16 April 2012

Filofax – The Ultimate Justification - Guest Post - Helen

Thank you to Helen for this Guest Post

I know our justifications for buying new binders, inserts, stickers, pens and other widgets to satisfy our stationary cravings know almost no limits, but in the spirit of community well being I would like to put forward the justification to end all justifications: Filofaxes, and associated purchases, are good for our health.

Yes, it is true. Google the health benefits of creativity and you will find articles on the positive effects creativity has on ageing, mental health and self esteem. As fantastic as all this is, what has it got to do with Filofax?

Over the Bank Holiday I was feeling a little frayed around the edges, and I spent a couple of happy hours designing some inserts for my Personal Amazona which had become a little neglected. Now I am not a natural artist, but I can set up a nice Word template and decorate it with clipart. I admit that this is not the cutting edge of modern artistic endeavour, but then it isn’t supposed to be. It allowed me to be creative, to relieve my stress and end up with something nice to look at in my binder when I am in the office. 

The Delightful Mr F had noticed my stress rating drop whenever I sat down to “optimise” my Filo, or update my Book-o-Fax with notes and pictures, and I wondered whether other Philofaxers had noticed the same.

Whether it is the fantastic diary inserts designed by Ray and Steve or my little experimentation with clipart, I think it is all positive. Go on, be a bit creative, it will make you feel better. Honest.


12 comments:

  1. This is very true. I stopped using my compact pennybridge Because it only had 15mm rings. I missed having all my little notes and pictures in a Filofax that make me happy. I'm now using a personal Enigma, and love making the pages colourful with drawings and stickers. :)

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  2. I have just been looking at the NASA website about one of the few female astronauts, and lo & behold on some of the pictures, I'm pretty sure it's a Filofax that's in view, so it can even be healthy in outer space!
    http://www.spacecamp.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pid=9676&fullsize=1

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  3. I couldn't agree more. Creativity of any sort feeds the soul. Thank you for posting.... a great thought for today!

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  4. I absolutely agree. Whenever I get creative it always helps my stress levels. I am very lucky that my job is creative also, but being creative for the sole reason that it's what I enjoy - well noting beats it! I spent a lovely hour in hobbycraft yesterday and came away with an adults colouring in book or fairies and some proper adult colouring pens - bliss! I want to practise my animation type skills and this is a great place to start (I design luxury bathrooms and do it all on CAD but would love to sketch, draw & illustrate some of my more beautiful projects).

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  5. Ha ha - all the 'excuse' I needed to spend this afternoon making new dividers and 'playing' with my filofaxes.
    :-)

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    1. and just blogged on it...
      http://paperpensink.blogspot.co.uk/2012/04/new-dividers.html

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  6. When it feels like life is getting on top of me I find it therapeutic to sit and just flick through my filofax and be reassured that my life is in order in the pages of my Malden!

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    1. Think I’ll get one.I’m 71and sometimes don’t feel in control

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  7. I whole heartedly agree. There is nothing quite like spending time filofaxing as my husband and daughter call it. On the odd occasion that my daughter has joined me, like when I got my label maker for mother’s day, she commented "this is fun isn’t it"? Yeah, it is!

    To be creative when things get really tough and I need to distress I drag out the sewing machine and pop on an audio book (in an attempt to multi-skill, ha, ha).

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  8. I also agree that it is very calming to page through one's planner to see what you've done and what's in the future. I don't know why but it is.

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  9. I agree, I feel like it regulates my brain waves somehow to page through my Filofax and arrange the pages just the way I want them. It definitely helps me feel more calm and in control!

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