If you are a little bit obsessed with curating the perfect planner for 2022 and want to know how other people plan — I think you’re going to like this one! I’m taking you behind the scenes on how I plan my calendar year for 2022.

Since high school, I’ve always used a planner, and when I started working, I lived by my hybrid planner — Google calendar and a paper planner. I liked to keep work and personal planning separately, but I began working remotely during the pandemic last year and wanted to combine both. I wanted a clean, sleek, customizable planner with a neutral cover. That’s when I found Golden Coil, and now plan to always to use Golden Coil!

When I stumbled upon their website and learned you could build your planner from the cover to the layout to the add-ons, I realized I found my perfect planner forever. So let’s take a look inside my thought process and planning for the upcoming year.

How has your planner shaped your year during the pandemic? 

When I customized my planner last year, I put in a monthly view, a monthly to-do list, and a weekly preview with a to-do list. My favorite part about the planner is to check the boxes on the to-do list in the monthly and weekly previews. The biggest thing for me is being able to plan quarterly, and having the layouts I chose made it easier for me to check in with myself and see what was working and what needed improvement from a month-weekly-daily basis.  

How did you customize Golden Coil to fit your specific needs last year?

For 2021, specifically, it was the Horizontal 2 Double Page with the additional notations for a weekly to-do list. It was my first year working fully remote and then moving to a hybrid schedule. Seeing the week spread out on two pages and using the to-do list area as my high-priority items helped me stay better organized throughout the week.

Has the Golden Coil planner surprised you in any way?

A personal goal I made for myself in 2021 was to read 52 books in a year. So, when I saw you could add on pages to keep track of the books you’ve read, I knew I’d be able to get closer to my goal. Unfortunately, I didn’t quite make that goal, but I’m currently hovering around 30. I’m hoping to make it closer to that number, but I’ll most likely be setting that goal again for this upcoming year.

Do you have a favorite page or layout?

The Horizontal 2 Double Page with the to-do list or possibly the monthly list! There’s no greater feeling than checking off a bunch of tasks!

Are you changing anything for 2022 that didn’t work for you in 2021?

I plan on using the same layout for 2022. However, I’ve added two monthly add-ons — Social Media Planner 1 and Goals. This is because I want to be a little more intentional this year, keep track of my goals, and check in to see how close I am to obtaining those goals. I also want to be more present on social media as I take my business to the next level, and having a clear action plan laid out monthly will help me stay consistent. 

Best Practices & Stationery Q&A

Best day of the week to plan?

Sunday mornings with tea.

Google Calendar or Apple Calendar?

Google Calendar. 

Magnetic Notepads, post-it notes, or desk jotter?

Magnetic notepads — we live by our grocery to-do list on the refrigerator!

Best online workflow manager?

Monday.com is my #1!

Spirals or fabric planners?

Spirals! 

Do you prefer lined, plain, or dotted notebooks?

Definitely lined and only lined!

Pen or pencil?

Pen for set in stone and pencil for movable items.

What item of stationery could you not live without?

My favorite pen. It’s a rose gold and silver Pental black gel pen from Target. I also love to write anything movable with my mechanical Zebra pencil.

Do you send note cards and letters?

I love placing notes in my husband’s lunch box, his nightstand, or the fridge. I wish I had sent more note cards to friends and family! I need to start being better about returning thank-yous and check-ins. 

Best day of the week to check in with yourself?

Every day using my planner and Google calendar, I like to take time on Friday mornings to see what’s movable for the upcoming week and what I could do better.