How I use the Passion Planner to easily organize my intuitive business

Before the Passion Planner, I was a hot mess.

I wanted to share this for anyone looking for a great paper planner. I used to stress SO MUCH about finding the right planner for my business.  I have tried them all - seriously.

The last 5-7 years I have finally stuck with one that seems to be my favorite, the Passion Planner.

I’ve had a paper planner in my life every year since I was 15. I’ve done free planners, DIY planners, I’ve had the very, very expensive ones that are bound in a canvas case. I’ve had a briefcase sized planner that was leather on the outside. I’ve searched the interwebs and the deep crevices of every Walmart, Target and Hobby Lobby calendar and office section.  I’ve looked high and low and tried them all – truly.  I used to buy 2-3 planners a year because I could never find one that fit all my needs. I’d tried keeping a separate journal for self-care, another for personal, another for astrology – but Passion Planner is customizable enough that I now use it for all of the above and even more!

Then..I joined the #PashFam. 

The Passion Planner Story

 The Passion Planner was founded by Angelia Trinidad in 2013.  She had recently graduated college and had no idea what to do with her life (or so she thought).  By following her intuition she created something that could help everyone.  

Originally launched as a Kickstarter campaign, Angelia’s goal was to create a beautiful paper planner that encouraged creativity, reflection and dreaming (and of course, planning).  Within a month the company received 2000 backers and raised $48,000. They went on to secure $650,000 from investors and have been changing our world ever since.

I say change the world because not only is this planner awesome for those of us who plan – but the PashFam also has a Get One, Give One Program, which means for every planner sold, a non-profit somewhere in the world receives funds and planners for their patrons. 

I particularly love that each year a different non-profit is chosen as the focus.  In the front cover of the planner I always like to be reminded that my purchase helped someone else in the world.  

In the front of my new 2023 planner I see that this year’s non-profit is the Malala Fund, which helps create accessible education for young girls around the world.

Digital Planners vs. Paper Planners: Why and how I use both. 

I once had the nerdiest discussion with some of my coworkers around the water cooler.  Paper or digital?  It seemed there was so much planning that took place online, was it still useful to use a paper planner?

Over the years I’ve found a stride that works for me.  I’d encourage you to do the same.

Here’s my intuitive business scheduling philosophy:

I schedule all of my Zoom meetings (clients, connection calls, workshops, etc.) online first.  That means I either use Calendly, which directly connects to the calendar on my Mac, or I schedule directly into my iCal. This way all of my appointments are synced with me wherever I go.  I can see them from my ipad, Macbook or iphone easily and on the go, which is helpful when scheduling things.  I also color-coordinate my digital calendar (but that’s another article.)

So why and how do I use my paper planner in conjunction with my iCal? 

Great question.

I like to see my iCal as a black-and-white scheduling structure. I can quickly glance and see my appointments, move them around, etc.  But what about the rest of my life?  That’s where the Passion Planner comes in. 

Here’s a look at how I specifically use my paper planner.

• Appointments at a glance - Every Sunday night I pencil in all of my appointments which are waiting nicely on my digital calendar.  I wait to pencil these in until the week of, because digital appointments seem to move around and get canceled a lot.  All of my appointments are written in purple ink.

  After writing in my appointments for the week, I can now easily see at a glance what I will be working around.  This helps me feel prepared for the upcoming week. 

• Project Tracking - Next, I use the to-do list section to fill in any projects I want to work on for the week, which I can now gauge accurately depending on how much blank space is still available in my paper planner. 

• Life Tracking - As the week begins, I use my planner to track EVERYTHING.  All of my self-care is tracked in orange ink.  This usually happens before and after my work day. A lot of planners only have time slots from 8-5, but the Passion Planner begins at 6am and goes to 10:30pm.  I like to write out when I do yoga, go for walks, meditate, journal, etc. so I can see at a glance the self-care I am actually doing.  I know with a glace that if there isn’t much orange on my planner, something is really off. 

• Keep up with Completed Tasks - Because my appointments are in purple ink, I can quickly see the spaces in between them are white, or blank, and that gives me room to work on other projects.  But do you ever forget what you worked on last week?  Or maybe your partner asks you what you did today and you literally have no clue – ever been there?  I have found a really nice grounded practice is to write in green in between my appointments, so I can track what I actually did.  This is when I am writing emails, scheduling workshops, creating blog posts, etc.  This really comes in handy when you need to reflect on what you did last week or see when the last time you wrote a blog post was! Also, when it’s time to do your monthly reflection you can do so with much more ease. 

10 Things I Love About using the Passion Planner for my Intuitive Business

1. Regular Space to Review + Reflect 

   Most planners don’t even have space for reviewing and reflecting, much less space to do this regularly and consistently.  Passion Planner has monthly, bi-annual and annual review space. These help to keep me on track. Plus, this process is essential for entrepreneurs! Each review section has specific questions about what went well, what didn’t, and how you moved toward your big juicy goals.  This is sooo important for business owners  to do regularly and this planner has it built in!

   
   
   

2. Pockets in the back! It has pockets!

   I mean, anything with pockets is amazing, right?  I really love the beautiful silk pocket in the back of my planner. I use this to store business cards, important random papers, stickers, and whatever else happens to fall back there.  It’s super nice to have a secret space for things.

   
   
   

3. Space of Infinite Possibility

   This may be one of my very favorite features. In the weekly page layout, there is a huge blank space labeled “Space of Infinite Possibility.” The name alone makes me feel vibes!  I love how much this space varies for me from week to week. It’s perfect for doodles, ideas, sticky notes, all the things!  I’ve even done mind-mapping here. I love, love, love this intentional blank space. Thank you PashFam for leaving room to grow and create. 

   
   
   

4. Work to-do list and a personal to-do this.

   Another thank you to the PashFam, for helping my brain categorize! This is also something I found very unique to the Passion Planner, at least a few years back before lots of planners started copying the Passion Planner layout (I don’t blame them – it works!)  

   In the past my planners had to-do list areas but it wasn’t segmented and so I found myself using a different notepad or planner for personal stuff, which meant I was carrying around another notebook, and totally isn't handy.  On every weekly layout the PP has both a work to-do list and a personal to-do list.  This gives my brain so much freedom! It also means I end up using my planner on the weekends too when I am completing personal projects. I often include reminders to myself to purchase birthday gifts, get my oil changed in my car, book dentist appointments, etc. 

   
   
   

5. A Space for Gratitude

   PP has a “Good  things that happened” box, which I love. What a simple way to evoke gratitude.  This tiny box in the upper lefthand corner of the weekly view has been so fun for me to use over the years.  When I meet someone that brightens my day, or manifest something awesome, or do something kind for myself, I like to write it down, which deepens my gratitude and appreciation for those things. 

   
   
   

6. Weekly Focus

   I love the focus areas. Each week has a section titled: “this week’s focus”, which is great for specific projects, or, I like to use it for the seasonal or menstrual cycle I’m in. If you’ve ever studied the moon and menstrual cycles as they relate to your creativity and productive output, you’ll totally be into this.  You can also use it for practical things such as “the week I create my opt-in” or “launch week”.  I realistically use it in multiple ways at once. 

   
   
   

7. Today’s Focus

   Similarly, the “Today’s Focus” is another helpful tool. Again, I often use it to track the moon cycles, my menstrual cycles, my partners hunting trips, and more. I commonly find this space says “Full Moon” or “Period Begins” and sometimes “Tyler out of town” so I can plan accordingly.  Again, did I mention how much I love that this planner is structured with heaps of room to personalize?

   
   
   

8. Space for Creativity 

   The back of the planner has lots of blank pages. What a spectacular gift!  This room is great for note-taking, doodling, and extra planning.  This is so handy for those moments when I need to quickly jot something down at a webinar, conference or even when I’m brainstorming!  And FYI - I have NEVER ran out of pages, at least not yet and I feel like I use them fairly often! 

   
   
   

9. 30 Minute Increments

   Most planners that have timestamps go hour by hour.  The PP is listed every 30 minutes.  I enjoy this because it’s helpful with keeping up with all of my clients and appointments. Quite often I have things scheduled at “2:30” not just on the hour every hour like traditional planners suggest.   

   
   
   

10. It’s so prettttyyyy

    Aesthetic. Everything about this planner is beautiful. The covers are unique each year and created by a wonderful artist.  The feel of the cover feels good – it’s not plastic or cardboard, it’s nice.  I’m not sure what the material is but I love it!  I also love the  ribbon bookmark. This little detail is so sweet. It always reminds me of my diary as a little girl. And lastly, the nice ribbon that binds the planner shut. What a nice touch. I’m no longer terrified of sticky notes and loose pages falling out in the middle of important meetings or when I’m walking through a Starbucks. It’s all held together nicely with a beautiful chord. 

The Best Customizable Paper Planner on the Market

The Passion Planner has three size options and multiple covers to choose from each year.  It also now comes in a daily or weekly view.  Lastly, you have the option to choose what day your week begins on – Sunday or Monday.  I enjoy the undated annual version of the Passion Planner.

Personally, I use the medium size which fits nicely in all my purses and stacks on top of my iPad at my desk. (It’s the organizational things that I love )  I like to begin my weeks on Mondays, so my weekend is lumped together in one space.  Before I begin the year with my new planner, I use washi tape and add tabs for each month of the year so I can flip to month views easily.  I also often add stickers, glitter tape and sometimes paint throughout to give it a custom beautification for whatever I’m feeling that year. 

Again, the beautiful thing about this planner is that you get to choose how you use it. It provides a gorgeous structure while leaving you lots of room for personalization.

Passion Planner Layout

You may be wondering what layout options the Passion Planner. The Passion Planner has four layout options for their paper planners, which include Weekly Undated, Weekly Dated, the Academic Planner, and their new daily undated planners. Which Passion Planner layouts are you most interested in?

I prefer the Weekly Dated version. It has beautiful monthly and weekly layouts as well as annual layouts in the front pages and lots of blank space for notes in the back!

Passion Planner Size

Passion Planners come in three simple sizes: small, medium and large. The small size is 5.8 x 8.3”, the medium is 6.9 x 9.8” and the large is 7.8 x 11”. I typically go with the medium size because it is the same size as my iPad and fits nicely in my person, next to my desk or bedside and is about the size of most books and journals I carry around.

Use My Passion Planner Coupon to Save $15

Unleash Your Personal Style: Top Trendy Passion Planner Covers for 2024

Get ready to unleash your personal style with the top trendy passion planner covers for 2024. Your planner is not just a tool for organizing your schedule, it's also a reflection of your personality and creative spirit. With a wide range of stylish and on-trend covers available, you can choose one that perfectly embodies your unique sense of style.

Whether you prefer bold and vibrant designs, elegant and minimalist aesthetics, or something in between, there's a passion planner cover out there that will capture your attention. From sleek leather options to whimsical and artistic designs, these covers are both functional and highly fashionable.

Express yourself and make a statement with your planner cover. Let it be a conversation starter and a source of inspiration every time you open it.

Don't settle for a generic planner cover when you can have one that truly speaks to who you are. Discover the top trendy passion planner covers for 2024 and make planning a joyous and stylish experience.

I just ordered my new Passion Planner for 2024 and I got the new emerald green cover They also have a beautiful special astro design this year!!   But head’s up – the designs change every year so if you see one you love, definitely snag it! :) 

Grab Your Passion Planner Discount Code Below

If you'd like to try out the Passion Planner, use this code to get $15 off.  I can’t tell you how much I recommend this planner.  If you choose to give it a try, I’d love to know how you feel about it.