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Planner - Blog Posts
I’ve been obsessed with the new album and I’ve needed to be more organized and on top of stuff lately so I’ve been designing some planners/related pages on Zinnia. This is was my attempt at creating my own without any templates..... any thoughts? Suggestions? Feedback? Any ideas for different themes?I’ll be posting some more later on with ones that I’ve used the templates but simply customized. Let me know what y’all think or if I should go back to Home Screen designs!
On Journaling
Hi, so i LOVE journaling. im obsessed with it, i love talking about, its my main personality trait, i try to convince everyone i meet to journal (and have succesfully convinced many of my friends to do so).
I would like to talk about it, and answer questions about it. More than anything i think this is an interest and hobby of mine that has become so integral to my being and i cannot live without it and i think its super super helpful and fun. Obviously for many people it isnt helpful or inspiring but it could be! give it a try! so here is a LONG post about my basic journaling practice, why i journal, and how i became consistent and happy with it.
My journal collection.
Currently im actively using a 3 notebook system, and i have 4 total journals. the first (A) is my regular journal one that i will habit track, write my goals, ramble, diary entries, collages. anything. the second is my commonplace book (B) (the most recent additon) which i use to collect information i want to reference back to (everday reciepes, facts, excersizes/activities) and i also use it as a on the go notebook since its small enough to fit in my purse. 3rd (C) in my system is my planner. its a blank notebook that i draw a calender in and use it for to-do lists or things i need to remember, its the messiest of the 3. the 4th is a bit of a wildcard, i have a journal that i am making for a friend and they are making one for me and we trade them once they are done. fun little bonding activity, i do more prompts and artistic collages and lists for them.
I am pretty picky but also broke so i wanted to share the types of journals i use. type A is currently a art creation sketchbook (im canadian so a win for us) i adore it and its a good length of pages for me since i can finish them quickly and they are thick enough for me to draw in on occassion. B is a A6 spiral bound blank muji notebook, small enough for my purses and i like the hard cover so i can flip it over and write even without a hard surface. C was a gift, a grid notebook a freind got me but i have in the past used an A5 muji blank notebook, im the least picky with this type. Just no lines, my handwriting is messy and lines get in the way.
My History + Why
so i have been doing diary writing of some sort since i was a kid, if very sporatically. i was definitly inspired by dork diaries <3 and i for sure think it was a way for me to talk to someone about the traumas i was experiencing without guilt or shame. I have journaled on and off for years. i started taking it a bit more seriously in highschool, I'd finish one journal every like 2 years/1.5 years. last fall i had a pretty thin notebook that i didnt love that i had for oct-dec since i didnt want to start a new nice one so close to the end of the year and for some reason i just poured into it. i think the goal of finishing it was motivated 1. because i was excited to use my new one for the new year 2. i was very conciously working on my mental health and developing new hobbies, 3. i was away from my friends, and 4. I decied that instead of having the like 5 journal system i previously did (why idk) and being so precious about it i would mush them all into one and build from there. this year I have finished 2 journals and started my 3rd one yesterday. not even that i was trying. infact my first journal of the year i thought was so beautiful so i was a bit precious about it sometimes. It just got solidified as a habit, and i needed it as a coping mechanism. its definitely something i use more when I'm feeling lonley or my friends are away at school, but even during the summer i love it. I dont force myself anymore which is a wonderful feeling.
The biggest change i made to become consistent started with me noticing how bad of a vibe my journals had before. i only ever journaled the bad things or the things i was too embarassed to say. So everytime i picked it up i felt BAD. i stopped using my journal at the time half way through and started a new one with the express mentality that i was going to do both good and bad things in one space. make it my life. I started writing out my goals semi regularly, documenting good days like my birthdays, journaling while waiting for friends at cafes, sticking in receipts and packaging, doing pretty/ugly collages, all while also journaling through late night breakdowns, difficult times, therpay sessions, and coping strategies. i used it as a place to extend my joy AND process my sadness and mental health. the point is, make your journal a confidant. Its so helpful for me (a chronic oversharer) to write stuff down and then if i still feel the urge to talk to someone i do. this doesnt limit my social interaction but enhances the conversations i can have because I have already processed parts of my emotions.
So generally speaking i journal because its helpful and fun. I suspect i have ADHD and i also dissacociate from my depression/anxiety so i forget things. both good and bad. so i need a record of not only my plans but also the good things that happen in my life. Nostalgia runs deep in my bones and i cannot wait to read these back as i age. every year i wish i had journaled more in my childhood. its also a way for me to process my emtions and feelings without spiraling, i write slower than i type so it forces me to slow down. I also feel like externalizing my emotions to a book gets them out of my head. there are a few anxiety reducing things i have learned that help A TON
You dont need to be consistent about it, there has been days or weeks where i dont touch my journal because i dont feel the need to. But because of the years of practice i know when i havent been thinking about my emotions or I feel like my brain is a mess that i need to. Even when i've just had a really really good conversation i know its something i want to write down. sometimes i will type entries into my phone and either print them or copy them into my journal.
My journals, past and present, are some of my most prized possessions. PLEASEE feel free and encouraged to ask me things or tell me about your journaling practice!!!!
m e l o d r a m a .
(from insta) my semester-in-review theme is made up of these swirling colors in a pattern inspired by @hayleyremdeart ‘s canyon theme early last year! .
the colors themselves are inspired by lorde’s melodrama, which i maaay have listened to a little obsessively over winter break. the colors on that album are GORGEOUS, and while i kinda veered off into my own thing, i really like the interplay of the dark blues and teals with the tans and reddish-browns 😍
The Forest App: Build a forest with your focus
Forest: Stay Focus
🔍 Background
In my line of work, there are alot of things that require Google search that could stretch for hours as I slid down one rabbit hole after another. So, I used timer to actually remind me if I am spending too much time on certain things that I am researching. True enough, there are many options available; real kitchen timer, phone, watch, smart-watch, computer alarm etc. But since it’s a new year and there are lots of new apps popping up in the recommendation from Playstore, I noticed how the trend of tracking your habits is becoming more popular despite the pandemic. You would expect that the pandemic will slow people down career-wise or personal upkeep, but the technological development just won’t leave alone. They’ve served you with contactless transaction and centralized delivery system…now, they’re telling you that you could keep yourself in check by tracking your habits.
I used to utilize Hourglass app that I installed in my computer to time my work. It is free and you can customize it; the time duration, name of the time allocated and change the color of the interface. Simple and easy to use. Quite generic. But I wonder just how much time I spent with doing my research or study or rest? Hourglass doesn’t record the time spent on the tasks so there’s no recall or record feature. And there isn’t much to customize in Hourglass since it is pretty much what-you-see-is-what-you-get.
❓ What sort of features we would like to have in a timer at this age?
There has got to be more to life, no? I mean, we can do better with 64-bit resolution and all. Stretching out the functionality may be unnecessary but I don’t mind exploring.
Having a visually pleasant interface for the timer would be a plus but what I needed was a record of all the time spent on doing of the focused work I did for certain tasks. And I with that sort of feature, it would be great if it can be synchronized in multiple platform so that I can extend the usage to not only when I am face with my own laptop.
So I randomly scrolled though the Playstore and found that the app Forest: Stay Focus by Seekrtech. It is a productivity tool that helps you allocate limited time for certain subject or work in intervals with rest time or so. Most people like to refer this sort of technique as Pomodoro, which I believe is not something new; 25 minutes of focused work/ study followed by 5 minutes rest before repeating it again for as much cycle as you want. Nevertheless, long before Pomodoro, we’ve been taught that 30 minutes is the limit of non-stop focus if you intent to maximize information retention.
❓ What does Forest app offer?
Forest app, for all intent and purposes, is a timer and a fancy one at that. In fact, it gamifies the 'productivity’ challenge to a new level. By using the tree-growing concept.
_“You focus in your allocated time, your tree will reach full growth. Do it many times, you’ll have a forest”
And it’s not hard to stay motivated with this app. With its pleasant vibrant but muted colors, it's easy on eyes and kind to your mind.
“Forest app is pretty. Cheerful muted colors with a concept that encourages you to use it more.”
You are visually growing a tree with your dedication or focus to your work. The more time you spent focusing, the more coins and badges you accumulate. There are many types of trees that you can 'purchase’ with the coins you gain as you successfully focus during the allocated time you have set. And the trees have interesting designs with limited time designs offered all year round.
What happens when you quit before you finish the time allocated? Well, your tree more or less die. You’ll find a tree stump to prove it.
🕹️ Gamify productivity, at global scale
There’s a feature in Forest app called Plant Mode where you can enable the Deep Focus Mode where you will be guided back to the app if you attempt to open any app in your phone that isn’t in the allowed list. But here’s the catch; you’ll only be able to create an 'Allowed List’ if you’re a Pro user. But even without it, it’s not necessary if your goal is to stay focused, no?
Are you feeling lonely planting trees on your own? You can create a 'focus group’ room by enabling the Plant Together mode. In this mode your friends, families or team will be focusing on the tasks/ subject of interest when you create the room session. Of course, they too need to have the app installed to be able to participate. The one who quits first will 'reward’ everyone will the same tree stump. Yes, you win and lose together. Pretty cool way to motivate the gang for any study prep time eh?
“Add your friends with existing Forest app account via their registered email address and start your focus group.”
Are you a lone ranger looking for a 'nemesis’ to compete with? No worries, there’s the global leaderboard called Deep Focus Mode Ranking. You can see the ranking of all global users’ focused time for the week for your motivation. Compete with the rest of the global population in Deep Focus Mode weekly and relish in seeing yourself in the ranks.
In summary, the Forest app is more than a cute app to grow trees. Total win in the concept and reward system.
Aspect Details 🎨 Visual Nurturning and simple ⭕ 🎮 Concept Nurturing and simple ⭕ 📊 Record Forest: Daily, monthly & yearly ⭕ 🏅 Reward Very motivating ⭕ 🔄 Synchronization Chrome & Firefox extension and app ⭕
Real Forest
Forest app has become the sponsor for Trees for the Future organization that plant trees globally in impoverished countries with degraded lands with Forest Garden Programs in Cameroon, Kenya, Senegal, Uganda and Tanzania. By using this app, you will be able to accumulate coins that you can donate to the organization to plant a tree in the participating regions. The threshold is 2500 coins.
Not too bad considering that you are trying to cure your phone addiction, practice self-restrain and counter climate change with reforestation.
💰 Price
It is a one-time lifetime purchase at only RM10.50 at Google Playstore ~$USD 2. That’s it. No subscription fees.
🎯 Conclusion
All of the features that I have shared are enabled with Pro version which I can assure you, isn’t a waste to invest.
You can be part of the NGO program that helps global reforestation.
Have detailed record and statistics of your productivity
Configure allow list for apps that you need for your work
Synchronize your data everywhere and have a safe backup
Access to more collection of visually pleasing trees
Participate in online events and obtain more visual rewards for your personal collection
Compete with friends
Have customized tags for your tasks; you can include ALOT of things for this, trust me
Compete in more challenges
No ads. Period.
Have you ever used Forest before? If you did, do share with me how you optimize it for your productivity!
Taskade: Multi-platform planner and task manager
The year 2021 is looming over us and I am dying to have some sort of control over what I could be doing for the next 365 days. While 2020 had been a year of 'character building', I discover alot of things about everything around me and myself. For starters, I am an avid planner; surprisingly. But it does not mean that I follow through with them. See what I did right there? I am admitting the truth behind self-study and lifetime of learning.
With alot of things I have planned to breathe new life to my own progress and time management, I went hunting for some interesting stuff in the internet for inspiration and try-outs. And guess what? I found one and I think most people may have been using this already in full swing because the review is 5 ⭐!
🌑🌒🌓🌔🌕🌖🌗🌘🌑
Taskade is simply a project/team management tool. Ah ah ah...before you write me off, hear me out. Taskade is aimed to help teams to plan, organize or manage their tasks and prioritize output for decision-making. It is simply an interactive planner sans organizer sans dashboard that sees where you're at with your work, what you've managed to get done and communicate tasks among people in your team; IF you have a whole team working on some sort of project. Hence, the chat capability that is implemented in this tool.
At my job, I work in a team of only 2 people; me and another colleague, and we're the regional programme unit which is apart of the bigger unit of team mates spread elsewhere in other regions. So, just because your unit is small, it doesn't mean that your task load complements your pint-sized manpower. So, I've been looking for platforms that could help me organize our productivity and ensure high-quality output. Just because technology is more advanced, it doesn'e mean there isn't any learning curve, right? So I tried just about anything under the sun for project/team management; Asana, Slack, Discord, the pre-existing Google..., but none of them could nail all shortcomings precisely; due dates, assignment of tasks, progress, sub-tasks, interactive commenting, multiplatform sync, brainstorming etc. Channels in Slack gives me headache -- same with Discord, and Telegram channels is too 'static' and 'one-way street' for me to view everything.
I found Taskade after trying to find a complementary 'Forest: Focus' extension at the Google Chrome extensions marketplace. There are plenty of interesting high-quality extensions as of late and I am pleasantyl surprised because earlier this year, most of them were quite 'beta' in their functionality. I saw a 'Bullet Journal' extension that someone raved about and another individual commented: 'Isn't this Taskade?'. The curious cat I am, I googled it and was not disappointed. What are the main keywords that hooked me?:
FREE
Google-integrated
Remote work environment advocacy
Multi-platform
What features do Taskade actually have? ✨
Given that it is an All-in-One Collaboration tool, it is understandable if the GUI is pleasing on the eyes. I do understand that first-impression is everything; color, packaging, fore-front information and visual, but it was really the functionality that delivers me to salvation. If you're an active member of Dev.to, then you'll catch feels with this theme that Taskade delivers. Key features in Taskade that you should try out:
Task list
Collaborators invitation feature (no organizational handle required)
Chat feature (with a call feature!)
Workspace feature (nothing new but...I'll get back to this later)
5 interchangeable neural-forest task list templates; List, Board, Action, Mindmap and Org Chart -- seamless with no error.
The capability to utilize this very platform as a presentation or exported into PDF task list printout.
Safe to say, Taskade buried me alive with the curation of beautiful images for the background; again...not relevant but needed to be said.
The Live Demosandbo lets you try it out for yourself although, at first glance, you may be wondering what on earth you are looking at. But it won't take long before you discover that it is quite intuitive.
Did I mention you can download and access it from just about ANYWHERE? Laptops, browser extensions and even smartphone apps. I'm not kidding when I said Taskade is multiplatform; they work on Windows, Mac, Android, iOS and Linux. Currently, I am testing it out using the Chrome extension and installed the app in my Android phone. It works like I expect it to so far.
What is the difference between the FREE and PAID version? 💰💰💰
As I just mentioned, you can sign-up for it for free and use it for life...for free. The priced version is seemingly there to accommodate the file size per upload you require; as of now. For free plan, you can upload 5MB file per upload while the paid version increases the size to 50MB per upload. Both versions offer:
Unlimited storage
Unlimited tasks entry
Unlimited project creation
Unlimited collaborators addition
The development team is currently adding more functionalities such as Project Activity Tracking, Integration to Dropbox, Google Drive and One Drive as well as Email Integration -- available for free.
Although it is mentioned that the free version of Taskade includes unlimited tasks, collaborators and all essential features, it was also mentioned that you will need to upgrade if you exceed the workspace limits which doesn't actually have any entailing elaborations which I will try to dig soon enough. But safe to say that if you are a single person using this tool, you are considered a team of 'one' where your shared projects in workspace to your 'editors' are still considered free. Only workspace the addition of workspace members are billed. This may imply that there are certain limits to how many individuals you can add into your workspace before you are required to upgrade. So far, visually, I see that the limit may be 2 people that makes up to 3 people per workspace (including yourself). You can find some details to pricing and FAQs here:
Taskade | Simple Pricing
Personally, I don't think USD5 is a hard bargain if you're self-employed and work with external parties collaboratively. If you're apart of an organization, feel free to ask for demo from them. Discount is possible if you're from a nonprofit or educational institution.
How I use Taskade? ☕
Well, given that it was free to sign-up, I tried it out straight away and I'm happy to report that I successfully managed to use it without having to google nor view any how-tos. That is a good thing! In fact, I am quite elated with just how easy it is to use this tool that I have used my personal email to help centralize and manage my work and personal work side-by-side. If you prefer some satellite view of your progress and all the task you need to complete to clear off certain objective, this is not a bad organization.
So I created 2 workspace: one for work and one for my personal tasks. Then I just collate all my tasks into monthly projects.
My personal tasks involve me updating my study progress and curating stuff I like online into my Tumblr blog.
Create studyblr workspace
Create new project in the studyblr workspace to organize and brainstorm Tumblr contents I plan to create and post: Tumblr: 2021/01.
Utilize the Mindmap template from all the options of templates shared and start creating the and organizing the content I want and tasks I need to execute to develop them.
Et voila! There all there is to it! It is easy peasy and you can start adding due dates as reminders and links as resources as well as hashtags for filtering in future. Check out some drafting I did so far in the screenshots below!
For more updates, check out their Updates page that fully utilizes Taskade to share all the updates straight from December 2017 till present and the chat function is there available for you to ask the Taskade team about the feature updates directly. Now that's awesome cause you know something's good if the one who makes them, actually uses them.😎😎😎
Day 2: of #biddytarotplanner. This month we have “the fool”. I let go of pause. I leave the creativity flow through me...I don’t have too many hobbies, I’m simply eclectic. 🤷🏻♀️🎉 . . . #biddytarot #tarot #planner #planneraddict #tarotcardreader #freeprintable #intuitive #november
Welcome November! Time to take a deep breath and ease into the new. October was life changing (good). So now what? Got my FREE printable for the #biddytarotplanner. Follow me while I go through the introductory exercise while I wait for their #2018 #planner 🔮🎉 . . . #tarot #intuition #2018planner
planned out all my ap chem and ap psych studying for next semester! i think i’m studying every single day lol
I havent postes on a while so I thought I'd share what I've been up to in my #bujo. I added some #washitape and stickers to my June page. I'm quite liking how the #goldfoilwashi adds a bit of shine to my humble drawings. I purchased the gold foil washi tape from #michaelscraftstore The purple washi and "beautiful" sticker is from the #targetbullseye #dollarsection The bird sticker was given to me from @brimalaspino years ago and is from #cavallinipapers I used the #sakurapigma #micronpen in 0.20 and #tombow #dualbrushpens 755, 676, N55, 133, 173, 296, and 725. #bulletjournal #craftymama #makerdreamerdoer #bujobuddies #bujomonthly #planner #june #roses #tombow #sakuramicron #target #shiny #drawing #mixedmedia
I've added new weekly spreads to my #bulletjournal over the past week!❤ I've become quite fond of using the color spectrum as a starting point for creating weekly layouts. I hope you all had a wonderful weekend! #bujo #weeklies #color #roygbiv #craftymama #makerdreamerdoer #planner #watercolorpencils #chalk #micronpen
i love this minimalistic spread
some weeks look like this, and that's ok
this stickers will be forever in my heart. i love them.
