How to remember names

Forget a phone number? Check your cell phone. Forget important information? Get the answer online. Forget how to get somewhere? Ask your GPS! There are a lot of ways for people to remember important information with the help of technology. But what about something that technology can't help you remember—names? Here are a few things you can do to help you remember names.

When you meet a person and hear their name, the first step you can take to remember it is to repeat the name back out loud. Then you should casually repeat the name throughout the conversation. If the person is an important client, it's also a good idea to write the name down.  

Another trick is to pair something visual with a person’s name. Many people are visual learners and are usually able to remember faces faster than names. Let's say you meet a man named Chris who has a crocodile on his shirt. To help remember his name you could think to yourself, “Crocodile Chris.” By assigning a visual description to a person's name using their hair color, facial features or a graphic on their shirt, you're more likely to remember their name.

Of course these tricks aren't foolproof. There are just some days when you'd forget your own name if it wasn't written on your name badge. In these instances be honest. Apologize and ask them for their name again. Almost everyone has forgotten a name at some point and most people would be fine with giving their name again.

Don't feel bad if you only met someone once briefly and can't remember their name. Simply walk up to them and reintroduce yourself and give them your name. This saves the other person from the stress of having to remember your name and also gives them the opportunity to give you their name again. If this strategy fails, apologize and ask for their name.

Do you have any tricks that help you to remember people's names?

Things you didn’t know you could learn on YouTube

Pen Pal doesn't believe its readers would know anything about this, but there seems to be a segment of the workforce that bides their downtime by watching videos on YouTube. It got us thinking, if people must watch videos on YouTube while at work, why not make them productive videos? Here are a few clips that may help enhance your workplace performance.

How to use PowerPoint/Adobe Acrobat/Windows 7 and more!

YouTube is full of quick tutorials on how to operate commonly used programs. If you’re new to a program or have just skated by without fully taking advantage of all that a program offers, these videos can get you up to speed in a hurry. Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JVOhEDtlciE

Mediation training

Conflict arises in every workplace. How one handles it can make a big difference in the dynamics and productivity of an office. Luckily, there’s a clear answer for what to do the next time conflict arises: sit down and watch a video. You can find many videos on YouTube that will walk you through how to best handle a conflict and provide training for conflict resolution. Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bXXCIqHFfV0&feature=PlayList&p=516DA46B7A6350D7&index=0

Paint your office green

Metaphorically speaking, of course. This short video provides simple things we can all do in the office to lessen our impact on the environment. Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o5RlwMzQiQg&NR=1&feature=fvwp

How-to videos

YouTube offers how-to videos for just about everyone in the office – even those who may have abused Web surfing privileges and found themselves out of a job! Check out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_wjgQlf18ds

What have you learned by watching YouTube?

How not to be a doormat

Many people suffer from doormat syndrome and never even realize it. Being a doormat is not intentional; things just seem to go in that direction for certain individuals. Because these individuals are often so giving, they are constantly taken advantage of. Does this sound familiar to you? If so, then you need to transform your overall situation for the better.

First, honestly appraise yourself and make a list of the people and types of situations that threaten, intimidate or make you feel inferior. Then review each one and determine what it is about that person or situation that generates those feelings. Attempt to analyze and resolve each issue separately instead of just viewing the entire list as an unsolvable dilemma.

Next, realize that you are a unique person with value. Break free from preconceived notions that you may have about yourself based on what other people say, what other people have said, or what you think they are saying. None of these matter and quite possibly may be something that you yourself have projected into your own mind.

You don’t have to give a “yes” answer to everything asked of you. Remind yourself that it’s quite all right to say “no” to someone if it interferes with your beliefs, morals or life. If it takes too much effort and leaves you feeling frustrated, then it’s not right! Submission to harmful or incorrect behavior serves only to reinforce and condone those actions from others.

Just be true to yourself and your beliefs and offer resistance when they are threatened. No one individual or group has the right to make unkind or unreasonable demands on your time, social values and resources—so let them know that. But tell them gently without being harsh. Firmness is necessary in some situations, so use the appropriate dose level for each scenario.

Finally, take a positive approach to each day and, without being stepped on, try to be as helpful to others as much as possible. By simply improving your self-respect and self-esteem and by believing in your morals and values, you’ll never be a doormat again.

Do you suffer from doormat syndrome? Tell us about it!

Foods you thought were healthy…that aren’t

So you’ve decided to start eating a healthier diet? Good for you! Loading up on more nutritious foods and cutting back on the junk is good, not only for your waistline, but also your health and well-being. But before you trade in that fast food burger for that fast food salad, read this. Those calorie-packed foods can be hiding in the most surprising places!

Restaurant Salads

Cheese, heavy dressings, crunchy noodles, and bacon pack on the calories like you wouldn’t believe. These additions can take your salad from healthy to heart attack in no time. For example, according Best Health Magazine, lunch should be about 400 to 500 calories. But the Wendy’s Chicken BLT Salad with croutons and honey dijon dressing is 790 calories. Now compare that to a McDonald’s hamburger, which is only 250 calories, and you have yourself a salad that is actually worse for you than a hamburger!

Granola Bars

It’s an easy snack to bring to work, but these delicious treats can be just as bad for you as a candy bar! Be sure to read the list of ingredients. If sugar is listed first, put it back on the shelf and look for one that lists whole grain first. Don’t be fooled by ingredients like yogurt and “real fruit filling.” Both of these can actually be made from a powder formula which does not deliver the same health benefits of an actual cup of yogurt or fruit. Even the bars that contain oats and nuts can be glued together with blood sugar raising ingredients like corn syrup.

Juice

Drinking a cup of fruit juice is not the same as eating fruit. Beverages labeled “real fruit beverage,” “fruit punch” or “fruit cocktail” contain huge amounts of sugar. So much sugar, in fact, you might as well be drinking a soda! Also, packages labeled as “100% fruit juice” can be very misleading. Even drinks labeled as pure fruit juice can contain added sugars like high fructose corn syrup. Your best bet is to ditch the fruit juice, drink water instead, and eat an apple.

Diet Soda

Though it may contain zero calories, it also contains zero nutrition. Diet soda is loaded with controversial artificial sweeteners and aspartame. And it may even cause you to gain weight! According to a 2005 study by the University of Texas Health Center, San Antonio, of the 622 study participants who were of normal weight at the beginning of the study, about a third became overweight or obese when they only drank diet soda.

Smoothies

They are served at health clubs and have fruit and immunity boosts in them, so how could they not be healthy? Do you consider a milkshake healthy? Surprisingly, some smoothies contain ice cream and ice cream fruit topping, taking the healthy factor completely out of your smoothie. For example, the Jamba Juice Peanut Butter Moo’d has a whopping 470 calories! And that’s just for the small size. You go up to the next size and you’re looking at 770 calories! That’s more than 3 times as many calories as a McDonald’s hamburger! If you add that as your beverage with your lunch, you’re looking at a huge calorie feast. What’s worse is that just by looking at the list of ingredients, you may be tricked into thinking it’s not that bad for you: nonfat vanilla yogurt, soymilk, frozen bananas, and peanut butter. The lesson here is to be sure to take note of the calories and the ingredients, or better yet, save yourself the calories and drink water.

What food did you eat a lot of before you found out it wasn’t good for you?

Eco-friendly products for the home

Have you “gone green” at home yet? Finding eco-friendly products for your home is easy, and sometimes all it takes is a trip to a local store or a search online. Many big name stores are stocking their shelves with products that will not only make your home a healthier place to live but are also friendlier to the earth.

Target, for example, has an entire green section on their Web site. From reusable tote bags to Burt’s Bees natural beauty products, and from organic sheets to recycled glassware, you’re bound to find something to dress up your home and help the planet at the same time. Check out your local Target or visit www.target.com.

Home Depot has an Eco-Options brand which includes products that meet at least one of the following properties: energy efficient, water conservation, healthy home, clean air and sustainable forestry. From water filters to molding to light bulbs, these products can also help you qualify for tax credits. More information is available at http://www6.homedepot.com/ecooptions/. 

A quick search online can help you find companies that offer almost any product in an earth-friendly design.

• For cleaning products, check out www.seventhgeneration.com
• For organic mattresses, check out www.thenaturalsleepstore.com
• For furniture made from sustainable wood, check out http://www.modernecohomes.com

While these products could be more expensive upfront, they are safer for you and the environment. Also, when they do reach the end of their life cycle, you can start the cycle over again by recycling the product.

In what ways have you made your home more eco-friendly?

Make free Internet phone calls using Skype

What could be better than staying in touch with your family and friends, or business colleagues, for FREE? With Skype, it’s possible!

Skype, founded in 2003, is a software-based application that allows users to make voice or video calls over the Internet to other Skype members for free. You’re able to talk to anyone worldwide at any time of the day for as long as you would like without a cost to either party. Since the service is primarily computer-based and not everyone is glued to their computers 24 hours a day, Skype even features call forwarding and voicemail. Recently, Skype also added an application for members to add to their mobile phones, granting them access to their account while in WiFi zones.

What do you need to use Skype? Well, as long as you have a computer with Internet access, you can download Skype and you will be given a number. Although the service works best if you have a headset, you could also use your computer’s speakers and a microphone as well.

Since Skype also offers a monthly service fee or a pay-as-you-go feature allowing you to make calls to landlines and other non members of Skype, many companies have started using Skype as a way of communicating internally and externally. You can even add a call button to your Web site or e-mail signature, allowing business partners or clients to contact you directly with the click of a mouse. Also, since you can talk to single users or have conference calls by voice or video, it can change the way your office runs.

For more information, visit www.skype.com

Across the United States, company morale is down. According to the article, “Americans’ Job Satisfaction Falls to Record Low,” only 45% of workers are satisfied with their work. This is the lowest number recorded in 22 years! The article goes on to theorize that workers are unhappy not just because we are living through the worst recession since the 1930s, but because fewer workers consider their jobs interesting, incomes have not kept up with inflation, and the soaring cost of health insurance has eaten into workers’ take-home pay. 

While I may not be able to solve those three issues in this editorial, I may be able to offer some suggestions to improve employee morale. This month is Employee Spirit Month. The purpose of Employee Spirit Month is to create positive energy around the office and boost employee morale. Based on the article mentioned above, it sounds like this is something every company should attempt to do!

While spirit may be way down, there are ways to boost it back up. Employees want to feel appreciated, so look for ways to do that. For instance, recently our department managers brought in breakfast for their employees for one week. A lot of us either skip breakfast or bring it into the office, so it was a welcomed treat!

Another suggestion is to take some employee recognition money and spread it out over the year by offering small treats to your employees. For example, surprise your employees with smoothies one afternoon and ice cream sundaes another. It’s these little surprises that help keep an environment from growing stale.

Some other suggestions: allow employees to go home early on Fridays during the summer, bring their children in one day, dress casually on Fridays, or enjoy a picnic lunch during a nice-weather day.

The key is to spice things up! Most of us spend more of our waking hours at work than at home. It’s important for companies to realize this. Make your place of work a place your employees want to spend a majority of their time. Make the environment fun, lighthearted and positive. When all these ideas come together, I think you’ll be surprised by the positive output.

Christy Wolf

Editor

What would you like to see your company do to help boost morale?

Tips for reducing your paper usage at the office

The world uses about 1 million tons of paper every day and its use is on the rise. Much of this paper is wasteful, unnecessary, and puts huge pressures on the environment. Expanding production and wood harvesting threatens some of the remaining natural forests and the people and wildlife that depend on them.

Many businesses and institutions are realizing that they can reduce disposal and paper costs, increase profits and preserve our natural resources by reducing, reusing, and recycling office paper. Not only will your office be considered “green,” but it will also reduce its carbon footprint.

Almost all office papers can be recycled. Office papers are typically divided into two grades—high-grade and mixed.

High-grade consists of white or off-white paper such as letterhead, tablet paper, copier paper, typing paper, notepad or scratch paper. High-grade paper is particularly “clean” of contaminants and can be easily recycled and ultimately reused. Most carbon paper, glossy paper, heavily inked paper, tape, plastic, cardboard, newsprint and similar items include contaminants which limit its post-consumer abilities.

Mixed paper, also known as file stock, is a combination of several grades of paper including some grades that are not acceptable for recycling, plus it has lower value. Mixed paper includes nearly all office paper and may include colored paper, business forms, manila folders, some carbon paper, envelopes with clear plastic windows and adhesive flaps.

These simple rules can help reduce our paper usage:

• Think before you print
• Use both sides of the paper—duplex printers can do this for you when chosen
• Avoid printing e-mails. Create an electronic file which includes important correspondence
• Recycle the paper you use and insist on purchasing recycled paper

Most offices can reduce paper usage by at least 20%. Ask your office manager what they’re doing to reduce it and remind them that saving paper isn’t just saving the environment; it can also save the bottom line!

What have you done to reduce your paper usage at work?

How to become a start administrative professional  

As the administrative professional of the office, you’re the go-to person that everyone relies on for some form of support. Although this role can be overwhelming, with the right attitude and skills, you can make yourself stand out.

Stay Organized

In order to be successful, you need to have an organization system to help yourself work effectively and in an efficient manner. Since your day might start with three tasks and end with five, you will need the ability to adjust. How will you cope? Try maintaining a personal calendar – allot time for ongoing projects, daily reports, meetings or training sessions you may have. Although you may need to adjust as the day progresses, allotting time for each task will help you stay on task. To organize all your projects and other miscellaneous responsibilities, create a filing system that not only helps you, but allows others to access the information they need if you’re not available. Keep private files in your desk drawers, but also create an open filing system for items that other staff members may need to minimize workflow disruptions.

External Communication

First impressions mean everything! Since the administrative staff typically answer phones, draft correspondence and greet guests, they are the voice of the office. It’s important to not only interact with clients in a respectful, friendly manner, but also maintain professionalism when writing communications. Also, remember to pay close attention to your spelling and grammar.

Internally

As always, maintain a positive attitude when addressing co-workers and management. Associates will respect someone that speaks to them in a professional manner and will come to them if an issue arises. You want to be able to work well with everyone. When faced with criticism, rather than taking it personally, listen to what’s being said and see if it can help you improve for next time. Focus on listening to what people are saying and see how you can orally communicate effectively.

Independent Worker

An administrative professional position relies on the individual to work independently. With this comes personal accountability – take ownership of your projects and when faced with adversity, make the best of it and see how you can improve for next time. To stand out, focus on your problem-solving and decision-making skills. Take initiative and stay one step ahead of your boss!

Stay Calm

With so much resting on your shoulders, there are bound to be days filled with chaos. Despite the pressure, remaining calm and recovering quickly from setbacks is very important. If the person running the office is overwhelmed, it may be reflected in the co-workers performance. Stay on target and don’t let little disturbances get you off track.

Training Courses

To stay on top of your game, it’s a good idea to get the latest training on current software programs being used or to maintain proficiency in communication. See what training courses are available at your community college or local university. Many times companies will pay for these courses if they will benefit your position.

Are you the star in your office? What did you do to become that person?

Ways to improve your memory 

Thanks to the Internet and 24-hour news cycles, our brains are constantly bombarded with new information. With so much going on in our heads, it’s sometimes hard to remember the important stuff. Here are a few tips to improve your memory recall.

Set reminders. These are kind of a cheat, but they do help in memory recall. Perhaps the most famous reminder is a string wrapped around one’s finger, but in the age of Outlook and iPhones, alert reminders that tell you exactly what you need to remember are an ideal way to not forget something. Just remember to set them!

Shuffle your iPod. Memory recall is just like any other skill; the more practice your brain has, the better it will be at remembering things. One way to practice memory recall is to set your MP3 player on shuffle during your morning commute (or simply listen to your favorite radio station). At lunch, try to remember what songs you listened to and in what order they played. You can skip backward on your iPod to see how you did (or check the radio station’s Web site for song listings).

Drink—in moderation.  Consuming large amounts of alcohol greatly affects memory recall. In fact, much of the DUI test (reciting the alphabet backward, following simple instructions) is a test of memory. Excessive drinking can also affect day-to-day memory. But studies have shown that drinking in moderation (a glass of wine a day) can, in fact, improve one’s memory. So know your limit.

Pay attention. It may seem obvious, but one must learn something to remember it. The more you focus on new information when you receive it, the more likely you are to remember it later. So when you identify important information, simply take a few seconds to focus on it and process it and the better your chances that it’ll be available to you when you think of it later.

What tricks do you use to remember things?

It’s American Heart Month. What can you do to protect your heart?

Cardiovascular disease is our nation's number one killer. Since 1963, the U.S. Congress has required the president to proclaim every February as “American Heart Month” in order to help urge everyone to join the battle against this disease.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), about every 25 seconds, an American will suffer a heart attack. While some heart attacks are sudden and intense, most attacks start slowly, with mild pain or discomfort. Often people affected aren't sure what's wrong and wait too long before calling 9-1-1 to get help.

Know how to spot signs and symptoms

The major signs of a heart attack are chest pain or discomfort; pain in the arm or shoulder; pain in the jaw, neck or back; shortness of breath; and feeling weak, light-headed, or faint. Although the most commonly experienced symptom of a heart attack for both men and women is chest pain or discomfort, women are more likely than men to experience other symptoms, such as shortness of breath, pain in the back or jaw, breaking out in a cold sweat or nausea. Women also are more likely than men to delay seeking emergency treatment for a heart attack. Receiving immediate treatment substantially increases the chance of surviving a heart attack.

Diseases and conditions that put your heart at risk or increase your risk of death or disability include arrhythmia, heart failure, and peripheral artery disease (PAD). High cholesterol, high blood pressure, obesity, diabetes, tobacco, and second-hand smoke are also risk factors associated with heart disease. For a full list of disease and conditions along with risk factors and other health information associated with heart disease, visit the American Heart Association at http://www.americanheart.org

The chance of developing coronary heart disease can be reduced by controlling your diet and exercise regimen. Here are some helpful tips to maintain a healthy heart:

• Exercise daily to maintain a proper body weight
• Make informed choices by reading food labels very carefully
• Limit your consumption of junk foods low in nutrients and high in calories
• Strictly limit the amount of your salt intake
• Eat lots of fruits and vegetables every day
• Plan ahead by preparing healthy snacks and meals 

People who have survived a heart attack can also work to reduce their risk of another heart attack or a stroke in the future. For more information on heart disease and stroke, visit CDC's Division for Heart Disease and Stroke Prevention at http://www.cdc.gov

What steps do you take to keep your heart healthy?

How to save money on groceries

When many families sit down to go through their budget and think about where they can cut costs, few rarely think about their monthly food bill. Saving money when doing your grocery shopping is easier than you may think. By preparing at home, following a few simple steps while at the store, and with a little planning ahead you can reduce your food budget without having to make any major changes.

The best place to start when trying to save money on groceries is right at home. Before you can start saving money you need to sit down and figure out what your budget allows you to spend. Most people go to the store and throw a bunch of items into their cart without seeing what is within their means financially. If you don’t know how much you can spend, you’ll overspend. Once you know what your allotted amount is, bring only that much cash to the store when you shop. If you only have that amount of money on you it will help you stay within your budget.

After you know your budget, plan a weekly menu. Figure out what you plan on eating for the week each day and stick to that menu; knowing what you’re going to eat for the week will help you keep your “eye on the prize” while shopping. The final step you should take is to make a list. Take a look in your cabinets and fridge to see what you need to make the “menu” you planned out for the week. Shop for what’s on the list and only on the list. Planning ahead before you go to the store is a great way to get prepared to sticking to a budget.

After you make all your preparations at home you’re ready to head to the store. One of the best things you can do before you go to the store is eat. Don’t go to the store hungry. Everything looks so good and all you want to do is buy more and more food. Having a full stomach will help you stick to that list you made. You should also try going alone; you’re more in charge of the list and the budget this way. When you go to the grocery store with other people they will ask for food not on the list, sneak items in the cart and throw your budget way off.

When you’re shopping alone you can also try the store brands. When you buy the name brand items you’re usually just paying for the name and the advertising. Give the generic brand a try. Usually you can’t tell the difference and you can save a lot of money this way. While you’re cutting back on name brands, try cutting back on meat. Meat is very expensive and planning a few meatless meals can save a bundle. Use less meat in your meals and use it almost like a seasoning instead of the main dish. Pasta, chili, Asian meals, and Indian dishes are delicious alternatives that don’t require a lot of meat.

Once you’re home the savings can continue. One of the most common problems families have is the wasting of food. Utilize your leftovers as dinner on a different night or even as lunch at work the next day. If you plan a “Leftover Night” you’ll save money on a meal for that night and it also saves you time in the kitchen.  When making a meal, make a little extra and freeze it. You might want to consider buying a deep freeze. You can buy food in bulk, such as meat and veggies, and freeze them for a later time. You may be spending more in the beginning but the savings will last in the long run.

Now more than ever it’s important for families to pay closer attention to their budgets. Many families can save a lot of money simply by sticking to a budget when grocery shopping. With a little planning before you leave, some self-discipline at the store, and a bit of resourcefulness once you’re home, you can get your family on a better food budget that will keep everyone happy and healthy.

What do you do to save money on groceries?

Where to find FREE photos for marketing materials 

Your coupon is tempting, your copy is persuasive, and your offer is being sent to all the right people, so why are you still being ignored?

Everything these days happens fast. People want tomorrow's facts now and don't have time to wade through the details. Sure, bold headlines grab people's attention, but add a bold image and your customer will be hooked just a little longer.

That's great right? No, not if you don't have a budget to purchase images or hire a photographer. Before you go on a search engine image hunt, remember not all images are free for you to use and there are people who would love to slap you with a lawsuit for using one of their images without permission. Luckily, there is a whole world full of images just waiting to be borrowed for free!

One such site is the popular free stock photography site Stock.XCHNG at www.sxc.hu/ which has a wide variety of professional and user-uploaded images that are free and royalty free. Royalty free means that you don't have to pay the photographer each time you use their image. Stock.XCHNG also offers PhotoShop tutorials and other helpful tools. To download images, you have to become a member, but membership is free and signing up is easy!

Another great resource is www.everystockphoto.com. This site is very similar to Stock.XCHNG but instead of just searching its own database for images you're looking for, it also searches other stock image sites.

If you’re looking for other free image sites, remember that royalty free doesn't always mean that the image is free. So be sure to double check that the image is both free to use and royalty free before you find the perfect image.

Know of any other great Web sites for finding free photos and other marketing resources? Let us know!

Happy Valentine’s Day! I don’t think any other holiday stirs up more emotion than Valentine’s Day. Some of us love it, some of us hate it. Some of us think it’s only a Hallmark® holiday, while some of us go out of our way to show our significant others how much we care about them.

Since I’ve been married for a while, I feel it’s more important to show love to your husband or wife every day, rather than some grand gesture on one specific day. But don’t get me wrong, I at least want a card!

Did you know that Valentine’s Day is a very old holiday? It started back in the heyday of the Roman Empire. During this time a festival called the Lupercian was held in honor of the god of fertility. It was during this festival young men would choose and marry their mate. But when Emperor Claudis came to power, he banned marriages because he was afraid the men would refuse to leave their wives to fight during wartime. Seeing this, the Catholic Bishop Valentine started secretly marrying these couples. Claudis discovered this and Valentine was arrested and sentenced to death. While in jail, he started exchanging love letters with the jailer’s daughter. The day he was to be put to death, he signed his last note to her, ‘From Your Valentine.”

Who knew Valentine’s Day started with such tragedy? I hope your Valentine’s Day, whether you celebrate it or not, is filled with love and happiness!

What will you be doing this February 14? Is Valentine’s Day something you look forward to or wish would just go away?

Christy Wolf

Editor

How to choose the right calendar to keep you organized this year

Choosing the right calendar is an important decision. The right calendar can help you stay organized and focused all year long. First, think about what kind of personality you have. Whether you’re tech savvy, creative or super organized, there's a perfect calendar out there for you! So, what type of calendar do you need?

Digital

Digital calendar people are always at the computer or carry their PDA or smart phone with them at all times. They rely on Outlook, iCal or web-based calendars like Yahoo and Google to keep their schedules organized and regularly sync their digital calendars so they never miss a meeting or appointment.

Dry-Erase

People who have flexible schedules or are always moving around deadlines, meetings and appointments are dry-erase calendar people. They like to keep their calendar neat, clean and organized. People who are environmentally friendly or who don't like to waste resources also enjoy these calendars because they can be reused year after year!

Planner

For those who are constantly on the move due to back-to-back meetings or who are always away from the office, a planner is the perfect type of calendar. Since planners come in a variety of sizes and styles there's sure to be a perfect planner to fit the needs and personality of anyone on the go!

Wall

If you like calendars that can double as functional art, you're probably a wall calendar person. These types of calendars are perfect for people who can usually be found in their office and want a calendar that is easy to spot and pleasing to the eye. One look up and they know what’s on their plate for the day.

Desk

Doodlers and people who like lots of room to write are perfect candidates for desk pad calendars. Not only are the squares extra large for fitting in a lot of information, but the entire calendar is always at your fingertips. This feature can be great for quickly writing down important information or illustrations.

Card

When you always need to reference a date, but don't need to write anything down, you're probably a card calendar person. Card calendars show an entire year at a glance and can be very inexpensive and sometimes even free! You probably have one hanging on your fridge right now! Realtors and other service-oriented businesses love to send these out to their customers.

What’s your favorite type of calendar?