Announcing the Day Designer!
On a Saturday morning in November of 2010, I faced of an overflowing email inbox, a hand-scribbled to-do list, a pile of meeting notes, and a daunting holiday rush season in full swing. Overwhelmed and feeling disastrously disorganized, I needed a solution, and quickly. Without any idea of what I was about to produce, I started drawing gridlines on notebook paper. The grid quickly became part calendar, part organized to-do list, and part motivational tool. I used the process throughout the holiday season, and thinking that such a tool had to exist, set out at the beginning of 2011 to try to find it.
No such luck. I looked at planners and agendas far and wide, but they all lacked a feature I was looking for, or had too many features for me to be able to fully take advantage of them. I needed something that would allow me to make notes about my family, my business, and my personal goals and dreams. I needed something to keep me on course, focused, and I needed something that was going to make sure that I was truly doing what I needed to do to achieve my dreams. I needed something that was going to help me design an intentional, balanced, well-lived life, and something that would help me execute that plan, every single day. And so, the concept behind the Day Designer™ was born.
Over the past several years, I’ve spent a lot of time soul-searching, looking for things like “balance” and “authenticity”. The unactionable terms don’t come with directions, or a step-by-step manual for how to find or achieve them. All the branding and business experts tell you to “live authentically” and “be authentic”, and everyone is constantly running around complaining about how un-balanced their lives are. So the questions plagued me: what on earth was my “authentic”? Where was my balance? As I searched, the answers came: authenticity starts with an understanding and acceptance of your genuine purpose, operates with consistent values, focuses on your natural strengths, and balance has the courage to recognize that it cannot be everything to everybody.
It stands to reason that if we can each define our genuine purpose, work on fulfilling that purpose with consistent values, only execute where we know we can succeed (and quit worrying about areas that we aren’t the best at), and have the courage to say no to a few things, that life would be, well, a bit more well-lived. As entrepreneurs (and mommas!) we need to intentionally design every day to execute the vision of a well-lived life. Intentional living starts every morning.
As a creative entrepreneur, I’ve come to realize that there is not a line between life and business. Entrepreneurship is not about building a well-designed brand or business, it’s about building a well-lived life. And if I need help figuring out how to live a well-lived life, my best guess is that there are other entrepreneurs out there who need the same thing.
After spending a full year utilizing, editing, fine-tuning, and perfecting the system, I am delighted (ecstatic? proud, in the most humble way possible? thrilled?) to debut the Day Designer™ in two forms: a blank version, for those that want to start on the month of their choice, and a 2013 system. In short, it will help you create a yearly strategic plan for becoming, and living, the best possible version of you, and then help you apply those goals and dreams in an intentional, focused manner, every single day.
You want the details?
- The Day Designer™ is printed on luxe weight, ecru paper with a fine tooth (because I’m nuts about paper).
- It is bound with brass-finished spiral binding and finished with a hardcover and hardback (hint: NOT floppy–it was really hard to figure out how to make this happen).
- The Day Designer™ features eight different worksheets, each designed to start with a broad focus and help you narrow down your purpose and passions into key areas for you to then apply to a daily executable plan.
- Over 270 pages!
- A yearly calendar overview.
- A monthly calendar overview.
- A daily planning page for each day of the week, and combined weekend planning pages.
- Each day features an inspirational quote (in case you haven’t figured it out by now, I love inspirational quotes!)
You can pre-order the Day Designer™ in our Etsy shop now! The Day Designer™ is $55 and will start shipping mid-August.
Giveaway!
I don’t feel like it’s fair to announce something this big without doing a giveaway for it as well! I’ll be giving away one free Day Designer™ to a lucky winner! To enter, simply leave a comment below telling why you think the Day Designer will be a helpful tool for you! To gain multiple entries, post a link to this post from your Facebook page (and leave another comment stating that you did) or send out a tweet with a link to this post (and leave a comment letting me know that you did). Up to three entries per person!
Here’s the fine print: The giveaway will end on July 15, at midnight CST. The giveaway is open to readers in the US only. Maximum number of entries per person is three. Please be sure to submit a valid email address with your comment. If the recipient does not respond to the winning notification within one week, another winner will be drawn. Drawings will be done by Random.org.
Last but not least, I can’t finish this post without saying a HUGE thank you to all of you who inspired me to finish this little project. I love you all for your encouragement and I can’t for you to get your copies of the Day Designer!
xoxo,
Whitney
Obsessed! I’ve been looking for a fabulous was to organize my thoughts, plans and to do’s. This will be perfect!
I love the stripes, I’m doing many invites with stripes these days! 🙂 I would love this planner… Great way to org my thoughts and ideas! Plus, I have it in my planner to “buy a new planner” at the end of the year, Haha! posting on Twitter and fb too!
Posted to fb & Twitter (@thats_snazzy) 🙂
I just love the story behind this product!!! I’m a new full-time entrepreneur (just recently left my steady outside-the-home job) and definitely need to find our rhythm and balance. Having a pretty planner that I know I’ll use will help out a lot!
Bravo again Whitney!
-Bridgett
2 young kids at home, husband, rebranding my biz, remodeling, too much to do! Would love a pretty planner. I’m finding I’m just not an electronic organizer type. Paper all the way!
WELL! If the Lord himself did not send me here, I don’t know what! I found you randomly through Pinterest and you just spoke directly into what I have been wrestling with for about a year now. As a mid-20s newly wed trying to find my path, and a girl who obsessively loves planners/notes/quotes of all kinds–this is the planner for me! Whether I win it or not, I will own this- and it will be one step on the path which He makes straight! Thank you!
What a wonderful idea…I need asap and cannot wait to get one. Great idea, Whitney!
Best of luck with this new endeavor! The book looks like a must-have.
This is AWESOME Whitney! Your blog is uber fab and packed full with quality content. This would be a great tool for me as I start going to college (as a high school junior!) for graphic design in the fall, going even harder for my wedding photography, and rebrand my blog for young christian women with big entrepreneurial dreams. I need a planner to keep all my projects straight. Eek! Thanks Whitney!
Tweeted it.
I love the stripes and especially the “goals” section! Sometimes when the “to do” list is long, it’s easy to lose focus… Love this idea Whitney!! 🙂 also shared on fb and twitter!
I actually want to win this for a friend of mine. Her business has taken a turn upward and this is exactly what she needs to keep organized, keep focused on her goals and keep all of her thoughts in one place for easy reference (and reminder of what she wants to accomplish!) I LOVE a beautifully designed planner, so I know I’ll be ordering one for myself as well.
Your site is GREAT- It is my first time visiting. Would love this planner to get me through my busy days as an event planner, blogger, and busy mother of two boys. I love black and white- I am doing bold black and white stripes in my hallway this summer- it will match the decor!
I’m such a nerd when it comes to planners, this one looks perfect! This planner would be great in helping streamline all the million papers I have stuffed inside my current planner that involve dreaming and setting goals. It makes sense to have that amongst my day to day plans to keep focus on them, great idea. Would love to win this planner.
I am getting this for all the staff at my company for their Christmas presents. Thank you for being an inspiration to me in balancing work & family in the most positive way! Posted on FB & Twitter.
What a wonderful mix of design, inspiration and function!
I’m in the midst of it all. Business rebrand. New blog. Busy mom of two. I need some bit of sanity and this planner just might help!
Posted a link to facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/printedsugarinvitations
Just tweeted a link…https://twitter.com/printedsugar
What a classy and creative way to stay organized! As a Virtual Assistant, this is certainly a must have 🙂 Best of luck to all of us and thanks for the giveaway!
Tweeted it from http://www.twitter.com/YVSG https://twitter.com/YVSG/status/222069751889928192
Posted it on Facebook page http://www.facebook.com/yvnfreebiesgiveawayspromotions
I’m in love with this planner! It’s going on my vision board, I need one asap!!
I need this planner to keep my personal, family, and business ambitions focused and organized. I love that it has a hardcover and that it’s spiral bound. I only buy hardback spiral bound notebooks. I’m so picky. Can’t wait to get my hands on one!
I can’t wait to see this product first hand. The thought process behind it is great….
Oh. My. Word! This makes me SO excited! Between my full time job, daily commute to and from Nashville, designing and launching my Southern Fried Design Barn stationery collection, keeping track of freelance projects, and trying to organize daily life and my social life I SO could use this planner. Your previous worksheets on the blog really help me so I’m most excited about those and the inspirational quotes! Awesome job, Whitney!
Tweeted it: https://twitter.com/akinslow
This is a dream come true! Thanks so much for your hard work, research and creativity! Even if I’m not the winner, I can’t wait to purchase one of these planners! The post-its, hand scribbled lists, and iCal reminders are all over the place… it’s time to condense everything into one place! As my business continues to grow, I’d love to feel more “simplified” with one of these. Thank you! See you soon at The Stationery Academy!
I love this! Some days I feel like my head is going to explode with ideas and I just have no real organized way of getting everything together. Thanks for doing this giveaway, the planner looks fabulous!
I need this! I am launching a new moms blog and would totally love something like this to keep me on track. And, I love the design and simplicity – it just screams me!
I just put this on Twitter as well: https://twitter.com/HappinessIsBlog/status/222370457280724992
I’ve been looking for a great planner for a long time now. I’m also a creative entrepreneur, and thrive on schedules and planning ahead. Winning this planner would help me re-gain focus and make 2013 my best year yet!
I’ve been on the search for the perfect planner for a few years now and always end up making my own makeshift system. I can’t wait to try this!
This planner is gorgeous!
I shared the link on Facebook. http://www.facebook.com/mistybradley
I tweeted! https://twitter.com/mistybradley
I’ve had the opportunity to see your masterpiece with Tosha! I loved it so much I ordered some for my store! It’s fabulous!
Warmly,
Anne
I literally make at least three different to-do lists a day, on top of sticky notes, random pieces of paper, notepads, etc. Oh yeah, and I’m obsessed with my day planner. This sounds like the perfect solution for creating a method for my madness.
p.s. https://twitter.com/ajbush88
Um, I’m a full time working mom, wife, blogger, fitness coach, student, and have some big goals in the works. I.NEED.THIS.IN.MY.LIFE.
I’m a freelance graphic designer and this would be perfect to help me organize my thoughts as well as my days! Of course, it doesn’t hurt that it is gorgeous and printed on the best paper. I also like the hardback cover that will help with the daily wear and tear.
Posted on FB: http://www.facebook.com/stalionsdesign
Posted on Twitter: http://www.twitter.com/stalionsdesign
So excited to get it!
This looks like the planner I have been searching for! Can’t wait to get one!
I LOVE this planner and think it would be just what I am looking for because I am fairly certain the piles of random papers/lists/dreams organized oh-so-neatly on my desk is just not cutting it!
Um. Hello gorgeous planner! I would love the opportunity to win this agenda. Who wouldn’t want something that not only helps organize who you are as a person but also incorporates your creative endeavor. The past three years have been chaotic for me. Graduated college, got married, husband went back to school for a medical degree, finally diagnosed with lyme disease while working full-time at an advertising agency 40+ hours and somehow with all my heart trying to keep my dreams of owning a stationery brand afloat. This September with my family’s love and support, I am making my dreams real. I’d love to use this as I bring purpose to a new chapter in my life! Thank you 🙂 -Brittany
It’s so creative and useful! It’s a perfect place to incorporate your dreams/goals into your daily life planning versus hiding it in a journal under your bed (not that I do that!). It’s a way to put on paper what is in your heart/head while living a very busy life that keeps us always distracted away from our own meaningful pursuits. Thanks for this product, it’s like holding opportunity in your hands! -Holli
Whitney, I’m so proud of you in this endeavor. It really harks back to elementary days when you were in my class and showing such organizational skills by keeping good subject notebooks. As a twig is bent, so grows the tree! I will look forward to having one myself for my business, and I will always think of that little blond girl sitting in my fifth grade class! I love you, and I love what you are doing. This looks like an excellent product.
So excited for you Whitney! The planner
Looks so gorgeous and the quality looks impeccable!
thank you for creating a planner that does all the things I need ONE book to do for the year. I can’t wait to try it and love you for being such a smarty, mcsmarty.
shared on Twitter from @cwoodworth
shared on FB, too. I’m a sucker for a giveaway, what can I say?
Oh my goodness! I love this Whitney! I love all the tools incorporated because efficiency is important but I would never purchase something just because it’s efficients. It’s got to be cute too, of course! And this is sooo adorable AND it will totally match my new brand! : )
Just tweeted the link!! @3fites
I’d love this planner to organize my work and personal life schedules. One place to have them all – so I’ll stop showing up late!
So cute!!! Love this!!
WHITNEY! CONGRATULATIONS! WHAT A LABOR OF LOVE! I ADORE NOT ONLY THE DESIGN, BUT THAT YOU HAD ENTREPRENEURS IN MIND WHEN CREATING THIS DAY DESIGNER. FROM PHOTOSHOOTS TO BRIDAL CONSULTS TO SKYPE DATES AND OF COURSE TIME WITH FAMILY, THIS WOULD BE A PERFECT WAY TO CUSTOM DESIGN AND ORGANIZE MY DAY-TO-DAY LIFE.
My sister will LOVE this!! I know what she is getting for Christmas.
I also FB’d https://www.facebook.com/glynis.crawford and twittered @glynis_crawford.
Seriously, brilliant. As a recent graduate opening my own business, I have been longing for a planner that embodies the practical student planners with some grown-up flair. This is perfect!
I’m an old dog and I hate new tricks, but for this cute little planner I may sit up and beg! 😉 Seriously, currently I’m using one of those desktop, blotter-type calendars. Totally and wonderfully HUGE which is what I love and what I hate about it. Not exactly purse friendly.
The Day Designer sounds like a great tool for balancing my ministry, family and personal goals!
Between being a full-time student, single mom of two very active dudes, and a small business owner I desparately need a tool like this to keep me functioning and balanced.
Whitney,
You continually inspire and amaze me with the way you share of your journey, and the ideas that come from your efforts to “have and do it all”! This product is one that many of us need to clear the clutter off of our desks and keep the most important things first! Can we buy this in OKC?
Shelly
Posted to twitter @_JennieHope
Posted to Facebook as well. 🙂
Whitney – This looks like something I’ve been in desperate need of since I had to say “farewell” to my wonderful Mortar Board 13 years ago!
love it!!
I spread the word on Facebook and twitter 😉 They should both be posted successfully 🙂
This is lovely! I think I am in desperate need of this… I am looking down at my desk (at 5:45am… why am I even AT my desk yet?), and noticing a mousepad notepad scribbled all over with my unibomber handwriting. There has to be a better way to organize my life! Thanks for creating it!
What a wonderful idea! I would LOVE to have one.
This is exciting! I am thrilled to see an item like this. I’m a disabled stay at home wife with lupus, fibromyalgia and epilepsy. My life is doctors, doctors, doctors! But I am also a student and a writer and I’m working on a Bible study, romance novel and children’s non-fiction book. Wait! Did I say I was disabled? Sometimes I tend to overcompensate by keeping busy in various projects. I could use a planner like this to help me with my projects and appointments. Very lovely. Have a good day!
Oh wow, I am SO excited to hear about this!! I’ve never considered myself as someone to use a planner of sorts, but I think something like this would be excellent for me. Especially because I’ve found myself with a notebook constantly open on my desk, jotting things down, making lists, etc. The only problem with that is that NOTHING is organized. I have to flip through multiple notebooks to find things, and often times I just end up forgetting about whatever great idea I had written down!
It’s been a little over a year that I’ve been working from home full-time, and often times I find myself just staring at the computer screen and not even getting anything done. More often than not, I make To Do lists that just sit, untouched, for weeks on end. I cannot WAIT to see what the Day Planner can do for my daily routine! 🙂
Tweeted it! 🙂
It’s so hard to better yourself and your life while keeping up with everything you are responsible for every day. I’ve been looking for a way to help me do just that and this looks like a great way to gain focus!
Thanks for this great new tool for organization! I would love to win one!
I tweeted for you! I hope this helps expose your brand and planners to many more!
I also posted it on Facebook! Love that your daily well live life plan has Bible verses! Happy to pass along your product info!
Love the stripes and the layout!
just under the wire! 🙂 i LOVE a good day planner, and i will never be without a hard copy one. ever!
So… who won?!?!?!! -Emily 🙂
Announcing today!
What actual month does the planner start on???
January 2013. Let me know if I can answer any more questions!
Perfect timing! I am following my dream and opening my own store!
I need this planner yesterday! I am going to order some for my store too!
I love the ideas and inspiration!
Thank you for creating this awesome planner!
Hugs!
Kay
BEYOND obsessed. I just ordered a different planner and wish I had waited!!!!! I have post-its all over the one I use with the exact lists that you provide in your planner! I guess I will have to wait until January 2015 🙁
Do you sell these wholesale? I’d like to have them on my website! http://www.RandisCandi.com
Wonderful ideas with tons of inspiration. Improvisation at its best. Thanks for sharing. You just got yourself a permanent reader 🙂
I can’t wait to get one
This seems like an awesome planner. I simply stumbled upon it while looking, and I think I’ve found the one!
My daughter has one and loves it! I would love to be more organized and inspired in my life – I truly believe that the right tool makes all the difference!
Designing my days would be a fantastic way to commence college life
This planner will help me track all the areas of my life in one place. We all have multiple responsibilities for different roles. I currently have 3 different planners because each role/responsibility seems to require a different mode of organization. What a blessing it would be to have everything in one!
I am a new teacher getting ready for the coming school year. I HAVE to make lists of everything I need to get done, and in order for me to remember what’s going on in my husband and I’s life, I have to use a planner on a regular basis. Yours looks wonderful!
Hi! I just caught wind of this amazing planner!!! When will I be able to order this product?
The January 2015 edition goes on sale in our Etsy shop on August 15th! (http://whitneyenglish.etsy.com)