Do you find that your planner has minor annoyances or problems that keep you from wanting to use it? If so, don’t give up yet – there might be a solution! Here are some easy ways to solve many of the common problems from using planners.
Running Out of Space
The first common problem people have with their daily planner is running out of space. Maybe you have a list of 10 things you must do, but the daily page only has 5 lines to fill in. Or you need to write down more details about a goal that the weekly notes section doesn’t provide. Here are some easy ways to fix issues with running out of space:
Use sticky notes. If you have more tasks for the monthly or weekly pages than there is room for, just write them down on sticky notes, then put them on the calendar pages.
Use the blank notes pages. Whether it comes with it or you add them into a binder yourself, note pages are so helpful! They can be used to write down any and everything that doesn’t fit on other pages.
Change how you use certain sections. If you have to, switch up how you use certain boxes on the daily planner page. For example, if there is a section to write down something like an affirmation or quote for the day, but you never use it, use this for extra writing space with something helpful to you.
Buy a larger planner. You may need a bigger planner altogether if you’re using a mini or small planner and running out of space! Look into planners that are at least 5×8″ in size, as they should accommodate if you write bigger. Read my blog post here on planner sizes and uses!
Regularly Missing Deadlines or Appointments
Do you find that even though you write your important dates and appointments down in your planner, you are still missing them? If so, here is what you can do to fix this problem.
Check your planner every day. Even if you don’t think you need it daily, you still need to see what you have going on. This is usually enough to stop missing important things.
Take a picture of your planner day. If you don’t carry your planner with you, take a picture of the important calendar pages or your task list for the day to quickly reference your phone while on the go.
Write down appointments on the daily planner pages. A common mistake is only keeping appointments written down on the monthly calendar page. If you do this, you also need to transfer it to the daily planner pages, or you will forget what you have going on.
Go digital. While this isn’t paper planning related, you can add appointments to your phone calendar! Once you add the appointment to your planner, immediately add it to your phone calendar. Then, add an alert so you’re reminded whether it is a week or a day earlier, so you don’t miss it.
Feeling Unmotivated to Use the Planner
It is easy to stay motivated when you first get your planner, but if you don’t use it much after a few days or weeks, here is what you can do to find that motivation again.
Turn it into a daily routine. Create a new morning or nighttime routine that includes using your planner. This will soon become a habit, where you don’t even have to think about it.
Set a timer on your phone. Maybe you like the planner but keep running out of time or forget to use it. If this sounds like you, just set a reminder on your phone that goes off once a day.
Make it fun and colorful. If you get bored easily with your planner, try making it more enjoyable with the process itself. Use color coding, add stickers and Washi tape, and find more to fill in that will keep you using it every day.
With just a few tweaks, you now have a planner that works for you! What type of modifications did you have to do to make your planner work for you?
