How to get started with Digital Planning

I have been using a paper planner for as long as I can remember. I was handed an academic planner in 6th grade and never looked back. In recent months life got a little crazy (whose hasn’t!?) and I officially made the switch to digital planning with the  MäksēLife Digital Planner and I am loving it! 

To switch from a paper planner to digital was a huge step but it was worth it. Not only for the environmental and cost benefits, but also because of how portable the MäksēLife Goal-Setting System is as well! 

While switching from a paper planner to a digital planner may seem daunting, it is much easier than you think!

Before we jump into how to switch to digital planning, here are some of the other benefits of going digital:

Your goals and plans are always with you!

The biggest benefit of digital planning is having your goals and plans with you at all times. Your goals will sync across devices, and you will have everything right at your fingertips. Having your goals and plans right in front of you is proven to help you get better and quick results! 

Correct mistakes

With digital planning it is easy to erase any mistakes or plans that got canceled or even just select and move plans that get rescheduled. No longer do you need to scratch things out or carry whiteout!

Cost effective

Once the initial cost of the tablet is paid, digital planning is a very cost effective hobby! Once you buy a digital planning product (planner, stickers, notebooks, etc.) you can use them over and over! 

Save time

Do you have recurring appointments? Or the same to-dos week to week? With digital planning it is as simple as copy-and-paste and your plans duplicate themselves. You can even copy an entire week over to the next!  

Always have a backup

There is nothing worse than the feeling in the pit of your stomach when you realize you left your planner at home! OR worse…you LOST it! With digital, there is always a backup of your plans (thank you cloud storage!) And with some apps, you can even have your planner on your phone to reference! 

My first recommendation if you want to start digital planning is to take my favorite advice from Sierra and Just Begin. Be patient with yourself and give yourself grace, this is something new and it is going to take time to master!

To get started, you need a few basic things:

• A Tablet and Stylus (or "pen)
• A Digital Planning App (our favorite for iOS is Goodnotes and our favorite for Android is Noteshelf!)
• A Digital Planner. The Makselife Digital Planning Collection has blown up since our 2023 Collection Launch! With our best-selling Digital Goal-Setting + Daily Planner, our flagship Digital Goal-Setting + Weekly Planner, Daily Intentions and Evening Reflections Notepads, Digital Notebooks, Sticker Books and more. There's so much Makse goodness available for you digitally in 2023!

While I consider myself adept at digital planning, I know that I don’t know everything and there are features and tricks that I don’t know yet. That is the best thing about digital planning, as technology advances, so does the fun! 

If you want some more tips + tricks as well as some demos on how to use your digital planner, make sure to check out the video below where our Digital Media Director, Darian, gave us a Masterclass on Digital Planning!

If you have started digital planning already-what is your favorite part?

If you haven’t started-what questions can we answer to help you take the plunge?