136: Using Paper Planners Will Fail You

One of the greatest blunders and wonders of our time is digital media. We use our smart devices for everything, but is that something we should be proud of or should we move back to simpler times and simpler ways?

In today’s episode, we’re talking about paper planners and why they’re making a huge comeback and why I have started used them again.

I recently have been feeling very overwhelmed. Life gets in the way and without something to help hold me accountable, I tend to ignore the issues sitting on my ever-growing to-do list. For this reason, my blog has been neglected, my podcast has had only a handful of episodes in 2018.

It’s not that I haven’t wanted to, I’ve let life take control instead of me taking control of my life. This is why I’ve taken to looking at solutions in helping me stay organized, goal oriented, and forward focused.

I recently purchased a new day planner. This planner is not a typical one that comes pre-determined with a calendar and daily pages. This planner helps you organize your goals into quarters, break them down by month, and by week, then by day. The planner I purchased, This is My Era.

I’ve looked at all sorts of planners, even looked at getting Michael Hyatt’s, Full Focus Planner, but when the rubber hit the road, I didn’t want to part with a whole lot of cash on a system that I may or may not like. So, when I was told by my father about the “This is my Era” planner, I knew I should take a closer look. I liked what I saw.

But what does using a planner cost you? Nothing but a few dollars and time. That’s it.

I opened this post with a statement that paper planners will fail you. That seems illogical, people use them all the time, but paper planners will fail you if you don’t use them to further your goals and stay motivated to do something to take your goals and massive to-do list into your hands and make something happen.

1. Paper planners allow you to focus your attention on the here and now.

My problem with life is it gets in the way of doing life. I tend to have an ever-growing to-do list that never seems to be quenched. I needed a system that would help me accomplish more. I needed to focus my attention on the here and now.

Until the past week, I’ve been using a digital calendar. It’s not working. I go to use my calendar and get distracted by Facebook or YouTube. Not a good solution if you’re trying to get more done in less time.

I began this year with a paper planner, a cheap daily calendar – but I stopped using it in February. Not a good start to a new years resolution. That’s when things started going downhill. And as a result, my weekly tasks got shoved to the side and things fell through the cracks.

Utilizing a goal-oriented planner, not just the daily calendar, I’ve been able to be more focused and in fact, I’ve been impressed at how much I’ve accomplished this week. I’ve remained focused.

2. Goal planning doesn’t have to be hard, it needs to be worth it.

Most people would say that goal planning is difficult. And for a lot of people, they’re right. Not because of how hard it is, but because they don’t have the drive to put together goals to accomplish within a year’s time.

For the last several years I’ve been big about goal planning. Yearly, I sit down to plan out my annual goals. Sometimes I accomplish them, but a lot of the time, they end up stuck on a digital bookshelf, like Evernote and hardly visited.

One great thing about using paper, you always carry it with you. I’ve been a fan of Moleskine notebooks, I have a few, they’re clean, sleek and look great. But using them for goal planning works great, and you can take it everywhere you go.

Goal planning doesn’t have to be hard. It needs to be worth it. Whether you’re planning out your annual goals or monthly goals, take the time to write down each action step you need to do to accomplish that goal. Think through each step and make it a priority.

3. Yes, it’s okay to marry a paper planner and a digital calendar.

I mentioned above that I was all digital and things got stuffed in the never-ending digital to-do list or calendar. One thing I’ve enjoyed about using this new paper planner, I can take my lists and digital calendar and use them together.

In fact, I encourage using a hybrid system for helping you achieve your goals. I write my big goals down in the paper planner then I set dates on my calendar when those should be accomplished. Or if I have a meeting planned, I’ll put it into google calendar then transfer it into my paper planner on the monthly overview or individual day.

This way, I can use both worlds, but the Paper is less distracting and I can access that anytime without looking at my digital calendar. This way, I can stay focused.

4. Paper planners give you the freedom to see your big wins, learn your lessons and keep you focused on what’s ahead.

One of the benefits of using a planner like, “This is My Era”, is it helps you really think through each goal, win, and the lessons you learn each day. I begin each day by reflecting on what I’m thankful for and then write down a quick affirmation. It’s like your own personal affirmation coach. The more you look at how you’re doing each day and each week, the more excited you’ll be to see your wins and failures.

Every week I’ll be sitting down and looking through each day and affirming my wins and noting my lessons learned. This will help me to look forward to the new week with gusto and begin fresh with new eyes to see my goals fulfilled.

Sure, you can do a digital planner for all these same things, but there is something powerful to taking your pen and applying it to the paper. Seeing your handwriting does something to the brain. It fires the imagination and allows you to truly see where you’re life is headed. Then at the end of the quarter, you begin a new planner and move ahead in accomplishing your stated goals for the year.

5. My recommendations on planners you can use to achieve your biggest goals.

Michael Hyatt’s Full Focus Planner
This is My Era

Whether you use a digital planner or a paper planner, make sure you’re consistent. I say this because I have not been consistent in my own goals for 2018. It’s been a tough year in that regards. I’ve tried, but now I’m on the straight and narrow and if I want to see more books written and be a better person, planning must take center stage each day.

[reminder]How? By journaling and planning each day in my new paper planner. What do you say? Want to join me?[/reminder]