I have already shared with you how I use my planner to be happier and more productive, today I’m excited to show you how to use my favorite pens to color code a planner and how I keep myself organized using my planner. I swear I would not be able to get through my day without my planner.
#PilotYourLife #CollectiveBias
As you know I’m a blogger, Youtuber, a wife, a mom of twins, a subscription box owner and I work full time! How do I do it all? My planner that’s how, and using colored pens helps me keep all those areas of my life organized in my planner. Finding the perfect pen is a huge part of planning, my favorite pen hands down is the Pilot G2 Target Fashion Collection Pens. I recently saw them at the end cap of my local Target store, I almost lost my mind with all the color options they had, but it was when I saw the new Pilot G2 Metallics line that I knew I had to share this with you!
What I love most about the Pilot G2 pens are all the options. They have tons of colors (15 to be exact) including my favorite G2 Metallics, 4 different point sizes (I’m a sucker for the fine point so I can write more in my vertical planner) and they have cool collections like G2 Premium, G2 Target Fashion Collection and G2 Metallics. Pilot G2 is America’s number one selling gel ink pen for a reason, they write longer and smoother than any other pen I’ve tried, they also don’t bleed through when I write in my planner which is super important. As a person with sweaty hands (TMI I know) I love the comfortable rubber grip as well. I consider myself an overachiever (hello starting college at age 16 and graduating at 20 with a triple major) so I also like that Pilot has the G2 Overachievers Club, I joined it and have been getting not only coupons and promos but they send you Overachiever life hacks. You will love the cool tips and tricks they send to keep you organized, you can Text G2CLUB to 40679 to join and they will send you a coupon right now!
As I said before I’m a bit of an overachiever and this is a technique I’ve been using to keep myself organized since high school, all through college and now for all the aspects of my life. Color coding! Here are the steps:
Why Color Code Your Planner
With so many aspects of your life, its hard to keep it all organized. When you color code a planner, at a simple glance you can see what you have to do in each category of your life. It also gives a really visual representation of what you are spending most of your time on. This can help with balance, if you see that all your planner is filled with pink and blue for your kids, or just work related colors, it may be time to re-evaluate some mommy time, family time or self care! You can’t be an overachiever if you aren’t working on yourself first!
Choose a Color Coding System for Your Planner
There are many ways to organize the colors in your planner, the key is to pick a system that works with what you use your planner for. The first step is to take a glance at your planner and see what categories you use it for. For example when I was in school I used different colors for each of my classes and all due dates were in red. As a mom, you may choose colors for each family member, bills and their due dates, chores around the house, meal planning, appointments, fitness and self care. I personally use my planner to keep track of these things:
- gratitude and prayer
- keeping track of my to do list and schedule
- Keeping track of my family’s to do list and schedules
- Home related tasks (cleaning, cooking, laundry, projects)
- Staying on top of work related tasks for my blog and youtube channel
- Staying on top of work related tasks for my subscription box Home Made Luxe
Choose Your Colors and Make a Color Coded Key
Now you know the categories that work for you. The next step is to assign them all a color, I like to choose colors that make sense with the category if possible. For example for my twincesses I’m going to use the color pink, cause well they’re twincesses. Next make yourself a key that you can easily reference to remember what each color signifies. I simply use a sticky note and insert that on my planner dashboard.
Start to Color Code a Planner
I plan for my week every Sunday, and I start by referencing my monthly spread for any upcoming appointments, I enter those in first. Once my appointments for both myself and my family are set, I start on my to do lists. and my weekly tasks.
Do What Works for You
I’ve put all this organizational goodness in this post, but let’s be real sometimes you don’t have time to sit and plan, for those weeks, I thank God for my Pilot G2 pens in 15 different colors cause I just choose two colors that coordinate with my planner page and make it pretty. Cause if its pretty you will use it and isn’t that the point!
