Poll: Calendars

[clh]

I'm curious - what type of calendars do GTDers use and why? (Monthly? Weekly? Daily? Electronic? Paper?) Did you move to a different type to use with GTD? Why or why not?
I understand that everyone's needs are different - I am just starting GTD and I'm currently using a two-page per day Covey calendar, along with a monthly calendar. This may prove to be more than I need with GTD. I'm curious what others have found in their own experiences.

Thanks! :-D

[ceehjay]

I didn't vote, because I consider mine a blend.

I use the Planner Pad -- weekly view used most often, monthly view for key appointments/meetings/etc. I used paper calendars supplied by my employer, then moved to PDA a few years ago. I recently returned to paper because I just cannot sufficiently visualize all the appointments or commitments I have on the PDA. My PDA has become my information holder. Lists of birthdays and anniversaries, addresses and phone numbers, books I own (keeps me from buying duplicates, which I have done in the past), music I own, books/ music I would like to explore, Key information re sizes, diet/calorie information, exercise log . . you get the idea.

Carolyn

[TesTeq]

books I own (keeps me from buying duplicates, which I have done in the past)
Oh, thank you Carolyn for mentioning this. I thought that my addiction to buy book duplicates was unique. Now I know I am in good company.

[CarolC]

I am also using the planner pad - about 5 months now - don't know how I worked without it!

[pageta]

I made up my own paper planner than is one page (8.5 x 11) for a week and has four columns and seven rows. The four columns are morning, afternoon, evening and today. The rows of course are the days of the week. I sometimes double book clients (due to likelihood of cancellations) or have more than one thing going on that I need to know about so the hourly thing just doesn't work for me.

[ChuckR]

I'm paperbased, but I do go electronic for my calendar since it is much easier to to deal with dates far in the future, to set reminder alarms, etc.

[WebR0ver]

I use Outlook at work. All our meetings are scheduled based on people's availability through Outlook. At home, I have a paper monthly calendar that just tracks family items and outside work hour items. This calendaring works for me. If I have a family obligation that occurs during work hours, it will be posted on both calendars.

[Gameboy70]

Electronic: Palm and Palm Desktop. The main advantages are the ability for fit in my pocket and the ability to copy and paste text from the desktop into the Palm Desktop. So I can look up driving directions, for instance, then copy and paste them into a note attachment to my calendar entry for an errand. I copy and paste all kinds of action and project support material from emails and websites.

[clh]

I'm amazed that so many people use electronic calendars. I certainly see the advantage, but I just can't do it. I've tried. It's fun for a few weeks, then I get bored and start writing things on slips of paper that I lose. So I went back to a paper based system.

Maybe it's because I love paper. I'm a graphic artist - I design printed material, so paper is my friend. I like opening my planner to a new, unspoiled page. It's like the first day of school.

[Mike Ferguson]

I voted for electronic, but I also have a 32-month calendar that takes up most of one wall in my office. The only thing that goes on this calendar are "events," which usually means travel, or day-long meetings in the office. Being a very visual learner and planning events and travel many months in advance, I really need to sort of see it all at once, more or less. All of this is also in my Outlook calendar, along with all the other hard landscape, like appointments and all the little details of a trip.

[Brent]

At work, I print pieces of paper with one month on each, and always have three months' worth on the wall (this month, plus the next two). Very useful for being aware of upcoming travel, meetings, etc.

[LeonGTD]

I have been using Electronic calendar, but after one of the time management course in my company, they gave me a Covey planner so I think I may give paper calendar a go again.