4 main reasons one Filing Fairy is ditching digital

01 Dec 4 main reasons one Filing Fairy is ditching digital

December has arrived, for me this is when the planning really ramps up.  So today I am sharing with you the 4 main reasons I am going back to paper planning.

First let me describe what I mean by planning.  Planning to me is not just a diary entry in a calendar of an appointment or event, to me planning is all about the W’s.  That is the who, what, why, when and where that goes along with any event you might schedule.  There are gifts to plan, parties and catering to plan for and all kinds of extracurricular events to remember what to take, what to prepare and even more so at this time of year.

So here they are my 4 main reasons for ditching digital and going back to paper.

SYNC IS A FOUR LETTER WORD

Well to me it has become that way, and basically I am over worrying about it or having to remind myself via a digital reminder to check it is working or that it did indeed work or to actually switch it on or to press some special button to make it sync.  Despite best efforts nothing ever seems to sync the way you intend it to and in my efforts to KISS (keep it super simple) I am ditching the digital.  Too many calendars, too many apps, too many full stop.

• Gone is my paperless app – replaced by a note in my planner or an email to self
• Gone is my workflowy app – again replaced by an old fashioned notebook for work
• Gone is the password keeper app – replaced by formulas – read How to Create a Failsafe Password You Won’t Forget. 
• Gone is outlook calendar – in fact I never used it but by ditching it I am no longer getting strange email addresses pop up in my phone contacts
• Cozi is staying – I am keep the digital diary for important meetings and dates so that I can reminders at opportune times and so my husband can see my meetings and know where I will be and when

LESS DISTRACTIONS

If I am not on the phone checking or entering on calendars and apps I am much less likely to open distracting social medias.  Be honest do you ever hang up from a call and then pop over to Facebook?  I will admit that if I was checking my calendars and apps I always popped quickly onto Instagram or Pinterest at the same time and I am sure that those checks were eating into my day and my reducing my efficiency (certainly at work).  There is even an app to monitor your time on your phone, it is called MOMENT you might be surprised how often you are on your iphone (not available for android as yet)

BETTER MEMORY

Just like when I was studying (yes I remember back that far) I know that if I write it down I will remember the details better.  There are a bunch of stats out there on this topic…

Statistics show people who write down their goals have over an 80% higher success rate of achieving them

IT’S PRETTY

Now days planners come in many different shapes, sizes, in an array of colours, types, fabrics and materials. Not only are the outsides pretty the insides can be decorated and customised to be pretty too.  Stay tuned for a Frame by Frame post on my Personal Planner coming soon but in the meantime search #planneraddict #plannernerd #plannerlove on Instagram, Pinterest or YouTube and you will get a glimps into the rabbit warren of options out there.  Pictured above is a sneak peak at the cover of my Personal Planner more on that in the Frame by Frame post I mentioned.

We recently carried out a survey within the Professional Organising industry (Australia, USA & Canada) you might be interested in this statistic on planners.

How about you?  Are you team-digital, team-paper or team-‘biplanner’ like me?

Have a magical day

Mara