Master Time for Artist: Digital Planner

One of the reasons people love this new digital age is how all our devices sync together.

These features greatly benefit the person who wants to be organized and connected, and have less paper.

It's incredibly convenient when I can sync my art files and stories across all my devices. What about your planner?

Would a digital planner benefit you as an artist or writer?

What is a digital planner?

There are several designs of digital planners on the market today. When I use the term digital planner, I am talking about a “paper” designed planner that has been digitized.

I’m not talking about putting all your appointments into your device calendar and calling it a planner.

A true digital planner looks like paper on a digital device. The way digital planners differ is that the boxes you’d generally mark off on paper are clickable on your device.

You can also have an endless number of pages in a digital planner. You can add cute little digital stickers to special days without them taking up bulk, like in a bound paper planner. You can have clickable tabs that will take you to the different months. Some planners even have clickable week and day tabs, so you don’t have to flip to that “page” in the digital planner.

A bonus of this type of planner is that it can be taken with you if the software that runs it syncs across your devices.

If you are at the doctor’s office and need to add a new appointment, you can pull up your planner on your phone and enter it right in. Then, when you get home, you can pull up the planner on your computer and see it already scheduled for that day.

These types of digital planners offer users a great deal of flexibility. If you need unique pages inserted into the planner, you can add them without messing up the binding.

Another benefit is the lack of paper. You don’t have to worry about printing out the planner if you go digital. You don’t have to carry a big, bulky planner everywhere you go to stay on track. You also get to play the “going green” card by saving the paper and cardboard used to print the planner.

Now that we’ve covered a few benefits, we need to look at the drawbacks of these types of planners.

One downside to a digital planner is that if you aren’t making the planner, you can’t easily add the extra pages without paying the designer to do it for you. Some designers do not offer this as an option or service.

Not all devices sync with the software required to run some of the digital planners on the market. You may have the software for your computer, but it may not work on your phone or tablet.

When you need to enter an appointment or task, you must open your device and either type the info or use a stylus to write it. While the stylus has come a long way, it still takes some getting used to when writing on a device.

A digital planner also requires an internet connection for syncing.

If you go the route of picking a digital planner. Here are some key features to look for before you buy.

Make sure your planner will sync across all your devices. Check the software you need and how it will work on every device you use. Also, what is the sync rate and delay in seeing stuff come through on your other devices? This may be a significant factor when deciding if a digital planner is right for you.
Is there a way to copy recurring tasks? If you have tasks that repeat each week or daily, make sure there is an easy way to copy them over each time they recur.
Is it essential that your digital planner integrates with your computer or device calendar? If so, make sure there is a way to automatically import calendar events into your new digital planner.
Will you need a place to write down notes? Every good planner has a place to collect notes. Double-check that the notes section is easy to access and lets you organize your notes the way your brain works.
Custom templates can be a bonus for digital planners. Find a designer who can and will create custom digital pages for your planner, giving you the best experience possible.

If these new digital planners sound fun to you, give them a try. You can always switch to a different planner if a digital planner doesn’t work out.

You may find that having your planner with you all the time is what you need, with syncing across all your devices, giving you the chance to be highly productive while waiting for your kids during practice or in the school line. Plus, the digital stickers add a fun flair to a digital planner.

Remember to make sure all your devices sync with the digital planner and that it has the features you really need and want, whatever digital planner you choose.

It has taken me over a decade to design a planner that works for me. I still prefer paper because I like the feel of writing things down. However, I am constantly tweaking the design to best fit my needs for the quarter I am in.

Enjoy this new type of technology. You never know; it might be what sets you on a highly organized and productive path as an artist, mom, wife, and creative entrepreneur.

This article is part of the Master Time for Artist Series.

You can read where it all began here.

You can also read about Traditional Planners here.

You can also read about Time Blocking here.

You can also read about Bullet Planners here.

Mastering your time as an artist will increase your creativity, help you manage multiple projects, and give you a better sense of where you are and want to go.

Taking the time to stop and evaluate the best time management system that works for you will be one of the best things you do for yourself, your family, your art business, and your writing aspirations.

Until next time, Happy Creating.

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