I do, too. I am a proponent of technology. I use my smart phone all day - to check email, make calls, look up information, and check Facebook.
But for planning, I think it's time for most people to break up with technology.
Paper is a far superior way to plan!
Now, now, before you get all defensive, hear me out.
Your smart phone is still an excellent tool - for setting alarms, sharing information (including a joint/family calendar), or recording a voice memo.
But paper is the way to go for actual planning, EVEN IF you use the phone for other purposes.
Paper Projects a Cooperative Image
Imagine you are sitting in a meeting at work or a parent/teacher conference. If you put your phone on the table, there is an expectation that you will text, check email, or not give 100% to the conversation.
Even if you are disciplined enough to refrain, the message has been sent. The smart phone is the most important participant in the room.
A planner just doesn't send that message. Others around the table still feel valued - perhaps more highly valued if you take notes.
Paper Forces Active Thinking
Doodling, drawing, making lists, creating schedules...all of those acts are ways to organize your thoughts.
You simply cannot use a smart phone to create those links between separate ideas.
Paper Defines Limits
You can only write so many tasks in a single day's space on paper.
Instead of adding and adding items endlessly, you prioritize and do the most important things first when you use paper.
Paper Aids Memory
Writing creates memory in a way that typing or swyping does not.
When you write, you encode your brain to remember, even if you never look back at your planner.
Paper Doesn't Die
Smart phones do.
They also lose information, have bugs, and require boot up before entering data. Plus, entering the data is tedious.
For planning, a paper planner is a far superior device to a smart phone.
Let your techno friends know about the paper planner revolution by sharing on Facebook!
Etcetera.
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I agree. I have often tried to use my smartphone as a planner but then realized it wasn't going to happen. I always come back to my planner. Now my phone is used as a quick reminder for appts.
ReplyDeleteOh, I could go on and on as to how I absolutely agree with this. When I'm scheduling my next batch of nail appointments or meeting with a client, I reach for my planner while they go for the phone. No, I'm not ancient!
ReplyDeleteI agree! I put my shopping list on my phone, and put my doctor appointments there while in the doctor's office, but everything else goes in my planner!
ReplyDeleteI agree. I don't like it when I talk to people in conversations or in meetings, and they are staring at their phones. When I take minutes at a meeting, I use the computer- otherwise it's my planner or notebook. The phone is handy for taking pictures of things you want to remember. I've started to use this for ideas for Christmas presents. (Especially if the kids are present, and I don't want them to know what I'm doing.) The picture will jog my memory to write it down later.
ReplyDeleteHere's what I like about planners and paper calendars. They create a record of memories. Like I saved my calendar the year I planned my wedding. There are so many meetings and cool things I did with my bridesmaids that I would have forgotten if I'd have had notes on a phone. I did the same thing with the calendars for the years my kids were born and when they were babies. Ultrasound dates, doctors visits, milestones. Just a real treasure of memories that would otherwise be forgotten. Thanks for this post.
ReplyDeleteOver the years, there were many times I went digital-happy and tried to use apps or my computer in place of a planner. It never worked. I still use a few apps for specific purposes, but I am sticking to a paper planner for the long haul. I just need to work on my self-discipline in using it! lol
ReplyDeleteI love my planner! I use a ban.do one and it's wonderful. i never use my phone for organizing and planning.
ReplyDeleteliz @ sundays with sophie
I've tried both and even used a palm pilot when they were a thing. I've even used both concurrently along with outlook. What I've figured out over the years is that I suck at planners, calendars and reminders. But what I do find is that I like the phone for repeat events, like remembering it's rubbish day, and I prefer paper for one off events like meetings and appointments.
ReplyDeleteI love paper and all writing utensils I so love to plan and make list and doodle ... You get it. Phones have a place but so does actual writing. I am on board with you!
ReplyDeleteI HAVE to use Outlook at work for scheduling, and I struggle to separate my planning system (work/personal, task/appointment, I want - need - it to be all in the same place). I have been duplicating ALL my scheduling in paper and Outlook for ages. I finally grew tired of it and am trying to just run the system out of Outlook. It sucks for various reasons but works ok generally. I agree on the phone. I will note items to discuss on the appointment to refer to when I am there; on paper I just flip open the planner to see my "agenda" for the appointment. In Outlook I feel embarrassed to take out my phone so just take notes in my little notebook as needed and then get back to my desk and look at the appointment entry and realize I forgot to bring up this and that and need to follow up on phone or email. Sucks. But I think, for me, that trying to manage two systems is error-prone and difficult. So I am going to keep trying to figure out how to make the digital planning thing work.
ReplyDeleteI tried for 6 months to use the calendar on my smartphone as my husband was so sure it was the only way to go. After I forgot 2 peoples birthday's and missed a meal at a friends house I went back to my paper diary/planner!
ReplyDeleteI just couldn't see the whole week at a glance in the same way I can in my diary. I just saw dots that mean I'm doing something but until I open it up it could be 10 appointments or a school concert or a birthday... or all of them!
I am SO much better back with my paper diary - it's pretty, I have space for jobs that just need doing at some point in the week, I can see ahead at a glance and, like you said, the battery never runs out!
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DeleteJulia, I'm not sure what brand of smartphone you have, but on iPhone, all you have to do is flip the phone sideways & it switched from month/day view to week view. It looks just like a regular calendar where you can see the whole week at a glance. And you can set audible alarms to remind you of appointments, and you can easily set recurring appointments.
DeleteI have been having a niggling desire to go back to paper... you might have pushed me over the edge!! My phone calendar just hasn't been cutting it for me lately. Thanks for the thoughts!
ReplyDeleteI have always used a planner and felt defiantly oldfashioned for sticking with pen and paper. This post has cheered me up knowing that there are other champions of planners in the world.
ReplyDeleteI have to admit I was skeptical when I read the post title. However, you made some quite compelling points. I'm going to consider this!
ReplyDeleteI use both my paper planner and my notifications on my smartphone to help me remember. I think they both have a time and place. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteGreat post! While I use my smart phone for a lot of things, I do love my planner. Even something simple like checking my schedule seems easier...I just open up the book(instead of waking up my phone, finding the app, scrolling to that day, etc)
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for joining us at Share The Wealth Sunday!
xoxo
Lisa
I totally love my paper planners. There's something about physical writing that makes it more effective and cathartic for me. Thanks for sharing your posts with Small Victories Sunday Linkup. Pinned to our linkup board. I love the planning thoughts you bring to the linkup!
ReplyDeleteAs software platforms go, pen and paper will outlast anything out there. My information won't be in a format likely to obsolesce next year. ;-)
ReplyDeleteI love my paper planner! I've trued using my smart phone as a planner but there just isn't the same satisfaction as I get when I use paper and pen.
ReplyDeleteI agree! I have recently switched back from a digital planner to a paper planner. It's a bit of an adjustment, but I like it better. Thanks for sharing at My Flagstaff Home!
ReplyDeleteJennifer
Thanks for sharing your post on my What Are You Doing? Blog hop! I am starting to get back to writing in a notebook, and it does help with my memory.
ReplyDelete