Getting The Most Out Of Your Planner Tips Report
Powerful tips related to getting the most out of your planner.
3 actionable steps you can take right away and a list of suggested reading for those people who are looking for even more information.
You are ready to get organized.
You are tired of just flying by the seat of your pants.
You want to make plans, set goals, and remember appointments.
So what do you do? You get yourself a day planner or the latest To Do / Organizing app like Trello, Omini Focus and my personal favorite ClickUp.
You vow that from now on you are going to use the Calendar app on your phone.
You state that once and for all all your notes are going to be organized in Evernote.
But there are a few problems.
It’s a little bit of the habit not being there, a lot of systems not working for your personality and the way you process information.
And third, because of the first two issues you won’t trust that everything is in the system.
If everything is not in the system, there is less motivation to put things that come up in there.
It’s like when the house gets messy, or a pile starts to build on a table.
Once it’s messy, what is one more cup on the counter or one more paper in the pile.
But when everything is clean, you’ll notice a crumb on the counter and wipe that shit down right away.
If your planner is doesn’t have everything in it, your brain knows, appointments are missing, the next steps of things you need to do are missing you are less motivated to put the next thing to come up in your mind or appointment to come up in your inbox, into your system.
Does that make sense?
We have to discipline ourselves to always take the time, stop and put in appointments and notes.
Otherwise, when one more appointment comes up, our brain says, “well you have three other appointments that you still need to put in there why not just wait and do them all together.”
Now you have 4 appointments not in your calendar.
Your brain starts to resist even looking at the calendar now, because it knows stuff is missing.
And the whole system is ruined.
So how do we fix this?
Follow these nine tips, and you will get the most out of your planner(s).
1. Chose The Right One(s)
If you are looking for a planner, then you will likely be overwhelmed with the choices.
You should think about what type of planner resonates with your personality and style .
No matter how much I love my digital planner, I always need something feel good awesome to write in.
The compass note book is my favorite.
We are more likely to use something that we identify with.
The planner because a part of the person you are.
I’m a Tello person, I’m a Bullet Journal personal, I’am a Google Calendar and ClickUp person.
It’s the same as, we tend to identify ourselves and Apple or PC. iPhone or android.
Now you just need to find your planner personality and brand that resonates with you.
Do you want the freedom of a bullet journal, or do you prefer the structure of a traditional planner or would you do better with an electronic planner?
Do you want something sleek and easy to carry, or do you want something that has room for everything?
Are you using a mixture of phone, websites and a paper planner to track everything?
Now a days it’s almost impossible to not have part of your planner be something electronic.
We most of us need able to collaborate with coworkers and family.
When we think of a planner, more often then not, we think of a paper planner that is based around a calendar and a daily agenda.
The definition of a planner is just a list or chart with information that is an aid to planning.
You probably already have way to many planners that your are not using.
2. Limit Your Number of Planners
While it might be tough narrowing it down, choose as few planners as possible.
Focusing on one planner is the best way to ensure you will continue to use it.
Also, having one central area for all of your information is naturally more efficient.
3. Spend Time Setting it Up
Before you write your first appointment, you should figure out some sort of organizational system.
Think about the ways you are going to use a planner.
If you are using it to jot down all of your ideas, appointments, tasks, and goals, then you need another layer of organization.
The simplest is a color-coding system of your choosing (i.e., red goals are more important).
4. Use It!
You need to use your planner to get any value from it.
It might take some time to get used to using it but try and use it as much as possible.
A great way to get started is by going through the planner and putting down important dates (birthdays, vacations) right away.
This will aid in planning plus get you accustomed to using your planner.
5. Keep It Handy
If you want to use your planner (and you do!), then you need to keep it handy.
Try to keep it on your person as much as possible.
If you can’t bring it somewhere, at least keep it close enough, you won’t forget it.
6. Incorporate it Into Your Routines
Even if we aren’t aware of it, we are creatures of habit who naturally form routines.
Adding “planning” into your routines is one way you can ensure you regularly do it.
Maybe someday, taking a look at your planner will be as routine as that first sip of coffee or brushing your teeth before bed.
7. Set Monthly Goals
Most planners will have different views (daily, weekly, and monthly).
A great thing to do at the start of each month is to set some goals for that month.
That way, when you are planning out your weeks and days, you will have that monthly goal as a guiding light.
Don’t know what you should be doing?
Well, figure out what actions propel you towards your monthly goal.
8. Make a To-Do List Everyday
Spending a little time each morning (or the night before) to plan goals for the next day is a powerful way to become more successful.
These small daily goals will make you feel good as you check them off, and before you know it, you will be well on your way to realizing your bigger goals.
9. Combine With Technology
There is something powerful about physically writing and tracking in a real journal.
That said, don’t be afraid to incorporate technology more often.
Going through your planner and setting phone alerts for important tasks and meetings is a great way to embrace technology, but not entirely give up on your physical planner.
ACTIONABLE STEPS
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Choose a planner that fits your needs. Think about what you will be using the planner for and where you will be using it. Don’t be afraid to choose the one you like the style of either. You’ll be more likely to use it if you genuinely want it. |
Set up an organization system. Whether you use different colors, post-its, or highlighters, create an organization system that will help you decipher information at a glance. |
Start using your planner for everything. If there is any information you want to track, put it in your planner and commit to putting it .ALL there for at least a week. The more you track, the more likely you are to keep using it. |
FURTHER READING
1. Leuchtturm1917 Medium A5 Dotted Hardcover Notebook
2. The High Performance Planner
4. Clever Fox Planner Premium Edition
5. Clever Fox Planner – Weekly & Monthly Planner
