I have a deep love affair with my Passion Planner.

It started on a fall afternoon during a public relations association meeting. My friend whipped out a trial printable version and I had to know more.

I printed out a few copies of the weekly trial and gave it a test run. After one week, I was convinced I needed this planner in my life.

Four years later, I’m still committed to this love affair.

It’s so much more than a planner. It’s a time-managing, goal-setting, journal all wrapped up into a beautifully simplistic design. It makes my Type-A heart sing!

Here is a deep-dive Passion Planner review – why I love it and how I put its powers to use.

Simple, Yet Powerful Design

The simple design and layout are perfect for my needs. There are other cover options available, but I stick to the classic black because I know I’ll never tire of it. Maybe I’ll get crazy one year and go for the brown!

I say the design is powerful because it is intended to help me focus on my priorities and my values. I’ll explain this more later.

Sections include monthly and weekly layouts, monthly reflection pages, lots of blank and gridded pages in the back, a back pocket for stowaways, and most importantly a passion roadmap (aka actionable goal planning).

Goal Setting and Achievement With the Passion Roadmap

The Passion Roadmap is a “step-by-step guide to mapping out your goals.”

At the beginning of each year, I sketch out my dreams and aspirations. Monthly, I revisit this roadmap and select a goal to prioritize and break it down into specific, actionable, measurable, time-bound steps. Sound familiar? Angela Trinidad, the founder, cleverly wove in SMART goal setting into her design.

At the end of each month, reflection prompts help me evaluate if I stayed on track and stuck to my priorities. This practice has helped me realize that if I don’t schedule a time to work towards a goal, it doesn’t happen. So now, I set aside 30 minutes in the morning work on a particular goal.

Weekly Layouts for Time Management

The weekly layouts are GOLD. This is where most of the magic happens.

Each spread includes a weekly focus, daily focus, gratitude panel, personal and work to-do lists, and a blank “space of infinite possibility.”

Hourly breakdowns, starting at 6 a.m. and ending at 10:30 p.m., are great for time management and help me keep tabs on how I spend my time. I can now better plan out my day knowing how long a certain task will take.

Since I’m a marketing and communications consultant, I use the Work To-Do List section for blog tasks, professional development, network tracking, and consulting clients.

For the “space of infinite possibility,” I tape in a weekly habit tracker (a download available to those who have purchased a Passion Planner). Here, I mainly track personal growth and fitness (must stretch more!) habits. If I don’t write something down and continually have a visual reminder, it doesn’t happen. Plus, I get a lot (like, a lot!) of satisfaction by checking off each box.

Back Pages for…I’m Not Sure Yet

I’m still experimenting with how to best use the blank pages in the back. I found I was writing things down only to forget I stowed an idea back there. This year, I’ve added tabs so I can quickly flip to the desired section.

Currently, I’m using it for meal planning, keeping a list of the books I’ve read, and a gratitude journal.

I did have a section for blog post ideas and places to explore, but I’ve found my OneNote app is best for capturing quick ideas since I, unfortunately, don’t always have my planner by my side.

An Accountability Partner

The Passion Planner does so much more than capture task lists and meetings.

When used to its potential, it is an accountability partner.

I’ve found by committing to writing things down and reviewing them frequently, I achieve the goals I set.

I’ve become more self-aware and cognizant of how I’m spending my precious time on this earth. Did I connect with the people I love? Did I follow through on helping someone out?

It seems like a lot to get out of one planner, but I speak the truth.

Give The Passion Planner a Try

So far, I’ve got my Mom, sister, and Corina Manea using it. Maybe you’re next!

The start of a new year is the perfect time to try a new planner. You can test out the Passion Planner by downloading the free PDF (scroll to the end of the page).

One more plug (and no, they aren’t paying me for this). The different Passion Planner styles are $40 or less. WAY more reasonable than the outrageously priced planners I’ve seen out there.

I’d love to hear how it works for you. If you already use the Passion Planner, I’d love to hear how you put it to use!