Sync Your Planner with Technology
January 27, 2020
There are two essential parts to accomplishing any goal. First comes the planning phase, where you:
- Define the steps you need to take
- Develop a strategy for accomplishing them
- Schedule a timeline to complete them
Once the plan is in place, it’s up to you to handle the execution of your plan, making sure that you:
- Take action
- Meet deadlines
- Coordinate with any other people involved in your project
Both planning and execution are essential to accomplishing your goal. Today, you have more options than ever to help you, from online calendars to virtual meeting rooms. These advancements give you great new options for executing your plans. When you combine the power of paper planning with electronic execution tools, you make powerful progress towards results.
Planning with a paper planner gives you some space in your own head, away from notifications and other online distractions. It also gives you space on paper, letting you gather information, make connections, and look to the future and the past.
Is five minutes enough time to prepare for a meeting? How about thirty? Electronic reminders certainly help you get to meetings on time, but it’s up to you to prepare well before the alarm goes off.
Planning out your day with a paper planner helps you stay mindful of what you need to accomplish with your time. You can identify the steps you need to take to make your meetings constructive, and plan out chunks of time to put them into action. Then, when your automatic calendar notification brings everyone involved together, you’re prepared to contribute.
Syncing your planner with your electronic calendar also gives you an edge in coordinating with co-workers, family members, and others. A shared calendar lets you see the schedule of each person in your group, letting you schedule collaborative tasks for times that work for everyone involved.
As you set dates and times for meetings, make sure to add information in your planner to remind you of additional details. There is only so much space in a notification title, after all. HOA Meeting – March, for example, may have vastly different concerns than HOA Meeting – February.
To keep your life in sync with your goals, make your plan on paper, and execute it with the right tools.
Great post – thank you!!
I came to a point where technology was hindering my productivity. I like solitude and quiet and I am embracing
The new movement “slow living” I’ve turned off all technology in my house except for one hour a day. I make my calls and computer work and plan my day. I am now in the position of controlling technology, instead of it controlling me.
I love your planner system I have been using it since college, however it would be even more helpful if there was an option to sync the calendars or notes pages to an online tool. As a small business owner I can’t always carry around my very important binder, but I would like to be able to reference items at a moment’s notice. Additionally having a way to upload pages would allow for searchable content!