Are You Using Your Paper Calendar Correctly?

Thursday, October 13, 2022

Unless you are one of those people who do not have a care in the world and never have to look at a cell phone clock or wall calendar, then maybe some tips on how to best use your paper desktop calendar or planner will just be ignored.  

But who are these people?  

In today’s frantic world of keeping up with busy lifestyles that revolve around knowing the when, where, and who of every hour, it is not a stretch to say that those carefree people rarely exist. We all need a little extra help managing our hectic lives. 

Sometimes we may feel pulled in too many directions with all our obligations. And to make matters more complicated there are numerous distractions that can draw attention away from our tasks at hand and often these are from the digital world in which we live. The stress of chaos can creep in before we know it if we do not manage to keep track of all the moving parts.  

There are easy steps to take and simple adjustments to make that can help organize our days and weeks of personal and professional lives into neat nuggets of wisdom that keep us organized and on time. A little effort can lead to positive outcomes regarding how to navigate all that we have to do. 

Paper Planners and Calendars for the Win! 

Some folks may think that using a desk pad calendar or paper desk planner should have already been deemed archaic along with the Betamax and floppy disk. This is a common misconception as people rely on technology more frequently to track tasks, events, and other responsibilities. Digital calendars and alerts on our mobile phones are certainly helpful but lack a tangible connection that reinforces our daily goals.  

A good first step to using a paper planner effectively is decluttering and organizing your environment. It might seem like obvious advice to place your planner where you can readily see it but considering the other things that can pile up on our desks including unopened mail or today’s lunch debris, then maybe a nudge in this area is spot on.  

Place your calendar on your desk where you are going to see it and use it and not load things on top of it. Allow this to be your starting point in planning your day and week. As a part of your morning routine read through what is indicated for your day and then you can map out your time accordingly. This is essential if you don’t want to be surprised by a meeting you forgot or a deadline you missed.  

As you develop this morning routine, also consider good stopping points during the day to continually stay on top of scheduled tasks and events. And at the end of the day give your calendar one last glance to remind yourself about what is coming up for the following day. Adhering to this schedule every day will turn this chore into a habit upon which you rely.  

The Satisfaction of Making a List 

Paper planners have become more than a calendar for your desk or briefcase. They provide space for ideas and plans. Most are designed to not just note appointments, but they also are a perfect tool for creating comprehensive to-do lists. And for some, one of the great joys in an organized life is to pick up a perfect pen – the kind that feels great in your hand and has just the right amount of ink – and check things off one by one. In this respect, a paper planner or calendar provides a sense of accomplishment with which the digital calendar world cannot compete.  

Some More Advantages of Using a Paper Planner 

Relying on the technology of our computers and phones may make us feel more organized but it also has the potential for allowing some responsibilities to fall through the cracks. One of these risks is the use of multiple shared calendars. While seemingly thorough and convenient, shared calendars with their multiple users can create a feeling of disorganization and missed opportunities. This can especially occur when all the calendars in which you use are not synchronized across devices. What looks like updated information on one page can be a blank page on another.  

These mistakes can be avoided by simply using a paper planner or even a laminated wall calendar.  

Another benefit paper has over digital is that most of us are visual learners and paper planners are a tangible, visual tool. The very act of your hand on pen and paper reinforces the ability to remember work responsibilities, kids’ dentist appointments, and birthday celebrations. It allows you to feel in control and eliminates that nagging feeling that you forgot something.  

Have you considered using a paper planner, desktop calendar, or laminated wall calendar for your personal and professional needs? Or what about adding one to your digital organizational and productivity tools? Learn more about the variety of available paper planners and calendars that keep you writing on paper in a digital world.