How to Stay Motivated to Use Your Planner

If you can't seem to stick to a daily planner, the issue may be how you approach it as a productive habit. Does it lay left undone as a chore? Or is it an integral part of your life? 

The other problem may point to the type of planner you're using. Digital planners aren't usually as effective and become one more tab on your device to open and manage. Research also shows that paper offers fewer distractions, leads to greater productivity than the equivalent digital application, and writing by hand is associated with greater attention to detail. 

The good news is there's a planner for just about every purpose, but the goal is to make it a habit you can stick to. Here's how to get started.

Attach It to an Existing Habit

Make daily planning a habit by attaching it to something you already do every day. For example, you can keep your planner next to your coffee pot, so you review it every morning immediately after making coffee. Or place your planner on your keyboard to spend a few minutes jotting down your day before checking your email.

The goal is to anchor to an existing habit you won't avoid. You'll find you quickly associate the two together and reach for your planner like it's second nature.

Add Crucial Dates

You don't need to fill out every page in your daily planner to make it work for you. Start planning by adding the most crucial dates a month or two out. You'll feel the gravity of those dates and remember they're all neatly recorded in your planner.  

Use the Added Features

Daily planners are more than just a place to record dates. They also come with fun and innovative features, including meal planning and goal setting. Some planners also come with small stickers and accents to help call out important information. It could make you more productive, but it's also just fun to make your planner a little more dazzling. 

Reward Yourself

There's no reason you can't reward yourself for using your planner, just like you would after completing any goal. Set aside time once a week to sort out your planner and indulge in a fancy coffee or special lunch immediately afterward. Before long, you'll associate those good feelings with your planner and find it a delight to work on. 

Express Gratitude

Reframe your daily planner as a chore t keep up with and reframe it as a tool for your success and well-being. When you reach for your partner, think about how lucky you are to have it and how much it's improved your life; when you remind yourself why you're using it in the first place and how it's improved your life, you're more likely to use it on a regular basis. 

Next Steps

Ready to make using your planner a productive habit? Pick and choose your favorite ideas from our list and grab some of our organizational tools to get started. Start browsing our daily planners here.