I was turned on to the idea of a planner in high school, when my school gave out an agenda to each and every student. That planner quickly became my lifeline, as I tried to balance all my homework, projects and after school activities. Ever since then, I always really liked planners and what they could do to help make someone’s life that much easier.
If you think planners are just for kids in school, I strongly disagree. Life keeps getting busier as the years go on and using a planner helps me keep track of everything going in my life. If you’re still not convinced, here are 5 reasons you should absolutely invest in a planner in your 20s.
1. They help you stay organized as your life gets more and more chaotic.
Probably the biggest and most obvious reason for a planner is for the organization it brings to your life. Most planners have overviews of the entire year, month and days. Writing everything I have to do on my day’s off makes my life insanely easier. Being able to go back to it to see what I’ve already accomplished and what I still have left to do is always a great thing. I know there are tons of apps that could keep you just as organized, but I’m definitely more of a paper and pen girl personally.
2. They will help you actually commit to things.
Sure, you’re busy. We all are. But a planner will help you fit stuff in to your busy schedule, like this one from Ban.do (buy now on Amazon for $20):
I find if I write something down that I want to do, I am more likely to actually follow through with it. I will be honest and say nine times out of ten, that’s just because I don’t want to cross out anything on my pretty planner, but whatever makes me go the gym works with me. If I take the time to actually write it down, I’m more likely to remember the event or task at hand and get it done.
3. They become a pretty accessory, if you buy the right one!
Half the fun of my planner is trying to make it pretty. I use different color gel pens, some patterned tape and stickers to decorate the pages. While I’m nowhere near the level of ~artsy~ planners on Instagram are, it makes following my schedule just a bit more enjoyable each week. Of course, you can also buy yourself a pretty planner to begin with, like this Lilly Pulitzer one. Yes, they make designer planners.
Buy it on Nordstrom.com for $30.
4. They will help you manage your money and bills.
An unexpected bonus of this planner was getting a better handle on my money and bills. Each month, I sit down and write which bills are coming on which days of the month. I can budget my money for the month much better this way. This especially helps if some of your bills are on auto-pay, because before this I would be consistently surprised when auto-pay took half my paycheck. And if you get a planner that’s inspirational (like this one from Ban.do), you’ll be on your way to better money habits without even trying!
5. They become a diary of your life keeping track of everything you do each year.
It always intrigued me when people said bullet journals could be used as a diary as well. I try to incorporate a little bit of that in my planner. If something really awesome happened that day, like seeing my friends or getting a raise, I throw that in my planner too. It helps keep track of dates when fun, exciting things happen and it’ll make looking back at the month that much more enjoyable.
You can even get a planner that looks like a diary. Check out this one from Rifle Paper Co for $30 at Nordstrom!
