A diary is a tool that is often essential for everyday life. The first thing to know when preparing to choose a planner is what we are going to use it for. Is your future diary intended for professional or personal use? Depending on your answer, you will move towards a more basic notebook or be more free with regard to possible fantasies. In any case, a diary is intended to accommodate all kinds of notes, in order to prevent us from unfortunate oversights.
The specific characteristics of the diary
The period
Not all calendars look the same. Here, it's all a question of habits and needs. Indeed, depending on your activities, your preference will be towards a diary respecting the school year (students, teachers and parents often adopt it). There is also the calendar in the calendar year format (the most popular with business leaders and employees), or the calendar without date for all those who need freedom and flexibility.
The format
What do you have to write in your diary? Do you need to always have your calendar with you or will you leave it on your desk most of the time? Depending on your answers, your choice will be made on a very specific format. Do you constantly need your diary? In this case, opt for the pocket format. The problem you may encounter is the lack of space to transcribe a lot of information. Next comes the large A4 format, which is less easy to transport, but can accommodate a large number of meetings, including details.
For an intermediate, the medium A5 format will satisfy all expectations!
The binding
Do you think this element should not be taken into consideration? And yet, binding is also very important! There are two types of binding:
- The spiral binding which offers you more modularity and allows you to lay your diary completely flat, a practical detail for easy writing. Small downside, this type of notebook may prove to be more fragile.
- The so-called “paperback” binding, more robust, lighter, but less practical for consulting the different pages of your diary.
The organization
When we talk about organizing your calendar, we're talking about the type of visualization you need. Are you the type to have a lot of appointments during the day? Do you work more per week? Do you need a lot of space to write down your information? The diaries mainly come in three different formats.
You can therefore opt for the daily view, i.e. one day per page, a week view or weekly view to further summarize your notes. With this format, you have an overview of your entire week, all gathered on a double page. The weekly view can be presented in column or row. Once again, it's all a matter of preference.
The paper
White paper, ivory paper, bluish paper, thin or thick paper…. what type of paper do you like to write on? White paper will be more readable and clear, while ivory and blue will reflect a sense of nostalgia, being more retro and chic.
The style
Finally, the style of your diary! Want to go crazy with a themed or colorful diary? Are you more of a fan of sobriety? Soft or hard cover? Need “bonus” pages? Yourdiary must respond in every way to your requests and will define itself as your daily partner. Do not hesitate to be demanding, the latter must be able to support you throughout the year without weakening.
Environmental characteristics
If all the different elements seen above are of capital importance, these days there is another crucial point regarding some of our choices. These are the different environmental characteristics.
Concerned about pollution, over-production and sensitive to ecology will make a point of turning towards agendas respecting certain standards. By deciding to turn to a recycled diary, you are actively participating in reducing unnecessary energy expenditure and therefore contributing to the preservation of the planet. On the market, more and more “green” diaries are available. For reference and to ensure that you have a quality diary in your possession, check the presence of certain labels on it.
