Paper Beats Digital Planning
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Sam Parr and Shaan Puri share their perspectives on why analog planning methods are superior to digital tools, emphasizing the effectiveness of physical paper for task management and organization.
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Sam's Weekly Planning System:
- Prints out weekly tasks every Thursday (not Friday)
- Includes:
- Q1 focus and goals
- Personal goals (like appreciating wife)
- Business goals
- Fitness goals
- Previous week's reflections
- Assistant tasks
- Has assistant print it for Monday morning
- Carries paper everywhere during workday
- Explicitly avoids digital tools (Notion, Asana)
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Shaan's Analog Approach:
- Uses high-quality sketch pads (architect/artist style)
- Emphasizes importance of good quality paper
- Recommends using nice pens
- Believes analog is an "easy win" over digital
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Suggested Enhancement:
- Add prestige elements like:
- Family coat of arms
- Wax seal
- Presidential briefing style
- Makes the process more engaging and fun
- Add prestige elements like:
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Key Benefits:
- More helpful than "complicated digital shit"
- Tangible and always accessible
- Simpler and more effective than digital alternatives
- Creates a more intentional planning process
The speakers strongly advocate for abandoning complex digital tools in favor of simple, physical paper-based systems for task management and planning, finding it more effective and satisfying.
Sam Parr
Host of MFM and fitness influencer
Sam Parr is a serial entrepreneur and business media pioneer.
In 2016, he founded The Hustle, a business news media company that started in his kitchen with just $12 and grew to eight figures in revenue.
Sam led the charge in making newsletters popular when few believed in their potential.
After four successful years, he sold The Hustle to HubSpot, a publicly traded company. Now operating as HubSpot Media, The Hustle reaches 3 million readers daily, employs a team of nearly 100, and has been the launchpad for dozens of its staff to found their own media companies and newsletters.
Sam remains the host of the popular business podcast, My First Million, and continues to start and sell companies. He also co-founded Hampton, a highly vetted community for entrepreneurs, founders, and CEOs, and teaches people to write better through his platform, Copy That.