A fresh, new year is upon on us and with it a slew of new plans, resolutions and goals that we’re eager to attack at full force. The ideas are flowing, your momentum is rolling–but you can’t seem to find a moment of the day when your face isn’t buried in your smart phone or computer.
Seriously, if your job, business or passion project require an internet connection, it’s impossible to avoid the draining sensation that comes with being constantly tuned into screens.
I finally got so exhausted living by the whim of social media notifications and iCal reminders that I realized it was time for me to make a change. No, not a social media detox or anything like that. I’m talking going back to the good stuff–analog tools.
Breaking out your favorite pen, buying a fresh notebook or supporting a small business by purchasing a printable are just the beginning of the catharsis of going analog with systems for your personal and professional lives. There are an endless amount of tools out there that can get your precious brainwaves off of screen and make them tangible.
Below are a few categories of analog tools you can explore. I highly encourage you to try out different systems in each category and don’t be afraid to toss anything that doesn’t click for you. This is about organizing your brain, after all. Use what works and forget the rest!
Planners/Calendars
Sure, iCals are a necessary evil, especially when your calendar is so full you need to be alerted so you have enough time to flit from one obligation to another. But punching in a lunch date or asking Siri to remind you about a deadline hardly makes you consider just how much time you’re committed to spending every week.
Taking the time to put pen to paper can not only let you see how crowded your days might be getting, but it can also help you get the bigger picture of your days, weeks and months as they happen. There’s even room for doodling, quotes and gratitude lists to help you be true to your intentions for your time.
People can get pretty fired about this category. Kate Spade, Lily Pulitzer, Simplified Planner, Passion Planner… lots of people will be quite to preach the gospel of their go-do designer. If the hottest name in daily/weekly/monthly organization doesn’t get you drooling over their layout or binding, please do not spend your hard-earned money on it – there are plenty of budget friendly options (this one from Sugar Paper is only $9.99 at Target!).
To-Do Lists
Now I know there are lots of great to-do list apps out there, plus there’s the traditional scrap-o-paper route too. But it’s 2016 and I, for one, demand more from my to-do list than a catch-all for my most mundane thoughts.
RELATED: How to Make Your To-Do List More Efficient
Recently, the bullet journal has been exploding in popularity–for good reason. This beautiful, minimalist system is the perfect example of how analog tools can be such a boon for your creative/professional brain. By using symbols, indexes and page numbers, bullet journalling keeps all of your thoughts in one place without mashing them all into a dull laundry list of “have to do’s.”
You can adapt the techniques from bullet journaling (learn how to get started here) to your needs or you can find lots of fascinating to-do list templates all across the internet. Just like with planners though, make sure you try quite a few on for size. You might be shocked to find what sticks. All you really need to get started is a notebook and pen!
Goal Setting
In addition to the necessities of organization, it’s so important to really work through your goals on paper. I was lucky enough to be a part of Allyn’s #ShineInto2016 Challenge and let me tell you what. Working through multiple iterations of my 2016 goals with markers, pens, crayons and all other manner of craft supplies totally changed my outlook on how to approach my goals.
If I had tried to write out my goals in a Google Doc or made a Pinterest board, they would have been so susceptible to external pressures and influences. By taking the time and energy to work through multiple exercises, I allowed myself the space and stillness to get very real about what my heart was saying.
If you need help working through goals for your business or personal life, I would recommend looking into concepts like mind mapping as well to organize and prioritize your brain. There are so many fun, budget-friendly analog tools that you can find that can help ramp up your business and personal lives while giving your brain the break it has definitely earned from screens. Grab your favorite pen and write on, you Gem!
