Even though a "virtual" assistant does most of their work online, part of your organization methods may include a paper day-planner.

If it does, check out DIY (Do It Yourself) Planner where you can download pages for your planner. You can find the basic ones, some very specific ones, some just for fun, and some that you can customize. (There's a marketing idea....find a calendar that you can customize with your logo and give that to clients to use in their own planners.

And if you're inclined and motivated enough to create one of your own specifically geared towards VAs, make sure you share it with us!

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April @ Advantage
Advantage Virtual Assistant

April, I'm still searching for the best solution. I need to be able to share with my team as well as organise my own day. DIY is a great website and was perfect for those times where it was just me.

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Kylie Short
Tilda Virtual Services - Making virtual personal

Thanks for the link, April.

I still like to have a paper planner so designing my own will be something I would be in too. Will check out the site a little later.

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Vicky
www.c-vas.eu

April,

Thanks for posting the link. I use my Outlook calendar to keep track of appointments, etc. I print the pages from Outlook and carry them in an 8 1/2 x 11 planner. During the day I jot down things to do, expenses, and notes from phone calls. Since it's a big planner, I can tuck paperwork in it without having to fold anything or use other folders. It really keeps me organized and I'd be lost without it.

I downloaded a couple of pages from the link you supplied but I'm still looking for a good daily expense tracker that I can print out (blank) and keep with me. Does anyone have something simple they use to track their expenses?

Thanks!
Jill

Thanks for this post. I have a nice planner that I used to use when I was a manager but it is somewhat larger. I wanted something that I can carry in my bag and jot things that popped into my head regarding the start of my business and be able to keep it all neat and organized. Basically, I really just wanted a glorified notebook with a nice cover so that it wouldn't get messed up when it got tossed around. I ended up buying a small zippered planner from Wal-Mart for about $7. The bad thing is that I've been carrying it around for about 2 weeks now and haven't opened it once . I just need to sit down and figure out the best system for me to use. One good thing is that you can add pages and such, so I need to find some pages that fit it and then get it all set up. It has a calculator which is nice, a calendar, an address section, a To Do/Notes section, a Personal section (for passwords and such), and a Budget section. Most of that I really don't need, though. I really just need the To Do/Notes section a mileage record section and an expense section. I'll probably leave the address book in there just in case, but I don't really need it at the moment.

Like I said, I really just wanted someplace to write notes and To Do items as something strikes me while I'm out, but then plan on adding those items to my To Do section at home (I plan on keeping a running list in Excel maybe). How does everyone else organize their planners if they carry one?

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Stephanie
New VA in the research phase :daisy:

I use Outlook and a Palm Pilot (TX). I found transferring from paper to computer and vice versa too restrictive and time consuming. I just plug in the Palm and sync it with Outlook and I'm covered on both when I'm in my office and out and about. I thought about a Blackberry but their data and voice plans in Canada are just too expensive.

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Julia

There are a lot of great resources on that site, thank you for posting the link.

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Dawn Riley
A Virtual Assistant in Paradise
Our business is about making yours better

I keep a Daytimer and I love it! I am on the go so much that's it's easier for me to just whip it out when I need to jot something down. The draw back is that I have to reenter entries in to my Outlook. I know that is backwards and one day I hope to convert! I don't have a Blackberry or anything like that either. Maybe one of these days I'll stop blaming the small keys and realize it's my eye sight! I guess I need to look at this a little more! Someone I know uses Outlook and prints out their calendar and keeps it in a binder. It's quite nice actually, but a bit bulky.

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Doreen R. Patrick, MVA, ACS, CIVA
www.virtualbusinesspartners.net

Thanks for the link. I do have a planner but it's very big and bulky. I want something that will fit in my mini bag.

I have a family calendar that I like to use. It has a column for each family member.