5 reasons why paper planners are still relevant in 2023!
One of the most common questions we get asked in this era of digital tools, tech solutions, faster typers than writers, speech to text etc. Why is a physical paper planner still relevant in this digital age? Isn’t paper outdated? And you know what!? These are valid questions given that we run 85% of our productivity system online and cloud backed.
Many attest to the power of pen on paper. Many of us; a majority of Gen Z, Millenials and older generations learnt to write before typing and so ideas flow faster on pen and paper than on a keyboard or mobile screen. It’s a powerful brain dump method as writing things down reduces your cognitive load, freeing up your mind for more creative pursuits. In the words of David Allen, your brain is for having ideas not holding them.
It’s a really good habit to keep. Are you thinking of picking up a good habit in 2023? Then writing things down is definitely one to pick. The habit of writing down your ideas, goals, timelines, projects, dreams, disappointments, wins and fails, meeting notes etc. will have a GURANTEED positive impact in all areas of your life. It will noticeably improve your mental health (paper therapy at its best), as you write down your ideas, you can refine them and have them take shape in the real world, a collection of your ideas mirror back and produce more ideas. The secret weapon to manifesting your goals and committing to your new or old resolutions in 2023 is visualization which starts with writing things down.
Digital Detox. We all need this from time to time. A physical planner with weekly planning and weekly review such as the Design Your Life Planner is the ultimate physical reminder to get organized. Phones and gadgets have really been game changers in the world of personal productivity. They automate and help streamline our workflow…but they are such distracting little devils. How many times do you go to google something really important only to find yourself staring at the blank screen with a blank mind and a blank face? or worse when that Instagram / twitter notification pops up and poof 40 minutes gone on the doom scroll.
In more formal settings the use of a phone and gadgets maybe frowned upon or misinterpreted as unprofessional. Writing down things in professional settings gives the impression that you care about the matter. But more so writing things down increases the probability of getting them done.
Last Sunday, the great reasons for still using pen and paper for your life organization and productivity really hit home. I woke up with the sun and was determined to get some productive 5 hours from my morning. 100% of this work was computer based and 80% online. Well Kenya Power had other ideas because the moment I flicked the switch on the bathroom heater, to take a refreshing shower, pop the lights went off. It’s never a good sign if the lights go off before 7 am so I decided to get up to speed with my paper brain dump on the Design Your Life Planner.
That decision led to this first blog ever on the playbook.co.ke website a task I have procrastinated numerously. So back to the question at hand, why is a physical paper planner still relevant in this digital age? Power: Unbelievable as it is power outages are still a thing in 2022 and are likely to continue well beyond 2023. With this being a real risk to your workflow and productivity, you may not always be prepared with a fully charged laptop, phone and 3 power banks. A physical planner- that you are already in the habit of using comes in handy to save the day and ensure you don’t miss a beat.
