In today’s digital era the idea of using a paper planner or agenda might seem quaint. Why write things down when you can just use the calendar on your phone? Paper planning has recently seen a big resurgence in popularity, and it’s a trend I have wholeheartedly embraced! Here are the reasons why it works for me: 1. It helps me remember stuff – I learned this lesson in school: the physical act of writing things down helps commit them to memory. For some reason, adding an event to my phone calendar doesn’t make it stick in my brain the same way. My planner also serves as a record of what I did and when I did it, in case I need to reference it later. 2. It lets me see the big picture – My planner allows me to see the entire month or week at a glance, which is very helpful when adding in new commitments. I still maintain a Google calendar with major events for scheduling on the go, but my phone screen requires a lot of scrolling to view all the details. I choose to write them down in my planner, instead. 3. It keeps me organized – I love making lists, and my planner is a central location for organizing all of the things I need to get done. At the start of each week, I make a master list of everything I need to accomplish and then use it to create a smaller to do list each day. With all of my appointments for the week written in, it’s easy to determine how much time and energy I will have to tackle those things. 4. It keeps me motivated – Unlike my Google calendar hidden away in the app on my phone or computer, my paper planner sits open on my desk as a constant reminder of what I need to work on. And nothing beats the sense of accomplishment I get from checking things off my to do list! 5. It’s a creative outlet – This part is totally optional, but decorated planners have taken off as a hobby and most craft stores have an aisle dedicated to accessories for customizing your agenda. I enjoy crafting but don’t have a lot of time to devote to it, so creating a weekly spread in my planner allows me to get my crafting fix. Planners are even being used as hybrid scrapbooks and journals, with photos and memorabilia added. The possibilities are endless! If you’re struggling with managing your schedule and staying on task, or if you’re looking for a creative hobby, try a paper planner! Here’s the one I use, but there are lots more to choose from in every price range.
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