What if you could customize your planner/planning system? What if you could take all the planning things that work for you and put them in one place? That’s what digital planning is all about! However, it sounds like we need a digital planner for principals!
Sounds like a magical unicorn, doesn’t it?
This is what digital planning for busy principals can be!
Let me tell you my story and why I love it…..
If you have followed me for any length of time you know I love productivity and planners, You also know I love notebooks, stickers, clipart, and cute fonts. What if I told you you can have ALL of those things in one place? I know right?! You wouldn’t believe me at first.
Digital planning has been around for a while. It really took off about three years ago. Recently it’s been a big hit in the teacher planner world. But what about principals? What about digital planning for busy principals? Since I couldn’t find just the right digital planner for us, I decided to start creating one.
After starting the process, I decided to get input from other busy principals on what they would like to see in their digital planner. Turns out more principals than I ever thought were using and/or interested in digital planning Who knew? I am SO glad I asked!
We started a whole thread of discussion in our Principal Productivity Facebook group. If you are a practicing principal you can check that out HERE.
Here are the top 10 benefits to start using a digital planner if you are a busy principal.
Digital planners for principals can be cute and fun
Number one is of course that it is cute and fun. If you have been part of the planner world since the inception of the Franklin Covey planners, Erin Condren, Happy Planners, or whatever, you are going to fall in love with digital planning. It is everything paper planning is and more.
There are hundreds of digital planners to choose from. The biggest benefit are the cute designs and personalizations you can do to whatever planner you decide on.
Completely digital
Everyone today strives to be completely digital. We always have our phone or laptop or tablet. However, when you receive or use paper what happens? You leave it everywhere. On the counter by the bathroom. On your desk when you need it at a meeting. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE all things paper and pen. It’s just unrealistic to think I can have all 57 colors of flair pens with me when I need them.
Paperless
Raise your hand if you have notebooks, post-its, calendars, paper planners, and pens everywhere? What if you could get rid of all that clutter? Digital planners combine all of those things and more. Don’t get me wrong. I am not giving up post-its and notebooks and planners.
There is a place for everything. Yes sometimes you get busy and will have to grab a post-it. With a digital planner you shouldn’t have to count on them. The majority of your planning and scheduling can take place in my digital planner.
Syncs across devices
Digital planners sync across all of your devices. Most digital planner users add to digital planners on iPads. You can sync it then see it across all your devices but you won’t necessarily add to it on other devices. You can get an iPhone stylus that connects through Bluetooth. Now that I think about it I might dig that out of the bottom of my bags and try it again. I am sure things have changed since I last used it.
Be right back! Looking for a stylus….
For the purpose of being completely transparent I use all things Apple. The main reason is to have all-the-things in all-the-places. Chances are other brands have mastered seamless syncing by now. Unfortunately, as a busy mom and principal, I don’t have time to learn a new system right now.
Old school handwriting
There is just something about handwriting. Anybody with me on this one? Cool pens and markers are my jam. Do you remember passing notes with hearts and doodles all over them in middle school? Then fold them in a bunch of different ways? Just using something different than a pencil or blue pen was special?
If handwriting is your jam then digital planning is just what you’ve been looking for. You will be able to write, draw pictures, doodle, and change your pen colors AND sizes. It’s like having a hundred virtual flair pens and markers at your fingertips without all the clutter.
Digital Planning is Easier than you think
Principals just starting out can use my FREE download as a starting point. This is a very basic calendar with some notes pages at the end. All you need is the app Goodnotes. You will export the PDF file and you are all set.
Once you have the planner imported into Goodnotes the sky is limit! Try all the pens. Try all the colors. You can type on the planner or write on the planner. Just explore. You literally can’t mess it up. It is so much easier to erase in a digital planner than it is in a paper planner. Guaranteed!
If you mess up, delete the planner and reload it. You can also erase everything in the planner and start over.
However… if you choose to google digital planners you might as well cancel all your plans for the rest of the day. Hours will fly by before you realize you’ve done just the opposite of digital planning and wasted an entire afternoon. There are tons of Youtube tutorials. However, as a beginner, I got you! I created the FREE digital planner for principals so you could start small and learn the app.
Upload and annotate all documents
Raise your hand if you recieve 100’s of documents. Both digital and paper documents? When you go to a meeting, do you get handouts? Do you get a digital agenda for the meeting? Why not hyperlink the agenda in your digital planner and take photos of the handouts? Genius! Right?
You can file everything in a digital planner! Everything can also be filed on the date of the meeting, event, or conference you can search for it. Search capabilities in digital planners is a whole new thing for me and for another post.
Sync with the cloud
Back in the technology pioneer days, Evernote was the first and most effective cloud syncing software. At the time Evernote had the very best search feature. I could search for everything, even if it was in my handwriting, and find exactly what I was looking for. So when I started using digital note-taking apps, I synced them all with Evernote.
If you forget your digital planner you can bring it up on any other device. I only add to my digital planner on my iPad. If I do not have it with me, I have a plan to transfer everything to that planner once we are together again.
Can’t wait to get your planner? Perfect!
This digital planner for principals is only the beginning. Like I said in the beginning, I had no idea SO MANY principals were already digital planning. Now we need to put together just the right planner. When you download this FREE digital planner you will be put on the list to receive the first notifications when the final, annual planner is ready.
Hi Melinda.
Thank you for creating so many great resources for us busy principals. I am a new principal and am still trying to find my system with notating all of my meetings, to do lists, finding emails, etc.
If you have a system that you recommend for this, I’d be really open to a course . Unfortunately, I’ve been toggling between a paper calendar and a digital one but still end up missing some events. I’m not super-techy but am willing to learn. I’m definitely interested in your digital planner but didn’t have any luck downloading it today. I look forward to following you and learning more.
Hello! I am so sorry I missed this comment! There should have been a link to a dropbox file in the email when you signed up. I’d be happy to send you the link again if you just give me your email so sorry.