Planners Are Not One Size Fits All

Buying a new planner? Make sure you avoid this planner trap!

Buying a Planner | Woman with Planner | Writing in Planner | Planning | Find the Right Planner for You

One of the planner traps that I see people fall into a lot is buying a planner because someone suggested it. Maybe a friend found a new planner that she loves told you about hers. Maybe you’ve seen a new planner on social media that someone is talking about.

Buying a planner just because someone suggested it can really set you up for failure. Just because a planner is working for someone else does not one-hundred percent guarantee that it will work for you.

That’s one of the reasons it’s so important to take your time and do your research when purchasing your new planner.

4 Reasons You Shouldn’t Buy the Same Planner as Someone Else

Our Lives Look Different

Your life is going to look very different from your friend’s life, or people on social media. That’s a good thing!

Your jobs probably aren’t the same. You have different responsibilities at work and at home. Your schedule and commitments are also probably quite different.

Another thing to consider when buying a planner is your stage of life. Your planner needs are going to look different depending on the stage of life you are currently in. A single young woman pursuing a career will need different things from her planner then a mom with kids.

Your life is unique to you so your planner really should be too.

Our Brains Function Differently

How your brain processes information plays a big role in what kind of planner you’ll stay consistent with.

One of the best illustrations I can give you is between two very popular planner layouts, horizontal weekly planners and vertical weekly planners. Most people are strictly one or the other. If they try to use the other format it doesn’t turn out well.

I see comments all the time about how someone tried to switch to the other layout because there was a planner design that they loved. They normally end up buying a new planner with their preferred layout within a month or so.

This is because our brains work differently and that’s okay. You just need to ensure that when you are choosing a planner layout you are mindful of how your brain works.

What We Need Them For Will Be Different

We all have different aspects of our lives where we need a planner to help keep things under control and running smoothly.

Some people use it for absolutely everything. They plan their meals, track their health and fitness goals, keep multiple to-do lists, etc… Other people may only use it for their daily schedule and to-do list.

The point is what you need a planner for will be unique to your needs and your life. It will be based on your priorities and what areas you need to get under control.

How We Use Our Planners Will Look Different

People use their planners in many different ways. You might only use your planner when you are at home, while your friend has hers with her all the time. This can affect the size of the planner you use.

Using your planner as a creative outlet has become really popular. If you love creative planning, you’ll need to choose the right planner to give you the space to be creative while maintaining functionality.

The binding of your planner is also an important decision. Do you need something that you can add note pages to on a regular basis? Should you use a disc bound system or binder style? Maybe your planner normally has all the space you need so a coil binding would be a great fit.

When it comes to choosing your perfect planner there are a lot of factors to consider. Getting inspiration from other planners is wonderful, but buying a planner because someone recommended it doesn’t mean that planner will work for you.

Do your research. Be intentional about finding the right planner for you!