A Paper-Based Planner from a Woman-Owned Company
My planner of choice since 2013 has been the Passion Planner.
2013 is when by chance I happened upon the Kickstarter Campaign for the very first Passion Planners. I have been a fan ever since.
Why I Use a Passion Planner
The number one reason I use Passion Planner is that it’s a calendar where I write my appointments and lists by hand.
I gave digital planners a solid effort, trying them in various ways for many years. They kept failing me.
For me, and this point may apply to you as well, I find greater success when I write my meetings, plans, to do lists, and more by hand.
Keep in mind that not every person’s mind works the same. You may do better using a digital planner and I think it’s helpful to explore both options to find what is ideal for you.
Writing By Hand Versus Digital Options
It is my position, based on 35 years observing people in the workplace, that writing by hand is a critical success strategy.
There is quite a lot of research and writing that backs up this position.
If you currently use digital tools to track your schedule – like the appointment calendar in Outlook – and you feel like your success path is stalled, then I encourage you to explore how writing by hand could change things.
One of the first things you may notice is you feel very hesitant to change your current approach. That’s normal. But don’t take it as a message that you shouldn’t consider a change.
Before you make a big change, read up on the topic. Consider all the places you track items digitally and pick just one item to push into the realm of hand-writing.
If we’re thinking about business success, I believe I’d start with a weekly notebook where you write your highest level thoughts about your business. These items could include goals you want to accomplish, conferences you want to attend, a vision for the next year (or the next 3 years, or even the next 5 years). See what you notice.
Keep reading what people have to say about the value of writing by hand. Moving like a turtle – slowly and steadily – switch various part of how you schedule and plan into hand-written form.
I believe you’ll be surprised by what you discover.
To help you get started with learning more, here are three resources I found helpful on this topic:
- Why Writing by Hand Is Better for Memory and Learning. Scientific American. February 21, 2024.
- The Art of Note-Taking: Handwritten vs. Digital. Joel Sellentine, founder of KARMA jack.
- Why writing by hand is still the best way to retain information. Stack Overflow. November 23, 2022.
Other Things I Love About Passion Planner
Besides being a paper-based system there are a lot of other things I love about Passion Planner.
Free PDF Versions of the Planners
You can try Passion Planner for free. Their website offers full PDF versions of the planners.
It’s a great way to try the product to see if it works for you … and it also supports anyone who is working to keep expenses low.
They even provide tips for how you can set up your planner when you use the PDF versions.
For Every Planner Purchased They Give One Away
Put simply, your purchase of a Passion Planner buys empowerment for two people – you and someone in need.
Passion Planner launched this initiative in 2015 and since then they’ve been giving a planner to someone in need for every planner purchased.
Quotes as Content
Every weekly spread in the Passion Planner includes a quote. Quotes are important to people. Which is why quotes are used so frequently in content marketing.
For me personally quotes provide ideas and inspiration. They empower me. I’m always on the lookout for new quotes and I appreciate that my Passion Planner provides a quote in each weekly layout.
Learn More About Passion Planner
Visit the Passion Planner website and learn more about their story and products.
If it feels like a good fit for you there are multiple sizes, layouts, and cover colors to consider. Remember you can also download a free PDF.
My Passion Planner In Action
Here are few snaps of my 2021 Passion Planner in action. Click any image to view it larger.
Curiously, these planners have become so important to me that I save them. They occupy a shelf in my office and I actually refer back to them at times. I’ve never found a planner to deliver that type of value for me. I’m not sure quite why Passion Planner does this so effectively, or if it will be the same for others, but it does work this way for me and it felt valuable to pass that bit of info on to all of you.
Happy planning for your success!
~ Sarah
Publication History:
- First published January 17, 2021.
- Updated November 13, 2024. Updated article content. Move this article from “page” format on WordPress to “post” format.