FranklinCovey Planner

Let me tell you about my FranklinCovey Planner

Of all the tools and software available on the market today, there is one product that I use and recommend without hesitation: The FranklinCovey planner.

My first Franklin planner was a FranklinQuest – before Steven Covey's company came along. I got it in October of 1995 and I used it so much that my boss (at the time) said I was probably "overusing it". That may have been true, but if I ever needed to document anything, I had it in my planner and no one ever disputed what I said because they knew how dutifully I wrote everything in my Franklin planner.

Since I worked in Human Resources, specifically in Benefits and Compensation, I needed to keep track of a lot of information. My planner was a lifesaver many times. Well, it still is.

How do you keep track of all of your information?

My FranklinCovey planner has gone with me to a lot of events, from school PTA meetings to church Bible classes. I never knew when I might need to schedule something or plan around something.

In the past couple of years, I have become a bit more relaxed in using my Franklin planner. Steven Covey's company merged with FranklinQuest and the planner has become even better. I'm not so obsessed with tracking the minute details of every moment of my life. The planner really has freed me to accomplish so much more.

Wouldn't you like to achieve more in life?

I still use my planner for keeping track of the events in my life, though. I cannot imagine how people function without one. My oldest daughter is in marching band and my youngest is in a whirlwind of activity. I have three web sites to keep track of and I just launched a small printing and binding business. There is no way to keep up with everything unless I have a proved planning system like the Franklin Covey planner.

Do you need a good way to keep up with your life?

My husband calls me a FranklinCovey snob. He means it as a joke, but he knows that I won't use another system because there isn't one available that does what the FranklinCovey planner does.

FranklinCovey is the global leader in effectiveness training, productivity tools, and assessment services for organizations, teams and individuals.

I have just ordered their small business packet of forms and plan to implement them for my new venture. There is no way I could create something like this on my own – certainly not as good or in a timely fashion – so I'm using what I know already works. Plus, the packet of forms I just ordered cost a whopping $7.95. There is no point in going anywhere else.

UPDATE: I received the packet of forms and I can see that they will perfectly streamline the order process for the new business. From "Contact Information" to "Invoice Sent", everything is now easily tracked. What a wonderful timesaver!

FranklinCovey also offers complete solutions for all business needs, including a wide variety of quality products, from deluxe planners and covers, to hi-tech handhelds and software, to stylish bags, totes and accessories - all designed to turn stress into success.

While I do not use a lot of the accessories, like the portfolios or handhelds, I know they do come in handy for a lot of people in a lot of professions. Since most of my work is done from home, I do not need quite as many products to do my work and do it well.

It is also about the extras

Using the FranklinCovey planner "system" is more than simply keeping track of the daily events and long-term projects in our lives. The FranklinCovey planner is about keeping a firm grasp on what matters most in your life. For other planners, this would be considered an "extra". For Franklin Covey, it's the basis for everything they do.

The extras are the goal-setting features, the focus on balancing your life (both at home and at work), the essential aspect of eliminating anything that wastes your time and makes you less efficient and the implementation of proven elements of time-management into your daily routine. Those are what make the Franklin planner such a valuable tool. Nothing else compares to this.

I would encourage you to read Steven Covey's book "The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People". It ties in so beautifully with time management and balancing your life. The FranklinCovey planner is just the perfect means for delivering everything in an outstanding package so that you can begin focusing on what you really value in your life.

The FranklinCovey Planner can help you

Think of it this way:

It's not about getting to your daughter's birthday on time. It's about understanding why your daughter's birthday party should be a high priority.

It's not about updating your resume in case the company scales back your department. It's about ensuring you are set to achieve your career goals regardless of what happens with your current employment situation.

It's not about saving an extra $20 per week so that you can buy a new wide-screen TV. It's about ensuring your financial success, including having an emergency fund and paying cash for all of your purchases.

The FranklinCovey planner helps you understand what really matters in your life. You have to do some soul-searching, but it makes you really focus on what is important so that you spend your time doing those things instead of doing things that take you away from what you truly enjoy/who you truly love.

My planner incorporates my most important people, goals and desires. Sure, I could do better with it, but I know what I value and I have guidelines to help me make good choices. No other planner does that.

That's why I use the FranklinCovey planner – and why I think you should, too.