choosing the right planner

I have bought planners before because I loved the way they looked, and then realized a few weeks later that I didn’t actually know what to put in them.

Now I try to start with my life instead.

What do I really need to keep track of? Appointments, small everyday tasks, longer projects, things I want to remember? The answer usually tells me much more about the kind of planner I need than the cover does.

Some seasons of life need a whole page for each day. Other times, a weekly spread is plenty. I like monthly pages for seeing the bigger picture, and undated planners when I know I won’t use one consistently enough to fill every week.

There is also the very ordinary question of where I will actually use it. A beautiful paper planner is not very helpful if it is always sitting at home when I need it. A digital planner can go everywhere with me, but sometimes I still want the feeling of writing something down on paper.

I have learned not to redesign my entire planning system the moment I find something new.

Instead, I try the layout for a week.

I notice whether there is enough room to write, whether I can find things easily, and whether opening it feels simple or strangely like another task.

The best planner, for me, is not the one that can hold everything.

It is the one I keep coming back to.