Digital Diary VS Paper Diary

Have you ever wondered what the best way is to schedule your time? There are hundreds of apps and paper planners out there, we’re here to make it easier for you to decide between a digital diary and a paper diary! 

Fun fact: Did you know that the first digital diary was written between 1994 and 1996, called "Open Diary" and posted on the MIT Media Lab by Claudio Pinhanez.

So let's get down to the nitty-gritty and take you through the pros and cons of each!

Digital Diary

Pros

• The ability to sync your schedule across different devices easily, from your iPhone to your iPad you'll be able to see your schedule in seconds! 
• You can easily transfer information from one application to another. Your university might have sent you your schedule but you need to input it into your calendar- no probs, that’s what copy and paste is for!
• You can share information with others easily, simply invite your bestie and sync your diaries up so it’s easy to find a space in each other's schedule!
• Easy to re-arrange plans, and you can easily erase information rather than scribbling it out.

Cons

• Sensitive information may be stolen or leaked! 
• Finding the right platform is hard- you may go through many free trials and spend hours drafting your perfect template to find that it doesn’t work for you in the end! 
• What happens if you forget or misplace your charger? As soon as your battery runs out you won’t be able to have a look at your schedule!
• There are plenty of distractions, after one or two notifications you’ll find yourself scrolling through TikTok, or texting back your bestie and forgetting to plan for your very important work meeting - Oops! 
• It can get expensive! Whether you need to buy an app, a subscription or even an iPad, it can be an expensive way to plan your schedule. 

Traditional paper diary

Pros 

• Writing is proven to help you remember things more easily. 
• You can access it without any electricity or internet! 
• A paper diary gives you time away from your phone, or laptop. 
• You can customise it with different coloured pens.
• It will never run out of battery!
• You can take it on the go with you as it isn't big and bulky.

Cons

• It can be hard to search for information as you'll have to go through it yourself.
• Transferring information from another format requires writing it out. There’s no copy-and-paste button on a paper diary. 
• To erase information you either need to cross it out or hide it! 

Take the quiz!

If you're still not sure what planner you'd prefer why not take our quiz, hopefully, this will help you decide which one is for you!

1. Do you prefer taking notes by hand or typing them?

1. I love being able to write my notes by hand, throughout school, or college all of my notes were jotted down in notebooks. 
2. I prefer to type my notes, all of my notes are stored on my computer or laptop.

2. Do you like having all of your notes with you at all times? 

1. I like being able to pick and choose when I might need my scheduler, I may even have one for work and one for home life.
2. I’m constantly on the go at work meetings and events so I need my schedule with me at all times! 

3. Do you find it difficult to switch off from the digital world and find yourself going back to social media after you get distracted?

1. Yes, I find myself getting distracted all the time and can scroll on Titktok for hours! 
2. No, I find it easy to switch off and can go without my phone. 

4. Do you need to share your calendar with anyone else?

1. No, I like to keep my schedule private
2. Yes, I need to be able to send appointments and meetings to other people

5. Are you a creative person? 

1. Yes, I love being able to put my own creativity into things, stickers, washi tape, and pens - pass them all to me!
2. No, I find my handwriting isn’t very neat and prefer to type. 

Mostly A’s - Paper diary

You have an amazing set of pens, washi tape, and notebooks. You love putting pen to paper and like to spend some time away from your digital products. There are many planers from which you could choose: daily planners, weekly planners, monthly planners, yearly diaries, ring planners or wall planners. 

Mostly B’s - Digital diary

You own various devices from your phone, tablet, and laptop to a desktop computer. You aren’t afraid to try something new and experiment with different layouts and you love being able to share your schedule on the go! 

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