Sophia Exintaris : Experience Architect

In August last year, I felt I had no control over my life. Or not enough. So I made a linear calendar to plan the year ahead. I figured if I could plan, then I would be in control. Makes sense, right?

Now, in May 2016, I find myself in the same position again. Seeking control. And foresight.

On a related note, my family lives an expensive 4-hour flight away. If I am to see them, I usually need to plan it well ahead of time.

Holding onto that book-early-to-save idea, going on holiday when you plan it within six weeks can cost more than twice than if you’d booked four months ahead. If it’s six months, it’s an absolute bargain.

So even if having a calendar where I can plan the rest of the year may not give me control over all the unexpected things that will come up during that year, it does give me the ability to at least try and save some money.

It also lets me see when all those lovely vacations can happen around all of those weddings our friends keep organising!

And then vacations CAN happen. Can go in the calendar. And then I can smile and look forward to them as I walk by, every single day.

Here is the new linear calendar going up to 14th January 2017. It’s just enough to carry you over the holidays!

The reason it starts in February is that I’d laid it out in rows, the layout worked beautifully, and today (3rd May) is still on that first row… I didn’t want to have to re-create everything and move things around that much. 

And also, if someone did download the first version, they can just snip the “footer” off that one, and the top row off this one, and – bingo bango – they’ve extended their calendar! Lazy AND useful! (it’s also precisely what I am going to do with my calendar…)

Print it, fold the edges, and stick it up on a wall. I’ve put mine in the corridor to the living room so I can see it every day. And I use these post-its from muji to add single-day events. You see they are exactly 1cm wide, and so is each day on the linear calendar, when printed on A4.