This is change over week. The week where we all need to spend some time getting all our planners and diaries in order ready for the new year. As part of this, I also carry out an end of year review to capture any tasks or notes from my 2020 planners and diaries that need to be carried over into the new year.

2021 Planners

My planners and diaries of choice this coming year will be as follows:

• Tidbits Day Planner 2021 – I backed this Day Planner on Kickstarter recently. It is designed to be an all-round planner with a lot of flexibility to use it how you want. This will be used as a home desk diary as an overview diary.
• Notem Annual Journal 2021 – This will be used as my professional diary for my professional life. Last year I only properly started using this diary partway through the year (as the pandemic put everything on hold). However, I have really enjoyed using it and it is a great journal/planner for keeping everything in one place. You can read my posts from 2020 here, here and here.
• The Completist Daily Planner – this will be my work desk diary to use for writing out my to-do list each day. I enjoyed using the Completist Daily Planner so much last year – that I went out and bought another one for 2021 (with a new bright and colourful cover). You can read my posts from 2020 here, here and here.
• Leuchtturm 1917 – Monthly Planner with Notebook – this will be my planner for the blog and online life. I have already started using this one as it started in November 2020 and lasts for 16 months. You can read the write up here.
• Papier Daily Planner – I bought this one a couple of months ago (you can read the post here) This will be my home desk diary for intense planning and productive days at home and used on an ad hoc basis as and when it is needed. This will replace the Passion Planner Daily that I used in 2020.

Look out for more blog posts on each of the above planners.

Setting up the New Planners

How do you set up your new planners and diaries? I like to start by making sure that the planners/diaries are up to date with all the important dates right from the start. This includes key dates, birthdays, bank holidays etc. In my professional diary, I also include the appointments and events that I already have booked in.

I then import any important information/reference information that I include in my planner every year on the notes pages. This might be phone numbers, password/login codes, templates etc. Whatever you need to include for quick reference – carry it over at the start when setting up the new planner. I tend to write this information in because I enjoy the set up of a new planner. However, you may prefer to print this information each year instead to make it quicker.

Finally, add in the new plans for the new year and outstanding to-do list items that you are serious about completing (anything else goes on the someday list).

What diaries and planners are you using for 2021?