“Hello!” to those who also share paper planner and paper calendaring tools. Show, tell, and share. (Updated: Nov 2023)
Off-the-shelf planners + calendars and DIY approaches - I’ve used them.
What have you used?
What are you using now?
TL;dr - Since late 2021, I’ve been compiling this list of planners and calendars. Curious what I’ve used through the years? Included below. (See the snapshot list of notebooks and journals over here.)
What FOLKS have shared they use
In communities of cohort-based courses and workshops I’ve taken (Prolific Researcher Mentorship, Personal Knowledge Mastery, Linking Your Thinking, Write of Passage, Building a Second Brain), I’ve asked folks to share what planners and calendaring systems they use. During BASB’s Cohort 12 in late 2021, I started a “Paper People” interest group to connect with others where handwriting and keyboarding are part of their workflows. This list, updated through November 2023 (and periodically updated), is in alphabetical order. Enjoy!
Franklin Planners (also fka Franklin Covey)
Hobonichi Cousin (and other Hobonochi Techo planners)
Kokuyo Campus Smart Ring (via JetPens)
Traveler's Notebook (via JetPens)
Wisdom Supply Co (on hiatus 2024)
disruptive INTERLUDE
From a friend of mine . . . index cards eye-candy.
My Starting out
Since 1981 during college, a paper calendar, planner, and some form of task tracking has occupied my purse, tote, or backpack. Day Runner, an off-the-shelf planner, was my kickstart into the world of planners. During my first job out of college, I tried out Daytimer while fancy friends used Filofax. Since then, I have bounced between other planner brands and DIY approaches cobbling a weekly calendar and notebook (preferably dot but sometimes grid).
Curious what I’ve used?
TL;dr - Since early 1980s and aside from DIY set-ups and digital, printed planners and calendars have included: Day Runner, Day Timer, Franklin Covey, Quo Vadis, Commit30, Midori Traveler’s Notebook, Panda Planner, Passion Planner, BestSelf, Roterunner Purpose Planner. (The list of planners I’ve TRIED is longer.)
In a drumbeat of typing out planners and their occasional digital companions that I’ve used - to the best of my recollection, here they are in chronological order since college - Day Runner, Daytimer, DIY weekly + steno notebook + index cards, Daytimer, Franklin Covey, DIY weekly + reporter’s notebook, Quo Vadis + notebook, Quo Vadis + Handspring + index cards, Quo Vadis + HP Jornada + index cards, Quo Vadis + notebook + index cards, Franklin Covey, Quo Vadis + notebook, Quo Vadis + Springpad, Quo Vadis + Evernote, Quo Vadis + Any.do, Quo Vadis + notebook, Commit30 + notebook + index cards, Quo Vadis + notebook with stamps/stencils, Midori Traveler’s Notebook with calendar and notebook inserts + notebook, Midori Traveler’s Notebook with calendar and notebook inserts, Midori Traveler’s Notebook with calendar and notebook inserts + Panda Planner daily, Passion Planner (gifted by a friend in 2020 during shelter-in-place) + notebook, Passion Planner + Amazing Marvin, BestSelf Planner + Amazing Marvin, and currently Roterunner + Amazing Marvin. And as a foundation, all paper calendaring syncs to my Google calendar (since Midori days), and by sync, I have a process in place.
(TOTAL RANDOM thought - listing these made me think of a Breaking Bad poster from years ago.)
What “notebook” have i used so far?
A WHOLE OTHER TOPIC - (See the snapshot list of notebooks and journals over here.) Moleskine, Leuchtturm1917, Clairefontaine, old school composition book, etc. - for another day. And because of the variety of the quality of paper, pens are ANOTHER topic - for another day.