Paper planner or digital planner? What are the best planners and organizers? With all the technology we have available, it seems almost intuitive to choose digital. But if that’s the case, then why are paper planners still around? A lot of it comes down to understanding the pros and cons of each type of planner. Then choose what fits your personal style and preferences.
Paper Planner
Pros
- Ability to personalize and customize – Between stickers, different colored pens, sticky notes and more, it’s so easy to take a basic paper planner and customize it to fit your personal style. For some people, it’s this process that inspires new ideas and fosters creativity.
- Easy to flip through – In a world where swiping is second nature, being able to flip through the physical pages of a paper planner can actually be faster and more efficient than digital.
- Writing things down helps you remember them – Research has shown that writing information down, whether it’s lecture notes or a to-do list, actually helps you remember the information better because you are creating a connection between both sides of your brain. This process helps you organize the information as you write it down, making you more likely to remember it.
- Always accessible – You always have access to something in paper form, where digital planners require access to a device and rely on batteries being charged or the Internet being up and running.
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Cons
- Limited space to write – Depending on the size of your handwriting and how much you have going on, the space available in a paper planner may not be enough to contain all the information you need to stay organized.
- Takes up space in purse/bag – Planners come in all size, which could be considered a positive thing. But even a smaller planner can take up space in your purse or bag that could be used for something else.
- No back up – If you’ve ever lost a planner, you know the stress that goes along with it. Your notes, appointments, to-do lists and other important information is contained in it and now you don’t have access to it or a way to duplicate it and making a back up planner creates extra work.
Digital Planner
Pros
- Unlimited space – Thanks to technology and the cloud, you can have unlimited space available to record all the information you need. No limits to the number of items you can place on a particular day.
- Easy to edit – You can easily edit a digital planner by simply deleting. Unlike a paper planner which requires white out or some other form of erasing or replacing information.
- Automatic reminders – Recurring appointments and other reminders are easy to input in a digital planner, as well as setting alarms to remind you of important information.
- Sync across devices – Another advantage of technology is the ability to sync your information across devices. This makes information accessible from your phone, tablet or computer.
Cons
- Less personality – Digital planners are more about being straightforward and functional. The designers don’t generally worry as much about making them look pretty. So if you like to express and share your style through your planner, a digital one won’t fulfill that need.
- More tapping – We tap, tap, tap all day long on our computers and phones to access and share information. A digital planner is just another app you need to interact with to organize.
- More time looking at a screen – Being able to disconnect from technology is beneficial. If you use a digital planner, you’re not truly able to do this.
Do you prefer a paper planner or a digital planner? Whichever you use planners and organizers will increase your productivity!
