Are you interested in learning how to create a digital planner? I know I was the second I came across them! I had just gotten a new iPad with the Apple Pencil and I wanted to see what all I could do with my new toy (besides just work on my blog). That’s when I discovered digital planners!
I loved this idea! It took away all the things I didn’t care for with a physical planner and gave me all the things I love with a digital one! Check out my post here that goes more into detail on that but for now, let’s talk about creating your very own digital planner!
Programs to use to create a digital planner
There are a bunch of different programs you can use to create a digital planner. It is all based on preference. All you really need is a program that can create a PDF. Now if you want your planner to have tabs that link to certain parts in your planner, then you would need a program that can save hyperlinks in the PDF.
I have a Mac so I have become best friends with Keynote, which is Apple’s version of PowerPoint. Keynote allows you to use hyperlinks in your PDF. Hyperlinks in your PDF is how you are able to link from the front of your planner to a certain section or month in your planner.
If you are using an iPad to use your digital planner then it is very easy to just use the Keynote app to create your digital planner. You just create it, save it, then upload it into the note-taking app of your choice to actually use the planner!
If you aren’t using an Apple product then no worries, there are still other ways you can create and use your PDF for your digital planner.
Some of the main programs that allow you to add hyperlinks in a PDF are:
– Microsoft Word
– PowerPoint
– Keynote
– Google Docs
Like I said there are many more but most people either use Google, Microsoft, or Apple. All of those allow you to create PDFs with a hyperlink. At least all of those programs just allowed me to when I tested them out to make sure.
So if you are using one of those and it doesn’t you may need to update it because I know that I couldn’t before on PowerPoint but now I can.
For more help on how to create hyperlinks in one of those programs check out my posts for each one here: Hyperlinks in Google Docs, Hyperlinks in Word Doc, Hyperlinks in PowerPoint, or Hyperlinks in Keynote.
Pages to Include
Now that you have picked a program to use you need to decide how your planner is going to look and what pages you are going to include.
This is all personal preference too and the best way to decide is to do a little research.
When creating mine, I Googled digital planners and I looked through all the different ones and decided which styles I liked or didn’t like.
I decided how some of them made sense to navigate through and some didn’t. Again, just go through and get some different ideas. As long as you aren’t going to try and resell your planner it is okay to have yours similar to someone else.
You do not, however, want to copy someone else’s and then try and sell your planner. That’s a big no-no so don’t do that.
Important Pages
Here are some examples of pages you can include in your digital planner.
Index Page
Habit Tracker
Monthly Calendars
Daily Schedule
Weekly Spreads
Cleaning/Chores
Lists
Tasks
Stickers Page
Meal Planning
Budgeting
Medicine Chart
Important Dates
Address
Blank pages
Dotted Grid Pages (like a bullet journal)
Etc!
This is where creating your planner gets fun! You get to customize each page to what is best for you!
Add charts, graphs, and fun layouts!
Programs to Use Your Planner
After you have finished up your digital planner and saved it as a PDF you can now upload it into your favorite note-taking app.
I use GoodNotes and it is amazing, I really do love it. It is only available on Apple devices and it does cost about $8 bucks. But really $8 is pretty cheap and it’s worth it in my opinion.
You can also use Notability or OneNote. Any app that will allow you to upload a PDF and edit it. Once again, it is all about preference. You just need to be able to edit it for you to be able to actually use your digital planner like a normal planner.
Once you have picked the app and uploaded your digital planner PDF, you are now free to fill it all in and get your life completely organized at your fingertips!
Need some more help?
This post is just a quick guide to explain how digital planners are created but if you are looking for a more detailed explanation and someone to help guide you through every step of the process, then check out my Digital Planner Creation Mini-Course.
In my mini-course, I will help guide you through creating your own digital planner. Here is a quick video explaining what is included in this course.
Here is more information on the iPad and Accessories that I got.
iPad Pro
This is the exact iPad that I bought. I did go with the lower storage because I need to get a hard drive anyway so this way I can just get one of those and save money on buying the extra storage.
We looked into purchasing the iPad through our phone carrier to add data to it but that costs more also. Plus we found out that our T.V. provider has hotspots I can use when I am away from home. Just some things to think about!
I wanted the bigger screen so that was my main priority. I wasn’t as worried about storage because I have a bigger icloud storage plan and then again I plan to get an external hard drive to save all pictures and important documents on it.
Now I don’t pretend to be all tech-savvy, I know just enough to get by. I know that I am a busy mom and this all makes my life easier and more portable. I do want to say that it comes with a completely new charger.
Supposedly it is to be able to connect to your computer better or other techy stuff I don’t understand but my point is no more USB on one end and no more of the other normal end that all Apple products have.
The cord has the same end on each end. So either way, it connects to your converter to plug into the wall and then into the iPad to charge. Just a heads up.
Keyboard
Then since I got the bigger screen I had to get this keyboard that fits it. They are both 12.9 inches so that gives plenty of room for using your screen and typing on a good-sized keyboard, not a tiny one.
The iPad connects magnetically to the keyboard and there are three dots on the back of the iPad that connects it to the keyboard.
Then you can have it in different positions to adjust it to your liking while typing. Then when you aren’t using the keyboard you can fold it over to close and you will hear the iPad lock. Also, you can flip it around and under the iPad to quickly use the iPad only.
Apple Pencil
Then, of course, I got the Apple Pencil 2nd Generation that is compatible with the iPad Pro. It is very sleek and easy to use.
There are no buttons, it looks and feels just like a regular pencil. It doesn’t erase like one although I think it should. I keep wanting to flip it around and erase with the pencil eraser like you normally would.
But just a heads up it doesn’t work like that. Another fun feature of the Apple pencil is that it connects to the side of your iPad magnetically to charge.
This is great to keep track of the pencil and know that it is always charged up. No plugging it in or cords involved! Once you connect it to the iPad it will tell you what charge the pencil is at as well.
I don’t know if I will do that or not because with the new pencil it senses when you double-tap to erase when using the Notes App. Also, I don’t know how the gripper affects it charging magnetically or staying safely on the side of the iPad. I worry that it might come off and I would lose it.
That’s all folks!
Thanks for reading my post! Grab a Free Digital Notebook created by GoodNotes Goods Co.!
10 Ways to Stop Procrastinating and Get More Organized
I don’t know if you have problems with procrastinating like I sometimes do but here are 10 ways to stop procrastinating and get more organized! Procrastination is a bad habit that is hard to break and even when you are doing MUCH better it slowly can creep back up on you! So if that sounds familiar I hope these tips help you!
Procrastinating has always been a struggle for me. It actually runs in my family. I think back to when I was in school and I see just how bad I was at procrastinating. I would do anything other than my homework or clean my room.
Instead, I would, of course, choose things that were fun and put off the not so fun things until the last minute. Then when I had to rush and get things done I didn’t do my best work.
As I became an adult, wife, and mother, I have found that putting things off can end up really bad! You have to be prepared and use your time wisely if you want things to get done. I have learned as the years have gone by to overcome my procrastinating habits.
Pin it for later!
Here are the 10 ways to stop procrastinating and get more organized that have helped me find time to be more productive.
1. Identify What Takes Up Your Time
What is taking up most of your time? If you were to stop and really think about any spare time you have what are you doing? Then decide if that is time well spent or not!
Do you spend too much time on Social Media?
Are you putting off important tasks to clean when you could do that later?
Are you overthinking and stalling?
Take a hard look at how you are choosing to spend your time and identify what is really take up your time and making you “too busy” to get your important task done.
Instead of doing what you want first in your day, do the important task that you are putting off first. Or if you find that you are more productive during a certain part of the day then more that task to that time frame.
Rearrange your schedule to make it more effective for you to get your task done. If you move some things around in your schedule to different time frames then you may be more likely to get it done.
For example, if I decide to clean all morning then I am worn out in the afternoon and struggle to work on my computer. But if I work first then my important task is done and I have the rest of the day to catch up on housework.
I did the same thing during the day but in a more productive order that ensures everything gets accomplished.
3. Make a List
Make a list of the things you want to accomplish during the day and then map out your day. At the beginning of the day, I think about all the things that need to be done.
Between what’s for supper, is tonight gymnastics, what yards need to be mowed (we have a small lawn care company), have I billed everyone for said yards, where am I at on my blog etc. It can get overwhelming.
If I don’t write it all down then I forget and things don’t get done.
If I make a list and I see what all needs to be done then I just start chipping away at that list and I love seeing those things get crossed off! When I get to the end of the list I feel so good! I feel like I can relax a little and that I have earned it!
Also having that list you can see the order in which things need to be done. If there are things that need to all be done while you are in town then group them together. Things that need to be done at home then group them.
Then multiple things can be done at once and crossed off the list all at once!
4. Give Yourself a Time Limit
Allow yourself only so long to do each thing you need to accomplish that day. Set a time limit for each item. This sets a sense of urgency when you see you only have X amount of time left to finish that item.
This also keeps you from spending too much time on one item. I do the budgeting for our family so every Friday I like to see where we are. Payday Friday I map everything out and then the next Friday I see how we are doing staying on our budget.
Now life has a funny way of not caring about what you have planned so it never works perfectly but at least I tried! It shouldn’t take all day or even hours but I can end up spending hours planning ahead for the future.
This is when I have to set a timer. It should only take 30mins-1hour tops. Also, the time limit works great for cleaning because I see that oven timer ticking down and I really rush to get it done so I can be more productive with my day!
5. Pick Up The Pace
I have a very laid back personality so I can just mosey along with my day and get half as much done that I could have if I would have just picked up the pace.
So I have tried hard to pick up the pace while working on my to-do list.
It works great along with #4 and setting a timer. It just lights a little fire under you to get more done in your day.
6. Multitask
Now some people say this can cause you to be less productive but I’m not talking about talking on the phone while typing an email. I am talking about turning on the washer and dishwasher first so they can run while you are vacuuming type thing.
If you multitask and do things in the right order you will get more done during the day.
Maybe you listen to an audiobook or watch a training video while you are cooking supper or folding laundry instead of watching T.V. Maybe you answer emails on your phone while you are waiting for gymnastics practice to be over instead of scrolling on Facebook.
The other day I had to drive 3 hours to meet with my friend so instead of listening to the radio I listened to videos from my favorite blogger to help better myself.
We all multitask already but choosing better things to do while multitasking will make a huge difference.
7. Wake Up 30 Minutes Earlier
We all know this is a great one that is easier said than done. I am not a morning person so waking up earlier is hard for me.
Sleep is good for us so you just need to use your time more wisely and get to bed on time (instead of scrolling through social media).
I have always been a night owl and never an early riser but I have found that if I stay up 30 minutes later that I start my day off tired and grumpy and I get less done during the day.
If I go to bed on time but wake up 30 minutes earlier I still have that same 30 extra minutes but I am much more productive!
I didn’t realize just how amazing meal prepping is! I knew to eat healthier that meal prepping made all the difference but what I didn’t know is how meal prepping saves so much time and headache period!
It has made a huge difference! Also, it has helped our budget extremely because my husband doesn’t just order something because supper is already ready when he walks in the door from work! (I started this habit while working a full-time job because I was too tired to cook after work. But with everything prepped it saved the day!)
This one goes along the lines of the time-wasters. I am very bad about not saying no, I always get suckered into saying yes.
Every once in awhile it’s okay to say no.
I recently had a hard time saying no and I felt guilty about it at first but good about it later. My neighbor asked if I could watch her daughter and I told her no which bothered me at first but then I thought “Darn it, my life is important and my blog is important too and it deserves my attention!”
So it is okay to say no! Again, it is all about a healthy balance. You don’t want to always work and never enjoy life but you can’t always enjoy life and never work either.
10. Spark!
Spark is a complete LIFESAVER! If you haven’t heard of it then let me just change your life real quick!
Spark is an amazing healthy energy drink. I have never had a monster or any of those types of energy drinks and I was very skeptical about this one when I first heard about it. Spark is made by AdvoCare and isn’t sold in stores.
You can only get it from a distributor. My bestie had signed up and finally talked me into trying it and it is like liquid gold.
I am very stingy with it. I’m not gonna lie, I do not like to share….it is my “happy mommy juice” so no one takes it from mama! I will try not to go on and on about it because I most definitely could.
Spark helped me become the productive mom I had always dreamed of being. I would drag all day and drink coffee and Mountain Dew trying to have the energy to get through the day.
It’s just another amazing thing that changed my life and I would be selfish not to share that with you! I am beyond thankful my friend shared it with me!
I have been drinking it since 2012 and I don’t go a day without it!
There You Have It
I hope some of these tips help you kick your procrastination habit and get more stuff done!
My best advice to stop procrastinating and get more organized are these 5 simple words… MASSIVE ACTION SOLVES ALL PROBLEMS.
I wrote that on a note and stuck it on my fridge so I could see it every day. It would remind me that even if I didn’t know where to start, I just needed to start. I just needed to get moving and the rest would work itself out!
There never seems to be enough time in the day to get everything you need to get done finished. At least that is how I always feel! The to-do list is never-ending and the clock won’t stop ticking. Although this is true there are still ways you can find time in your day.
By taking a deeper look into how you spend your time you can easily find more time in your day! When I first did this I was shocked at how much extra time I really had!
Here are 5 easy ways to find time in your day!
#1 IF YOU FAIL TO PLAN…..PLAN TO FAIL
(Or as my very dear friend calls it….get your poop in a group…haha!)
I know you have heard it before but it is so very true! If you don’t plan then you are going to fail. I grew up with a wing-it kind of attitude. My mom is a very carefree and easy-going person. She isn’t known for her promptness but rather her relaxed personality. Because of that my older sister and I tend to be more proactive and we like to plan and be on time.
And since we weren’t raised that way we have had to find our own path to become that way. I say that because we are by no means perfect at it.
Sometimes it feels like it is more work but it really does make the week go by so much smoother!
Plan out your meals
For example, I plan out our meals for the whole month. I use the grocery pickup to save time and to stay on budget. Then I prep my daughter’s school lunches and all dinners for the week.
(if you’re looking, I use these containers for her lunches and when I prep for my husband and I, I use these containers. Both inexpensive and super easy to use, clean and store!)
We will have enough food for leftovers for lunch and no one is a big breakfast eater so I only need to worry about dinners.
Normally for breakfast, we all just grab a protein bar or something. But with dinners planned and prepped, I don’t have to spend 30-45 mins trying to figure out what to make for supper each night and finally deciding to just order pizza.
Meal planning is a fairly obvious time-saver that many moms probably already do. And even though it does take up a big portion of my weekend, I have saved a bunch of time and stress over meals all week.
Also when I added up how much we would save by not eating out so much I was shocked!
I didn’t think we were spending that much eating out because there are only three of us…but yep we will save a bunch!
Plan out outfits for the week
Just like planning out meals, it helps so much if you plan out outfits too. My daughter is NOT a morning person so she doesn’t like getting up any earlier than she has to. Also, she is at the age where she doesn’t like the clothes I pick out for her. So it makes mornings run much smoother if we pick out her outfits for the week together Sunday evening.
This way we are prepared for P.E. days when she needs to wear tennis shoes and so on. This also ensures that we don’t miss any fun activities at school like pajama day or crazy sock day.
So you can see how planning in life frees up time.
I use a bullet journal or planner to help keep them myself on track and organized. I got this journal and I do love how you can customize each page instead of struggling to find a planner that works for you and your specific needs.
Some people are born motivated and can just go-go all day and you can’t get them to slow down….*cough: my husband!* He literally jumps out of bed around 5 am or earlier and does not stop until he is forced to slow down at night and then when he stops moving for more than 10 seconds he is asleep.
He has been that way since I met him. Most of our friends call him a robot because he requires very little sleep…some times zero. I have seen him go strong and hard for almost 48 hours. Running on maybe a 30-minute cat nap.
I, however, hibernate every night and I wish that I had his motivation. Just like my daughter, I am not a morning person but I wish I was!
I get up sometimes around 5am and will go for a run and that helps me accomplish so much more that day but then it takes days for me to recoup.
Find what motivates you
If you are like me and you need to find something to help push you through the day then find what motivates you! That will make a huge difference!
Are you goal oriented? Do you like a lot of coffee? Do you like to check things off your to-do list? Do you like to workout? Do you have an accountability partner?
Find something that will drive you!
What has helped me tremendously is Spark. It is a vitamin “energy drink” that gives me mental focus. It’s sugar-free so guilt free and it has helped me so much! I started drinking it in 2012 and I have rarely gone a day without it!
I am the least competitive person you will meet. If you say “I’m going to beat you!” to try and get me motivated I will say “Ok.” and keep doing what I was doing. I am not driven by competition or even goals. I actually clam up instead so I have found that with Spark it 100% helps motivate me. It is a joke at our house when I am cleaning, rearranging furniture, or painting something that I must have just drank a spark and to look out!
Find your motivation to help you acheive more in your day!
Get your blood flowing and get some rest!
Exercise always helps me get the blood flow going and helps me not feel so sluggish.
Also, as I said before some people require more sleep than others. There is no replacement for sleep!
I have found that even though it takes away from the time I am awake and could be working, I get more done if I get more sleep.
If I cut myself short on sleep, the next day I am slow, tired, I can’t focus, I just keep yawning, and I don’t get much done. So what is the point in staying awake longer trying to get more done if the next day I’m too tired to get anything done?
If I just get a good nights rest then I can accomplish so much more the next day being well rested. Even though I gave up work time the night before to sleep.
I have noticed too that our new mattress has helped a ton with getting a good nights sleep. We recently made the investment to get a new mattress and wow…I never realized how much we were missing out! Now my husband and I joke about how we just want to go lay in our nice new bed for fun.
Getting the rest our bodies need helps us be much more productive the next day!
Your Passion
Find your purpose or your passion and write that on your mirror so you can read it every morning. Having that daily reminder of your purpose can make a huge difference!
#3 MAP OUT YOUR DAY
Mapping out your daily routine will help you find the time you didn’t know you had. I did this and it shows I have all kinds of time but yet I was like “where is it all going?” and turns out that life happens and yes things come up that you have to do.
However, by mapping out your daily routine you can see where you can make things more efficient. Maybe you like to get up and drink a cup of coffee and watch the news when you wake up but then you are struggling to find time throughout the day.
Well, maybe you have to give up that coffee and news time. Or maybe you watch TV at night after you put the kids to bed that you could cut out.
#4 CUT DISTRACTION
I have met people that completely shut T.V. off in their homes because it is a distraction to their goals. I would have to agree it most certainly is a distraction for me.
I don’t have it on at all during the day so I can focus and work. Then I may reward myself with a little television at night. If I was looking for more time then I would cut it out as well.
If your schedule is overwhelmed with cleaning (because it’s never ending) then I would break it up into daily tasks so then you get a little done each day instead of feeling like you have to clean the whole house every day.
Social Media
Social Media is another huge distraction. Sometimes I catch myself getting on to purposefully distract myself because I don’t want to do something. So I deleted Facebook off of my phone. I don’t struggle with other social media platforms but I do get sucked into Facebook. So I cut the distraction!
#5 ASK FOR HELP
No one said you have to do this alone. Ask for help! As mom’s we tend to just do it all and not ask for help. That isn’t helping anyone! Give some of the responsibilites to your husband or kids. Or ask your sister, mother, or friend would help watch the kiddos so you can find time to get things done!
Another great option is, if you don’t already, get an accountability partner to help keep you on track.
Delegate tasks out to save you time
Hire someone to come clean the house, mow the yard, power wash the house, whatever tasks you can delegate out do it! If you can delegate out chores that eat up your time to your spouse or kids then do that but if not then hire someone to help you.
This frees up time you are spending on those chores that you could be using for other things!
Even small little adjustments like this vacuum can help. I got this for Christmas and it saves me from having to vacuum all the time. I just let it run while I am doing other things and that’s one less chore on my list!
Massive action solves all problems
My favorite saying that I have written on my fridge is “Massive action solves all problems“. I think about that when I get stuck or feel a little lost.
When I over think and analyze too much I realize that I have wasted 15 minutes stressing over what I should do next. If I would have just moved forward on something I would have accomplished more than stressing over the order of my to-do list.
When the house is a wreck and I need to do invoices for our lawn care and I need to write a blog post but I don’t know where to start… I just start!
The more I can get done in a day whether it was in the right order or not is going to be more important than stressing about the order and wasting any precious time.
So for today, I leave you with those two reminders:
1. If you fail to plan…..plan to fail
2. Massive action solves all problems
Map out your schedule and plan out as much as you can then get into action! I hope this has helped you find more time in your day!
I love journals, planners, pens, pencils, stickers, anything office supply related. And I know I am not alone! There is a whole community out there of people who are obsessed with office supplies too! I don’t even know why I want all these things but I do! One year for Valentine’s Day my husband got me office supplies and I was so excited! That’s why I can’t wait to share with you that I found two digital alternatives to the bullet journal!
What’s a Bullet Journal?
First, just in case you don’t know, here is an example of the bullet journal. These things have taken over. Every blogger I see is talking about this bullet journal and how awesome it is. I finally decided to get one for myself after seeing all the fun everyone was having with them!
Check out these two examples I found on Pinterest. (They are linked back to the pin if you want to save them.)
My sister told me about these gel pens that erase so I got those too and they are much more my style because I like to erase (I’m a perfectionist some times).
What’s the big deal?
The big craze with the bullet journal is that each page is customizable. Every page just has dots to use as a guide to be able to create all kinds of beautiful pages. One page could be your grocery list, another your calendar, and the next your cleaning schedule. There is no limit to what you can do with each page and I do really enjoy that flexibility.
Instead of searching through so many planners just to finally pick one and end up hating the layout, this option I could make each page my own layout that worked best for me.
I just had one main issue, I would always forget it. I don’t think to always have my journal with me. So even though I like to write things out and use the fun pretty colors and all that, I would never bring it with me. It was just one more thing I had to remember to lug around.
So I tried to use apps and a Google Calendar instead to make it more digital and less inconvenient but it didn’t work. I thought if I could master digital planning then I could keep a better schedule but it didn’t work. I like the fun bright colors and although I did find one app that worked well enough to keep me on schedule, it didn’t have the flexibility of each page being something different.
I needed something that was a digital version of the bullet journal. The only thing I could find was the Notes app on my iPhone. I use it quite often to keep all of my important information all in one spot. I started that about a year or so ago and that has been great!
There is even an option where you can write things out with my finger but then you couldn’t read any of it. So I was still missing the fun artistic appeal the bullet journal has.
After I got my iPad I researched ways to use the pencil and I came up with some fun things. One of them was actually using the Notes app I have already been using!
What I found was that I could do more with the Notes app than just typing in my notes. I could use it more like a bullet journal!
Here is why I love the Notes App on my iPad (or iPhone) and how it can be used as a bullet journal!
Notes App Features
It’s FREE
You can add tabs and organize thoughts
There are options to Bold or Underline Text
You can have clickable links in it
It automatically saves new changes on any device
You can scan documents
Take Photo or Video
Add Sketch
Photo Library
Mark Checklists that actually checkmark off for you
I like the option to add documents or photos to the note. I have actually taken pictures of notes and stored it in a note in the app instead of retyping it all in there just so I could throw the paper note away!
As you can see I really do use this app a lot. All along the side are major categories in life and then there are folders under them to organize further down.
Then lastly within each of those is the second column of notes you see. This helps me break things down and everything is easy to find! Now with the new iPad Pro, I can use my Apple Pencil and write on the screen just like you see (sorry I have horrible handwriting).
I can change the color, the style of pen or pencil, and even the thickness of the stroke I am using. With a bullet journal, you can’t break down into categories and sections as easily as you can with this notes app. You would have to bookmark every new section in a bullet journal.
But wait it gets better!
You can add lines and grids to your note! Just like the bullet journal you now have guides to help you design your page. Also, you only need one pencil and you can change it to any color!
Before if I would remember my bullet journal I would want to bring all the pens so I had all the colors I wanted to use for each page! This way you only need one pencil and one device.
Now you don’t have to take your iPad with you everywhere you go (but let’s face it there is a better chance you bring that than your journal). Because if you need to refer to that note you created such as this one below with my to-do list…
Then you can still do that from your iPhone and no one’s going to forget their phone! You can make all these changes from your iPhone too it just isn’t as easy using your finger but you can still access the same note.
So if you are at the grocery store you can still cross off your list as you get each item.
And the Add Sketch feature is pretty cool because it gives you a ruler to use as a guide that you can move around!
All This For Free
A lot of people are Apple users so if that is you then you have all this for free! If you have been on the fence about switching to Apple then here is a little insight into some of the features! I’m sure there is something similar on the Andriod phones too though.
It is just nice to know some of the ways you can utilize what you already have access too. If you have an iPhone then odds are you have an iPad and might have been in the market to upgrade to the new iPad Pro. So far it is amazing!
Digital Bullet Journal
Alternative number two to a bullet journal is a digital bullet journal! I had no clue these were a thing and I was so excited when I came across them! A digital bullet journal can be used just like a bullet journal but on your phone or tablet! As long as you have a note-taking app that will allow you to edit a PDF. So it doesn’t have to be an Apple Product at all!
The digital bullet journal is a PDF version of a bullet journal and can be used exactly the same but conveniently located on your personal device! Test it out for yourself with this free digital bullet journal download!
If you are looking for a good note-taking app (and you are an Apple user) then I highly suggest getting the GoodNotes App. It has so many awesome features but all of the editing features are my favorite. As you can see I have horrible handwriting so I like that I can quickly make edits on my digital bullet journal or in my notes app. That is something I couldn’t do on my regular bullet journal.
Vanessa
Here is more information on the iPad and Accessories that I bought.
iPad Pro
This is the exact iPad that I bought. I did go with the lower storage because I need to get a hard drive anyway so this way I can just get one of those and save money on buying the extra storage.
We looked into purchasing the iPad through our phone carrier to add data to it but that costs more also. Plus we found out that our T.V. provider has hotspots I can use when I am away from home. Just some things to think about!
I wanted the bigger screen so that was my main priority. I wasn’t as worried about storage because I have a bigger icloud storage plan and then again I plan to get an external hard drive to save all pictures and important documents on it.
Now I don’t pretend to be all tech-savvy, I know just enough to get by. I know that I am a busy mom and this all makes my life easier and more portable. I do want to say that it comes with a completely new charger.
Supposedly it is to be able to connect to your computer better or other techy stuff I don’t understand but my point is no more USB on one end and no more of the other normal end that all Apple products have.
The cord has the same end on each end. So either way, it connects to your converter to plug into the wall and then into the iPad to charge. Just a heads up.
Keyboard
Then since I got the bigger screen I had to get this keyboard that fits it. They are both 12.9 inches so that gives plenty of room for using your screen and typing on a good-sized keyboard, not a tiny one.
The iPad connects magnetically to the keyboard and there are three dots on the back of the iPad that connects it to the keyboard.
Then you can have it in different positions to adjust it to your liking while typing. Then when you aren’t using the keyboard you can fold it over to close and you will hear the iPad lock. Also, you can flip it around and under the iPad to quickly use the iPad only.
Apple Pencil
Then, of course, I got the Apple Pencil 2nd Generation that is compatible with the iPad Pro. It is very sleek and easy to use.
There are no buttons, it looks and feels just like a regular pencil. It doesn’t erase like one although I think it should. I keep wanting to flip it around and erase with the pencil eraser like you normally would.
But just a heads up it doesn’t work like that. Another fun feature of the Apple pencil is that it connects to the side of your iPad magnetically to charge.
This is great to keep track of the pencil and know that it is always charged up. No plugging it in or cords involved! Once you connect it to the iPad it will tell you what charge the pencil is at as well.
I don’t know if I will do that or not because with the new pencil it senses when you double-tap to erase when using the Notes App. Also, I don’t know how the gripper affects it charging magnetically or staying safely on the side of the iPad. I worry that it might come off and I would lose it.
That’s all folks!
Thanks for reading my post! Grab a Free Digital Notebook created by GoodNotes Goods Co.!
3 Reasons Why The Way You Dress Impacts Your Productivity
Productivity and procrastination go hand in hand. If you suffer from procrastination then you probably aren’t very productive. So you have to overcome procrastination to become productive. Even a simple change in the way you dress impacts your productivity!
The best way to overcome procrastination is to work hard on becoming productive and your procrastination issue will take care of itself! Here is an easy productivity tip to implement right away. The way you dress. Here are 3 Reasons Why The Way You Dress Impacts Your Productivity.
1. How you feel about yourself impacts your productivity
Believe it or not, the way you dress sets your mindset for the day and impacts your productivity. If you walk around in your sweats all day you feel tired and well…lazy.
You may not be lazy and you may actually get some things done but your mindset is not 100% confident.
When you “dress for success” there is something magical about it and it impacts your productivity in a positive way! You feel good about yourself. Every time you look in the mirror you will see a professional that had confidence and stands up strong.
If every day you wear sweats then when you look in the mirror you will struggle to see a strong individual that is ready to take on the day so that impacts your productivity in a negative way.
Try it for a week and see how much better you will feel about yourself!
2. How others perceive you impacts your productivity
Others will sense the same feelings. Dressing professionally will get you more respect from others. It’s not their fault, it’s human nature and we all do it. If someone comes to your do dressed in their sweats with stains on the front, their hair a mess, and they look like they just woke up, you would be taken aback.
Thinking what in the world does this person want?! I would be scared to open the door! However, if someone that looks clean-cut and dressed nicely (not over the top) then I would feel much more comfortable opening the door.
Now we all know that isn’t always the case. You can’t trust everyone but I’m sure you see my point. If you are “dressed for success” you will put off the vibe that you are a professional, you are important and intelligent.
I have tested this theory out many times. I now have people give me a hard time for always being “dressed up” like I am going somewhere special when I work from home.
But I will say that…
A) It is usually just some makeup, curled hair, and a Walmart dress
B) It isn’t always but more often than not
C) I am always ready for those surprise visits!
I had a friend just FaceTime me last night and joked saying “Where you ready for my call you look like you just left the salon!”
But I felt great with that confidence instead of embarrassed at how I do look sometimes!
Ladies, when we see a well-dressed mom at school looking like she is rocking her life we tend to be envious and want to be like her.
That is our perception of her. Just like others have a perception of you. I am definitely not telling you to be fake or stuck up. DON’T BE ONE OF THOSE PEOPLE. I just want you to feel confident and comfortable in situations like that.
3. The universe goes in your favor and impacts your productivity
Do you ever have those days you just feel like everything clicks and falls together perfectly? Of course, we have the opposite too where nothing could go right no matter what we do.
But if you think back to the good days you may realize that those are the days you are “dressed for success”.
That is usually the start of everything falling together perfectly – you found the perfect outfit for the day. This goes all the way back to Middle School and High School.
You are excited to go to school to wearthe new outfit you just got.
From there everything seems to fall in order. You knew all the answers in class. The boy/girl you like talking to you at school. The cafeteria served your favorite lunch. It all comes together and it all started with the way you dressed.
I am not trying to push you do go out and buy a whole new wardrobe but I am trying to steer you clear of wear pajamas all day every day.
If you are rocking at productivity and you wear PJs all day then you probably are reading the wrong post. This isn’t for you.
This is for those looking to improve their productivity right away and stop procrastination from taking over their everyday life.
Tips to improve the way you dress that impacts your productivity
I am not a fashionista. I choose comfort over fashion. Again if you are a fashionista you probably are reading the wrong post. You don’t need help dressing to impress. You already know that changing the way you dress impacts your productivity.
If you are still following along then you probably also like to dress comfortably. That’s why most of us choose sweats or our PJs.
Here are simple tips to help you dress better without sacrificing comfort!
1. Paint your nails
I always feel like a million bucks when my nails are painted. I never go without toenail polish (because let’s face it, it stays on longer and is much easier to touch up). But I don’t keep my fingernails painted all of the time because it is more upkeep.
That is why my husband bought me a gel nail polish kit like these. It costs too much to get my nails done and I hated how regular polish came off so fast but I loved my nails to be painted so he got me a kit!
I love that thing! I have had it for years and still have the same bottles I started with. Again I don’t keep my nails painted all of the time because I like to let them heal up since my nails are so weak and gel polish tears them up a bit.
However, it stays on for about 3 weeks!
There are other options out there as well like all those stick-on nails and nail polishes. I just feel much more confident with my nails done!
2. A little bit of makeup goes a long way
If I haven’t made it clear already, I am not one to spend hours on my appearance. I do get my hair colored every 5-6 weeks but other than that I don’t go all out on clothes, shoes, tanning, fake eyebrows or eyelashes, none of that.
Since I live in Coastal Georgia so that stuff would just sweat right off if I did.
I do fill in my normally tiny thin eyebrows, put concealer on my dark rings under my eyes, and wear mascara. That is about it. The days I don’t do that are because we are out on the boat or at the pool.
Otherwise, I will do those small steps and it makes a huge difference. I don’t contour, paint, or glue anything on and I still get told all the time how good I look. I am not saying that to brag because I myself don’t see it but hey at least I am not scaring people away.
3. Clothes don’t have to be expensive
A new outfit can make all the difference. Not a new outfit right off the runway but a newer outfit works just fine! If you have the finances to buy new fancy clothes and that’s your thing then go for it!
I am trying to help those who can’t but still are looking for ways to increase their productivity by dressing better to improve their confidence.
With that said you can find all kinds of cute clothes at garage sales, on the trader sites, at Goodwill, Walmart, Target, JC Penny, and so many more!
Here are a bunch of cute summer dresses you could have shipped right to your door! I love dresses! They hide and flaws (like eating too much pizza the night before), they are very comfortable and flowy, and they definitely make you look professional!
You would be surprised how much confidence you will gain by taking better care of yourself. My husband works so hard that he puts himself on the back burner.
Finally, I got him in to the dentist and started getting things fixed and back up to date. In doing that he loved how his teeth looked and have started whitening them and take better care of himself!
Another awesome product that I love so very much is Spark. It is a sugar-free energy drink. The fruit punch flavor tastes just like Hawaiian fruit punch juice to me. There are a bunch of different flavors though.
I started drinking it in 2012 and I don’t go a day without it! I love it because it gives me motivation, energy, and mental focus to tackle each day.
What does this have to do with hygiene? I added it to this category because since it is sugar-free and full of vitamins I lost weight after starting on it and some of AdvoCare’s other products!
And taking care of yourself and losing weight is definitely self-hygiene!
Disclaimer: Just because I and many others lost weight by taking AdvoCare’s products does not guarantee you will.
5. Earrings/Jewelry
Adding earrings to any outfit dresses it up. So just throw on some earrings or bracelets or a necklace to dress up your outfit quickly and easily!
6. Accessories
Accessories tie every outfit together. If you have a simple summer dress you want to spruce up all you have to do is add a fancy sandal and a purse! Or I love all of these hair accessories!
Well, I hope you were able to see how a few minor changes to your wardrobe can put a positive spin on your daily productivity!
Thanks for ready!
Vanessa
BONUS!
Sometimes just believing in yourself is all you need! Here is a freebie bundle of inspirational quotes for you to print off and tape to your mirror! Read them every day and remind yourself you are professional and productive. And that you will not let procrastination get the best of you!
This will help motivate you to change out of your sweats or PJs to look better and feel better. These tips will for sure impact your productivity in a positive way!
You can add lines and grids to your note! Just like the bullet journal you now have guides to help you design your page. Also, you only need one pencil and you can change it to any color!
