How to Successfully Use a a Planner All Year Long
I adore planners! I love cracking open a brand new one, and thinking about the adventures our family will have as the year unfolds. My planner is a treasure cove and a place to help order the ramblings of my heart and mind. And today I’m peeling back the curtains to show you how I successfully use my planner all year long and how you can too!
Tip #1: Keep the planner open (all the time) and in a highly trafficked location of your home.
In our home, our New Day Planner is on the corner of our kitchen island. It is always opened to the correlating weekly guide. All of us, and I mean all of us, including my husband and my daughter, look at it every day. We naturally gravitate towards it, even if it’s just because one is curious or bored while waiting for food to cook! It’s there, just calling to us, “Come look at me!” (I am not even kidding you… Literally as I write this, my daughter is eating a snack, looking at the planner, and asking me questions.) It’s silly I know, but I literally watch each of us do it!
Seriously though, I often think of this spot in my kitchen as “command central.” It acts as a guide to help us stay focused and moving forward in life together. Not only am I easily distracted (just ask my husband) but if I don’t have a plan… I literally don’t do anything. It’s sad, but true! Having our planner in a central, highly visible location is one key to our success.
Tip #2: Use a pencil with a good eraser and always keep it with your open planner.
In previous years I used whatever writing utensil I could find at the moment. You can imagine … while I’m on the phone with the doctor's office, I’m simultaneously scavenging through my junk drawer to find a pen that works. And then hurriedly writing down the information with no thought on its legibility. (My husband just gave an “Amen!”) By the end of the month I would have had three to five different colors of ink, two or more highlighters, scribbles, and a bunch of scratch marks scattered on the pages! That is, until I realized how overwhelming it made me feel. The appearance of the monthly spreads seriously heightened my stress levels!
Since coming to this self awareness conclusion, I totally went old school. I now only use a regular pencil on my planner. Not only does everything look the same, but I can easily erase any plans that may have gotten canceled. I feel calm and in control of my planner.
Tip #3: Take a minimum of 20 minutes every Sunday (or Monday) to plan the week ahead.
Sundays are my planning and prep time for the days ahead. (I have determined my personal day of rest is usually another day.) I love sitting down in the afternoon with a cup of hot coffee, and prayerfully processing what the week holds. I carefully align our family’s schedule, my goals and tasks, along with our meals for the week. It brings a sense of calm and clarity to my mind. And my family has a plan to tackle our week.
I know what you are thinking, “that is too nicely wrapped up in a bow! Life is messy. What happens when plans change or the unexpected arises?” Yup, that’s going to happen at some point, no question about it! Flexibility and keeping things in a proper perspective are keys to successfully navigating sudden schedule changes. Instead of getting upset that plans changed, consider those experiences as an opportunity to trust God in the midst of the felt chaos or disappointing moments. He’s got you!
If you try these tips, please let us know how it is going! Until next time… prayerfully plan with purpose in mind!