Fine Tuning the System or Let's Try Another Weekly Planning Idea

2025 was all about testing out planners and seeing what worked (and what didn't work) for me. I always had a daily system in place, but after my dad died, I needed a weekly and monthly system. I have ADHD and have a hard time staying on track. My dad used to remind me to take care of things. Now I need to remember on my own.

My daily system is easy. I just list everything I need to get done that day on the daily page. I prefer this to a general To Do list because I feel as if I don't have a deadline then and just don't do anything. If it's written on the daily page of my planner, it must be done that day.

I discovered stickers to create a monthly dashboard for my planner. I didn't realize there were planner companies doing this, but I use a Tomoe River Paper planner, and while there was a blank page to create a dashboard each month, there wasn't an actual dashboard. The stickers solved this problem.

I tried this early in 2025 and it worked so well that I kept it for 2026.

My problem is the weekly tasks. If you've been following this blog, you know I've tried a large number of ideas and none of them panned out for 2025.

Then one of my favorite planner companies released a new planner and there was a blank page in front of each weekly spread. This is what I'm test driving this year. Can I create a weekly dashboard similar to the monthly dashboard that will work for me? Will I be able to actually do these tasks and not ignore them?

I'm laying out the weekly dashboards one by one, not setting them up ahead of time, so that if a layout isn't working for me, I can try something else. If this works, it will be incredible! This planner is almost exactly what I would create if I was making a planner. Almost, but short of making my own planner, I don't think I'll ever find one closer to the way my brain works.

Of course, I also bought a 2026 version of the planner I used this year because I loved this one as well. The only reason I'm not using it as the primary for 2026 is there are no blank pages I can use for weekly dashboards and none of the systems I tried inside this planner for weekly tasks worked in 2025.

However, I bought the B6 size for this planner instead of the A5. I want to test it out for space because I prefer the smaller footprint of the B6, but I'm not sure I can live without the room the A5 provides. So far, it feels a little cramped, but we'll see if I adjust.

I also bought two different sizes of monthly booklets for carry. One was the size I used this year, the other is smaller. The smaller size fits in my purse better, so I'm thinking this is the last year for the larger one. However, I also realized that I always refer to my phone's calendar when I need to make an appointment, so I might not need any monthly calendars at all for 2027. The problem is keeping my phone up to date.

The last purchase in my planner system was the standard size weekly vertical planner booklets (Set of 2 for the year). This I use for time tracking and it's worked so well that I want to continue using it. Didn't hit my word count goal? Let's check out the time tracker and see what I was doing.

With my ADHD, I have a problem with time blindness and tracking forces me to be more aware of how I'm spending my day. Like did I spend two hours crafting Saturday morning instead of writing and then crafting in the evening?

My time tracker doesn't lie.

I only record what I did every half an hour, so it's not too intrusive. If I spent 16 minutes crafting and 14 minutes cleaning, I record Crafting on the line. When I first started this system, I would take a highlighter and outline the time I spent writing, but now I don't have to do that. I'm more aware and I credit time tracking for limiting my time creep.

Last 2026 items: I still have the 18 month writing planner I created for myself and am using it, but decided that I didn't need the month layout or the dashboard layout built into the planner. I just need the weekly dashboard page to set goals and keep track of how many words I write.

I also bought a monthly planner because I had a scathingly brilliant idea, didn't write it down, and waited for the planners to go on sale. By the time they did and by the time it arrived, the scathingly brilliant idea was long gone, not so much of a trace of it remaining. So while I'll use this planner for something, I have no idea what. It's just a monthly calendar with 10 blank pages behind each one. 

I Should Have Listened

For years, I mean years I seen people recommend those velvet-style clothes hangers. Professional organizers, normal people, everyone.

And for years, I resisted even trying them. I had a collection of plastic hangers. I liked them. They're what I've always used. Why would I change what's working for me? Besides, I liked being able to give a light tug and get my shirt off the hanger.

Then I needed hangers, not many, just a couple and the velvet ones were priced better. And I did have some boat-neck shirts and some sweaters that wouldn't stay on the plastic hangers, so I thought well, maybe I'll buy a few of these for those. There's a difference between sliding off easily when I want to wear one and sliding off when I'm grabbing a different shirt.

And OMG! I should have listened years ago. Those velvet-style hangers are awesome! My boat-neck T-shirt? Not falling to the floor when I grab a shirt hanging next to it. I'm 😍.

I'll be replacing the plastic hangers on attrition. As one breaks, a velvet-style will take it's place. If I'd just listened earlier, though, I could have mostly velvet hangers. ☹️ It was during this period where I realized I hated folding clothes sooooooooooooo much and bought hangers to move most of my clothes to the closet.

Live and learn, but I'm now part of the velvet-style hanger crowd. 

Unexpected Learning Curve

My other unexpected event this month happened when I went to the dentist. I mentioned that it felt like my back teeth were trying to make one of my front teeth turn because there was so much pressure on it.

And guess who is now the proud owner of a retainer?

I never had a retainer before, so it's been a learning experience. I ended up buying tabs to clean it that I have to remember to use every day. On the plus side, it only takes three minutes per the instructions on the box.

For a week or so, I debated buying a box to soak the retainer in, but once I realized it didn't need to soak all day to clean it, I decided to just use a plastic cup.

So far (knock on wood) I'm doing pretty well with the retainer. I'm not pulling it out while I sleep and there's only been one night that it kept me from falling asleep for a while. I only need to wear it overnight, not during the day.

I'm both surprised and unsurprised to have a retainer. Surprised in the fact that I've never had one before, but I also knew that the pressure on that tooth from the back teeth was a problem and there probably was no other way to resolve it except a retainer. I'm good with it.

While I titled this post Unexpected Learning Curve, it really isn't a steep curve. I have the hang of getting it in and out now--it requires two hands. Cleaning it--three minutes of soaking in warm water with the cleaning tab. And I've remembered to put it in every night.

I feel like I'm doing pretty good here. And if it keeps my teeth where they belong, it's a win. 

Reframing my Perspective

This falls under the heading of wow, I didn't expect this.

Since I moved to Georgia in 2012, I've shopped primarily at two grocery stores. Both were near the condo I lived in temporarily, and when I sold my house in Minnesota and bought one here, it was in the same area as the condo, so same two stores.

Fast forward to the other day. I had an appointment to get some work done on my car, but even though I arrived 15 minutes prior to my slotted time, they had no mechanics available and they'd get me in soon. Thanks. The only reason I went in on Thursday was because they said 10am appointment, less than an hour to install. I had a follow-up doctor's appointment that afternoon.

I also needed to get groceries. My plan was get out of the car place before 11am, go to the grocery store by my house, put the food away, and go to my doctor's appointment.

That's not what happened. It was after 11:30 before I got out of there. I punched the grocery store into my app, got the estimated time of arrival, factored in shopping time, and realized I couldn't do it. I would be late for the doctor if I tried.

Another factor: I drive right past the doctor on my way home from the car place. They also happened to open a grocery store recently right near the doctor's office. Like it's literally on the other side of the same complex of buildings. I did have time to stop at that store, do groceries, and make my appointment. I'd have to buy a thermal, reusable grocery bag to be safe on food temperature, but it was cool enough here that I didn't think it would be a huge issue.

I set my store app to the new location and noticed everything was arranged differently in this store than in my branch of the same grocery retailer.

I didn't expect to feel annoyed over shopping at a new location, but I actually was. I hated that things weren't where I expected them to be. My store is older, and arranged completely differently than this newly built store. What do you mean tortillas are on aisle 2? They should be on aisle 6.

And I was annoyed at myself for being annoyed. I found everything and only wandered lost for a little bit. The app guided me without any issues, but it wasn't my store. Which I guess was the bottom line. I'm too used to the stores I normally shop at.

I think overall this was a good thing for me. It woke me up to how set in my ways I've become. Not a fun realization, but maybe necessary. Next time I have to deviate my routine, I'm going to look at it as a minor adventure and not an irritation. 

Happy New Year!