What is a digital planner?
A digital planner is a downloadable planner that allows you to put it on your laptop, iPad and iPhone, allowing my tasks to be synched up on all my devices. Thanks to TikTok, I found a digital downloaded template for $39 on Etsy that allows me to track everything from my daily activities to my budgets. If you are like me and have always relied on a paper planner, there are some great videos demonstrating how to use digital planners successfully. For my first venture into this digital planner world, I needed to make two downloads. First, I downloaded GoodNotes (one-time fee of $7.99) on all the devices I wanted to use my planner on. After setting up an account and downloading the app, I went to Etsy to find the template that best suited my needs. On Etsy, you will find a variety of products that differ in design and layout. Some are more focused on habit tracking, and others are more well suited for entrepreneurs, but I found one that had a lot of options from daily/weekly/month calendars, to gratitude tabs to financial planning tabs. Once I decided on a template and paid for it, I was directed to find the download available in my order history. My Etsy seller offered a great YouTube video illustrating how to set up the planner, but once I downloaded the template, it was very easy to import into GoodNotes. GoodNotes syncs across all the devices you have installed, so in real-time you will see all updates you make to the planner. You also don’t need to worry about saving anything, so you can just shut off when you are done. I currently use my planner with my Apple Pencil ($89-$129). This allows me to click on all the tabs available within the planner, and write on the screen as I would traditionally. There are a lot of accessories out there available now, including a variety of pens and screen protectors that make it even easier to write on your tablet. GoodNotes allows you to write, type, highlight, add pictures, and erase, and you can also change your fonts, colors and sizes—making your planner completely customizable.
How using a digital planner has helped me so far
In the past, my paper planner could fill up with sticky notes and messy handwriting or crossed-out lists. So far, I like how my digital planner feels organized, neat and I can easily erase things in a second. Using the planner specifically on my iPad has not impacted the battery life at all, certainly, TikTok has served as a larger drain on the battery! Both physical and digital planners are great for quick notes or doodling, but a digital planner has a great eraser option. I also find it easier to carry my Apple Pen, as opposed to a large paper planner. As a working mom, the less I need to carry, the better!
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