words Al Woods
Source: Pixabay.com
The start of the year is a time most people reflect about the previous year and develop goals for the new one. Naturally, this is the time when daily planners begin to fly off the shelves. For many, it’s just force of habit or joining the bandwagon.
But daily planners are not just something you should get because it is what everyone else is doing. There are some merits to planners that make them so essential to getting organized. Many people also choose to bullet journal or create their own printable DIY planner.
If you have never had a daily planner before, here are five reasons you should start one this year.
1. Time Management
If you constantly feel like you have so much to do but so little time, it is perhaps because you are not scheduling your time as well as you could be. One of the telltale signs is a sense of running from one urgent issue to another without a clear concept about the bigger picture.
Your ability to be organized primarily rises or falls on the quality of your time management. A daily planner allows you to specifically schedule each task, errand, appointment and event. That way, you understand what you need to do and when, ensuring you never run out of time for everything on your to-do list.
Set deadlines and due dates to help you stay on track and even schedule time for yourself, your family and friends.
2. Productivity
While many people associate productivity with their job environment, optimal productivity is important for both your professional and your personal life. On the home front, productivity may mean getting interior décor, furniture organization or general cleaning done. In the office, it may entail putting in the work on projects you have been postponing for a while.
Irrespective of what the hurdle or goal is, a daily planner will help you stay on top of all of your tasks. It guides you as you move from one task to the other efficiently and effectively, ensuring nothing is ever forgotten.
3. Stress Relief
Stress reveals itself in many forms, but the common denominator is a perception that pending work is overwhelming. You will be stressed if you are grappling with too much on your plate, too many demands, or a hectic schedule.
External factors also determine your stress levels. Still, imagine how different things would be if you had time to do everything on your plate as you seamlessly transition from one task to the next. No anxiety about missing a step, running late or backing out last minute. Better yet, you can use your planner to schedule self-care activities and time for hobbies.
4. Health Benefits
Daily planners allow you to maintain a healthy lifestyle in multiple ways. You can keep track of exercise, diet and doctor’s appointments. A daily planner can be what ensures you are getting adequate vitamin D and fresh air by setting aside specific days and time for enjoying the outdoors.
The reduced anxiety and stress levels also bode well for your mental health. You can even set aside time for journaling, through which you can do a nice brain dump that gives you that much needed mental release.
5. Record Keeping
As you fill out your planner every day, it becomes a reliable long-term record of your tasks, events and appointments. Whenever you need to refer to the actions you undertook on a particular day, your daily planner can be your go-to place for a record of events.
For example, maybe you cannot remember when you last visited a family member or a close friend. By flipping your planner pages a few months back, you can see when your last visit was and therefore know when would be an appropriate time to meet them again.
Much More Than an Eye-Catching Accessory
A daily planner is not just a beautiful, eye-catching item you place on your office desk or in your bedside drawer. It can make a tangible difference to your professional and personal life. If you were not clear on what a daily planner’s benefits are, now you know!
