Most people think that they need more time in a day to get everything done and done well. Unfortunately what they don’t realize is all the ways they would already have enough time if they didn’t lose it here and there throughout the day. What they really need is to be more EFFECTIVE with the time they do have!

Fortunately there is a solution to losing time and that is to utilize a planner and/or time management system to get organized and make the most of the time you have. There are ways to avoid time lost.

Most people have heard of the basics about using a daily planner but have still not embraced the transformative effects it can have in their lives. Take a look at the top 7 reasons why everyone – including you – should start using a work and or life planner.

Top 7 Benefits of Using Calendar Planners for Business and Personal Life Organization

It Helps with Getting Organized and Time Management

Have you ever caught yourself thinking that there is never enough time in a day for everything? If you have then it’s probably because you aren’t scheduling your time effectively. Many busy people run from one thing to the next without taking time to organize their days. Using a planner and looking at not only daily but weekly, monthly and yearly events lets you know what to expect and plan accordingly. Set specific intention, goals, due dates and deadlines for work, life and family will help you stay on track and have plenty of time each day. 

 Improve Your Productivity through Creativity

Did you know that you can not only use your planner to schedule your days, weeks, months, years, etc. you can also use it as an organizational tool by doodling & drawing on the pages and in the margins to stimulate creative thoughts and stay focused? Many of my clients use colored pencils, pens, crayons, stickers, custom sticky notes and other creative tools to keep their days on track. We have also found that when you make mundane tasks more creative and fun, you are less likely to procrastinate and in the long run get way more done in less time.

Project Management for Work, Life and Home

Planners allow you to break down projects into small tasks complete with customized checklists. You can treat almost anything like a project and efficiently handle everything from housework, meal planning, bill paying, chores, homework, shopping and more. The best way to use your planner as a project management tool is to break down each “project” into tasks that don’t take more than 15 minutes each. Set each one up with tasks and a checklist and you are good to go.

Set, Track and Measure your Achievements and/or Goals

Another great way to use a planner is for goal management. You can set your goals, track them and measure your results. With a planner, you can even plan time to celebrate regular wins when you achieve the goals you set! Keeping track of your results lets you quickly identify what is working and action steps to correct what is not. It also reminds you to celebrate and congratulate yourself on following through with what you wanted to do and completing it.

Mental Health and Brain Benefits

Writing everything important down in one place and keeping track of your priorities helps to reduce stress, anxiety and overwhelm. Your mind worries less and you are able to focus on what is important in your life rather than being overrun by everything whether it is critical or not. Your planner pages also make a great brain dump area where you can write and/or draw some great mind maps and learn more about yourself and how you operate. Additionally you are able to remember more and forget less when you record your thoughts, contacts and ideas all in one place. Using these pages each day lets you enjoy what is in front of you, put to rest what is done and plan for what is ahead.

Improved Physical Health

Yes! Your physical health will also improve significantly when you get organized and make time for yourself. When you use a written planner, it will help you spend less time in front of a screen and also encourage meal planning and healthy eating. Your planner will also help you keep track of and schedule regular doctor and dental appointments. Last but not least you can make sure you get enough fresh air and vitamin D by scheduling time spent outdoors. 

Stand Out While Connecting With Others

A creative planner gives you a great opportunity to showcase your ideas and unique style. The colors, graphics and customized pages are fun ways to display your brand and personality. I recommend using a 3 ring binder style planner so that you can swap out pages and add tabs to it as you want/need. You can also add special paper, pockets and presentation pages for additional style and creativity. Bring it with you EVERYWHERE and stay focused, fun and productive.

Using A Master Planner System for Maximum Benefit

Here at Zen Biz Boss, we have found that planners work best when they are a combination of digital and physical planners which incorporate a shared calendar, planner templates, printed planner pages and a 3 ring binder along with creative tools such as colored pencils, highlighters, customized post-it notes, creative tabs, coloring pages and creative paper offer the best results.  A master planner system will allow you to customize the planner pages on a computer and then print them and add to a 3 ring binder.

How about you? Do you use a planner and are they digital, physical or a combination?

p.s. Download our FREE 2019-2020 Planner below