EVO Planner Review
In this post, you’ll find my initial EVO Planner Review as I start using it for the next 90 days. This post is not sponsored – all opinions expressed are my own.
I’m a sucker for planners, notebooks, and school supplies in general. I love trying out new planners and journals. Honestly, the stacks of notebooks I’ve acquired don’t bother me. I came across the EVO planner, I was intrigued. They have four different types of planners suited for different brain types. I did the free assessment and discovered that I am an alchemist.
EVO Planner Review: What is it & Why is it Different?
The EVO Planner started out on Kickstarter, after funding, they moved it to their website and Amazon. The EVO Planner has 4 different planner types – one for each brain type. I have to admit that it is the part that really intrigued me. I have trouble starting too many projects and finding shiny objects to distract me regularly.
EVO Planner Review – 4 Brain Types
To determine which type of planner you receive, first, you’ll take an assessment to determine what your brain type is. I am an alchemist. There is also Explorer, Oracle & Architect.
An alchemist needs novelty, discovering patterns, exploring different possibilities, inventing and creating original work, competence across many areas. Some strengths: Creative problem-solving, inspiring others, playing multiples roles at once. Weaknesses: getting bored & distracted quickly, always wanting to switch to a new project, putting things off, restricting structure imposed by others, starting a project, and not finishing them.
Well. If we haven’t been introduced, then this little book just exposed my darkest and deepest secrets to the universe. So it seems they got something right.
Take their free quiz from their website projectevo.org to find out what your EVO Planner brain type is – you’ll likely learn about yourself. My husband found out that he was an Architect brain type. Which, according to the brain type assessment means we work together well.
FYI – They will add you to their marketing list, and if you don’t want to hear from them again after your assessment, unsubscribe. You can also check out the EVO Planner on Amazon. It comes with access to their app since promotions change, you’ll need to verify if access to the app is still free with the purchase of the planner.
EVO Planner Review: Planner Layout
Since there are four different planners, each will be structured a little differently. This is my experience with the Alchemist planner.
Planner Stats:
Each planner starts with an overview of the brain types and how to use the book. The planner contains:
- Monthly Calendar for 3 Months (actually it has 4 months, but it’s intended to be used for 90 days)
- 14 Weekly Planning & Review Pages
- 90 Daily Planning & Review Pages
- 9 Notes Pages at the End
- 2 Bookmarks – one labeled weekly & the other labeled daily to keep your place within the book
- Unnumbered, Undated Pages
- App for Scanning Your Daily & Weekly Progress. It will keep track of the scores you give yourself and give some incentive for continuing in your goals.
- Dimensions 8 3/7″ x 5 1/8″ or 21cm x 13cm
- Colors Available – at the time: Navy with Copper Accents & Copper Guilded Pages
On one of the first pages (after they give a breakdown of how to use each page), you pledge to use the planner for the next 90 days and using their app. I signed my name, so I was committed.
They bind you by your own word to use the planner and app for 90 days. I have to admit, that’s the reason why I came back to this planner after I signed it because I figured I’d already committed to giving it a go and if I’d like to order it in the future.
Here are the Pros and Cons (so far) of the EVO Planner
Pros (What I Like)
A big plus for me when using the EVO Planner is how much I actually focus. This notebook makes you sharpen your attention. You have to decide what is most important, and then it makes you accountable for how much time each activity will take.
I habitually over-plan and carry my to-do list over though the week and sometimes month. Knowing how much time an activity will take upfront made me set real priorities. I didn’t add an item to the to-do list unless it was a true priority and I could reasonably get it done. Once finished, there’s a feel-good checkmark box to move on to the next task. (I think this is different in each brain type planner).
Daily Section: Gratitude
Something that I’ve wanted to start is a gratitude journal. Each EVO Planner has a section for gratitude every day. You may find it a little awkward to sit and think of something to be grateful for each day, I find that it adds mindfulness to the start of each day.
Daily Pages
I’ve never used a daily planner, only weekly planners – so completing one page daily was a little different. But I really liked it! It might be something I will include in my planner in the future.
Daily Quote
They say that each daily quote is specific to your brain type. I like quotes and I like the ones in my planner so far.
Cons (What I Don’t Like)
The App
The app scanner was slightly off. I scribbled in a 7, and it gave me an 8 or 9 instead. Correcting it within the app at the time of scanning, however, was very easy. You just change the rating. I didn’t find that you could change the scan once you’ve saved unless you scanned it again and overrode the daily submission.
There was a spot on the daily scan called “monthly ritual” I wasn’t sure what that was until I downloaded the app. It’s basically a monthly goal you want to do daily to help you achieve a bigger purpose. Mine is to write for at least 10 minutes every day.
What I Miss
What I miss about my bullet journal are my future logs, habit trackers, and journal pages. I also feel like some of the to-dos that aren’t as urgent could get lost. Although there are small areas for notes and ideas and places to write about your wins & plans for the day and week personally, I like to record deeper feelings and events with my family. I would need to have a secondary notebook to keep alongside this notebook.
EVO Planner Review: Conclusion
In conclusion to my EVO Planner Review, if you were to ask me right this minute if I would buy another planner for the next 90 days, I would say probably not. Only because I miss my other pages so much even though I can tell that I have a greater focus on the projects I want to finish.. We will see as this experiment goes on!
