3 Things Worth Documenting in Your Planner

Most of the time, you use your planner for daily personal benefit. You’re not likely to open it up to a certain page and show off your schedule and notes to family or co-workers. But there are certain times in your life when the information you’ve written in your planner can provide vitally important data to reference later.

Your Written Words against Theirs

Whether you are dealing with business clients, service providers, or organizations, the level of honesty and open communication determines whether you have a good experience or not. Unfortunately, no matter how you plan, you can’t control the honesty and ethics of others. Keeping records in your planner strengthens your case when conflicts arise, making it more than your word against theirs.

For instance, imagine that you’re calling customer service to cancel your gym membership. After a few questions and a few minutes, the representative tells you that your membership is canceled. Imagine your surprise, next month, when the membership fee is once again charged to your credit card.

Now let’s take this scenario and add in some preparation with your planner. Imagine that you’d written down the details of what was said, the promises made, and the name of the representative calling, all on the page for the date you made the call. Then when you called again, you would have all the information you need to escalate your complaint to the gym management. Then if the erroneous charges continued, you could also present the information to your credit card company.

It’s All in the Details

In many situations, you need to capture details quickly. If you’re involved in an auto accident, for example, recording more details may help close insurance loopholes that could work against you.  One FranklinPlanner user sent in an account of how, after a two-car crash, he recorded the time, the persons involved, and a detailed description of the damage on each car in his planner. When the case went to court, the written record was the main factor for the judge deciding in his favor.

The adrenaline burst after an accident, emergency, or crime fades quickly, taking with it your focus on the details. Without a written record, the memories can fade as well, especially when you have feelings of distress or pain. Another FranklinPlanner user recounts a time before he started using a planner. A car accident out-of-state left him with three cracked ribs and a totaled vehicle. The insurance company for the driver at fault called him a few days later, when he was out of the hospital and recovering with painkillers. Despite trying to remember the details, the answers he gave led the insurance company to deny his claim based on the laws of the state where the accident occurred. “If I’d have known better,” he writes, “I would have had the information written and ready, and I would have been more proactive in contacting someone about how to present it.”

Proof of Excellence

You strive to live an excellent life, using your planner to help you set goals and meet them. When outside events call your performance into question, the information you record in your planner can make all the difference to your reputation, your financial standing, and your career. When facing customer accusations or an interoffice dispute, your planner can help the truth come to light.

Hopefully, all of these scenarios remain purely hypothetical in your life. But if the worst does happen, recording essential documentation in your planner can help keep you on the path to success.