In my paper planner days in college, I once stood up an elderly professor at a restaurant. My stomach still drops when I think of it.
The lunch was in my calendar. I just didn’t pull out my calendar to check it at the end of class.
Instead, I threw my laptop in my bag and went home to take a nap. I woke up and realized my mistake far too late. (Ughhhh my tummy still turns when I think about it.)
Here’s the thing: a calendar only works if it helps you do the actual things.
This goes beyond just writing down the events in your calendar like a champ.
Your calendar needs to help you know to do the thing when the time rolls around, even if you’re on the go.
Paper planners require YOU to think to look at them. Lots of room for forgetting to look – and therefore forgetting to do things.
Digital calendars actually virtually tap you on the shoulder – via phone and desktop alerts – to tell you to do the thing when you planned to do it.
On that day I stood up my college professor, if I’d been using a digital calendar, both my laptop and my phone would have helped me avoid standing her up.
And today? Well, with a toddler, my life is even more fast-paced and on-the-go, making my phone alerts all the more critical. I can’t tell you the number of times they’ve saved me.
At the end of the day, your brain has more important things to do than somehow remember the things you need to do or to remember to look at your calendar 6 times a day.
Instead, leverage your phone. Make it your tiny little personal assistant who reminds you to do the things you need/want to do when you need to do them.
Let it help you show up how you want to show up.
Paper calendars just can’t do that. My track record proves it.
You can read more here about why making the switch from paper to digital is the best way to go.
