How to Organize Your Filofax like a Productivity Genius!

Ask yourself, what is keeping you from being as productive and efficient as possible? If you are a Filofax or planner user, you may be thinking that you have the tools to be organized and efficient, but if you aren’t using that tool wisely, it’s just another collection of random paper weighing down your life. There really is only one thing that is separating you from being a productivity genius in your own right, and that is clarity. Clarity in what you are supposed to be doing and when you are supposed to be doing it. This is where your Filofax can be an asset or a liability. Making sure your planner is set up for maximum productivity isn’t always an obvious thing, but here are my top 5 tips for organizing your Filofax like a productivity genius.

1. Use dividers and page markers to quickly access sections

The concept of using dividers in your planner is nothing new. They help you to keep your information sorted and arranged so that everything is easy to find with a turn of the page and the flick of your wrist. Make sure you have all your information properly divided out and that any and all pages of importance are marked within those sections so that you can quickly access information you need at a moments notice.

2. Keep a running list of tasks by context

Through the study of David Allen’s Getting Things Done, I learned about this concept of  “contexts” for the tasks we need to complete. Essentially a “context” is the setting or set of circumstances that apply to your task. Many tasks that we complete regularly have the exact same context and therefore should be grouped together so that when it comes time to take care of a task, instead of doing one single task you have a group of like items to work on at one time. This inevitably saves you time because you aren’t jumping back and forth between different contexts and situations and therefore are able to batch your work. So, if you have an inbox full of emails to respond to, don’t just write one email and then move on to a completely different task in a completely different context. Instead, complete a batch of emails at one time while your mind is in “email mode”. Obviously, email or digital tasks don’t necessarily need to be listed out on your planner as individual tasks unless they are very important, but for other tasks that you may deal with often, keep a running list by context on individual pages in your planner. That way, when it comes time for you to run a report on x, you can refer to your planner and see a running list of all the reports you need to run so that you can batch the work and cross a number of items off your list at one time!

3. Organize Projects into their own dedicated section

Keeping a dedicated project planning section is a great way to keep related tasks clearly organized. Often times when it comes to organizing and managing projects, we start with a list of obvious tasks and then new tasks pop up as we progress. So keeping a page for your project with notes and space for additional tasks and items to be added is a great way to keep organized and stay efficient. Obviously you will want to group these project planning pages all together in one section of your planner so that when the time comes to review the overall progress on all your projects, you just need to flip through this section and take note of any gaps in your projects and outstanding items that need to be completed. If you are looking for some Filofax specific project planning sheets, make sure to check out these from my shop!

4. Keep spare notepaper and sticky notes in the front of your planner

When it comes to my planner and the frequency of it’s use, by far the number one task I use my planner for is to jot down quick notes. Because of this, I like to keep spare pieces of notepaper towards the front of my planner so I can easily jot a note down for future reference or review. I also like to keep spare sticky notes in the front as well, that way I can make a note and stick it to a particular page in my planner that it applies to or use those sticky notes to quickly flag a page that I may need to reference. Remember, it’s so important that you are capturing all the tasks, information and ideas that come to you in a day that you want or need to act on, so these simple tools can be productivity gold!

5. Store useful extras in a pouch or DIY folder

One of the hallmarks of a productivity genius is that they are prepared for anything! So, make sure you utilize your planner as a toolbox of sorts, storing extra supplies and tools in a dedicated zip pouch or DIY planner folder! Tools like a small pair of scissors, postage stamps, paper clips, and writing utensils can help to keep you organized and productive in the office or on the go when you know you have everything you need stored neatly away in your Filofax. DIY folders, like the ones I have made tutorials on, are also great places to store extra notepaper for jotting down and sharing notes, as well as great storage solutions for receipts and paperwork that you may need to fold up and keep in your planner. Make sure your planner has all the storage you require so that you can keep important and frequently used items with you at all times. I know many people use a separate pen case for these sorts of extras, but that pen case is one more thing to have to take care of, and a productivity genius knows that it’s important to keep your supplies lean so you can keep focused on your tasks!

I hope these tips help you to set up your Filofax in the most productive manner possible so that it becomes an essential tool that keeps you on track instead of being a time waster and a major liability to your efficiency! Remember, if your planner is taking too much time to use, you really want to reevaluate your system and decide which areas are causing you the most strife and adjust as necessary! I’d love to see your planners set up using these methods, so please snap a picture of your planner, post it to Instagram and be sure to tag me @MissTrenchcoat so I can see them!

xoxo,