Paper or Digital Planners - What's right for you?

Planners & Calendars

I gave up Paper Planners many years ago and transitioned completely to digital. It was not an easy switch. I think I missed a few appointments and scheduled some on the wrong day and it was very embarrassing to say the least... I felt a lot of pressure to get on board with the wave of the organizing future: using and mastering a Digital calendar and To Do List(s). A few months past and it did get easier to navigate and use the Digital Calendar efficiently.

However, I think I lost an important valuable tool by giving up my Paper Planner. One of my esteemed Colleagues, Julie Bestry, from Chattanooga, TN writes a blog called Paper Doll. She wrote an insightful post about Paper Planners. She explains why some are better than others, depending on user preferences and learning style. There are so many different varieties available. One revealing fact that Julie provides is that when you view a digital calendar on your smart phone; you’re only seeing 1 day: a sequence of dots signifying appointments. You have to click multiple times to see everything in your day. This is a narrow view of your schedule and your life. We can make more informed scheduling decisions when we are able to view and analyze our full week and month.

How do you feel about Digital To Do Lists? I personally don’t like them for me but they work very well for a lot of people. I’ve been using a Digital Calendar and Paper “To Do List(s)” written in a notebook. This process created a void because it is not a cohesive method. This is why I’m excited to reincorporate a Paper Calendar & Planner and write my “To Do Lists” in it. This will take place during my weekly planning sessions. I will continue to use my Digital Calendar – it will be more of a hybrid system—I will have to duplicate writing and typing some appointments into both calendars but I think the end result will be solidifying those appointments into my memory. It will also be a huge motivating factor to schedule and keep weekly Planning Session Appointments which did not always happen.

I have advised Client’s for years to only use 1 Calendar because appointments can slip through the cracks. This year I’m going to try 2. If it does not work out; I can always change back. It’s a good idea to try different things, shake things up, and reevaluate your current system(s) from time to time. I personally think that when you use a Paper Planner you have an incentive to sit down and write in it. This process may create synergy flow. I never had that experience with my Digital Calendar. That was just clicking and typing no creativity sparked during that activity.

What change(s) do you want to make this year? What’s working and what’s not? Be realistic and create achievable goals for yourself. Even one micro change that will enhance and improve your health, relationships, and organizing systems at home and work can make a big impact.

​Adele Tusson-Gross

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