In this technology age, especially since the adoption of smartphones, a lot of people feel ashamed of using a paper planner and try to convince themselves to use a digital one. I was actually once told by a business partner that my paper planner was damaging my professional image! Well maybe if looking professional means being equipped with the latest electronic gadget.

But certainly not if it means being on time for an appointment and meeting deadlines. My paper planner certainly helped me achieve both of those objectives.

One thing that’s certain though is that we need a tool to manage our life and time. Even if you have an excellent memory, why would you clutter your brain with information that you can jot down somewhere, forget about and then refer to when you need it? A planner allows you to focus on what you have to do and, hence, improve your efficiency.

The other thing that’s certain is that there can only be one tool. One planner for home and one planner for work just won’t do; these two worlds don’t co-exist but they are inter-related.

However, the tool you use – either paper or digital – is irrelevant provided it works for YOU.

Since being “told off” about my paper planner, I have moved onto using a digital planner, but only because the benefits offered by it made it an attractive option for me.

I find a digital planner to be great if:

1. Other people – your secretary, boss, team members or spouse – need to access your schedule or share theirs with you.

2. Your schedule is made up of recurrent meetings, appointments and activities that you can easily create through a single data entry in your planner.

3. You want to have a backup in case you lose your planner.

4. You benefit from colour-coding the various types of activities in your schedule.

5. You need to do searches by date and keyword.

6. You make appointments and plan your workload when you are on the go, especially if you tend to rely on a bulky and heavy paper planner.

But if you find technology to be cumbersome, or even a little bit scary, or if you feel that writing is more natural and much faster for you than typing, don’t fight your inclinations and stick to a paper planner.

Whichever tool you decide to use, I find it helpful to spend some time getting used to it and also customising it to your specific needs. That’s one of the topics I cover as part of my Time Management Coaching Programme, so feel free to contact me if you need help getting back in control of your time. I’d love to help you!