Have you ever wondered whether you should use a digital or paper planner at work or home?

There’s pros and cons for each camp. But what if there were a quick way to help you decide?

In this post, you’ll find a brief, five-question quiz to help you determine whether a digital or paper planner is for you.

For the purposes of this post, digital planners include things like online calendars, productivity apps and programs.

Paper planners include notebooks, desk or wall calendars, and of course, hand-written lists.

Of course, keep in mind that this is just a general quiz.

There may be certain instances where you prefer to use a digital planner over a paper one.

You may find sharing your work calendar with your colleagues is easier on a digital device.

You may prefer using a paper planner to jot down your personal self-improvement plan for the year.

Before jumping on board with any particular type of planner, you may want to consider the pros and cons for each:

Digital Planner Pros

• Ability to sync information across many devices
• Can easily share information and materials with others
• Can quickly transfer information from one application or program
• Can print out information as needed

Digital Planner Cons

• Sensitive or private information may be stolen, leaked, or hacked
• Frequent app, program, and system updates, upgrades, and backups are necessary
• Files may be corrupted, infected by a virus, or completely lost
• Information is not really private as it is shared with third-parties

Paper Planner Pros

• Private way to collect and store information
• Writing makes you slow down, and take your time
• Can look at things side by side on a table or desk
• Can access without an internet connection, or electricity

Paper Planner Cons

• Cannot search information easily
• Updating large chunks of information takes time, or is completely unwieldy
• Transferring information to another format requires typing, scanning, or reading
• No backup: once you lose a planner, it’s gone

Now, let’s move on to the quiz!

1. Do you prefer taking notes by hand, as opposed to typing them?

A. Yes, I have my favorite brands of pens and pencils, and I could easily spend hours in the notebook/planner department of an office supply store.

B.  No, I’d rather type things on a computer keypad, or dictate notes to my digital device using a transcription program, or app.

2. Do you like having all of your notes, appointments, and meetings available to you, at any given place, at any given time?

A. No, I like being able to pick and choose what items I can carry, and look at, at any given moment.

B. Yes, I’m constantly on the go, so being able to see all of my information at once is a must.

3. Does the thought of having to constantly update your applications, programs, and backup your devices, send chills up your spine?

A. Yes, I’d rather sit down and make edits to my notes or information, instead of wrestling with a computer or device.

B. No, I love seeing the new changes, updates, and possibilities when it comes to technology. I love trying new things out.

4. Do you need to search or sort different bits of information on a regular basis, at the drop of a hat?

A. No, I can pretty much find what I need in my notes, when I need them.

B. Yes! I’m always churning out lots of ideas, information, and notes, and need a way to easily search/sort through things.

5. Do you need to be able to easily share your notes and calendar(s) with other people?

A. No, not necessarily. If I need to share items with people, I’ll do so by talking to them, sending an email or text, but otherwise, I like keeping things to myself.

B. Yes, I like being able to share my notes and calendar with my coworkers, family, and friends. It saves me time.

Mostly A’s. Paper Planner.

You’re enamored by all things analog.

Most likely, you have an amazing collection of pens, pencils, notebooks, desk and wall calendars.

You love putting pen to paper, and turning the pages of a calendar or notebook to see your notes, meetings, and appointments.

There are a wide variety of planners from which to choose: daily, weekly, and monthly planners; spiral-bound, ring, or book bound planners; lined, graphed, or blank pages; planners with notes, to-dos, and activities sections; as well as a variety of planner sizes, from pocket, to jumbo.

Mostly B’s. Digital Planner.

You truly are diggin’ the digital life.

You own a variety of digital devices, from smart phone, tablet, laptop, to desktop.

Likewise, you aren’t afraid of getting your feet wet when new apps, programs, or updates come along.

You love being able to collect, share, refine, and revise information easily, efficiently, and on the go.

You have an entire world of specialized and generalized apps and programs to choose from: plain digital calendars, task-based calendars, to-do lists, reminders, mind-maps, flow charts, and project managers.

I have a printable calendar system that could help you track important dates, events, and activities throughout the year. Click here to find out more.

If you want to manage your professional and personal schedule throughout the year so you can be productive, let’s talk. Click here to schedule a strategy session with me.

How about you? What were your quiz results? How are you going to use your results in your work in future? Join the conversation and leave a comment below!