The benefits to planning are endless but only if you do it right. There is no universal truth as to what is “the ideal way to plan”. The key is to find what works for you and this in itself is a process. Using myself as an example, I have been through them all but for some reason always circle back to a pen and paper, but hey, that’s just me!
The standard planner
– a weekly Monday through Sunday layout.
This is for a person who likes some structure mixed in with a little bit of freedom. I was an avid user of the standard planner for my entire educational career. It allowed me to jot down everything from homework to reminders. I could plan out daily work goals as well as write down social activities and meetings.
The On-the-Clock planner
– a daily layout with the days organised into time slots
This is for our busy ladies who have no time to spare. This planner will allow you to plan your days down to the half hour meaning that you constantly know what you are supposed to be doing and when you are supposed to be doing it. It is great if you have a lot of meetings or other things that run on a tight time schedule.
The Wall Planner
– a simple monthly calendar
This is for the planners who like to have an overview of the the past, present and future. There is only room for the essentials meaning that it displays whatever the two or three priorities are each day. Additionally, it makes it harder to forget things as it is displayed on your wall and therefore will be seen whether you want the reminder or not.
The Online Planner
– spans a virtual layout from years to specific times.
This planner is for those of you who are always on the go and like to pack lightly. It is accessible wherever you go, whatever you do as you can easily pull it up on your phone. You can also set online planners to send you a notification of things that are coming up meaning that you yourself don’t have to stress about remembering them.
The Blank Planner
– you decide the layout
This is for someone who doesn’t want to be confined to a set structure. Your planner is your blank slate in which you decide the layout for each month/day/week. A couple months ago I started a blank planner inspired by The Bullet Journal created by Ryder Carrol, however I quickly made it my own. Having a blank planner allows you to express yourself whether that be through drawings, quotes, journal entries or habit trackers. Your planner is your own and functions as an all in one for work, social, emotional, spiritual … you name it.
My best advice would be to play with all of the different types until you find one or a couple that will work for you. There is nothing that says you can’t use several at the same time; do whatever helps you achieve your goals and maximise your productivity.
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