How to Make a Planner Work for You

How to Make a Planner Work for You

Do you use a planner to schedule your days and projects? I’ve been using one for several years now and I have to say I love how it inspires me to be more productive!

To tell the truth, I love schedules! The idea of having projects and plans carefully and thoughtfully organized into a certain amount of time delights me! But to be honest, that’s not how my days go. I work from home and live with my family, so there are many interactions in the day that can’t (and shouldn’t!) be squeezed into a timed schedule!

Learning how to plan my schedule to work for my life has been a learning process for me, but I’ve learned several helpful things that I want to share with you!

Step 1: Buy a Planner

Last year, I shared some pretty planners to get you started on planning a productive year. Humorously enough, though I shared the planners with you all, I failed to order mine until a few days before the New Year. This resulted in my having to choose a basic planner, since all the pretty planners had long before sold out! This year though, is a different story! I have already ordered my planner – and it’s quite pretty!

Step 2: Determine What You Want to Accomplish

What good is a planner if you don’t have anything to write in it? Do you know I owned a planner two years in a row before I figured out how to use it! I didn’t really have appointments to write down or events scheduled – and I didn’t know what else you would put in a planner!

These days, I’ve learned to fill my planner with things that matter in my life! For instance, every weekday morning I do two things – I read my Bible and I exercise. I write these items in my planner for two reasons. 1) Both these activities are essential to my health and wellness and 2) I know that if I write them down I am far more likely to accomplish them!

I also write down significant household tasks that need to be accomplished including, but not limited to, laundry, grocery shopping, dusting, vacuuming, cleaning vehicles, etc. Each of these items are important and take a significant amount of time, so I like to intentionally include them in my plans!

Outside of fundamental and household tasks, I also strategically plan my work projects. Some items I record may seem tedious, such as “edit item photos” or “scan documents“, but I have found that sometimes the more tedious a simple project is, the less inclined I am to make it a priority. By including these items in my planner, I am far more likely to make sure I accomplish them!

Step 3: Plan Optimistically

I used to be a very careful planner. I never planned more than I thought I could accomplish because I didn’t want to discourage myself at the end of the day when I might find that I had in fact accomplished nothing on my list.

But more recently, I’ve developed a different, more optimistic point of view! I consider what items I have to accomplish, and then I choose more items, rather than fewer items. My point of view is “if this is a really productive day, what could I accomplish?!” rather than “I doubt I’ll have much time for anything extra today, so let me not plan on accomplishing too much“.

When I start my day planning not to have time to accomplish much of anything, guess what? I don’t really accomplish much of anything! But when I begin my day optimistically, I seem to find little pockets of time to accomplish so many little extras that otherwise would not have been possible! And I do still have days when I don’t accomplish a thing on my list, but as long as I am being purposeful with my time, I have no reason to feel like the day is wasted. If anything, I’ve got a little perk for the next day in that I have plans all ready!

Step 4: Enjoy the Process

No matter what you are doing in life, learn to enjoy the process! If planning your days feels like pulling teeth, then you need to change your perspective! Consider it this way, you get to choose whether to choose a purposeful, remarkable life or an average, reactive life.

Now I’m not saying that a keeping a planner is the difference between a purposeful life and a sad life, but I do think it is important that you determine what planning process you need to make for yourself so that you are sure to live up to your fullest potential!

Step 5: Mission: Accomplished!

By now are you beginning to formulate how you will use your own planner? Just remember, there is no wrong way to intentionally plan your days!

How do you plan your days? Do you have a strict schedule or do you constantly adjust it depending on those you live and work with? I’d love to hear your ideas on how to plan more effective, efficient, exciting days!

Until Next Time!

Hope.