Majority of DayTimers Survey Respondents Feel Overwhelmed with a “Too Busy” Life: Paper Preferred Over Electronic Organizers to Keep them Organized

Lehigh Valley, PA (PRWEB) June 28, 2007

Eighty-five percent of respondents to the recent DayTimers survey conducted by Opinion Research Corporation said they consider their lives too busy, meaning they regularly feel rushed, feel like they are never finished, and are frustrated that they can’t get what they want done. More than half of respondents, however, admitted that they felt valued and needed when they were busy (57%) or felt important because of their busyness (42%).

Technological advances presumably make our lives easier; however, when asked, people say it’s the tried-and-true paper planning products that help keep their lives organized. In fact, 74 percent of respondents prefer paper over technology for planning and keeping track of their busy schedules.

“In a time when conventional wisdom tells us that technology rules, most people are actually utilizing paper, the most trustworthy method for keeping track of their busy schedules”, commented Maria Woytek, DayTimers Time Management Expert. Work pressures and responsibilities (46%) and housecleaning or yard work (52%) lead the activities that contribute to people feeling “too busy.” Being burdened by hours worked (41%), finding time for self care like doctor visits and tests (28%), and spending quality time with children (28%) add to the pressure of feeling “too busy.”

“DayTimers, during the past 60 years, has been dedicated to helping people manage their busy schedules,” Woytek stated.

Tools for the Paper Planner

Of the 74 percent who prefer paper, 65 percent use a wall or pocket calendars and 35 percent use paper planners.

Day-Timer® wall calendars with organizational extras include the Message Center, $ 25.99, with a tabbed monthly calendar, corkboard and plenty of pockets for keeping notes, stamps and business cards and the Tri-Fold Organization Center, $ 29.99, which also includes a “slide and hide” filing system with four multi-colored vinyl protectors to keep schedules and other information at your fingertips.
Paper planners and binders come in over 50 varieties of styles and sizes.

The Mariner Collection has virtually indestructible fabric construction (pocket planner $ 24.99)
The lightweight, unstructured Malibu Planners come in a variety of colors and sizes (Desk $ 74.99, Portable $ 64.99, Jotter $ 54.99, Pocket $ 54.99 and Compact $ 44.99)
Armorhide Binders, Covers and Wallets feature zippered, slip-tab and snap-tab systems ranging from $ 49.99 – $ 99.99

Tools for the Tech Planner

According to the DayTimers survey, 34% utilized some type of electronic device to keep organized. Twenty-five percent preferred a computer system such as Outlook, 9% used a PDA or personal digital assistant, and 9% used a Blackberry, Blackjack, Treo or similar device. Among the items DayTimers offers to keep the tech planner organized include:

The Tri-Fold Techholder, $ 69.99, keeps a PDA safely in place and will help avoid scratches and damage to the equipment. It also includes a daily journal for note taking and room to store business and credit cards, making it the perfect meeting accessory.
The Internet Notes Journal, $ 7.99, is a great way to keep track of all Internet browsing. It provides a reliable place to write down all Internet usernames, passwords and important information that often gets lost or forgotten. It has five sections: subject listings of websites, passwords, online purchases, e-mail addresses and notes.

What Makes People ‘Too Busy’

According to the survey, 45 percent of men and 46 percent of female respondents indicated their work schedule made them feel ‘too busy.’ “Cutting down on the time spent searching through clutter is one way to get more hours in your life each week and get out of the office sooner,” Woytek commented.

The Mesh Desk accessories include a Tabletop file system ($ 21.99), a desk station with seven compartments for supplies, cell phone and more. Stackable mesh Letter Trays, $ 9.99 each, are great for desk organization and reducing desk clutter.
Get more off your desk by supplementing the mesh accessories with a vertical mesh desktop ($ 59.99), which is a bulletin board/white board plus a kit to hang a stapler, remover, tape dispenser, dry erase marketer, ruler and pen/pencil holder.
DayTimers offers several home organization items to help streamline your home and make chores seem less daunting.

Cargo Storage Boxes, $ 10.99 – $ 22.99, come in six different options: media box, stationery box, magazine file, shelf box, file box, and project box. Each box can be labeled, making it easy to stay organized.
DayTimers offers many solutions for keeping all aspects of life organized and for taming “too busy” schedules. Check out http://www.daytimer.com for more life organization solutions.

About DayTimers

Established in 1947, DayTimers, Inc. is the original American provider of time management solutions and organization tools to help simplify life. DayTimers is a subsidiary of ACCO Brands (NYSE: ABD). The complete DayTimer® line of planners, luxury leather covers, portfolios, handbags and more can be found at http://www.daytimer.com or by calling 1-800-225-5005. Select organization tools are also available at Staples, Office Depot, and other major office supply retailers.

Contact: Leesa Raab, LaMotta Strategic Communications, Inc. 845-358-6306(o).

Subsidiary of ACCO Brands Corporation

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