How to Use a Planner Effectively

Just buying a planner won’t help you get organized, you need the right planner and to know how to use it effectively. PurpleTrail wants to help so they have been kind enough to sponsor this post.

I have always enjoyed all stationary, including planners. I have had so many planners over the years and many have been hardly touched. A planner is not going to help you stay organized when you don’t use it.

How do you make your planner work for you? There are several things you can do this year when starting a new planner. This list will help you get started.

Decide Your Planning Style

When it comes to planning different things work for different people. The place you are in your life will somewhat play a role in what style works for you. There are three styles that are most common.

• Daily
• Weekly
• Monthly

I personally like weekly planners. I like to plan out my week on Sunday night and have an idea what the week will look like. This also seems to be a really popular planning style.

Create a Planner That Works for You

There are a lot of planners out there but even with all the options in the pre-made planner world, you may not find the perfect planner for you. A good way around that is a custom planner.

Recently, I learned about PurpleTrail and their custom planners. They allowed me to create my own planner and it was so much fun. It’s a really good option to make sure you can get exactly the planner you need.

You can pick a daily, weekly, or monthly planner and they have a ton of different covers. They also have three sizes, 4 x 6″, 6 x 8″ and 8.5 x 11″.

You also pick the type of cover you want, the layout that works for you, and the best part is the add-on pages. There are things like a nutrition tracker, fitness checklist, addresses, to-do lists, and a lot more. It’s nice to be able to add just the pages you will use.

Create a Planning Day

I like to plan on Sunday nights. It works well with the weekly planner I use and my planning preferences. Some people like to plan the whole month at once and some like to plan each night. Find what works for you and stick with it.

Also keeping any supplies you like to use in one place makes it easier and more likely that you will keep using your planner. I keep stickers, pens, bookmarks and anything else I’m currently using with my planner in a basket. I just take the basket and planner out whenever I’m going to plan.

Write Down Everything but Be Mindful

We have a lot going on in our lives and it can be easy to forget things. Writing down all birthdays, events, appointments and to-dos in your planner can help keep you from forgetting important things and also can help clear your brain.

However, be mindful of how much time you really have and create margin or you will be burned out.

“When you are stretched, frazzled, overwhelmed, and spent from following packed schedules, tackling never-ending to-do lists, and being pulled in every direction, you need margin. You need to eliminate certain things from your life that will give you breathing room.”- Say Goodbye to Survival Mode

Consider how long each task will take you and how many hours you really have in a day. Be sure to build in extra time in case something comes up or takes longer than planned. Doing this makes your planner less overwhelming and more useful.

Make Planning Fun

Planning can even become part of your self-care routine. I love to decorate my planner with stickers but for fun and functional reasons. This makes planning a fun and creative outlet.

You can get stickers on Etsy or at craft stores or in the case of the PurpleTrail planner you can even get stickers with the planner and buy more that are designed to work perfectly with the planner.

If you like to draw you could even keep a spot in your planner to add some doodles. Or maybe you are a list maker and putting lots of lists in your planner can help clear your brain. Find something that makes planning more fun and you are more likely to continue using your planner.

Be sure to check out PurpleTrail for not only great planners but all kinds of great stationery. 

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