In addition to the 2018 goals planner (which I reviewed in this post), Officeworks released a business planner for 2018. If you’re a fellow Aussie that’s been thinking about getting one or just want to take a peek inside the planner, prepare for a ton of photos! 🙂

This is not a sponsored post – I paid for the planner myself – all opinions are my own.

Otto 2018 Business Planner

The cover is very similar to the goals planner (same size) but with a blue background instead of pink.

Quick Facts:

$29.95 AUD
Size: 7.75″ wide x 9″ high
Coil bound
Cover can be removed (inter-changeable like the Erin Condren)
Month starts on a Monday
2 page vertical hourly (from 9am to 5pm) weekly spread starts on a Monday, with top 3 priorities for the day section
Plenty of goal setting worksheets
Weekends get their own day (not combined)
Laminated tabs with the months printed on the front and back
1 color per month (ideal for color coding)
Comes in 1 style only (although there is a Business Planner and a Wellbeing Planner in the range as well)

Note: The planner isn’t available online (in store only) and not all stores stock the planner. You have to ring your local store and check they have them in stock and they’ll bring them to the front counter for you to pickup.

This planner reminds me a lot of a cross between the Recollections Planner and the Erin Condren Life Planner.

Note that it’s slightly shorter than the Erin Condren and Plum Paper. The font is very small in this planner so if you have large hand-writing it may not be a good fit for you.

LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE PLANNER

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Goal Setting Pages

Similar to the 2018 Goals planner (also by the Otto brand), there’s multiple pages for mapping out what you want to get done for the year including:

Business Goals Worksheets

With space for steps to complete and due dates

2018 Business Planner

The 2018 Goals Planner

The Goals Planner definitely wins in terms of the layout of the goal setting pages

The Business planner does have a couple of pages for project planning (enough for 8 projects):

Social media & blog post planning

The cloud brainstorming page is a bit of a waste of space in my opinion – there’s hardly any room to plan.

The blog post ideas page is very functional (has space to record the top, post idea, date and a checkbox for when it’s been completed) but there’s only 1 of these pages in the entire planner!

I wish the company would release a blog planner!

12 Month Marketing Planner

This 2 page spread has the same layout as the 2018 Goals Planner

Monthly Planning Page

The monthly planner page is very functional. It lots of space to plan how you’re going to achieve your 3 goals for the month as well as checklists to break down what you need to do to get them done.

Each monthly spread has a divider with a tab – the paper feels slightly thicker than the rest of the paper in the planner but is not as thick as cardstock.

The goal setting pages at the front actually work with the rest of the planner – it’s not a case of writing down your goals and then that’s it – the monthly spreads tie back into those annual goals.

The monthly planning space has lots of checklist <3 including:

Business to do list
Personal life to do list
Things to improve / revise
To be implemented
Need to purchase

Each of the tabs features a different quote

The Monthly Calendar

The monthly calendar is 2 pages like most planners.

The week starts on a Monday (as does the weekly spread – yippee! – some planners have the month starting Sunday and the week starting Monday which makes no sense to me!) It has the same layout as the 2018 Goals planner.

The month is printed on the bottom right side of the page rather than at the top which really maximizes the planning space. It’s also handy when flicking through the planner as it’s easier to find the month.

Love the use of different shades of the 1 color – you could color code each month.

This monthly calendar gives every single day a full box planning space. Some calendars will split the bottom box into 2 to avoid moving the date to the top of the calendar – this one doesn’t do that (hallelujah!)

Overall this monthly spread is one of my all time favorites for planners – it’s very functional and aesthetically pleasing!

Weekly Spread

The weekly spread starts on a Monday and features an hourly planning space from 9am to 5pm as well as top 3 priorities for each day and notes section at the bottom.

The shaded box at the top could be used for events, birthday’s, meal planning etc.

The sidebar of the planner had a top 3 weekly goals, important tasks, reminders and to do/to buy list

The Tabs

The tabs are laminated and durable – the month is printed on both sides.

The Extras

Like with the Erin Condren, this planner has a snap in bookmark / page marker

A couple of notes pages at the back

It also has 4 sheets of colorful and functional & motivating stickers at the back

Some of the stickers included:

Meeting
Appointments
Day off
Free time
Priority

Blank task labels and dots that are great for list making. As well as mini task stickers

Motivating stickers

As well as a double sided pocket folder (the photo below is from my review of the 2018 Goals Planner by this brand) The pocket folder is the same in this style of the planner and I was too lazy to take another photo…

The front and back covers have gold foil style font. And the back cover has a nice quote printed on it!

The coil is about 1.25″ thick

Pen Testing

I tried a variety of well-known (and not so well-known!) pen brands including Papermate Inkjoy, Staedtler Triplius, Pilot, Kikki K, Uniball Signo, Typo, Smiggle etc. Both the ballpoint pens and gel pens had some minor ghosting (see through) on the back side of the pages.

Pros of the Otto Business Planner

Very well though out out planner – there is no wasted space
lots of goal setting pages – much more than most planners
Durable laminated cover
Laminated tabs and the month is printed on the front and back of the tab
Affordable – only $30AUD
Love, love, love the colors!
1 color per month – great for color coding
Boxes of the months aren’t split in 2 – every day of the month has the same amount of planning space
Plenty of checklists
The weeks on the monthly and weekly spreads both start on Monday (some calendars don’t do this)
Cover can be removed (interchangeable like the Erin Condren)

Cons of the Otto Business Planner

Pens show slightly through the other side of the page (light ghosting)
The writing (and writing spaces) are small. if you have large hand-writing you may find yourself running out of room
Only available in store – rather inconvenient that you can’t buy it online. If you live outside of Australia you won’t be able to buy this planner unless someone lists them on eBay
More extras pages – especially the blog post ideas page – would be ideal

Size comparison

The Business planner is the same size as the Otto Goals Planner. Because I ~~was too lazy~~ didn’t have time to take photos, here’s the Otto goals planner in comparison to the Erin Condren.

It’s wider but shorter

Same deal for the MAMBI Happy Planner…

…And the Plum Paper Planner

Would I use this planner?

Overall it’s a very functional planner, has nice colors and I’m excited to try it for the 52 planners in 52 weeks challenge!

Otto 2018 Business Planner Review (from Officeworks)

Otto 2018 Business Planner

Quick Facts:

LET’S TAKE A LOOK INSIDE THE PLANNER