My life changes quite a bit when things calm down over summer. Usually I live by my schedule. Every block of time has to be accounted for and I do not know where I am or what I am doing without my calendar with me. I usually carry a ring organiser which I use as my wallet. It has a calendar in front, pages with to do lists behind that, maps and plastic envelopes holding vouchers, hole reinforcers, articles, client details etc.
Over summer things change quite a lot because I have almost no meetings and work mainly at home, translating. So I don’t need my schedule with me all the time. This is a huge relief because carrying it with me all day and every day gets rather boring.
So then I usually switch to a Traveler’s notebook or a pocket binder.
This year it is a regular sized TN from Strawberry Notebook with a flooring pattern on it. I love this one as it is getting so nice and soft and the work that went into all the flooring details was epic.
In it I have
- 1 plastic zip pouch holding pens and stationery
- 1 plastic zip pouch holding spare elastics and a usb
- 3 kraft folders holding the to do lists from my ring organiser, various notes and scraps of paper
- 1 Midori lightweight notebook with general lists
- 1 Ray Black free calendar with daily to do lists
- 1 Midori lightweight notebook with travel details (I always travel in July)
- 1 Kraft notebook with my translation work detailed
Oh dear = there you go again – enabling me!!! Do you ever travel to the US? How do you go about teaching English? Very curious… I would love a new idea – my son is 21 and has severe autism and mental retardation. Language to him is like Charlie Brown’s teacher “wah wah wah” He does not understand spoken words and also does not speak. He began speaking at the age of 13 and was speaking two word phrases for his wants and needs and could understand choice making, yes/no questions, and first/then. After he had a grand mal seizure – he regressed and I am back to square one…. He does not understand sign.. however I used to use visuals – an icon for every spoken word…. now – not sure if he understands this…. Just being curious and wondering how you teach? I need a different approach….
I haven’t travelled there for ages, though I used to live there. And I am so loving this notebook – it is just what I need right now. I have a very different way of teaching than you would need but maybe it will help you in some way. I am so sorry to hear you being back at square one but maybe things will improve. Good luck and hugs! http://thisbugslife.com/2015/06/07/how-i-teach/
Never mind, I just googled it and saw they are flapped for easy insertion into the TN!
Hi Janet, just discovered your blog, yay! I’m new to the TN idea. How do you put the zip pouches in?
You just slide them under the elastic, same as you do the books and Kraft folders. Easy peasy and you can move them around any time you want 🙂
I like your blog and come back to read and see more. Just to mention that my taste for traveller notebooks is different to yours as I would not like thick and sturdy leather covers. I once got something like that from Ray Black and was utterly unhappy with this heavy leather thing that in the end, I ended up throwing it into the bin to get rid of all my negative feelings about it. Good that we all have different preferences. But for me a traveller notebook has to be light weight and flexible, why should I otherwise bother to carry it with me as a heavy brick option? No way, I like my back too much for this 😉
Life would be very boring if we all liked the same thing! I like them like bricks, which is probably why I have a back problem!
Hi Janet, I’ve been following your posts for perhaps a month, and this isn’t the first time you’ve spoken of your work, and how it slows during the summer months. From my corner of the world, I’d assume you’re an educator but, for those of us (me, it seems) not yet up to speed, would you mind describing what kind of work you do? Sounds like you lead a most interesting (and punishingly busy!) life…. Many thanks!
I work as a language specialist so it is translating, interpreting, coaching, mentoring, speechwriting, proofreading and teaching. I do it mainly within Parliament (about 80% of my work is in Parliament) and many of the MPs are only in Stockholm Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday so I tend to have very long days then. And when they are in recess things are much quieter for me. Most of my clients are on holiday in July so then I stick to translating. I can then work at home at a desk. Here is what a busy week looks like https://thisbugslifedotcom.files.wordpress.com/2015/02/photo1z.jpg
Holy cow! That’s one packed schedule. I would need at least a page per day to tuck all that in. Hat’s off to you, ma’am!