Hi Reader,
It's that time of year to purchase your 2025 planner! During a recent visit to Staples, I noticed the front of the store filled with a variety of paper planners. You might wonder, "A paper planner? In 2025? Who still buys those?"
Many people still use paper planners. I see them in client offices on their walls and on their desks under their computers. My niece, for example, has a large dry-erase monthly planner in her kitchen to manage schedules for her growing family. With only one vehicle, this helps them organize weekly activities to coordinate car trips efficiently.
I used to be someone who relied on a paper planner. I looked forward to picking up the exact same type of planner each year at the office store, then filling in all my details for the year. It was the perfect planner for me—compact, straightforward, and displaying one week at a time without excessive text or frilly graphics, which I dislike.
Paper planner no more
A couple of years ago, I was disappointed to learn that my preferred paper planner had been discontinued. My Gen Z adult children saw this as a sign that it was time for me to switch to an electronic planner. While most of my work life was already online, I was reluctant to let go of my paper planner, but I eventually moved forward with the switch.
Surprisingly, the transition to an online planner was smooth. Having already developed a system on a paper planner, I found it easy to replicate and iterate digitally. I could sort and categorize calendars, link invites to tasks, and connect tasks to deliverables in seconds—a project manager’s dream. I wondered why I hadn’t made the switch sooner!
Leaders and planners
I was recently listening to a podcast by Amy Porterfield and Codie Sanchez, and Codie spoke about the differences between “high-implement” and “low-implement” types of people.
I am a high-implement type of person, which means I have a strong attention to detail and a knack for systemization. My calendar is meticulously organized and colour-coded, with specific time blocks dedicated to focused work.
In contrast, most executives tend to be low-implement. This means they often don’t understand why they have three meetings scheduled at the same time, they lack meeting notes, and have no desire to time-block their schedules for heads down working time. And colour coding on their calendars? No way, no how.
Why executives need planners
Executives need to ensure they have planners by their side, to ensure they are offsetting their weaknesses with someone else’s strengths. Someone with high implementation skills will have no calendar conflicts and high attention to detail, to ensure that executives, as low-implement, are covered.
Looking to discuss your 2025 plans with a real-life planner? Whether your ideas are on paper or not, reach out to us to chat at info@projectspivot.com, and we’ll jump into all things planning.
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Barbara Kephart, PMP
Founder and Chief Project Officer
Projects Pivot
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