So I started thinking, here I am working in a company that makes calendars. I have in the past, for at least the past six years been using my favorite paper calendar, the New Yorker, originally introduced to me by a friend. I would consider myself to be a super planner. I not only plan things for work, but for personal stuff for my significant other, my dog, my family & extended family.

During Sprint Week I had about 17 events along with some randomly scribbled to do lists & notes. I decided to scan my calendar so you can help me de-construct why I'm still stuck on the paper calendar methods?

Here are some observations I had on the layout of the NYer calendar:
(note my annotations on the right of the images)

• Displays the weekends have less importance then the weekdays. The weekends take on a less important role in the at a week glance. They are stacked, and don't have times listed.
• The weekdays also finish at 6pm, and then the term "Evenings", is listed
• The most minor focus of the page, bottom right is the NYer comic (famous & one of my favorite reason I choose this calendar year after year
• The mini calendars at the bottom displays the past, current and next month
• There is a big notes section at the bottom of the left page (I found this very useful for those ambiguous dates
• The month label is repeated each day and also located on the edge of the paper for thumbing to the correct month when the book is closed
• A ribbon is also used to act as a bookmark for your current day
• The last page is made with a stiff heavy weight paper stock and has a pocket to slip in bills or stamps or loose receipts (or at least that's what I use it for)

Page one:

Page two:

Observations on what I do with my paper calendar:

• I add my to do lists randomly on my calendar
• I like to color code things with the color of my pen. Sometimes it is used ot measure the importance
• I block out time by drawing an arrow downwards
• Love the comics, it's current events, sarcastic and simple. A personal touch.
• I stike-through items that are done, cancelled
• I make astrix stars and sometimes box in my events which are very important MUST DOs
• I add stickers on dates
• I add stickies to my calendar, even though there is a place for my scribble notes to go. (I still add lots of stickies!)