A larger planner will be more cumbersome to tote around, but a smaller version won’t give you much room to record your day-to-day activities. The best planner for you depends on where you’ll be keeping it-in your purse or briefcase? Or at home on your desk? Also, keep in mind how much you will need to write in it. Planners come in a variety of shapes and sizes, from small pocket-friendly versions to larger, more spacious editions.

Check out several layouts before making your decision so you can find a planner that is suited to your needs. Others are goal-oriented or arranged to follow the school year. Some are divided up by weeks, while some have monthly calendar-inspired layouts. Just about every planner has a different format. The coated tabs make it easy to find the section you are looking for, and the in-depth monthly views are great for long-term planning. If you’re looking for a budget-friendly option, we also recommend the Blue Sky 2022 Monthly Planner ( view at Amazon). Our top pick for planners is the Legend Planner ( view at Amazon), because it’s both comprehensive and highly customizable, plus has plenty of space for self reflection to help with overall mood and productivity.

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The contact with the paper – together with the intuitive ability to sketch, write and rewrite everything that comes to mind – provides the freedom necessary for creative and intelligent planning. However, during the initial planning of the project, we recommend that you take a step back and use the tried and true tools: a blank page and a pencil. As project managers, we make extensive use of advanced digital tools, both at work and in our personal lives. The digital era in which we live gives us access to software and applications that help us plan our day, save time, keep in touch with our relatives, etc. Planning the project requires a “Project Compass” to define the objectives of the project, its stakeholders and the inherent benefits for them, the project life cycle, the project’s outcomes and milestones, the resources required to execute the project, the risks that threaten during its execution, and more. These are all examples of the professional and personal projects that each of us is required to manage.Įach project, large or small, requires a clear definition of goals and objectives, and a clear path to achieving them. Think about all the goals you achieved and the complex tasks you completed along the way. Remember the new product you developed, the business you established, the movie you filmed, or the book you wrote. Think of the last event you planned, or your last vacation. All of us, without exception, occasionally find ourselves managing small, medium and even large projects.

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