My 10 Best Planning Tips and Tricks

Planning

Feb 24

This month is all about planning and there’s no better way to kick it off than with my top 10 planning tips and tricks.

A planner is a great way to stay organized. It helps you stay on top of deadlines, remember important meetings, and plan for the future. It will improve your productivity and you’ll feel less stressed throughout the day. But in order for a planner to work for you, you have to work with it.

Here are some of my best tips to help you get the most out of your planner.

1. Make sure you have the right tools

Having the right planner is essential. Look for a planner that has a good design that works for your schedule then create a planning system that enhances that design.

If a paper planner isn’t really your thing, you can use a notebook or even just a piece of paper. If you would rather go the digital route you can use a digital planner, a to-do list app on your smartphone, or something more detailed like Notion or Asana.

Here’s a little more information on choosing the right planner for you.

2. Keep your planner visible

You will never use your planner if you can’t see it or don’t have it with you. Leave it in the same spot so you always know where it is and refer back to it throughout the day.

My planner sits on the corner of my desk, open to my daily plan. When I complete a task I check it off and can easily see what else I have planned for the day. If this feels like too much for you, try limiting it to certain times. For example, check it first thing in the morning, then update your list before/after lunch, and then again right before you go home for the day.

3. Write it all down. EVERYTHING!

I can’t stress enough that you should write down everything you need to do. Especially if it’s something important but you should also include your regular, day-to-day tasks like laundry and grocery shopping.

Writing this information down not only serves as a reminder of what you need to do but it will also hold you accountable to actually get it done!

4. Divide your tasks between work and home

It’s really easy to let your work life take over and let your home life take a back seat. Especially when you’re working from home.

Depending on your situation, you may want to have a separate planner for each aspect of your life. But if you decide to use one planner for everything I suggest grouping your work and home tasks into two lists so you can physically see the separation.

This will also balance things out and you will know what you have to work on and when instead of searching through one big list.

5. Identify your top 3 tasks for the day

Choose your Daily Top 3 most important tasks from your work list and your home list that are your must-dos. I like to highlight them so they stand out and I know they’re important.

They don’t have to be the most difficult tasks or even the ones that will take the longest to complete. They are the tasks that are the most urgent and important to your day and will help you achieve your long-term goals.

Tackle these first so if your day gets derailed you’ll know that your most important tasks are accomplished.

6. Be Consistent

Your planning time should become a routine so it’s important to make it the same time every day. I like to do this in the evening but many people like to plan their day in the morning with their coffee.

Whenever you decide to plan your day (and check it regularly), to be successful, you have to do it consistently, every day. If you don’t have anything to do, schedule “nothing” or list fun things like reading a book or baking some cookies.

7. Do a weekly review

At the end of each week or month, do a review of what’s been working and what hasn’t. Then make some adjustments to your planning routine and see if that makes difference.

If you’re new to planning, I suggest doing this weekly and making one or two small changes at a time until you find a routine that works for you. Don’t change too many things all at once and if you notice something isn’t working, stop doing it and go back to what you were doing before you made the change.

8. Create a motivating morning routine

How would it feel to start your day motivated and organized? It would be great, wouldn’t it? You’d know what you were doing, that everything was sorted and you’d feel brilliant.

A healthy morning routine is the key to a productive day. The perfect morning routine should be able to wake you up, make you feel refreshed and energized, and give you enough time to prepare for the day ahead.

Have your to-do list ready and make sure that you know exactly what needs to be done.

9. Do some Journaling

Spend 15 minutes or less writing about your day. I have a bunch of journaling prompts here on the blog or simply ask yourself the following questions:

What went well today?
What went wrong today?
What made me smile today?
What am I grateful for right now?

Write one sentence or a whole paragraph. Don’t stop if you run out of room, use a sticky note, insert an extra page, or use the blank notes pages.

If you notice you’re frequently running out of space, think about picking up a separate notebook to use specifically for journaling.

10. DON’T THROW AWAY YOUR USED PLANNERS

If you use your planner effectively, it will serve as an accurate record of your life. I love flipping through my old planners to see what I was doing back in 2003 or whichever book I pick up. I have newspaper clippings, photos, journaling, and all kinds of memorabilia posted alongside my daily tasks. I’ve never even considered throwing them away. Together, they make up the story of my life.

BONUS TIP…

Another way I like to jazz up my planner is to use my sticker label printer to print out some of my favorite quotes and stick them in there using different styles of sticker labels.

I choose the style of sticker label depending on my mood or what vibe I want for the day. It's a simple way to add a personal touch to my planner and help me stay positive and motivated throughout the day.

I love trying out different sticker label styles, like bright and colorful ones, sparkly or kraft vibe ones, or even clear or transparent ones. It's just a fun and playful way to make my planner look and feel unique.

Having inspiring quotes in my planner is a great way to start my day on a positive note, especially if I'm feeling a bit stressed or overwhelmed. I find that reading a quote or phrase that speaks to me can really boost my mood and give me the energy to take on the day.

Before You Go:

Here are a few more posts you might like:

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