Using a color-coding system with your planner can be very effective. Not only is it perfect for the more visual-minded types but in general it can make information more memorable and noticeable.

1. Choose Your Supplies

First thing’s first: choose your stationery supplies. You can include any (or all) of the following: colored pens, highlighters, colored stickers/sticky notes, and colored flags.

2. Create Your Own Color-Coding System

Invent a color-coding system that works for you. You can take advantage, for example, of the symbolic meaning we place on certain colors. Red, for example, is a very urgent color, while green is often associated with money.

It’s also important to decide how you’re going to use the colors. You can define information by categories (business, personal, etc.), by events (due dates, meetings, etc.), or even by priority. Color-coding information by priority is a good method if what you’re looking for is improved efficiency. You can define an item’s color based on two factors: urgency and importance. An item that’s both important AND urgent can be “red”, while an item that’s important but not urgent can be “yellow.” Items that are neither important or urgent can either have its own color or no color at all. Yet another idea: use colored pens for one system (priorities) and colored stickers for another (events).

Whatever system you invent make sure to be consistent. If you start mixing colors or the definitions for your colours your system may fall apart quickly.

3. Refine and Revise Your System

Finally, refine the system as you go. It may turn out that some methods work for you while others don’t. There’s nothing wrong with experimenting while you figure out a system that works best for you.

 

Do you use a Color-Coding System?

Feel free to share any advice or tips you have in the comments section below.

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1 COMMENT

  1. I love this post i just found your blog i am trying to implement a color coding system to my notes, to dos and my planner overall, this does help a lot. Thankyou

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