Digital planning vs. Paper planning. Functional planning vs. Pretty planning. Choices, choices, choices. So many choices, how do you choose?
My first introduction to planners began when I attend a 3 day, Franklin Covey seminar. One of the takeaways, from the seminar, was a free Franklin Covey planner, complete with thier daily inserts. I loved that planner. I look back at that time in my life, I felt organized, I knew what my day was going to be like and I knew what needed to be done that day. I felt planner peace. Now that I don’t have that same schedule and I am planning my day, and what I am working on. I sit back and think, did I ever really know how to efficiently use my planner? My planner was primarily for my schedule, meetings, projects, and meeting notes(You get the idea). But my personal life, what was left after work, I didn’t feel the need to plan daily,
After I retired, I needed to learn how to plan out my personal life. And now that I have to plan my day so I am productive. I am at a complete loss, and I find that the Franklin Covey binder and inserts just don’t fit my life anymore. I am in planner chaos, and it’s making my life a little difficult.
This last year, I have brought back my Franklin Covey planner. When that didn’t work I tried a filofax, travelers planner, bullet journal in a notebook, and finally a Happy planner. Unfortunately the Happy Planner did not make me happy, nor did any of the others. I felt lost and VERY disorganized. I longed for the days when I was working, and someone else told me when I had to work, when I was allowed to take lunch and breaks. And I knew exactly what needed to be done that day to finish my job before I went home. Ok I’m not being completely truthful, I miss the simplicity of planning those days, I felt productive at the end of the day because everything was checked off before I left the office. But really, I don’t miss the working and schedule part. (laugh out loud)
Planning has been a struggle for me this last year, trying to figure out the best way to plan my day to have that peace of mind knowing I was productive and my focus list (I renamed the to do list for inspiration)is becoming shorter by the day. But looking at all these planners, I realized nothing is really done, and I didn’t feel that planner peace I felt before.
So what is a person to do in a situation like this? RESEARCH !! I broke out the articles and videos on how to plan a productive day, the best way to write up, and break down goals, and what planner they are using. I have scoured the internet looking for, someone to tell me what to do, and what to use. Then it hit me like a ton of bricks. I retired so I wouldn’t have to do what someone, else told me to do. This was my new life and I need to plan it the way I want to, not the way some random article or video told me to do it. The person writing the article doesn’t know my life, doesn’t know what I want to accomplish in my life, so why do it their way.
The last two months I have been working on a new system. This system gives me piece of mind. I tucked all of my paper planners in my closet and broke out my laptop. I realized the one way i have not tried planning, is using a digital style planner. I know it is nothing like using paper planner inserts, where everything is already set up and you have a road map on how to plan your day. But I wanted freedom to design pages that worked specifically for me. What I chose to use is nothing fancy, but it covers my needs and its easy to use and organize.
When looking for digital planners I wanted something easy. A place where I could design my own pages, and could access the planner from any devise I use. So I decided to use Evernote. I have been using Evernote for storage for about 9 years, so its a system I am use to. Evernote offers me the chance to organize my planner in a way that make sense to me, and the templates makes it easier to design pages once and store them for Monthly use.
Does it have its disadvantages? Of course it does. (I can’t use pretty planner stickers) But I am learning, it also has some pros. I know it won’t be perfect right away, there will have to be some adjustments, but i believe I am on my way to having that peace again. I am still working on planning the productive day, but I am getting closer. I actually have days where I sit back and look at my digital planner and the way i have organized it, and think WOW I was productive today, and THAT is a great feeling.
Do you plan your days? Any tips on planning a productive day? Tell me how you do your planning and what type of planner you use.
Until the next article
Have a wonderful Day!!
Christine