Work on keeping your handwriting small - it doesn’t have to be perfect, but you do want to make sure it’s legible and that you have room to add in tasks or events as they come up!.Colour coding with pens or highlighters for different categories (Personal/ Work/ Family & Friends) is a great way to quickly get a visual for what your day or week consists of but keep it broad and stick to only a few categories for optimal productivity.Perhaps try blocking them out by morning, afternoon and evening.
Write down your highest priority tasks for each day - but don’t feel the need to assign them a time. Try not to over-plan your time - no one needs to be checking their planner every 6 minutes to make sure they’re on track.If something pops up that is a ‘next week’ task - jot it into the next week’s task list section so that you can remember to schedule during your next weekly planning. Carryover any tasks from the previous day.
Take a look at your ‘unscheduled’ tasks and decide if you can fit any of them in for the day ahead. Perhaps you need to schedule a last-minute yoga class or kids’ playdate for later in the day. Daily: Whether this happens the night before or the morning of - it should really only take you about 10 to 15 minutes to plan out your day.If you can’t quite commit to a specific day that week, just jot it down under the ‘task list’ section or a blank side column so that you don’t forget to schedule it in when doing daily planning. Think about any errands you need to run and add those in. Is there a birthday coming up at the end of the month? Schedule a time a few weeks prior to the day to buy a gift or mail a card. First, refer back to your monthly page spread and add in any appointments or events for the week. Weekly: Each week, carve out some time to think about the week ahead and keep the day consistent.You may choose to break this down even further on a month to month basis once you have a clearer scope of what’s coming up. Consider any major events, birthdays, anniversaries and add these to the monthly spread sections of your planner. Cozy up with a nice cup of hot coffee (or a big glass of wine) and get cracking. Yearly: Set aside some time for a ‘Year at a Glance’ planning session.The choice is up to you! Heading 2 - How do beginners use planners? As a beginner, using your planner should be productive, efficient and fun, so keep it simple with these basic guidelines: Some people like to do this the evening before or others prefer to with their morning coffee. Your planning time should become routine so it’s important to make it the same time every day. In the beginning, it might be helpful to set a phone reminder for when it’s time to plan each day so that you don’t forget. Schedule your planning time in your planner. Planning to plan is crucial to your success.Perhaps this is at your desk or in a basket on your kitchen counter next to your coffee maker - somewhere handy and convenient. Leave it in the same spot every day so that you always know where to find it. Here are a few handy tips for getting started: But, remember, it doesn’t have to be perfect! Life is busy and your planner is here to help. IIn the beginning, it’s easy to feel a bit intimidated by working with a planner. View Details How do I get started with a planner? Style and aesthetic: Are you more of a minimalist or do you love colour and crazy patterns? Make sure your planner is something you’ll want to look at again and again to ensure success.Planner layout: Do you want more of a day to day layout? Or something broad like a monthly planner? With lots of options out there, choose the best one that will suit your needs.Always on the go and need something that you can carry around with you? Or do you work from the comfort of your own home? (2020 - who isn’t these days!?) A planner that’s more compact and streamline is perfect for running around, otherwise, you may opt for something a little more substantial that will stay put on your desk. Analyze your needs: Think about your day to day life.
Read on for planner tips and tricks and how to use your planner so you can glide into the New Year feeling calm, efficient and ready to tackle anything! Planner Tips and Tricks - Plan like a Pro- How to Start Planning We pick up a shiny new planner and with the best of intentions, we set to work.īut.let’s be honest, sometimes getting started with a planner can be daunting in itself. We’ve all been there, the New Year is approaching and we suddenly have the urge to organize, goal set and take charge of our chaotic schedule. F eeling overwhelmed? Using a planner can help you reduce stress, become more organized and more productive.