I’ve been using my planning system for 2 months now, but OMG I just figured out how to use highlighters in the Passion Planner.
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Okay. So, right now, you’re probably like “um, aren’t you just swiping the highlighters across the paper?”
To which I’m like “UGH YES LAY OFF AND IT’S SO MUCH MORE!”
Seriously. Settle in. Let’s talk about how to use highlighters in the Passion Planner.
As many of you know, I started using the Passion Planner this year, and I’ve got an absurd list of goodies on my planner wish list. And oh man. If you haven’t gotten yourself some highlighters, PUT THEM ON YOUR WISH LIST NOW.
Before we get too deep though, I just want to say that you don’t have to use super expensive highlighters. I only use some super quality highlighters because someone handed me the pack and was like, “I’m not really using this. Do you want it?”
THE ANSWER WAS OBVIOUSLY YES.
Know that any highlighter will work, from the free ones you can get at the bank, to the multipacks they have at Dollar Tree. Don’t go broke just to have this particular pack.
Grab your highlighters, Abigail May, because we're doing some plannin'! Click To Tweet(I’m only harping on this because I think too many planner-centric blogs/YouTubers/Instagram accounts always show off expensive stuff and make it seem like it’s awesome. And while I do enjoy quality supplies, you can easily use any highlighters you have on hand. Or markers. Or crayons. Or colored pencils. You do you and build systems that fit with your budget.)
I’m currently using these Sharpie Accent Liquid Pen Style Highlighters, and I’m in love with the color options. The more colors, the better my system works.
How to Use Highlighters in the Passion Planner
001: For visualization.
GUESS WHO IS A VISUAL PERSON BUT DIDN’T REALIZE IT UNTIL HER THIRTIES? If you guessed me, you’d be correct.
I’ve been using these highlighters to block off my day, and figure out where I can fit in tasks that need to be done. Historically, I’ve just made to do lists and tackled them when I got to them. And mostly that was okay. But if I take some time on Sunday to lay out when I can do tasks and mark when they will fit into my day, I get a lot more done. It also helps me see how much time I have for chilling out, so I don’t spend all my time scrolling through Instagram WHICH I WOULD TOTALLY NEVER DO, RIGHT GUYS?!
(If you find yourself a slave to time wasters like Instagram, may I suggest my How to Get Stuff Done video?
002: For time blocking.
In the past, I was the type of person who just wrote down appointments, and didn’t bother with writing down things I did normally, like the classes I teach each week. But I started doing it this year, and it’s made a world of difference. This probably goes back to the visualization thing, but when I block off time for teaching and office hours, I can more easily block off time for other things because I can see where my time will be spent that day.
003: For headspacing.
I wear many hats. Metaphorical hats. (I have curly hair and I an’t trying to flatten it out with a silly bonnet.) So, different parts of my brain get used for different things I do. Writing takes a specific amount of introvert energy, and teaching takes pretty much all my extrovert energy. Blogging and video editing really recharges my energy, and so does reading. I like being able to look at my planner so I can get in the proper headspace for the task ahead of me. I’ve been using different colors of highlighters for different things just so I can see what part of my head will be used.
004: For setting intentions.
So, like I said, I sit down on Sunday and plan out what needs to be done this week. I use the to-do list at the bottom of the weekly spreads in the Passion Planner to write out what needs to be done, and then I try to create some blocks in my schedule for it. This has been my favorite part of using the Passion Planner, because I can now see what I intended to do, and how I’ve pretty much succeeded all around this year. This system has been ideal for me, and I’m loving it so, so much. These highlighters have really upped my planning game, and have helped me stick to a lot of the intentions I set for myself.
How to Use Highlighters in the Passion Planner Click To TweetIf you’re interested in seeing some of this in action, make sure you subscribe to my YouTube channel, because I have a video about it coming up on Saturday!
Do You Use Highlighters in the Passion Planner?
Okay. So. Tell me if you’re a highlighter type of planner. Do you block off your time? How do you like to visualize your day in your planner? Do you like to get in the right headspace for the tasks you have ahead of you?
Oooh. While I love my Staedler fine liners, I wonder if color coding like this would be easier for me!
It’s totally worth a try! And I love the fine liners, but I find they work better for editing or list making rather than planning.
I have just started using these same markers in my passion planner for color coding. I love the colors, but they tend to bleed through to the other side of the page. Do you have this problem or have you found a way around it?
I haven’t had this issue in my planner, but the Passion Planner has really thick pages. I have heard of people using some white out where they use the highlighters to reinforce the pages so the ink won’t bleed, but I’ve never tried it myself.
So I know I’m late to the party, but if you’re reading this, what do you do with the highlighted parts when your calendar changes? My work appointments change often, and that much white out isn’t pretty…
This is a good question. My schedule is pretty static, just because classes and office hours don’t change for the whole semester. But I do recommend using small post its or page flags that you can move around. You may have to cut them down to fit, but that might be your best no white out solution.