How to Pick the Right Mom Organizer

Choosing the right planner to help you get organized can be a scary proposition.  There are many types and various styles available. To top it off, the planner that will work for you may not be the planner that works for others. This may seem obvious, but it’s important to say, you are unique with your own personality, learning style, and demands on your time. This uniqueness maybe why you haven’t found a solution, yet.

Who Are You?

In addition to being a mother, your personality and individual style will impact how much time and effort you will put into using your planner. By using a planner system that is contract to your natural style, you most likely won’t use it. Don’t change who you are for your planner!

Don’t buy a mom organizer just because it looks good. Instead, choose a planner that works WITH your personality. Here are some things to consider:

• Do you rely on visual cues to remind you that something needs to be done?
• Do you have a tendency toward action?
• How much do you need to plan to be comfortable with what you need to do?
• Are you able to organize in your head or do you need something in your hands?

Now, determine how your lifestyle and work requirements affect your planner choice:

• Does your job schedule appointments electronically, i.e. Microsoft Outlook?
• Do you need to see your days in great detail?
• Is a page per week or month enough?
• Do you have many deadlines?

Finally, there are some practical matters to consider:

• Do you need to have your planner with you at all times?
• Does it need to fit in your briefcase or purse?
• How often do you need to look at it?
• Will you enjoy using it?
• Does it seem intuitive to you?
• How comfortable are you with technology?

Software, Paper, or Both?

While technology can be a real time-saver, it’s not always the best choice for time management. It’s okay if you are not able to use an electronic system, smartphone, or handheld device. You are not alone! Many people have reluctantly decided to go back to paper. There are a couple of reasons that an electronic organizer may not work for you. First, you may be a visual-spatial learner. Over half of the population are visual-spatial learners and need visual cues to stay organized. A handheld, phone, or computer needs to be on the right screen and be physically available to provide visual cues. While computers are making progress in these areas, they are still not sufficient for most visual learners. Second, paper seems more tangible to many people than the bits and bytes that computers offer.

There are some definite advantages that computers provide, though. For one, technology does allows you to back up your data. So, if you are linear, or you want the security of a backup; Outlook, Google, or Yahoo may be the right choice for your calendar and address book. However, if you are visual and want to manage your goals, projects, and tasks visually, you will want to use a paper planner for those activities.

Mom Organizer Options

Here are a few planner options that work well for mom. Some are specifically designed for mothers, while others are adaptable for many lifestyles:

Google Calendar. If you use your computer most of the time, Google Calendar is an excellent option. It offers the ability to set up recurring appointments and reminders for events well into the future such as birthdays or dental appointments. One of the best things about it (for an electronic solution) is that you never have to sync. The data is kept on Google’s servers in one place. Additionally, you can check your calendar from any computer with an internet connection.

Microsoft Outlook. Outlook is the calendar of choice for virtually everyone in the corporate environment. It allows for group scheduling and synchronizes with BlackBerry and many other smart phones. Usually, the data is kept safe as well because it is backed up by the company. The calendar and address book as excellent and offer many printing options. The task management leaves something to be desired, though, as it is a challenge to remember to look at them. Also, organizing them in categories can get a little overwhelming.

momAgenda. If you want to keep your calendar in Style, the momAgenda may be what you need. The calendar offers a unique week-at-a-view format with space for mom and up to four children.

Bubbles for Busy Moms. Of course, we are partial to this option. Our focus is on goal setting, project management, and task management for Visual learners. If you haven’t been comfortable with a traditional calendar approach or feel like you can achieve more in your life, give us a try. We offer a full 90 day, no hassle guarantee. Seriously, use it for 90 days, if it doesn’t change your life (and you’re the sole judge), let us know and we’ll give you a full refund including shipping.

There are many other mom planner systems out there. No doubt, one of them will work great for you. The most important this is that you USE IT!