Tiny Markers

 I am a visual thinker. I like to have all the markers and giant paper to map out ideas, plots, or organizing strategies. My adult go to system has been 11x17 paper and three sizes of every color of Sharpie. This is satisfactory, but not portable. I’m used to having lots of appointments and such where I try to capture time before it is lost, but planning wasn’t a good function for that nomadic work life because three big mugs of markers and the unwieldy paper didn’t travel well.

Yesterday, I was sitting in the living room when the muse struck with fury and I wanted to get to work right then. I had bought a set of Papermate flair markers for a child who rejected them. I tried to interest another of my children, same result. I decided if they didn’t want them they would suit my purpose and I took them up. Did they suit my purpose? Did they ever! They have tiny little nibs which allowed me to fit about the same amount of information on an 8 1/2x11 sheet of paper which was handy next to the printer as compared to the giant 11x17 paper in my office. I am no longer chained to my desk. I can plan efficiently anywhere.

It’s the little things that make work lighter. Papermate Flair Felt Tip Markers for sale in a good size set at Costco.

Best App for Task Management

 While I will always love my paper bujo I try to only pack my bag with essentials and as compactly as possible, so I have tried a few Task Management Apps. Most of them were just fine but had to be supplemented with other apps or simply left up to the paper bujo. RecentlyI discovered the AnyPlan app. It functions much like a bujo, but it’s in my iPad which is always with me. It is based on a calendar with the power to add appointments, tasks and notes. I find it entirely satisfying.  

Give it a look.

https://appsuke.com/en/anyplan-time-schedule-planner/

BUJO

For those not in the know a BUJO is a bullet journal, a system for organizing your time, tasks, and useful information. Information about it is all over the internet, so I won’t go over the details here. I have found it exceptionally good at motivating new behavior. This is my second year and it just gets better. In fact I am writing this piece in order to fill in two small squares. The pressure of completing my tasks is helping me get back to composing. Technically this blog is a cheater, but really any practice is helpful when you are this rusty.
Whenever I do something that is helpful I try to honor it as much as possible. Last year I toted all my supplies and journal in a cheap project bag. It did the job but inconveniently. This year I invested in a special case, normally used for Bibles. I also added a separate journal for notes about my work and/or discoveries. It is so much nicer to have my markers and pens and such all tidy in what I’ve started calling my magic bag.