It’s no secret, I am an organizational and planning FREAK. I am the type of person that hates straying away from a plan or adding something to the weekend agenda very last minute. Let’s just say I am not a spur of the moment kind of person.

I have always utilized planners since I can remember. From the ones purchased through the school in Middle School to the Lilly Pulitzer planners in college, they have been essential for planning out my life. And even though I am no longer in school, they are still a must for me in my social life and for the the blog.

Now if you are not the type A kind, thats okay! You can still implement a planner in your daily life. One tip I would give so your planner is always top of mind is keeping it on your desk, on your dresser, kitchen island, etc. Wherever it is most convient for you to pick it up and plan out your productivity is where it should live!

Now there are TONS of planner options out there. I encourage you to explore the various brands to see what works best for you! Some common planners you might hear people discuss are Erin Condren, Simplified Planner, Productivity Planner, the list goes on and on. I know it sounds crazy, but there are even YouTube channels reviewing planners and going into the pros and cons in depth each brand, so check those out! I currently use a Moleskin planner that I will hop into talking about shortly, but have also loved using Rifle Paper Planners in past years. Also, these tips can apply to digital planners as well. Maybe you are more of a tech savvy person who likes to type and not write. Thats totally fine! Google calendars or any other planner app will totally be your jam!

My current planner is from Moleskin. Not a traditional planner you see many people using. The reason I love it is that it is simplistic, and also for vanity, matches the Moleskin notebook I use to keep up with blog ideas etc on the daily. This planner has a monthly view which gives me a high level glance at my month and then a weekly view where I can jot down more information like times, meeting places etc. Additionally on the week view, there is a whole page of lined paper on the right which I love to use to make to do lists for the week or brain storm content and looks for weekends I shot for the blog. I personally like to see my full week on one page, where some other planners have a page for each day. Totally up to you on preference!

Now to capture all of my calendar dates I use the Pilot FriXion erasable pens which have been a game changer! I now color code events based on what the event is, blog event, hangout, workout etc. This just helps my brain process at a glance what each event is. I also do this at work on my Outlook calendar so for those of you who opt for the digital method you can still utilize color coding! I personally do not keep any dates for my 9-5 job in this planner, but if that helps you then you can definitely implement that!

The biggest takeaway is to utilize a planner to simplify your life. This helps you plan out your weeks, months and year with ease allowing better planning and not overlapping any plans! My favorite thing is to take a glance at my whole month and see my free time. I either embrace that free time and make a to do list of what I need to accomplish or I reach out to some friends I haven’t seen in awhile to make plans! Planners are your BFF so don’t make it complicated!

Here are some other planners I have used prior or have heard great things about!