Do you use paper planners, but are you curious about digital planning? Have you ever asked yourself “should I switch from a paper planner to a digital planner?” ". So, this article is here to reveal the main advantages of adopting a digital planner.
Whether it's for work or study, you need tools to stay organized, manage your schedule and manage your tasks. Planners allow you to structure many aspects of your life.
Digital planning combines the traditional method of paper planning with the benefits of the digital world.
Why I switched from paper planner to digital planner
I have always loved writing down my goals, thoughts and organizing my tasks on planners and paper notebooks. I like to draw my ideas freely to give life to my projects.
In 2019 I decided to purchase a iPad Pro and one Apple Pencil in order to adopt a more minimalist approach and less cluttered with objects. I had also decided to only buy digital books to read with a Kindle . With an iPad, I could take study notes directly on PDF files, rather than printing out tons of paper and having my desk completely cluttered.
I started right away by downloading the application GoodNotes on iPad. As I became more comfortable with note-taking on iPad, I realized I would also need to find a solution for my many paper planners and notebooks to further declutter.
This is how this new method opened up to me and I was totally won over! Little by little, I discovered all the advantages of the digital planner.
Today, I've been using digital planning for several years and it's the best change I've made.
The reasons why you need a digital planner
In this article, I share all the reasons why I decided to switch to digital diary, as well as the benefits and advantages that this method brings to my personal and professional organization.
#1 Looks like a paper planner
We all know a little about benefits of handwriting , but as a quick reminder, writing allows us to better retain information and release our creativity. To achieve the goals we set for ourselves, handwriting is an essential tool! You can read more on the subject here .
When we move on to organizing with a 100% digital method, like Google Calendar, Notion, Airtable and many other applications, we lose the benefits associated with handwriting.
This is the reason why I would never have left my paper planners, even with a passion for digital. (If digital planners didn't exist, we'd agree.)
This is where digital planning is absolutely brilliant. Digital planners are PDF files specially designed to be used with an iPad or Android tablet, a stylus and an annotation application such as GoodNotes (IOS only) or Noteshelf (IOS and Android).
Digital planners look like or imitate paper planners. You can write and annotate as you would with a traditional planner with a stylus compatible with your tablet.
In addition, with the hypertext links of digital planners, you can press a tab to access a page or section of your digital planner, a bit like going through the pages of a traditional planner.
I wrote this article to help you know the main planning features of the GoodNotes app.
#2 No more office supply clutter
One of the best advantages of the digital planner! In addition to not accumulating paper and physical notebooks, you will no longer need to buy all the office supplies.
Adopt a Zero paper life means no longer needing to store paper punches, printer, printer ink, planner stickers, pens, markers, binders, and many other small accessories.
I loved putting this together, it was even more fun getting office supplies. But it's very liberating when you don't need any of that anymore and it's all in your tablet, it's all reusable.
So your iPad stores everything for digital planning. The stickers, the pens, the notebooks, everything is digital, everything is reusable. You can copy and paste the stickers endlessly! Better yet, no more spending hundreds on all the office accessories.
#3 My digital planners are always with me
Another essential advantage for planning enthusiasts is the possibility of always having access to the various planners that we may have.
That said, who leaves here has ever used more than one planner per year? Raise your hand ! (ME, certainly!).
Sometimes we want to have different planners to organize and manage distinct aspects of our lives. You can choose a professional planner, another for your family and personal life, for your life goals, or for your physical health (training and nutrition). The possibilities are limitless.
So when you embrace digital planning, all your planners are always at your fingertips. Best of all, it doesn't take up any physical space (hello, point #2).
And when we say within reach, we also say, being able to synchronize your digital planners on your cell phone and your computer. With an app like GoodNotes and syncing to iCloud, you have access to all your notes.
Digital planners are easier to transport!
Those who know me from social networks (if this is not the case, come say hello to me on Instagram ) know that I am a full-time traveler. Inasmuch as digital nomad , I always have my diaries and notebooks with me and it's so practical. I couldn't store new planners every time I finished using them.
#4 Digital planners are very customizable
When we talk about no longer needing office supplies as in point #2, we must immediately mention that digital planners are customizable. You no longer need to buy pens, but now you will have a multitude of colors!
Here are some ideas to personalize your digital planner and make it unique:
- Create custom color palettes for your digital pens and markers. (Hint: I use the website Coolor.co to select beautiful color palettes and then add the color code to GoodNotes 5).
- You can use handwriting or write on the computer (and choose your favorite font — mine is Bradley Hand).
- Easily move text and other elements, use the lasso tool.
- Add photos, images, digital stickers from your camera roll.
- Duplicate, rearrange or add new pages to your planner or notebook.
- Change the cover of your diary.
- If you like to keep your notebooks clean, with digital there are no more scratches. It's very easy to erase, change the color of the text or edit.
#5 Digital calendars are searchable and paper calendars are not.
You can easily find anything in your notebooks or diaries!
Have you ever taken note of something and no longer remember where you put it?
With the app GoodNotes , one of the functions is the possibility of finding handwritten notes. No more going through all the pages of a notebook to find a note. Just type in the keyword you are looking for and you will find all the references.
#6 Rearranging tasks and repeating them is quick and easy.
Your organization of the month, week or day may change, but don't worry, you will no longer need to cross out your diary to correct it. When you plan with a digital planner, you can erase tasks with the eraser tool of the annotation application. You can also move a task or an appointment with the lasso tool or just do a copy and paste wherever you want.
Scheduling on iPad allows you to be especially flexible and create repetitive tasks , i.e. duplicate pages, create indexes or move tasks.
#7 It’s fun and creative
This new way of planning or writing is as fun as when you used paper and allows you to have a fun experience every day. I love transforming and decorating the monthly and weekly pages of my digital planner. I'm sure you will love it too and this will be your list of benefits of the digital planner.
You can try with different ways of writing and several colors. I often create color palettes. You can have idea books or a creative journal to explore your artistic side.
To personalize your planner, read the article: how to import and use digital stickers with a digital planner .
#8 It’s easy to share
You can easily share your planner with your friends, family, work colleagues or your spouse. I recommend the app GoodNotes because one of the features is the ability to collaborate with other users. When you invite a friend to contribute, you will be able to view and modify the same digital planner.
Another option, if you don't want to share your entire personal diary, you can save one of the annotated pages and send it to a colleague for example. No need to scan a page like you would have done with a planner or paper notebook.
#9 Digital planners help reduce waste.
It is an option for those who want to embark on an environmentally friendly approach. Of course you have to buy an iPad and an Apple Pencil, but as we saw in point #2, you will greatly limit the purchases of products related to traditional stationery. Zero paper means zero office gadgets . So, when you buy digital planners, you are opting to reduce consumption and waste.
#10 Digital planning is affordable and reusable
You choose a digital notebook and all you have to do is duplicate the file endlessly! When you no longer have office supplies and you can simply reuse your notebooks, stickers, digital pens, that's the magic of digital planning. Everything is reusable.
If you decide to adopt undated planners for example, then there is no need to spend tons on paper planners each year.
In conclusion, the advantages of the digital planner: it is the best of two worlds
Win time for our most important activities in life.
These advantages of the digital planner save you time! This is very important for those seeking an organized and productive life.
Here again, the aim is not to compare with tools such as Google Or Asana , but with a paper diary. I would like to point out that the digital planner remains a tool where you must love the intentional need for handwriting. You must appreciate the fact of refer to your planner for your notes and appointments , just as you would have done with a traditional diary.
Combining the feeling of paper with the best advantages of the digital world is a way to reach new heights of productivity, organization and success .
If you are won over by all the advantages of the digital planner:
I suggest you visit the InMotion Planner store to discover the various models of planners and notebooks for draw the best part of digital planning .
