There are so many things we love about our Daily Academic Planner. Whether you're a teacher, teaching assistant, member of the senior leadership team, school office staff, parent, student or just someone who loves our Daily Planner. It's been designed to help you stay organised, manage your workload and keep everything in one place.
Because it's so flexible, there are countless ways to use it. Some people plan every hour of their day, while others use it to organise tasks, appointments, meetings or to-do lists. However you choose to plan, this blog is packed with ideas and practical tips to help you make the most of every page, personalise your planner and create a planning system that works for you.
Getting Started: Set Yourself Up for Success
The first few things to do in your Daily Academic Planner are to complete the key information pages and set up the planner in a way that works for you. Once you've done that, use your year overview and monthly calendar spreads to mark in important dates, holidays, appointments and deadlines.
As you become aware of meetings, events, training sessions or other commitments, simply add them to your monthly calendar so everything is in one place and easy to refer back to.
Take a few minutes to think about how you'll use your planner day to day too. Whether you're organising your workload, managing family life, keeping track of appointments or balancing study and work, setting everything up before the year gets busy will help you get the most from your planner from day one.
Plan the Big Picture First
Your monthly calendar pages are some of the most useful pages in your Daily Academic Planner, especially at the start of a new academic year. They're the perfect place to map out important dates before your diary starts filling up.
Use your monthly pages to record key events such as school holidays, INSET days, parents' evenings, meetings, training courses, assignment deadlines, appointments or family commitments. Seeing everything in one place makes it much easier to plan ahead and avoid any unexpected surprises.
Many people like to colour-code different types of events using planner stickers, washi tape, highlighters or coloured pens. You could use one colour for work, another for home, and another for personal appointments, making it easy to see what's coming up at a glance.
One of our favourite things about the monthly pages is how easy they are to personalise. Decorate them with planner stickers, washi tape, colourful pens or doodles to create a planner that's uniquely yours. Many members of our TPTC Planner Inspiration Group even decorate their monthly spreads with seasonal themes throughout the year.
Join the TPTC Planner Inspiration Group here!
If decorating your planner is your thing, this is definitely the place to let your creativity shine!
Make Your Daily Pages Work for You
This is where your planning really comes to life. Everyone uses their Daily Academic Planner differently, so don't feel like you have to use every section in the same way. The beauty of the daily pages is that they're flexible enough to work around your role, routine and planning style.
One of our favourite planning hacks is using colour-coding to organise your day. Many members of our TPTC Community use different colours for work, home and personal commitments.
Each daily page gives you plenty of space to organise your day in whatever way works best for you. Use the planning sections to schedule your time, jot down your priorities, keep track of appointments or create a realistic to-do list.
Prefer to Plan by Time?
One of the things we love most about the Daily Academic Planner is how flexible it is. The daily pages are intentionally untimed, giving you the freedom to organise your day in whatever way works best for you. But if you're someone who prefers planning by the hour, we've got just the thing.
Our Daily Time Strips fit perfectly alongside the planning columns, allowing you to add a timetable only when you need one. Running from 6:00am to 8:00pm in 30-minute increments, they're ideal for scheduling lessons, appointments, meetings or simply adding a little more structure to your day.
They're a brilliant addition if your days vary from one to the next, giving you the flexibility to switch between timed and untimed planning whenever it suits you.
Make your Planner Pretty!
Remember, your planner doesn't have to look boring! Many members of our TPTC Planner Inspiration Group love decorating their daily pages with washi tape, planner stickers and colourful pens. Whether you prefer a bright, creative layout or something simple and minimal, make it a planner you enjoy opening every day.
👉 Want more inspiration? Join our TPTC Planner Inspiration Group to see how thousands of teachers, teaching assistants, school staff and parents use their planners every day.
Join the TPTC Planner Inspiration Group here!
Personalise your Daily Planner
One of the things we love most is seeing how differently everyone uses their planner.
Some love colourful daily spreads covered in stickers and washi tape, while others prefer a clean, minimal layout.
There really isn't a right or wrong way to use your planner.
The best planner is one that works for you.
Daily Planner Accessories You'll Love
Looking to complete your planning setup? These are some of the TPTC Community's favourite planner companions:
📒 A5 Planner Notebook
Perfect for jotting down ideas, making notes on the go, brainstorming projects or keeping track of anything that won't fit on your daily pages. It fits neatly inside the front pocket of your planner so it's always within easy reach.
⏰ Daily Time Strips
Love planning by time? Our Daily Time Strips fit perfectly alongside the planning sections in your Daily Planner. Running from 6:00am to 8:00pm in 30-minute increments, they're ideal for scheduling appointments, lessons, meetings or simply organising your day in more detail. Use them whenever you need them or leave them out for a more flexible planning style.
✨ Planner Sticker Books
Perfect for colour-coding your days, highlighting appointments, meetings, birthdays and important deadlines, while adding a little personality to your planner.
🎨 Washi Tape
Great for decorating your planner, marking holidays, highlighting important dates or simply brightening up your monthly and daily pages.
📝 Sticky Notes
Perfect for reminders, temporary notes, changing plans or jotting down ideas before transferring them into your planner.
None of these are essential, but they can make planning quicker, easier and even more enjoyable. Pick and choose the accessories that suit the way you like to plan and create a planning setup that's perfect for your lifestyle.
We'd Love to See Yours!
However you choose to use your Daily Academic Planner, remember that it's there to make your life easier, not add extra pressure. Don't worry about filling every box or making every page look perfect. The best planner is the one that works for you and fits around your lifestyle.
We'd love to see how you've made your planner your own, so come and join thousands of teachers, teaching assistants, school staff, parents and students in our TPTC Planner Inspiration Group. It's a brilliant place to share ideas, discover new planning tips and find inspiration from others using their planners in creative and practical ways.
Join the TPTC Planner Inspiration Group here!
Your Daily Academic Planner is designed to help you stay organised every day but there's no single "right" way to use it. Whether you prefer colourful pages decorated with planner stickers and washi tape, a detailed schedule using our Daily Time Strips or a simple, minimalist layout, make it your own. Experiment with different planning styles and create a system that helps you stay organised, productive and in control throughout the year. 💛
