My planning obsession started in middle school.
At the start of my 5th grade year my teacher handed me an “agenda book” for managing homework and class schedules. My classmates HATED their agenda books—particularly because they needed review and signature by a parent each week—but I loved mine! It had calendars and lined pages aplenty. The spiral bind proffered ease of access; the three-hole punch, stability (it fit right into my Lisa Frank Trapper Keeper). I was obsessed with the multi-function tool it came with: a page marker that attached to the spine with a ruler printed on it.
Through the years, I graduated from school-issued agenda books to luxury Day Designers. I explored Filofax and bullet journals and had a whole setup with Microsoft Office at my last job. (Tasks and categories and calendars, oh my!) But since moving to a new company in January, I’ve had to reinvent my task management strategy.
My annual professional development fund got me some sweet resources on implementing Getting Things Done, a detailed time management process with the goal of freeing my mind through regular use of a trusted system. Google calendars and tasks help me track work and personal responsibilities. My Google Workspace flow isn’t quite as robust as my old Microsoft setup, but I love the integration and accessibility—everything I need is right at my fingertips via desktop, tablet, or phone.
But these days I’m treating planning as both a habit and a hobby.
Sometime last year, I fell under the spell of digital planning. It combined the creativity of bullet journaling with the convenience of an iPad and Apple Pencil. Digital planning offered robust planners as beautiful as any Day Designer but without the extra 10lbs in my backpack—it literally lifted a weight off my shoulders! I even made my own digital planner last winter (fun, but not worth the effort when other creators make such awesome stuff). I love adding stickers and photos and designs to my monthly and weekly spreads; it calms my mind and gets me excited for the week ahead.
Below are some of my favorite digital planning creators if you’re interested in giving it a try! (These links are not sponsored; I’m sharing because I truly enjoy their content.)
How do you keep track of everything in your busy lives?
deepcurvesahead 