From the first time I saw an office products catalog, I’ve been amazed by the wide variety of calendars and planners. What was available back then seems limited and boring compared to the unique and colourful assortment on the market today, and I’m always excited to learn about a new product, like the BusyBodyBook.

BusyBodyBook Personal & Family Grid Organizer

We all have our own needs and wants when it comes to choosing a planner. My preferences include:

  • De-emphasis of time slots, as I use my electronic calendar for scheduling appointments
  • Weekly grid format for planning my day-to-day activities
  • Space for a master to-do list for the week
  • Monthly pages for planning blog posts
  • Space to jot dates for the following year
  • Coil bound, so it will lie flat on my desk, whether open or closed
  • Esthetically pleasing
  • Good quality paper and construction

When I opened my review copy of the 2011 BusyBodyBook Personal & Family Grid Organizer, I was thrilled to see that it has every one of the above features. Furthermore, it has pockets inside the front and back covers to hold any loose papers, lots of space for additional notes, a couple of pages to record key contact information, and even detachable pages for additional lists. I especially like the heavy plastic cover which not only protects the attractive inner cover but makes it easy to find the cover when the book is folded open to an inside page.

As shown above, each weekly page has five columns which you can use in whatever way works for the way you organize your life. I’m using mine for: Organized Assistant business, client work, personal, home, and social. That may change as the year unfolds, but since they’re unlabeled, I’ll be able to make that transition easily should the need arise.

Someone who is trying to lose weight might use it to record menus for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks, and physical activity. A student could use it to keep track of homework for different classes. The possibilities are endless!

If someone you know hasn’t yet purchased their 2011 planner, or they’re not happy with the one they picked out, let them know they can save 15% off the regular price on the BusyBodyBook website, while supplies last. It is also available from Amazon.com and FranklinCovey.