I’ve been using my Panda Planner for four weeks now and simply couldn’t wait to review it. It’s got such great reviews already, but maybe this review will help you see HOW and WHY it really works! (TL;DR recap at the end of this review)
I guess I’d admit that I was a little skeptical that it could do any particular wonders. I’ve tried a lot of different productivity tips and read lots of guides, blogs, and books...nothing has helped much. At least not in a holistic, all-encompassing way. Until the Panda Planner! Panda Planner claims it will help me “reclaim my happiness,” I simply wasn’t expecting the ways in which it actually would. Here’s how:
[First: My PRE-Panda Planner “symptoms”: anxiety, overwhelm, lack of mindfulness, difficulty sticking to habits, mood swings, overall sense of “meh,” and I feel like my days just pass me by. My method of organization: Way too many to-do lists and Post-It Notes all over the place.]
1. Improved PLANNING:
• METHOD: Half the battle of making the Panda Planner work for you is to set an intention and commit to it. You gotta go ALL IN and form the overall habit of connecting with your Planner not just daily, but in the morning and evening, at the beginning and end of your week, plus of course monthly overviews. Once you commit, everything falls neatly into place. Tip: Create a nice cozy ritual around the mini and larger planning sessions. I chillax with my coffee and Panda in the AM, for example, and it’s such a nice way to mindfully begin my day (rather than checking email/social media!)
• RESULT: I’m simply WAY more organized than when I had my random to-do lists and Post-Its everywhere. I feel more in control now that my tasks are all in one place. I also feel so much more prepared and so much less overwhelmed as I go through these “checkpoints” of AM, PM, Weekly prep - consistently keeping tabs on both my workload and lifeload.
2. Improved PRODUCTIVITY:
• METHOD: There are spots to plan your week and days, of course, but there is also a place to schedule the hours of your day, which I use to--at the very least--loosely schedule out all my projects and tasks and remind myself of meetings, meetups, and events. There’s also a bonus spot in the Month Overview to set bigger goals. I use it for things I’ve had a LOT of trouble tackling...you know, those tasks or projects that have been on the To-Do List forevvvver and just don’t get done?
• RESULT: I simply get SO much more done now. The Panda Planner makes me WANT to write down tasks, especially knowing how great it feels to cross them off! I’ve noticed that the hourly schedule keeps me more on track. And the reward of crossing off tasks from both daily and weekly is, of course, very satisfying! Also, because I set a couple Monthly “Big Goal” intentions, those are FINALLY getting done! I had one on my list since Thanksgiving that I finally crossed off in July because of Panda.
3. Improved HABIT-FORMING:
• METHOD: The key to habit-forming is to not take on too much at once and, of course, complete the habit daily. On the Month Calendar Page, you set your one big habit intention and then there are little squares in the upper corner to check off/color in when you’ve completed your habit for the day. There are also spots on the Weekly and Daily pages to record your habit(s) as well.
• RESULT: I completed my assigned habit every single day with NO misses and I seriously attribute it to coloring in those little squares. Gamification is real folks! And because I’m more conscious of habit-forming, I’ve also gotten a lot better at pushing away little bad habits like checking email/social media and getting lost in some sort of internet research rabbit hole. Because of the Panda Planner, I feel like these habits are always subconsciously on my mind.
4. Improved MINDFULNESS:
• METHOD: Every day you record: 1. What you’re grateful for, 2. What you’re excited about, 3. Your affirmation, 4. Your focus, and 5. Your wins after the day is through.
• RESULT: Just like keeping tabs on my tasks in the AM/PM has improved my productivity, keeping tabs on positive emotions like gratitude and excitement has improved my overall life outlook. Even on days when I wasn’t feeling particularly grateful or excited, I just sat there and more or less “soul searched” for something and felt a lot better afterward. PLUS--like embers that keep a fire going--throughout the day, I notice that semi-subconsciously I look for things to be grateful and excited about. I also take more time with things, take more “mindful moments” breaks to stop, breathe, and notice things around me. My days feel more full of life because I’m making a more conscious effort to participate in them, rather than letting them pass me by.
5. Improved MOOD:
All of the above--combined and working together--has improved my overall mood! I know that one big source of anxiety is simply being overwhelmed by projects and tasks, so now that I’m much more organized and I merely take things day-by-day, that anxiety has decreased significantly. I also do a LOT less social media scrolling and mindless interneting--a huge source of my negative moods. Also, committing to daily exercise, especially in the AM, is like a daily dose of happy dopamine and endorphins that always cheer me up! I also committed to restarting my drawing “passion project” after a year of neglect and seeing the initial results of that is like re-igniting a fire that I thought burned out. Even when I have my bad days, it’s almost as if the negative feelings are happening independently and moving through me like storm clouds and I know they’ll pass soon. I don’t hold on to them. I don’t try to control them. And I don’t give them as much weight.
Again, this is all in Month 1.
TL;DR Recap:
Panda Planner makes it so much easier to access productivity, gratitude, and mindfulness because of the daily, weekly, and monthly structure right there at your fingertips. All you have to do is commit to taking the time to sit down a couple times per day and fill out the blank spots that are waiting for your words. That’s it! Everything I’ve mentioned above is MORE than worth the $25 experiment even if you’re just slightly curious about whether or not this planner will work for you. I honestly can’t recommend it enough! Thank you Panda for helping me become happier!!!
| Manufacturer | Panda Planner |
|---|---|
| Brand | Panda Planner |
| Item Weight | 14.7 ounces |
| Product Dimensions | 5 x 8.25 x 1 inches |
| Item model number | PP001 |
| Is Discontinued By Manufacturer | No |
| Color | Black |
| Cover Material | Faux Leather, Cardborad |
| Material Type | Paper |
| Size | Classic |
| Sheet Size | A5 |
| Manufacturer Part Number | PP001 |
