As someone who loves to stay organized, I’ve often found myself torn between the convenience of digital planning and the satisfaction of pen-and-paper planning. Despite the multitude of features and customization options offered by digital planning apps and software, I cannot help but feel disconnected when I am looking at a screen rather than physically jotting things down on paper. On the other hand, paper planners offer a more tactile and personal experience, but can be bulky and difficult to carry around. It’s definitely a tough decision to make!
Paper or Digital?
I’ve tried using various digital planning apps and software over the years, but I always find myself missing the feeling of physically crossing something off my to-do list. There’s just something so satisfying about putting pen to paper and seeing your progress in real-time. At the same time, I can’t deny the convenience of being able to access my planner from anywhere with an internet connection. It’s especially useful for keeping track of appointments and deadlines since digital planners can often send reminders and notifications. I will add, though, Digital planning tools like tablets and annotation apps can provide a similar experience to paper planning since you can write down tasks and cross them out when completed.
Digital planning with tablets can be an excellent way to scratch your creative itch while staying organized at the same time. With the use of annotation apps, you can let your creativity go by sketching out your ideas and thoughts, and yes your tasks. I love the flexibility of being able to edit, change, and move your ideas around until you find the perfect arrangement. Being able to choose your own fonts, colors, and backgrounds makes the planning process more fun and personalized. Staying on top of your work while enjoying the creative process is a win for me.
The Best of Both Worlds
Ultimately, I think the choice between digital and paper planning comes down to personal preference and lifestyle. For me, I like to use a combination of both, but only one at a time. Currently, I’m big into digital planning, but realize that at a moment’s notice, I can drop it for a month or two and set my paper planner up again. My creativity with paper planners is often expressed in the creation of inserts and changing them up…often! It’s the best of both worlds!