Pros and Cons of Planning in a Physical Planner vs. An App

What are the pros and cons of planning in a physical planner vs. an app?

I am a planner! I have too much going on in my mind not to be. For the past five years, I have purchased a physical planner at the beginning of each year to help me organize my life. My husband thinks I am crazy as I have a smartphone that has so many planning resources. This year I have done some planning on my phone as an experiment.

Pros of a Physical Planner

1. It is faster to create my to-do list on paper rather than on my phone. I find that between auto-correct, interrupting notifications, social media urges, text messages, and my slower typing skills, using a phone is more time-consuming. 
2. The feeling of physically crossing things off my daily checklist is out of this world. Two days ago, I sat down on the sofa to cross off one of the many responsibilities dictated in my planner. To my disappointment, I forgot to write this particular task down. Well, there was only one thing that I could do...write down the item and cross it off. To those who don’t receive the joy of crossing off something, this must seem foolish. I am telling you the satisfaction is real.
3. I can organize my planner in the format I want. The apps just do not cut it for me because the way I organize is so different. In the past year, one can see my planner is full of lists, hour-by-hour schedules, goals, side notes, and so much more. I don’t consistently plan the same way, and I don’t want an app putting restrictions on how I organize my life. 

Cons of a Physical Planner

1. Physical planners cost money. The cheapest planner I have found in past years has been $10 but believe me they can cost way more than that! It can be hard to spend the money especially knowing that it is free on your phone.
2. The planner that is right for you can be hard to find. I hate using bulky planners and prefer pocket planners. Well hate to break it to you, but FUNCTIONAL pocket planners seem to be a thing of the past (by functional, I mean have enough space to write every day of the week). Finally, I realized that finding the planner I wanted required me to do some extensive searching online. NOTE: The planner linked at the bottom of the page has been my favorite. It is cost effective, cute, and fits my needs.
3. It is hard to use at night.  I often find that my mind will not quiet down when I am trying to sleep. My thoughts are full of things I need to remember, get done, or solve. For me to sleep better, I have to make a note of these thoughts. It is helpful to be able to use my phone planner in bed to help clear my mind. 
4. Not as convenient to use.  When I am out, and about I almost always have my phone on me. But I don’t always have my planner. It is harder to schedule appointments or record what I end up scheduling if I don't have my paper planner. 

"Our goal is to help the world make decisions with a list of Pros and Cons. We invite all to add to our lists to help others make the most educated decision possible. We are all in this world together to help each other and learn from what others have learned from their lives journey." - Pros and Cons Team

Written By: Kristen