DIY Clipboard Planner (With Printables)

Although I don't quite share the blogging world's obsessions with fall and everything pumpkin, one thing I do apparently have in common with a lot of bloggers is a love for planners. As I talked about last year, I've had a free planner every year since the third grade. This year I've decided to try something different and make one myself.

When I decided to give up spiral binding and transportability for the customization potential of DIY, I did some research on Pinterest (there are tons of great planner templates on there!) and used Word to create a one-page week template that worked for me. I printed out a semester's worth and clipped them onto a clipboard (albeit not the nicest one -- perhaps a dollar store trip is in order). Here was the result:

On each page I write the month in the top right corner and my rotation and week number in the bottom right corner. Along the top I have the days of the week (I'm particular about starting my calendars with Monday -- gotta keep the weekend together!) and a circle to write the date in. Below that I have a blue bar to write any important full-day events on (pretty much just call these days).

Next comes my work schedule, where I write which clinic I am scheduled in for the morning and afternoon each day, as well as what is happening over lunch hour (usually some kind of rounds).

For each day I have a box to write exercise in...which this week I have failed completely at (when I get home at 8 or 8:30 pm I pretty much just eat dinner and go to sleep). Beneath that I have a "to do" list.

I also have "blog post" on my checklist...which is another thing I've been neglecting :( At the bottom of the page I have a "this week" box for anything that needs to be done sometime during the week, but that I don't want to assign to a specific day.

Also at the bottom of the page I have boxes for "reading" (where I write down the book I am currently reading -- this is actually motivating me to read more!) and "meal prep" (where I write down what I plan to make on the weekend for the week ahead). I considered putting meal boxes in for each day of the week, but let's face it, I eat the same thing pretty much every day...and also don't feel the need to plan out that carefully what I eat (been there, done that).

In addition to my clipboard of weekly schedules, on my fridge I have a four-week schedule (the four weeks correspond with my rotation start and end dates, rather than the start and end of the month) and a whiteboard for ongoing reminders/shopping list items.

So that's the probably more detailed than you cared to read run-down of my organization system this year, which hopefully will work to keep me on track! If you'd like, feel free to print out my template (or better yet, create one that works for you!):

• undated weekly schedule template with "blog post"
• undated weekly schedule template without "blog post"
• 2016 monthly calendars