. 506 00:24:11,200 --> 00:24:12,680 Speaker 1: It's great, which can be anything. 507 00:24:12,720 --> 00:24:14,520 Speaker 2: Can be a notebook from Target, or you could get 508 00:24:14,560 --> 00:24:16,879 Speaker 2: yourself a I don't know, one hundred dollars notebook. 509 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,120 Speaker 1: If you want to know, go all oh. 510 00:24:18,080 --> 00:24:22,040 Speaker 3: Yes, I'm like Smithson Smithson with y they have very beautiful, 511 00:24:22,119 --> 00:24:25,520 Speaker 3: high end leather covered paper goods, so if you really 512 00:24:25,560 --> 00:24:27,880 Speaker 3: splurred on your notebook, you could get exactly. 513 00:24:27,720 --> 00:24:29,200 Speaker 2: All right, Well, we're going to take one more quick 514 00:24:29,240 --> 00:24:30,760 Speaker 2: ad break and we'll be back with a little bit 515 00:24:30,800 --> 00:24:33,680 Speaker 2: more about the planning products you can get for twenty 516 00:24:33,720 --> 00:24:35,840 Speaker 2: twenty five and our Q and A coming up. 517 00:24:48,320 --> 00:24:51,879 Speaker 3: All right, we are back, and I hope you're enjoying 518 00:24:51,880 --> 00:24:54,199 Speaker 3: this little romp through planner Land. We're going to go 519 00:24:54,240 --> 00:24:58,680 Speaker 3: through a couple of planner adjacent mentions and some accessories. 520 00:24:58,720 --> 00:25:02,560 Speaker 3: So I'm actually not sure what Laura uses in her household, 521 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:05,880 Speaker 3: but one kind of planner adjacent category that I think 522 00:25:05,960 --> 00:25:08,560 Speaker 3: is relevant to our listener population, and we talk about 523 00:25:08,560 --> 00:25:11,840 Speaker 3: it lots, is some kind of household calendar that is 524 00:25:11,960 --> 00:25:16,240 Speaker 3: displayed somewhere. Now, we in our house have two tools 525 00:25:16,280 --> 00:25:18,879 Speaker 3: that we use. We use the Essential calendar, which is 526 00:25:18,920 --> 00:25:22,240 Speaker 3: a paper calendar that shows three months at a time. 527 00:25:22,720 --> 00:25:25,240 Speaker 3: That is very helpful. Our nanny loves us in particular 528 00:25:25,280 --> 00:25:27,160 Speaker 3: because she can kind of see where her vacations are, 529 00:25:27,359 --> 00:25:30,119 Speaker 3: see where we've asked her to cover a weekend, et cetera. 530 00:25:30,240 --> 00:25:32,800 Speaker 3: She can see all the big things coming up. And 531 00:25:32,840 --> 00:25:34,960 Speaker 3: then we also use a weekly whiteboard that we've had 532 00:25:34,960 --> 00:25:37,720 Speaker 3: for like a decade now that just has space for 533 00:25:38,119 --> 00:25:40,400 Speaker 3: each day with lines and the one extra blank one 534 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:42,720 Speaker 3: that we kind of put random to dos that are lingering. 535 00:25:43,200 --> 00:25:46,080 Speaker 3: And our family would not function well without this at 536 00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:48,040 Speaker 3: this point, I mean this, everyone looks at it. It's 537 00:25:48,080 --> 00:25:53,120 Speaker 3: like who's driving, what activity is where, Like any night 538 00:25:53,160 --> 00:25:56,199 Speaker 3: that I might be late, everything, just everything that like 539 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:59,720 Speaker 3: encompasses the happenings in our house that everyone needs to 540 00:25:59,760 --> 00:26:02,880 Speaker 3: know is on there, plus every night's dinner. There's also 541 00:26:02,920 --> 00:26:07,359 Speaker 3: digital options which we don't use, but people love. The skylight, 542 00:26:07,440 --> 00:26:10,679 Speaker 3: the dackboard, and the hearth. Those are all ways that 543 00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:15,000 Speaker 3: you can kind of display various digital calendars and kind 544 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,639 Speaker 3: of home dashboards in a more high tech way. Laura, 545 00:26:17,680 --> 00:26:20,360 Speaker 3: do you guys have some kind of I don't know, 546 00:26:20,480 --> 00:26:22,880 Speaker 3: like you do it on paper and then you put 547 00:26:22,880 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 3: it on the counter. Is that kind of your solution? 548 00:26:24,600 --> 00:26:27,159 Speaker 2: For this, Yeah, I mean, I don't really want to 549 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:32,199 Speaker 2: maintain another thing. I guess is what it comes down to. 550 00:26:33,480 --> 00:26:36,639 Speaker 2: And my general sense, kids don't think that much more 551 00:26:36,720 --> 00:26:39,679 Speaker 2: than like eight to nine days ahead of time anyway, 552 00:26:39,720 --> 00:26:44,760 Speaker 2: Like even older teenagers. It's really hard to talk about 553 00:26:44,800 --> 00:26:48,439 Speaker 2: stuff that's much further down the line than that. So 554 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,160 Speaker 2: I mean, for the older boys, if there is bigger 555 00:26:50,160 --> 00:26:51,800 Speaker 2: stuff coming up, I mean, I will talk to them 556 00:26:52,080 --> 00:26:55,040 Speaker 2: about it, but we don't really deal with it on 557 00:26:55,640 --> 00:26:58,880 Speaker 2: the level that the household is functioning until closer to it. 558 00:26:59,240 --> 00:27:02,840 Speaker 2: So every Friday I make a family schedule for the 559 00:27:02,880 --> 00:27:05,119 Speaker 2: next week. I also send the weekend schedule for the 560 00:27:05,200 --> 00:27:10,920 Speaker 2: upcoming weekend and I email that around to nanny's husband 561 00:27:11,119 --> 00:27:13,919 Speaker 2: older children, print up a copy, put it on the 562 00:27:13,960 --> 00:27:17,679 Speaker 2: counter so that children who are literate but not on 563 00:27:17,760 --> 00:27:22,639 Speaker 2: email can also look at it. And people have been told, 564 00:27:22,800 --> 00:27:26,919 Speaker 2: look at that. Don't ask me questions that are on that, 565 00:27:27,560 --> 00:27:30,720 Speaker 2: because that's really frustrating. What time do we have this, Well, 566 00:27:30,760 --> 00:27:32,040 Speaker 2: I don't know. Maybe it's in the email. 567 00:27:32,720 --> 00:27:35,040 Speaker 3: No, that's totally your version of the whiteboard, which makes 568 00:27:35,200 --> 00:27:37,040 Speaker 3: total sense. I think I just do the same thing 569 00:27:37,160 --> 00:27:39,120 Speaker 3: writing it up in the air, and you do it. 570 00:27:39,200 --> 00:27:42,040 Speaker 3: Probably yours has even more on it, and that's why 571 00:27:42,080 --> 00:27:44,240 Speaker 3: yours might not even fit on a whiteboard at this point, 572 00:27:44,280 --> 00:27:47,040 Speaker 3: so that makes more sense. But okay, perfect, I love it. 573 00:27:47,160 --> 00:27:51,280 Speaker 3: Kind of an elegant tool actually just simple. So yeah, 574 00:27:51,720 --> 00:27:54,199 Speaker 3: kind of those are my household adjacment thoughts for some 575 00:27:54,359 --> 00:27:56,680 Speaker 3: kind of household management system. I feel like it's less 576 00:27:56,680 --> 00:27:58,240 Speaker 3: common to get those at the beginning of the year, 577 00:27:58,280 --> 00:27:59,800 Speaker 3: but just thought they were worth a mention. 578 00:28:00,440 --> 00:28:03,080 Speaker 4: And then finally, some accessories. 579 00:28:03,200 --> 00:28:05,520 Speaker 3: If you are kind of trying to up your planning 580 00:28:05,560 --> 00:28:08,320 Speaker 3: game for next year, some things to think about might 581 00:28:08,400 --> 00:28:11,719 Speaker 3: be looking at pens or even your pen case. I 582 00:28:11,760 --> 00:28:15,000 Speaker 3: love having all of my pens at my disposal, even 583 00:28:15,040 --> 00:28:17,440 Speaker 3: at work, et cetera. Doesn't take up much room in 584 00:28:17,520 --> 00:28:21,439 Speaker 3: my bag. I have the liheat lab smart fit case. 585 00:28:21,480 --> 00:28:25,120 Speaker 3: It's like twelve dollars. It's lasted for years now, and 586 00:28:25,200 --> 00:28:27,360 Speaker 3: you can get that on Amazon or jet Pens or wherever. 587 00:28:28,119 --> 00:28:30,960 Speaker 3: But I love it. And then some people have asked 588 00:28:30,960 --> 00:28:35,760 Speaker 3: me about photo printers for like pasting things into or 589 00:28:35,800 --> 00:28:40,719 Speaker 3: stickers to paste into my five year journal, and I 590 00:28:40,760 --> 00:28:43,640 Speaker 3: will say mine has stopped working. It stops sinking with 591 00:28:43,640 --> 00:28:46,000 Speaker 3: my phone. I think it's just the evolution of technology, 592 00:28:46,080 --> 00:28:48,479 Speaker 3: like the device didn't keep up with mine. So I'm 593 00:28:48,520 --> 00:28:49,880 Speaker 3: in the market for a new one, and I just 594 00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,200 Speaker 3: did a little bit of research and I heard great 595 00:28:52,200 --> 00:28:55,880 Speaker 3: things or read great things about the Canon Selfie Selphy 596 00:28:55,960 --> 00:28:59,840 Speaker 3: mini printer and the Fujifilm in Stacks mini link. So 597 00:29:00,080 --> 00:29:02,280 Speaker 3: if you are looking to print out cute little stickers 598 00:29:02,440 --> 00:29:04,800 Speaker 3: because you want to kind of memory keep in the 599 00:29:04,840 --> 00:29:06,880 Speaker 3: new year, than those are two to take a look at. 600 00:29:07,320 --> 00:29:09,360 Speaker 3: I feel like Laura's like, I will never do that. 601 00:29:10,680 --> 00:29:13,959 Speaker 4: What do you don't think I like stickers? I don't know, 602 00:29:14,480 --> 00:29:14,720 Speaker 4: do you. 603 00:29:15,600 --> 00:29:17,160 Speaker 1: Well, I print out all sorts of photos. 604 00:29:17,200 --> 00:29:19,440 Speaker 2: I mean, we have photo gallery walls around here, but 605 00:29:19,440 --> 00:29:20,560 Speaker 2: it's not the sticker version. 606 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:26,640 Speaker 3: It's like actual photographs framed, so yeah, see, and I'm 607 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:28,520 Speaker 3: terrible with that. So that's why I need tiny little 608 00:29:28,520 --> 00:29:30,120 Speaker 3: stickers to keep in my five year journal. 609 00:29:30,000 --> 00:29:30,760 Speaker 4: So I have something. 610 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,000 Speaker 3: And then the last thing I wanted to mention is 611 00:29:35,200 --> 00:29:37,800 Speaker 3: digital option. So maybe you're like, I do not want 612 00:29:37,800 --> 00:29:38,920 Speaker 3: a paper planner for next year. 613 00:29:38,920 --> 00:29:39,400 Speaker 4: I don't want to. 614 00:29:39,400 --> 00:29:42,080 Speaker 3: Carry it around, but I want the feel of using 615 00:29:42,160 --> 00:29:46,760 Speaker 3: a planner. I highly recommend checking out the app Artful agenda. 616 00:29:47,160 --> 00:29:50,240 Speaker 3: I have a lot of best laid plans listeners who 617 00:29:50,320 --> 00:29:53,240 Speaker 3: use this and love it. Kind of combines. It looks 618 00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:55,160 Speaker 3: like a planner, but it's on the screen. You can 619 00:29:55,200 --> 00:29:57,560 Speaker 3: even buy stickers for it. You can have it in 620 00:29:57,600 --> 00:30:01,160 Speaker 3: any aesthetics that you would like, sink in various places, 621 00:30:01,200 --> 00:30:03,400 Speaker 3: so that is always fun to check out. And then 622 00:30:03,640 --> 00:30:07,080 Speaker 3: some planner brands sell PDF versions of their planners which 623 00:30:07,120 --> 00:30:08,680 Speaker 3: you can then use on an iPad with an Apple 624 00:30:08,760 --> 00:30:10,840 Speaker 3: like good Notes, and then write directly in them with 625 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:14,120 Speaker 3: an Apple pencil or type stuff in Passion planner comes 626 00:30:14,120 --> 00:30:16,320 Speaker 3: to mind, but really a bunch of them are selling 627 00:30:16,360 --> 00:30:19,080 Speaker 3: digital versions now. And then there's also the option of 628 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,440 Speaker 3: di y ing it. My friend Kay is a wizard 629 00:30:21,480 --> 00:30:23,800 Speaker 3: with her Google sheets. She like kind of has almost 630 00:30:23,840 --> 00:30:26,320 Speaker 3: a little daily planner column for every single day in 631 00:30:26,360 --> 00:30:28,440 Speaker 3: Google Sheets that she does a week at a time, 632 00:30:28,480 --> 00:30:31,080 Speaker 3: which is super cool. And we know Laura's tracked her 633 00:30:31,240 --> 00:30:34,320 Speaker 3: time in an Excel spreadsheet for many, many years. It's 634 00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:36,760 Speaker 3: not a planner, but it is a form of memory keeping, 635 00:30:36,880 --> 00:30:39,040 Speaker 3: so don't forget about your digital options. 636 00:30:39,280 --> 00:30:44,800 Speaker 2: It's retrospective planning what actually happened versus what was planned 637 00:30:45,200 --> 00:30:46,960 Speaker 2: usually pretty similar, but In. 638 00:30:46,920 --> 00:30:49,280 Speaker 4: The planner world, they call it memory keeping. 639 00:30:49,080 --> 00:30:49,720 Speaker 1: Memory keeping. 640 00:30:49,800 --> 00:30:50,600 Speaker 4: Okay, got it? 641 00:30:51,040 --> 00:30:51,360 Speaker 3: Got it? 642 00:30:51,920 --> 00:30:52,360 Speaker 1: Awesome. 643 00:30:53,240 --> 00:30:55,800 Speaker 2: Well that's giving you a lot of food for thought. 644 00:30:56,720 --> 00:30:59,880 Speaker 2: So we also welcome questions about this. If you you know, 645 00:31:00,040 --> 00:31:03,360 Speaker 2: have a specific planner, need something you're looking for, If 646 00:31:03,360 --> 00:31:05,720 Speaker 2: you have a brand you want to recommend, please reach 647 00:31:05,840 --> 00:31:06,360 Speaker 2: out to us. 648 00:31:06,400 --> 00:31:09,840 Speaker 1: You can always reach me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. 649 00:31:10,240 --> 00:31:14,120 Speaker 2: And Sarah also has her podcast bestlid Plans, so be 650 00:31:14,200 --> 00:31:19,160 Speaker 2: sure to check that out. So our question today is 651 00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,480 Speaker 2: about sneaky teen costs. 652 00:31:22,040 --> 00:31:23,600 Speaker 4: So this listener writes. 653 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,560 Speaker 2: In that I thought the baby years were expensive, but 654 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:29,280 Speaker 2: I always hear parents of teens limit the costs associated 655 00:31:29,320 --> 00:31:32,200 Speaker 2: with older kids. And this listener is guessing at the 656 00:31:32,240 --> 00:31:35,480 Speaker 2: price of college or car being the most common items mentioned. 657 00:31:36,000 --> 00:31:38,600 Speaker 2: What else have you found to be expensive? Do you 658 00:31:38,600 --> 00:31:40,720 Speaker 2: wish you would save differently when your kids were young, 659 00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:42,960 Speaker 2: or since you both seem like savers, do you have 660 00:31:43,000 --> 00:31:44,800 Speaker 2: any advice for us spenders? 661 00:31:45,600 --> 00:31:51,040 Speaker 3: So, Sarah, I mean I do save consciously. I am 662 00:31:51,120 --> 00:31:55,640 Speaker 3: not a natural saveror so just want to dispel that myth. 663 00:31:56,760 --> 00:31:59,000 Speaker 3: Anyone who's known me for a long time is like, yeah, 664 00:32:00,080 --> 00:32:02,680 Speaker 3: I wouldn't say, I spend thoughtlessly at all, but I 665 00:32:02,760 --> 00:32:05,360 Speaker 3: have to really make a concerted effort to save, which 666 00:32:05,400 --> 00:32:09,520 Speaker 3: I do because I think long term. But I also 667 00:32:09,800 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 3: enjoy spending money on things that feel worthwhile. I guess, 668 00:32:14,760 --> 00:32:17,720 Speaker 3: so I would say, I mean, for us, we have 669 00:32:17,800 --> 00:32:20,320 Speaker 3: made the choice to go private school, and but has 670 00:32:20,400 --> 00:32:23,800 Speaker 3: dwarfed everything else that is very expensive. It is a choice, 671 00:32:23,880 --> 00:32:27,920 Speaker 3: it's a complex choice, it's a choice not everybody loves, 672 00:32:27,960 --> 00:32:31,080 Speaker 3: but for us it makes the best sense. And so 673 00:32:31,600 --> 00:32:34,960 Speaker 3: for us that's the biggest cost by far. Nothing else 674 00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:38,520 Speaker 3: comes close with three kids. The runners up, I would 675 00:32:38,520 --> 00:32:42,239 Speaker 3: say are camps and summer experiences, particularly if you're going 676 00:32:42,240 --> 00:32:44,120 Speaker 3: to do sleepway camp, like the one year we did 677 00:32:44,120 --> 00:32:46,880 Speaker 3: a traditional sleep away camp that was a huge line 678 00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:47,920 Speaker 3: item in our budget. 679 00:32:48,560 --> 00:32:49,800 Speaker 4: Other camps less so. 680 00:32:49,960 --> 00:32:52,160 Speaker 3: But I mean, teens are going to be more likely 681 00:32:52,200 --> 00:32:54,080 Speaker 3: to want to do like more complex things or some 682 00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:56,480 Speaker 3: kind of academic program, and those can be very expensive. 683 00:32:57,200 --> 00:33:01,560 Speaker 3: Sports can be very you know what, really, I'll say, like, 684 00:33:02,400 --> 00:33:05,840 Speaker 3: we have one person in gymnastics, and that is pretty pricey. 685 00:33:05,960 --> 00:33:08,640 Speaker 3: Travel soccer has a lot of time commitment, but at 686 00:33:08,640 --> 00:33:12,240 Speaker 3: the current level is not super super expensive. Some families, 687 00:33:12,280 --> 00:33:15,080 Speaker 3: not us, pay for private training. I'm sure that adds 688 00:33:15,160 --> 00:33:18,160 Speaker 3: up very very quickly. And then music. I mean, if again, 689 00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:20,200 Speaker 3: if you're doing a lot of private lessons, different groups, 690 00:33:20,240 --> 00:33:24,240 Speaker 3: things like that can be expensive. Tutoring or other types 691 00:33:24,280 --> 00:33:28,440 Speaker 3: of like help or specialists can be expensive. And then 692 00:33:29,600 --> 00:33:31,680 Speaker 3: if you don't need childcare, it doesn't mean you're never 693 00:33:31,680 --> 00:33:35,120 Speaker 3: gonna need some kind of like driving help or logistical help, 694 00:33:35,200 --> 00:33:38,360 Speaker 3: so that that can be costly. And then finally, kids 695 00:33:38,400 --> 00:33:42,320 Speaker 3: can ask for expensive things. We tend to be just like, 696 00:33:42,560 --> 00:33:45,280 Speaker 3: well no, I mean, we say no more than we 697 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:49,880 Speaker 3: say yes. Our kids are probably inherited the desire to 698 00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,440 Speaker 3: my stuff, but we have to teach them that they 699 00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:54,800 Speaker 3: can't have everything because they actually can't because at this 700 00:33:54,840 --> 00:33:58,080 Speaker 3: point they're asking for things that if we said yes 701 00:33:58,120 --> 00:34:01,080 Speaker 3: every single time, would be responsible of all of us. 702 00:34:01,120 --> 00:34:05,120 Speaker 3: So that doesn't tend to be a huge category for us, 703 00:34:05,160 --> 00:34:08,800 Speaker 3: but it takes effort to constrain it to a reasonable level. 704 00:34:09,080 --> 00:34:14,439 Speaker 3: I will say having uniforms helps a lot, because you're 705 00:34:14,440 --> 00:34:16,600 Speaker 3: just not going to need nine million outfits when you 706 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:20,560 Speaker 3: have to wear a polo and joggers every day to school. 707 00:34:23,000 --> 00:34:24,400 Speaker 4: Very true, very true. 708 00:34:25,040 --> 00:34:27,480 Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean we I mean, my kids go to 709 00:34:27,480 --> 00:34:32,160 Speaker 2: public school, so we don't have that expense. We obviously 710 00:34:32,239 --> 00:34:34,640 Speaker 2: Henry's in a private preschool, but that will he'll be 711 00:34:34,640 --> 00:34:39,080 Speaker 2: in a public kindergarten next year, so that's actually quite limited, 712 00:34:39,360 --> 00:34:43,120 Speaker 2: which is great. However, I would say it's not so 713 00:34:43,200 --> 00:34:46,520 Speaker 2: much the stuff because my kids have not been particularly 714 00:34:46,600 --> 00:34:52,319 Speaker 2: acquisitive on the stuff level. I mean, my oldest son 715 00:34:52,400 --> 00:34:55,640 Speaker 2: is driving a thirteen year old car that was my car, 716 00:34:55,960 --> 00:34:57,480 Speaker 2: and then I was supposed to buy a new car 717 00:34:57,560 --> 00:34:59,359 Speaker 2: and I haven't gotten my head around doing that yet, 718 00:35:00,239 --> 00:35:04,319 Speaker 2: sort of using it when it's available, using the van 719 00:35:04,440 --> 00:35:08,120 Speaker 2: when that's available, and kind of just making do at 720 00:35:08,120 --> 00:35:13,959 Speaker 2: the moment. But it's the experiences and that can add 721 00:35:14,040 --> 00:35:19,440 Speaker 2: up quickly and sometimes comes more out of the blue, 722 00:35:19,440 --> 00:35:22,560 Speaker 2: and I would never want to have to say no 723 00:35:23,000 --> 00:35:27,600 Speaker 2: on one of those things. Like as an example, Sam 724 00:35:27,920 --> 00:35:35,960 Speaker 2: last year he qualified for the National Technology Student Alliance competition, 725 00:35:36,080 --> 00:35:38,399 Speaker 2: so that was you know, his school sent a team, 726 00:35:39,040 --> 00:35:41,400 Speaker 2: but it's you know, five days in Orlandos, so they 727 00:35:41,400 --> 00:35:43,759 Speaker 2: had to pay for you know, the flights down and 728 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,480 Speaker 2: the hotels and the costs of that. And as we 729 00:35:47,800 --> 00:35:49,239 Speaker 2: knew that was coming up, and we're like, okay, we're 730 00:35:49,280 --> 00:35:51,520 Speaker 2: paying for that, and then as you know, right as 731 00:35:51,520 --> 00:35:55,960 Speaker 2: that hit, his robotics team got to go to the 732 00:35:56,000 --> 00:35:58,040 Speaker 2: World's competition, which was sort of out of the blue. 733 00:35:58,080 --> 00:36:02,000 Speaker 1: We did not see that one coming. But that's great. 734 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:04,520 Speaker 2: And so all of a sudden, you know, we're paying 735 00:36:04,560 --> 00:36:08,080 Speaker 2: for a trip to Dallas with the airfare and the 736 00:36:08,440 --> 00:36:10,840 Speaker 2: hotels and all that, like at pretty much the exact 737 00:36:10,840 --> 00:36:13,520 Speaker 2: same time. And I was like, I am so grateful 738 00:36:14,000 --> 00:36:18,759 Speaker 2: that just dropping three thousand, four thousand dollars for the 739 00:36:18,800 --> 00:36:21,440 Speaker 2: two of these trips like in a week, like it 740 00:36:21,480 --> 00:36:26,840 Speaker 2: didn't make a problem, which is why it helps to 741 00:36:27,120 --> 00:36:30,200 Speaker 2: think that you will need to do stuff like that, right, 742 00:36:30,960 --> 00:36:33,560 Speaker 2: And that's you know, it's important for me to kids 743 00:36:33,680 --> 00:36:36,200 Speaker 2: be able to do like the private music lessons. But 744 00:36:36,239 --> 00:36:39,400 Speaker 2: at this point, I have three children in private music lessons, 745 00:36:39,440 --> 00:36:41,800 Speaker 2: and I will have four within a couple months, and 746 00:36:41,840 --> 00:36:45,239 Speaker 2: I will have five within a year. So it's you know, 747 00:36:45,280 --> 00:36:47,080 Speaker 2: and they're all going to be different teachers, like there's 748 00:36:47,120 --> 00:36:51,080 Speaker 2: no they're all different things, like they're all different instruments 749 00:36:51,200 --> 00:36:54,279 Speaker 2: or whatever, and it's just you know, you want to 750 00:36:54,280 --> 00:36:57,440 Speaker 2: be able to give them those opportunities. Or when Jasper 751 00:36:57,480 --> 00:37:01,000 Speaker 2: and Sam went to academic camps over the summer. Those 752 00:37:01,040 --> 00:37:04,520 Speaker 2: are pretty pricey, Like you're basically paying college level tuition 753 00:37:04,760 --> 00:37:08,879 Speaker 2: over a couple weeks, and you want to be able 754 00:37:08,920 --> 00:37:12,320 Speaker 2: to do that. So anyway, what all this is saying 755 00:37:13,080 --> 00:37:16,839 Speaker 2: is that I feel like, I mean, obviously the normal 756 00:37:16,880 --> 00:37:20,120 Speaker 2: thing is, yes, money matters, Like an average normal thought 757 00:37:20,160 --> 00:37:22,839 Speaker 2: is that money does matter. But I feel like some 758 00:37:22,920 --> 00:37:25,600 Speaker 2: of us and some people maybe grew up with a 759 00:37:25,680 --> 00:37:28,360 Speaker 2: thought that, oh no, it's not that important, you know, 760 00:37:28,400 --> 00:37:31,120 Speaker 2: and especially like where this often comes is is like 761 00:37:31,280 --> 00:37:35,480 Speaker 2: mom doesn't need to take her career seriously because that 762 00:37:35,640 --> 00:37:38,839 Speaker 2: money doesn't matter. It's more important that you have the 763 00:37:38,920 --> 00:37:42,480 Speaker 2: marginal extra bit of time. And I would say that 764 00:37:42,520 --> 00:37:45,960 Speaker 2: one of the things that has come out of what 765 00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,600 Speaker 2: I have studied is that it's not as much extra 766 00:37:48,640 --> 00:37:52,719 Speaker 2: time as you think. And you are going to probably 767 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:55,520 Speaker 2: want to have some of those resources to be able 768 00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:59,200 Speaker 2: to give your kids the experiences that will help them 769 00:37:59,480 --> 00:38:01,319 Speaker 2: develop them talents over time. 770 00:38:01,840 --> 00:38:04,439 Speaker 1: So just something to think about. 771 00:38:05,320 --> 00:38:06,839 Speaker 4: And I know we're going to get pushed back. 772 00:38:07,360 --> 00:38:09,840 Speaker 3: I know this is going to be a but I 773 00:38:09,880 --> 00:38:11,799 Speaker 3: didn't have any of those things and I turned out fine, 774 00:38:11,800 --> 00:38:14,239 Speaker 3: which is true. I mean I didn't have some of 775 00:38:14,280 --> 00:38:17,359 Speaker 3: these things either, am I still mad about not going 776 00:38:17,400 --> 00:38:20,680 Speaker 3: to Italy in tenth grade. Possibly, but you know what, 777 00:38:20,840 --> 00:38:22,640 Speaker 3: I did live to tell the tale and it all 778 00:38:22,680 --> 00:38:24,560 Speaker 3: worked out. And maybe that like taught me a lesson 779 00:38:24,560 --> 00:38:25,840 Speaker 3: that if I had wanted to go to Italy, I 780 00:38:25,840 --> 00:38:27,640 Speaker 3: should have babysat more or something like that. 781 00:38:28,320 --> 00:38:30,240 Speaker 4: I don't know. I guess it's true. 782 00:38:30,239 --> 00:38:33,680 Speaker 3: Like I guess my point is, like, not giving your 783 00:38:33,719 --> 00:38:36,560 Speaker 3: kids everything they want is not going to break them. 784 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:39,799 Speaker 3: And so neither of us are saying that, like the 785 00:38:39,800 --> 00:38:41,799 Speaker 3: answers that you have to do all these things, these 786 00:38:41,840 --> 00:38:45,640 Speaker 3: are all optional and many many people can thrive and 787 00:38:45,680 --> 00:38:48,080 Speaker 3: not do them. But to delude yourself to thinking that 788 00:38:48,080 --> 00:38:49,960 Speaker 3: you're not going to want to do some of these 789 00:38:49,960 --> 00:38:53,400 Speaker 3: things and that they're not expensive, it's better to maybe 790 00:38:53,480 --> 00:38:57,680 Speaker 3: be aware that these are possibilities that you would want 791 00:38:57,719 --> 00:39:00,520 Speaker 3: to be prepared for should your kids be interested, and 792 00:39:00,560 --> 00:39:02,400 Speaker 3: it's somewhat likely that that may happen. 793 00:39:03,080 --> 00:39:06,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, And I think that there's a big difference between saying, well, 794 00:39:06,000 --> 00:39:08,040 Speaker 2: I don't need to buy my kids designer jeans. Absolutely 795 00:39:08,120 --> 00:39:10,160 Speaker 2: you don't and I don't, But I do want to 796 00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:13,799 Speaker 2: pay for top level voice lessons, So that is a 797 00:39:13,840 --> 00:39:17,520 Speaker 2: different thing. Entirely right totally, so you can wear jeans 798 00:39:17,560 --> 00:39:21,520 Speaker 2: from Target and have the best voice teacher in town. Anyway, 799 00:39:22,480 --> 00:39:25,200 Speaker 2: all right, verdy quick, Sarah love of the week. I 800 00:39:25,239 --> 00:39:27,120 Speaker 2: guess you had your planners. It's gonna be hob and. 801 00:39:27,080 --> 00:39:30,600 Speaker 3: E g sure my ride er di hope on each 802 00:39:30,760 --> 00:39:33,160 Speaker 3: cousin going strong for twenty twenty four. 803 00:39:33,280 --> 00:39:34,640 Speaker 4: And I guess I'll share that I. 804 00:39:34,560 --> 00:39:39,640 Speaker 3: Got the floral covered version next year that actually has 805 00:39:39,680 --> 00:39:41,480 Speaker 3: its own built in cover, so it's a little bit 806 00:39:41,480 --> 00:39:44,279 Speaker 3: more streamline. It's called the Han h O n in 807 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:47,080 Speaker 3: the Liberty floral fabric print and it's super pretty and 808 00:39:47,120 --> 00:39:48,360 Speaker 3: I love it awesome. 809 00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:51,400 Speaker 2: Yeah, I'll go with my weekly at a Glance calendar. 810 00:39:51,400 --> 00:39:53,680 Speaker 2: I mean, this is you know, I've literally bought a 811 00:39:53,719 --> 00:39:56,240 Speaker 2: new one of these every year for a decade plus 812 00:39:56,280 --> 00:39:58,200 Speaker 2: and it's I'm not sure what the market is. 813 00:39:58,239 --> 00:39:59,840 Speaker 1: The market is like me. I don't think there's like 814 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:01,600 Speaker 1: anyone else using them. 815 00:40:01,719 --> 00:40:05,200 Speaker 2: But because who uses a paper small calendar that they 816 00:40:05,239 --> 00:40:07,520 Speaker 2: don't then use as a planner or anything, I don't know, 817 00:40:07,760 --> 00:40:09,920 Speaker 2: but for me it works. I don't want to have 818 00:40:09,920 --> 00:40:12,600 Speaker 2: a digital calendar, So there you go. All right, Well 819 00:40:12,600 --> 00:40:14,680 Speaker 2: this has been best of both Worlds. We have been 820 00:40:14,719 --> 00:40:18,280 Speaker 2: talking all things planners today. Hopefully people got some great 821 00:40:18,280 --> 00:40:20,719 Speaker 2: ideas coming out of that. We will be back next 822 00:40:20,719 --> 00:40:23,120 Speaker 2: week with more and making work and life fit together. 823 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:25,960 Speaker 4: Thanks for listening. 824 00:40:26,200 --> 00:40:29,279 Speaker 3: You can find me Sarah at the shoebox dot com 825 00:40:29,400 --> 00:40:33,360 Speaker 3: or at the Underscore Shoebox on Instagram, and you can. 826 00:40:33,200 --> 00:40:37,480 Speaker 4: Find me Laura at Laura vandercam dot com. This has 827 00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:39,920 Speaker 4: been the best of both Worlds podcasts. 828 00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,880 Speaker 2: Please join us next time for more on making work 829 00:40:42,920 --> 00:40:44,200 Speaker 2: and life work together.