The modern workplace has changed leaps and bounds in the past twenty years thanks to the advent of the Internet—with pretty much everything moving forward as digital. Further, workspaces are now literally digital, as remote working surges in popularity around the globe—which only makes staying organized and focused all the more important, as the dynamics of “the office” continue to evolve. Planners are a fantastic way to keep yourself on track but with this everything-digital attitude, one must wonder: does a paper planner have a place in the workplace anymore? A simple response—a resounding “yes”.

A paper planner is wonderful for many reasons, not least among which is the fact that it isn’t digital. No dead batteries to charge, Internet shortages to sit through, upgrades to stay on top of, or handing over all your personal information to an app—all that is needed is a simple pen. Additionally, some argue that the act of writing things down help you better remember them.

Paper planners make a great gift to employees, particularly if you’re looking to usher in greater organization, create a reason to jump offline (even if for just a few minutes each day), or encourage employees to be more intentional in how they plan out their days/weeks/months. They can also be a motivating factor in increasing productivity, as the process of writing out plans and continually reviewing them is a great reminder of what’s on your plate.

With that said, planners aren’t necessarily a one-size-fits-all. People use them in all sorts of different ways, making some features more useful than others, again, depending on personal preference. For some folks, a to-do list is a dream space—the simple joy of crafting a list and slowly ticking it off. For others, having a place to jot down bullets and notes is preferred—great for use in a meeting, conference, or during work calls. For those looking to focus on timing, a calendar or time-based planner is a great tool to strive for efficiency and fitting it all in.

Below, we go over a few of the most popular planner types and offer some recommendations that can be found at ePromos—bonus, they’re all customizable.

Types of Planners

1. Daily planner

This style of planner has a space for each day of the year. It’s great for catching all the little things that make up your day—you can even find ones that list the day out by hours. This is a great style for individuals looking to maximize the hours in the day by being more accountable to them simply from having a space to pen them out. This creates a stronger awareness around daily priority.

On a more practical note, daily planners are a good choice for individuals that prefer more room to write and plan.

2. Weekly planner

A weekly planner is perfect for creating a wider lens than a daily planner, but still ‘staying small’—on point with the tactical needs and priorities of a job. A weekly may not have as much space for detail, but you’ll appreciate being able to look at an entire week all at once, (as opposed to being spread over seven different pages in a daily). It’s also a smart option for managers who may need to keep track of a few schedules at once, or for someone juggling a lot of meetings on a weekly basis. Looking at the entire week all at once helps you to plan for both the busy and slow days spread across the week.

A few options from ePromos:
• Weekly Custom Pocket Planner w/ Matching Flat Pen
• Executive Vinyl Weekly Custom Pocket Planner
• Weekly Wire Bound Custom Planner

3. Monthly planner

Monthly planners allow you to look at the entire month all at once. This is ideal for someone looking to organize themselves more strategically by considering a broad view of time, especially if working towards a project with a deadline that’s months away. This makes it an excellent choice for academics, who need to stay on track for big projects and papers that are coming down the pike, not to mention exams, but who otherwise mostly have a fixed schedule. A monthly planner is the best way to stay on-track from a yearly perspective.

A few cool options from ePromos:
• Monthly Custom Pocket Planner
• Classic Custom Monthly Planner
• Monthly Desk Appointment Custom Planner

4. Desk diary

Desk diaries, also called “productivity weapons” are a great way to get on track for those who feel the burden of having too much to fit into a single day (all too relatable for most of us). With the ability to write out daily/weekly/monthly (depending on the interval you select) it can be not only a great tool for planning, but for evaluating how your time is being spent. It allows you to see what chewed up more time than originally projected, and search for ways to become more efficient in a bid to make your workday more productive.

A few options from ePromos:
• Daily Wire Bound Custom Desk Diary
• Soft Sewn Weekly Custom Desk Diary
• Monthly Desk Custom Appointment Custom Planner

While a paper planner may be regarded as nostalgic at first glance, it’s still a trusty way to stay organized and even increase productivity when used faithfully. Giving them out to employees is a great way to benefit your organization. As mentioned above, consider them not only for their planning purposes, but the usefulness of reflecting on them at regular intervals, comparing them alongside personal/company outcomes and deliverables. ePromos offers a wide range of every kind of planner mentioned above, with the ability for customization, like adding a company name or logo—be sure to check them out!

Promotional Products & Marketing Blog - We're the Promo Know-How People