What is Digital Planning?
The thing about digital planners is that there are no rules. There are unlimited possibilities when it comes to how they are set up and designed. They can be dated or undated, flexible or structured, minimal or detailed, colorful or neutral… you get the picture. Here at Joyfully Paperless we have a variety of different digital planners, and I’m going to go over what makes each one special; but before we do that, we need to make sure that you understand exactly what a digital planner is, and how they work.
A Digital Planner is a Magical PDF File
Digital planners are like paper planners in digital form. Digital planners are literally PDF files that were designed, structured, and constructed in software like Affinity Publisher, Apple Keynote, or PowerPoint; then exported as a PDF.
The freshly exported PDF file is then ready to be imported into a note-taking software that will allow you to interact with your digital planner the same way you would a paper version, but with way more perks.
Turning “On” Your Digital Planner
Now, what is note-taking software? Note-taking software turns your digital device into paper, and your stylist or apple pen into the ultimate mark-up device. No need to carry around pens, pencils, highlighters etc., all of these items can be turned on and used within the note-taking app. If you’re the type of planner who loves to use stickers, sticky notes, and washi tape, then you’ll be especially excited because any image file can be imported and used as a sticker; and it never runs out like with physical stickers. Anything imported into a note-taking app can be copied and pasted without limits. Honestly, note-taking apps allow you to do things that were never possible with paper.
The most popular note-taking apps are Goodnotes (only available for Apple devices currently, but they’re rolling out versions for Microsoft and Android soon!), Note-Shelf, Notability, or Zoom Notes. This list is continuing to grow as the preference for digital “paper” continues to increase.
Who is the Digital Planner For?
One of the most common questions of those new to digital planning is, “Do these planners sync to the Google calendar or other calendar apps?” No they do not. A digital planner is just like a paper planner in this way. It is completely independent of any calendar app. Digital planning is really for people who enjoy the act of sitting down to mindfully, purposefully, and creatively plan out the events of their life. They see planning as a time to focus on their goals and habits; to prioritize tasks, and reflect on previous weeks.
All of these things have been proven to help us be more productive with a better ability to identify what’s most important; all which are things not necessarily done by simply dropping items into a calendar app. It’s kinda like a lifestyle. However, unlike a paper planner, digital planners can be backed up to any cloud drive of your choosing (so you’ll never lose any content), and you can sync the digital planner across devices. For example, if you have Goodnotes on both your iPhone and your iPad, you can visualize the planner, with any changes you’ve made, from both devices because the note-taking app will sync your data.
Another huge perk of the digital planner are the hyperlinks! Yes, real, functional hyperlinks that allow you to navigate hundreds of pages. These hyperlinks function just like the tabs used to identify sections as paper planners, but so much better. Just tap on the link associated with the section you want to go to, and you’re there; all without sustaining a single paper-cut.