Okay, so I have the tendency to throw the word “obsessed” around easily, but I really do love my planner.

Like many folks, I transitioned from using a paper planner to strictly digital tools many years ago. It was nice to have everything at my fingertips on my desk top or on my phone and know that I would still have my information if a device was lost.

However, there was something about physically writing really important things down on a daily basis that I couldn’t fully get away from. I already journaled on a regular basis, but I didn’t carry my journal around with me because, you know, I could lose it and some stranger could wind up reading my deepest, innermost thoughts. But there were some things in my journal that I did want to carry around, like my gratitude list.

Somewhere along the line I also learned that writing by hand is great for creativity, retention and commitment. I was sold on finding a paper planner.

So, in early 2019 I began my quest. I was blown away by all the creative options out there. I bought one gorgeous planner that I liked the idea of, but it was not organized to meet my needs, so I never used it.

Then I found the Panda Planner and it was love at first sight. Created with positive psychology as a foundation, I loved that it was so much more than a planner. It has room to record daily gratitude, what you’re excited about, big wins for the day and room for improvement. There is even a version that is built to help you maximize your VIA Character Strengths, which is one of the assessments I use in my coaching practice. I used that planner for most of 2019 with great success.

In 2020 I transitioned to the Self Journal. I really love the front sections that help you break down your goals into sub goals and tasks, write about why your goals are important to you and sign your name to seal your commitment. For some common goals, they even have templates on their website to help you create your plan.

I like everything I own to be both beautiful and functional and the Self Journal is a winner in that category. It is a really pretty planner with high quality paper and a cover you can get monogrammed.

I still use Google calendar to track all my appointments, Acuity for client scheduling and Asana for project management; I will continue to use those tools.

But my Self Journal is now an important part of my daily practice of starting my day with clear intentions. I love sitting down with my journal and a cup of coffee in the morning and writing in it at the end of the day, once I have shut down all technology.

Combined with yoga and meditation, my planner is just one tool in my tool chest to help me plan and maintain a laser focus on the day—literally the page in front of me.

So, if you are not satisfied with your planning, structure and accountability tools, you might want to give a paper planner a try. As with everything, you may have to try a few to find the one that’s right for you.

If you need support prioritizing and structuring your daily life to advance your goals, I’d love to speak with you. I think I can help.