Melding Paper with Digital Planning Worlds
by Rev. Joy-Ellen Lipsky
December 2018
As a project and product manager, I have done time management and
organization for decades. I also facilitated FranklinQuest and then FranklinCovey
time management courses within my company for years. Of course, in the
beginning, there were only planners with paper inserts to use for writing your
values, goals, tasks, contacts and appointments. Then you needed to carry your planner
with you everywhere in case you needed to add or change an appointment or
capture a task that would need to be done.
Along came the first PDAs – personal digital assistants. The first ones were not
very helpful to keep track of all the pieces and parts of one’s life. But, eventually
there came those PDAs that would connect with our computers to sync information
back and forth. They were about the size of your hand and you could more easily
carry them with you versus the paper planner. When cell phones became “smart”
we gave up our PDAs and have our all our information in that device which we
keep with us while we are out and about.
I have used Outlook on my PC since it was the tool that I used at work. My original PDA would
sync with Outlook on my computer and transfer back and forth my time management information.
Now, I do that with software on my PC and an app on my cell phone. It makes it very
convenient to have all my information with me when I am away from my PC.
Through all the changes, I have continued to also use a paper planner. I originally had
a 2-page per day setup, but I now have an A5 sized planner with 2-pages per week that
I customize through agendio.com. I plan out my week, have tasks for the week categorized
into 7 lists, and with erasable ink, I don’t have to use a pencil anymore. Since I have all
my information in my computer and cell phone, why do I also keep a paper planner?
Because the simple act of spending time writing out the appointments and tasks helps me
to remember what is happening during the week and what needs to be done. Plus, my
planner is always open for me to glance at during the time I am at my desk. I also have the
fun during my weekly planning to make the pages pretty with washi and stickers and coordinating
ink.
I no longer carry the paper planner with me when I am out and about. I can add appointments and
tasks through my cell phone app and then sync when I am back home. However, I will not
give up my paper planner as it also houses my favorite quotes, articles, year at a glance calendar, and
notes from all my volunteer activities. So, I like to think that I have successfully melded digital to
analog to make my life easier and more effective.
Rev. Joy-Ellen Lakshmi Lipsky is an interfaith community minister with an M.Div. from the Center for Spiritual Enlightenment in interfaith studies with an emphasis on Kriya Yoga, an M.S. in Computer and Information Science and a B.A. in Math from San Jose State. Joy-Ellen is currently in a D.Min. program with Ocean Seminary College, Board Chair and past Secretary of the Silicon Valley Interreligious Council, Steering Committee member of the UU Mystics in Community, and on the Ambassador Advisory Council of the Parliament of the World’s Religions. She is also a Commissioned Community Minister with the First Unitarian Church of San Jose.
Joy-Ellen is a certified computing professional (CCP), a certified project manager (PMP), a professional member of the National Speakers Association, volunteer, business owner, and has received numerous awards and recognition. As a speaker and consultant, she has traveled the world. Rev. Lipsky contributed to the anthology book, Success is a Decision of the Mind, which is available from Amazon.com. She also co-wrote Coaching for the New Century, for PCMA, the Professional Coaches and Mentors Association.