How to Set Up A 2022 Academic Planner

We’re almost halfway through the year which means it’s about time to set up your academic planner! Whether you’re a student, teacher, school administrator, or someone who wants a fresh start mid-year, academic planners are a great fit.

If you’re looking for an academic planner we have a few great options in the shop, including the Week on One Page Planner (the absolutely best weekly academic planner) and the Academic Agenda.

Once you’ve picked the best planner for you, it’s time to transfer everything over to your new planner! We’ve put together our best advice and here are the five steps to setting up your 2022 academic planner. Use the following as a checklist to get started!

Step 1: Gather Your Supplies
The first step to setting up a 2022 Academic Planner is to gather your supplies. This prep work will make your life so much easier when you go to make that first mark on your new planner. Here is your supply list:

• New 2022 academic or midyear planner
• Previous planner
• Planner stickers (we love Sticker Mule’s Studio for designing custom stickers!
• Writing tools! I like options: pens in various colors (if you like color-coding) a pencil or an erasable pen
• All the lists! Your current to-do list, master lists, goals list, and/or monthly project lists if you have them
• Calendars and schedules for your entire family. I typically have a work calendar, plus school and church calendars, volunteer calendars, and a personal calendar with doctor’s appointments, bills, life and family events
• A pocket notebook to use as a backup index or scratch paper

Step 2: Index Your Previous Planner
Index any important information from your previous planner that you might want to reference at a later time. The index in the back of your Week on One Page planner is perfect for this process! Note on which page an important list or notes can be found so you can easily access them later. Here are index suggestions – ideas, notes, and lists you might want in the future!

• Gift ideas
• The goals you noted in your previous planner
• Contact information
• Notes from important meetings

Step 3: Transition Your Lists
Go through your old planner and transfer any to-do lists or tasks you haven’t gotten to yet. Those might include:

• Monthly to-do lists
• Unfinished to-do lists
• Active tasks lists
• Project lists
• Upcoming deadlines
• On-going household task notes
• Gift ideas
• On-going household task notes
• Gift ideas
• The goals you noted in your previous planner
• Contact information
• Notes from important meetings

Step 4: Add Important Dates and Deadlines
Gather all those calendars you collected earlier and work through them one at a time, adding important dates from each one into your planner. Here are a few key dates you may need to add to your planner:

• School and work holidays
• Vacations
• Birthdays and anniversaries
• Important work dates
• Big project due dates
• Weddings or events
• Reminders to schedule your yearly doctor’s appointments

Step 5: Get Started
Now it’s time to dig in! Don’t be afraid to make a mess. Your planner is meant to serve you! Here’s one more little checklist to get you started:

• Find a space to work
• Set out your supplies
• Turn on your favorite playlist
• Set your phone on do not disturb
• Make that first mark in your planner!