So, What Planner to Use?

The Panda Planner

• The Panda Planner focuses on cultivating happiness and contentment as motivation
• It encourages users to set priorities, reflect on their progress, and practice gratitude
• Each planner has an “If … then” process for anticipating obstacles and building contingencies
• The daily review section allows users to reflect on their day, set goals, and identify areas for improvement

The Panda Planner is the brainchild of Michael Leip, who created the system based on his own struggles with Lyme Disease, traumatic brain injury, and cancer. He knows firsthand how difficult it can be to stay motivated and focused when dealing with physical or mental health issues. That’s why the Panda Planner is all about gratitude, simple rituals, and reflection. It’s one of the best tools for working through bouts of anxiety and decision paralysis.

The Panda Planner offers free downloadable templates for trying the system and he has a series of YouTube videos to help new users quickly navigate. The company also offers a lower-priced spiral-bound planner with removable plastic section dividers for those users who can’t afford a $30 planner every 3 to 6 months.

The Passion Planner

The Passion Planner seems geared towards millennial women but has some very unique features.

• it focuses on goal setting and reflection
• It encourages users to set both short-term and long-term goals
• The planner provides space for reflection and brainstorming
• The weekly layout helps users stay on top of their tasks, making it especially helpful for those who are juggling multiple projects or responsibilities
• The daily layout option is useful for time blocking (watch for a future post about this productivity technique), making it more than a simple task list tied to projects and goals
• The “good things that happened” section is a great way to practice gratitude and shift your mindset. Daily and weekly gratitude practice has been scientifically proven to help with depression.

The Passion Planner also has downloadable templates (requires an email) so you can try before you buy. The website has dated calendar and academic year planners as well as undated ones. There is a lot of flexibility. The Passion Planner community encourages creativity but doesn’t make it a near sacrament like the bullet journal community does, however. The company’s YouTube videos often star the CEO and the delivery is very personable and honest.

Both the Panda Planner and Passion Planner are powerful tools for staying focused, motivated, and organized. By setting goals, reflecting on your progress, and practicing gratitude, you can cultivate happiness and contentment as motivation. So why not give one of these planners a try and see how it can help you achieve your goals? With the right planner, you can take control of your life and find the happiness you deserve.

Next up: Everyone’s darling THE BULLET JOURNAL