Posted in Tips and Advice

When I was in nursing school, I quickly realized that my tried-and-true method of using my Apple calendar and a monthly printed planner was just not going to work. The schedule is just too jam-packed! When I transitioned to using a full-sized (8.5×11) planner, I immediately felt more organized and was able to keep all my tasks and priorities on track.

Why use a paper planner, you ask? Why not just use your smart phone? For some people, a digital planner can work well, but if you’re on the fence or struggling with managing your schedule, here are some ways a paper planner can help! And if you’re curious how I use a paper planner for time management, check out this post here.

  • It’s super easy to pull out and jot down a quick list. Maybe this is the old person in me, but I just don’t like typing on my phone. I’d much rather jot down a quick note, rather than pull out my phone every single time I need to write something down.
  • In addition to helping you plan your schedule, a paper planner has a lot of space to keep lists, jot down notes, and even track things like your steps or how much water you drink. Rather than using an app for your schedule, an app for your lists, and an app to track habits, you can do all of this in one place when you use a paper planner.
  • It’s easy to see your whole month at a glance. With nursing school, you often have to plan pretty far in advance to ensure you get all your projects done while studying for exams. Knowing what your whole month looks like helps you prioritize your time so you’re not left scrambling at the last minute.
  • If you’ve followed the organization system outlined in my book (#ad), then you’ve got your Master List all ready to go. Wouldn’t it be great if you had a convenient place to carry it around? I always carried mine in my planner and it made it really easy to plan my weeks because I could easily see what was coming up.
  • A planner with a weekly schedule allows you to schedule out blocks of time to attend class, review your notes, study for exams, or work on projects. When you block out your time, you truly can see what it takes to get everything done.

Paper planners that are great for nursing school

As a planner addict, I’ve tried many planners and have decided that my absolute favorites for nursing school are:

  • The Passion Planner – This planner is absolutely fantastic for nursing school. It has both monthly and weekly spreads, and I especially love that the days of the week are broken down into half hour segments. The only tiny drawback for me with this planner is that it doesn’t have a dedicated space for a daily to-do list. It does, however have space for a to-do list spanning each week. And if that works for you, then you definitely should give this planner a try. The medium size would probably be big enough for your busy schedule, but they also have an 8.5 x 11 version, too! Find your Passion Planner here.
  • The Uncalendar – This is actually the planner I used in nursing school and I absolutely loved how functional it is. I used the full-size version and have never felt more organized in my life. One of hte great things about the Uncalendar is that it’s so customizable. For starters, it’s undated, so you can start using it anytime. And, each weekly spread has multiple space for lists and notes that you can use however you like. Check out the Uncalendar here.
  • Hobonichi Cousin – This is the planner I currently use to run Straight A Nursing while also managing my life, my work schedule, and my teaching commitments. This planner is unique in that it has monthly, weekly, and daily pages. Plus, it is made of a very distinct (and thin) paper that I absolutely love, so it doesn’t get too bulky even with all those pages. The monthly pages are great for big-picture things, the weekly is where you could plan out your schedule, and then you could use the daily pages for specifics about an assignment or for making lists or jotting down reminders. You can grab your Hobonichi Cousin here!

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Last Updated on November 8, 2024 by Maureen Osuna, MSN, RN