Ask Yourself this Before Purchasing a New Planner

Today I want to channel my inner Elle Woods and talk about something *super fun* - planners!!!

Oh my gosh, are you so excited?

Here’s the thing, I love planners. Really, I love all organizational products. But I hold a special place in my heart for paper planners.

In fact, one of the most frequently asked questions I get is “Do you have a planner recommendation?”. To which I reply, “Do I ever?!”.

But before I can make a recommendation, I have just a few questions to ask (and out rolls one of those never-ending scrolls!!).

If you have a pile of unused planners, you know too well that so often we jump to solve a problem without first truly understanding what the problem is. 

In order to find a planner that can actually help you get organized and feel like you have it together, you need to understand how you’ll use it, where you’ll use it, what you’ll be tracking, and a host of other preferences that are so important.

While I can tell you that I currently use the Monk Manual and am really loving it, I might not recommend it for you. And that depends on why you want a planner in the first place.

So, if you’ve been in the office supply aisle recently shopping for school supplies and found yourself eyeing the beautiful planners that are out there, here are the 7 questions that I think you need to answer before you swipe your credit card and bring home another planner that might end up collecting dust with the others. 

7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before You Buy a New Planner

1. Why do you want a planner?
   It's ok if your answer is because they're pretty or 'I want to be the type of person who uses a planner'. Those aren't silly reasons. But wanting a planner because you think it will change your life... that's not very realistic. A planner is just a tool. Only you have the power to change your life. Make sure you know your reason.

2. What’s not working about your current system for time/schedule management?
   Think about all of the items that fall through the cracks, the appointments that you've double-booked, the deadlines that you missed. Why did those things happen? Where is the process broken? Be extra clear on this question so that you can be sure you're solving for the right problems.

3. When you have something important to remember - task, event, note - where do you store that information so you won’t forget?
   Do you reach for your phone, a post-it, your calendar, or email? What's your natural tendency? Paper or digital? I don't want you to implement something so drastically different from what you're used to that you struggle to make it successful. Let's meet you where you are as you establish new habits.

4. Where do your to-dos items currently live?
   Do you have a centralized place for to-dos? If not, that's the first problem you need to solve because not all planners have built-in to-do list management. If you don't have a consistent, centralized place, you're going to need to create one and create it before you get a new planner or any other tool.

5. Are you "on the go" or somewhat stationary throughout your day?
   This answer will help you determine the size and format of your planner. Someone who sits at a desk for most of the day can use a larger, heavier planner. If you're on the go, you may want something smaller that fits in your bag or even a digital option that you can access at any time.

6. How much control do you have over your day?
   For example, are 7 of your 8 work hours accounted for because you see clients almost every hour? Are you a teacher or a nurse with very little “free” time during the day to work on tasks? Or do you have a “desk job” with chunks of time to actually do the work when not in meetings? This will determine how much space you need for a daily or weekly spread and which layout you choose.

7. How committed are you to the success of your new planning system?
   Whether or not a planner is successful is more about your consistency than it is about planner design. Recognizing that you could "plan" with just a piece of paper is important. The planner might make it easier, but ultimately you're responsible for its success.

I know that you may feel the urge to skip these questions and just click 'Purchase' on that new planner anyway. I get it. When you're feeling overwhelmed, you just want to solve the problem.  

But what if you purchase a tool that adds to your overwhelm? What if your new planner doesn't actually help you solve the problem because you haven't identified what it is? 

The routines, systems, and MINDSET shifts that you create to support your new planning tool are where the magic really happens. 

If you're tired of searching for the "perfect" planner, and you're ready to create a solution that truly works with you, your schedule, and your tendencies, I would LOVE to help you. My coaching intensive is the perfect way to establish the strategy and the system that'll work for you while also getting some coaching on following through and committing to your success!

Book your free strategy session if you want to learn more about the coaching intensive and whether it could be just the thing for you.