I like to think I’m a pretty modest person and I don’t like to brag or appear braggy. But one thing I know is that I’m a super hard worker. Working makes me feel productive, gives me fulfillment and is something I enjoy.

I kind of have this thing where I will work my ass off if there is an end goal in mind. Summer 2008 I worked as a lifeguard by day and a waitress by night. Literally, every single week day, I would work from 8:30 AM to 4:00 PM at the pool and 5:00 PM to 9 or 10:00 PM at the restaurant. On the weekends I would work split shifts at the restaurant.

But, I knew that this was only for 4 months. I was saving money to move to Kamloops in the fall and I could do it for 4 months.

So I did it. I completely burnt myself out and exhausted myself (and also saved a ton of money). But I did it. I pushed through because the end goal was in sight!

I’m doing a similar thing this month. On top of my new full-time (37 hours/week) working schedule I’ve taken on a ton of freelance work (8 stories to be exact – 1 I just finished). Probably more than I should have. Plus a bunch of social events this week plus working at the yoga studio. Every day this week I have been busy-busy-busy from 8:00 Am to 10:00 or 11:00 PM!

A little much and not something I could handle long term.

But I’m telling myself that I just have to power through till next week. Next Wednesday I will be on holiday for 10 glorious days. So I need to power through. If that means minimum sleep this week and being stressed to the max, well, that’s what it means.

I guess that’s just the way I work. I can handle working my ass off – but I have to have an end goal in sight.

What about you? Can you power through an insane amount of work/commitments if there’s an end goal in sight or do you prefer to just keep a milder schedule all the time?

I am a paper planner girl through and through.

I have tried using google calendar and outlook to schedule my life. But I just can’t get into it. With a paper planner, on the other hand, I am constantly jotting in little notes, deadlines and schedules. I love it.

My planner from my last year of college when my life was insane:

So when I heard about the Erin Condren Life Planner I decided I had to have it. But the shipping cost was deterring me. $25 (half the price of the planner) to ship to Canada is ridiculous. It does not cost that much money to ship things here.

Luckily, I was going to be seeing Lisa at the beginning of October for the marathon so I chose to ship to her for a measly $7 and then she brought it up to me!

Let me say, the $60ish this planner cost was 110% worth it. I am in love.

I’ve quickly been filling up the pages with to-do lists, deadlines, dates and times to remember.

Oh, and in case you were wondering, yes I am taking these photos on Webster’s cat stand. It’s the only place in our tiny little basement suite that has good lighting because it’s right in front of our one window.

Getting whacked in the head with a cats tail is just the price I have to pay to take good photos.

Anyways, back to the planner. It comes with all these nifty little labels that I love to use.

And even though I have a pretty good memory when it comes to dates and commitments, it doesn’t hurt to remind myself

In the back of the planner there’s this fabulous little folder and waterproof ziplock baggie to stuff important cards and papers in.

And finally, it came with these great gift labels! Seriously, how cute are they?

My Review

The only complaint I have about this planner is the ridiculous cost that shipping was to Canada. I know a lot of companies in the States do that and I hate it because I know it’s not that expensive. I sent TWO books to Becky for HALF the price that it cost to ship the planner.

If it hadn’t been for sending it to Lisa I would not have bought this planner because the high shipping cost was not worth it to me.

Other than that, I have no complaints. I really like how user-friendly it is, the fun colours and labels and just the overall format of the planner. I would highly recommend it to anyone that uses a paper planner regularly and I believe (minus the shipping) it was worth the $60ish!

Giveaway

I also got two lovely little 10% off coupons, which I am going to giveaway to two equally lovely readers! The discount code is good for anything in Erin Condren’s store and it’s getting close to Christmas so might as well take advantage, right? Right!

All you have to do is leave a comment on this post telling me whether you’re a paper planner person or an electronic planner person or a no planner person and WHY?

I will pick two winners next week!

*Giveaway open until Wednesday, November 17 at 9:00 PM PST. I was not given this Erin Condren planner for review, I bought it with my own money and all thoughts/opinions in this blog post are my own*

I know, I know. I’ve been really overwhelming your readers with my marathon posts.

But seriously, it’s all I think about.

So instead of telling you about the phantom pains I’ve been having in my shins and my unwavering hunger and the fact that I’m already starting to check the weather in Portland (I hope it cools down a bit before the 10th, what the heck is with this heat wave?!) I’m going to tell you guys what’s on my to-do list today.

Thrilling. I know. Just be glad i’m not telling you about my toenail that fell off and the other one that’s about to fall off any day now.

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My To Do List for Today: (somewhat in the order that I’ll be doing it)

• Edit and resubmit freelance article
• Write another freelance article that’s due
• Go to Hot Yoga
• Clean out my car
• Book my flight home for Christmas
• Put international minutes on my phone for while I’m in the States next week
• Buy “throw-away” clothes at Value Village for the start of the marathon (hopefully it cools off outside and I’ll actually need them!)
• Buy some empty jars/canisters to store bulk food in
• Start packing!
• Attend a party tonight

What’s on your to-do list today?