Using your paper planner as a journal

There are a lot of people who prefer keeping their calendar on their phone. For some it is more convenient and in some cases it is required by their job. This doesn't mean you have to give up a paper planner.

A paper planner can be so many things. Instead of jotting everything down on a peice of random paper or writing it on an envelope or your hand, reach for your paper planner. Even if you dont record your appointments in the planner, you can still use the spaces in the month and week to jot reminders. This way it is all in ONE book and not scattered about on postits or on crumpled paper in your pocket.

Its nice to have ONE place to jot everything down and it doesn't just have to be notes, it can be all the things you can't do with your electronic calendar. You can put pen to paper and write little journal entries or document your mood for the day or use it as a scrapbook and tape in photos and imagery to inspire you on your life journey.

Pen to paper is very powerful. You wouldn't want to miss out on an experience that grounds you and gives you a moment of the day to sit with your thoughts and write messages to yourself. I find writing in a journal and in my paper planner very theraputic. It can be a meditative practice.

Here are some of the things you could write in your paper planner:

Meal Planning

Dream Journal

Gratitude Journal

Fitness Journal

Quick mini on the go journal entries.

Social Media Content record and planner

Use your imagination, trust your instinct.

The sky's the limit.

Dated or Non-dated?

In October, I get excited because it is time to choose my planner for the coming year.

Before there was Amazon, I would go to all the major office supply chains. I knew them all by heart and knew which kinds of planners were usually in each store. Sometimes I would go to the local Office supply stores like the wonderful Atlas Stationers, here in Chicago. Back in the day you would find me at "Order From Horder." There were also the Franklin Covey stores peppered throughout the city and suburbs. For many years I used a Franklin Covey Planner, going all the way back to when it was just the Franklin Planner (before the Covey merger.) It was just a catalog then. There were also Daytimers and Filofaxes. If you ever had the pleasure of visiting an actual Filofax store it was a definite treat. The high end of planners. There also was the Levengers brand at Macy's. I am not sure if it is still there.

Now with Amazon, I can shop for planners and planner supplies in the comfort of my own home and anytime I please. And ironically, this year, I chose a planner that you can't find on Amazon and maybe that is why it's extra special. I am currently using the Commit30 planner and its only available at their website.

So when it comes down to it, you have two choices. You can use the traditional dated planner or a non-dated planner.

I like a dated planner because the entire year is already laid out for me. But I have found value in non-dated planners as well. The obvious value of the non-dated planner is that you can start using it any time you wish. There are tons of these kind of planners and some of the planner companies that sell them, sell nothing BUT non-dated planners. One of the things I don't like about some of these companies is that they will sell a 90 day planner which means you have to buy FOUR of them to fill the year.

So it's a dated planner for me. There are many kinds from simple date books to full on life planning with extra pages and worksheets to help you with your life goals. There are planners that gear towards business and some that are more personal and journal like. There are fitness planners and financial planners. These days there seems to be a planner for everything and everyone.

So go over to Amazon and take a look at all the possibilities. I will be reviewing several of them soon and hope this can be a place where you can compare different planners to help you pick out the one that is right for you.

Christmas in a Snow Covered Town