How to Get Started With Digital Planning
Digital planning has become one of the number one ways to organize your life. Many people curate their business around creating digital planners (like me!) to help others have that function. And while there are so many planners to choose from, it can get overwhelming when you have no idea where to start!
In this article, a five-step plan is broken down to help you figure out how you can start your digital planner journey. From what device and app you should use, the best planner you should try, and how to make your planning routine more fun!
Step 1: Get a device
Right now, you’re probably reading this off your phone. That’s great! You’re one step closer to actually planning! While the majority of the planning community uses their iPad or tablet, you don’t necessarily need to have one to plan. It is a nice addition, but many aren’t aware that your phone or even your laptop is compatible to use!
You can plan anywhere from your phone, your tablet, or your laptop/desktop. The format of each planner can vary from device to device, but they function as well as any! The best part of this, if your devices are synced, you can use your planner on all of them!
Step 2: Get a PDF annotating app
A digital planner won’t work unless you have a PDF annotating app. This is how they were designed to be used. Fortunately, there are many options for you to choose from!
On Apple, the most popular apps are GoodNotes and Notability. GoodNotes offers a one-time purchase for $29.99 or an annual subscription for $9.99. There is also a free option but with limited features. I use the free version because the features offered in the paid version are not something I need. GoodNotes is also available on non-Apple devices for $6.99.
Notability is only available on Apple products. Their features are similar to GoodNotes but have more features blocked behind a paywall. A free version is available along with an annual premium plan for $14.99. When I was in school, I always used Notability for notes. The organization features could’ve been updated more similarly to GoodNotes, but their tools were a lot more better and user-friendly, in my opinion as a student.
Now a free option for Apple users is CollaNote. I haven’t used this app but based on reviews and friends in the planning community, it’s a great non-costly alternative!
For Android and PC users, the Penly app is available. It’s $5.49 for a one-time purchase with features similar to the apps stated previously.
There is also the option of Microsoft OneNote, you’ll need a Microsoft account to access the app. There is a free version along with a $6.99/month or $69.99/year plan for premium access. Features in the premium plan are not limited to OneNote and are shared among other Microsoft apps.
Step 3: Do some research
It’s important to be knowledgeable before you purchase something. Do some research about digital planning before diving into it blind. More specifically, ask yourself these questions:
- What kind of planning template do I want to use?
- Do I need a simple planner with the basics or do I want more features?
- Am I going to care about the design of the planner when it comes to color/aesthetics?
- What day of the week do I want my planner to start?
- Dated or undated?
It’s a lot, but these questions matter. Here’s a quick breakdown of each question to help:
What kind of planning template do you use? Yearly, monthly, weekly, and daily are the basic four planning templates. Usually, they are formatted as a year-at-a-glance calendar, a monthly calendar, a weekly view plus additional space for notes/to-do lists, and a time log with additional space for notes/to-do lists respectively.
Year-at-a-glance is getting the big picture down, marking birthdays, holidays, vacations, or other important dates.
Monthly calendars are looking ahead for the month, planning appointments, work deadlines, projects, workout routines, celebrations, and anything worth noting. It can be viewed as a general plan for the next four weeks.
Weekly views have the most variations because some can be vertical or horizontal. But the main focus is getting the main events for the week down along with jotting down more specific items on your to-do lists or notes section. Some templates also offer a time log for a weekly view.
Daily views are simple and have a time log to block out your day with your routines and schedules. Along with to-do lists and notes sections, those are the most common formats of a daily view.
Do you need a basic planner or more features? This can tie in with the question of what you want to plan. If you’re looking for a planner that allows you to plan your week or day, then stick to the basics. The majority of planners have these incorporated and you will have plenty of options!
But, if you’re interested in planning because of goal setting or meal planning, then search for planners that have those options. Many planners have customizable sections included, this brings in the option to add more additional planners within the one. It helps to make a list of the things you want to plan so you know what you’re looking for. It’s also helpful to order the list by importance so it’s easier to let go of one feature for a bigger one.
Does color/design matter? One of the reasons digital planning is popular is because of its aesthetic. The planning community on Pinterest and Instagram knows how to make things look good, so if the design and color of the planner are important to you that’s okay! Who doesn’t want to have a nice planner? When looking for one, just make sure that the function of the planner also matches your needs. Thankfully there are many planners out there that are pretty and functional!
What day of the week? Yes, the day of the week is important. Sunday or Monday? It’s self-explanatory, if you think the week starts on Sunday, get a Sunday start planner. If you think it starts on Monday, then a Monday start planner.
Dated or undated? Dated makes it easier to just worry about planning, not much prep has to be done since you don’t have to add in dates. However, after the planner is done, you can’t reuse the planner. Now, undated planners—you can reuse them however many times you want (just make sure to keep the original PDF file!). But, you have to add in dates yourself which can be tedious.
Truly, it’s one feature over another. Which would you prefer?
If you still feel a little uneasy and don’t want to commit, check out freebie options. Many creators in the planning community have downloadable options for free to give you a sample of digital planning! At Marvelous Planners, a weekly freebie template is available after signing up for their newsletter!
Step 4: Start small
Planning can be exciting, especially when starting fresh! But don’t dive in just yet! The whole point of planning is to create a routine and habit. You want to progress into this routine change, so start small!
Either set a timer for 10 minutes to start or write the necessities first. Doing the most in the beginning can be overstimulating, it can also take a lot of time out of your day when you’re experimenting. Take a breath and work your way up. Over time, you’ll understand what your process is, it’ll become second nature. Right now, your focus should just be implementing that habit!
Step 5: Add things to make it fun!
Make it more enjoyable by listening to your favorite music, eating a snack, or whatever you’d like! Planning doesn’t have to be boring, make it a habit you can look forward to!
Bonus Tip: Be open to evolving!
Once you start, you won’t be able to stop! You’ll love the process and the routine. Over time you’ll want to get a new planner, experiment, and change things up. It’ll be a fun journey and Marvelous Planners will be here to help you every step of the way! Plan marvelously!
