Do you ever feel like your planner is never enough? That you can never keep up with all the things you want to do?

If so, you’re not alone!

But don’t worry, you can make your planner work for you by following these simple tips so you can start staying consistent with your planner today!

Important Things to Remember when Planning

There are several important things to remember when planning your day.

  • First and foremost, set realistic goals for yourself and stick to them. This will help ensure that you are able to achieve your larger goals for the day.
  • Secondly, make a detailed plan of what you want to accomplish during the day and break it down into manageable steps.
  • Finally, be flexible and adapt your plan as needed based on what happens during the day. By following these tips, you will be able to keep a successful planner and achieve your desired outcomes!

1. Start with what Works For You

There are a lot of different ways to keep a successful planner. What works for one person may not work for another, so it’s important to find what works best for you. Here are some tips to get started:

  • Start with a planner that you like and is comfortable to use. You’ll be more likely to stick with it if it’s easy to access and use.
  • Decide what kind of planner you will use. Are you a pen and paper person or do you like everything on your phone?
  • Do you like lists or scheduling everything down to the minute?
  • Make sure to work according to your schedule and energy levels. By working according to your schedule and energy levels, you will be able to achieve your goals more easily. If you have kids in school, those hours should be focused on your most important tasks. Save the little things for when you don’t need much focus time. 
  • Create a system where you break your goals down into manageable tasks. This will help you stay on track and avoid feeling overwhelmed.
  • Set specific deadlines for each task, so you know when it needs to be completed. This will help motivate you and keep you accountable.
  • Keep track of your progress throughout the year, so you can see how far you’ve come and how much farther there is still to go. This will give you confidence that you’re making progress and encourage you to continue working hard.
  • Try Color Coding tasks. One way to make your planner more manageable is to color code tasks. This way you know at a glance what needs your attention and you won’t forget anything! 

2. Use Your Planner Every Day

Staying consistent with your planner can be a bit like keeping a healthy diet. It’s important to use it every day to stay on track, so you can achieve your goals. 

Make sure you use your planner every day! It’s not a magic bullet that will make everything happen for you – you still have to work hard. But having your planner at your fingertips will help you stay on track and make sure you’re taking advantage of all the great information it contains.

This means following the same plan every day, week, and month. This way, you’ll be able to see real progress and know exactly where you stand.

Need help with your planning routine?

If you’re feeling lost when it comes to staying consistent with your planner, don’t worry! I’ve compiled a free checklist of tips and tricks that will help you get the most out of your planner. Download my free planning routine checklist below: 

3. Schedule Important Things in Your Planner

It seems like the ultimate way to have control and organization in your life- schedule everything! But is that really the best way to go about it? According to a study published in Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin, people who use planners to schedule everything are more likely to have problems than those who don’t. The study found that people with planners tend to be less productive because they can’t spontaneously take on new tasks when they have free time. Instead, they feel obligated to fulfil all the planned activities. 

So if you’re looking for ways to stay consistent with your planner, it might be a better idea not schedule everything in it! You’ll still be able to plan your day and keep track of your commitments, but you won’t feel as overwhelmed and stressed out. Try incorporating some other strategies into your planner- like writing down your goals for the day when you wake up, or making a list of things you want to do during each hour of the day. That way, you’ll always have something fun and exciting waiting for you when you get free time!

Learn how to plan and schedule your days to get things done here. 

Scheduling Tips 

There are a few ways I keep my calendar organized, whether I’m planning for one day or for the entire month. 

  • First, I like to take my phone out and put it into my calendar instantly so I don’t have to worry about it later. This way, if something comes up and I need to change the appointment, or if there’s an emergency and I have to reschedule, it’s all right there in front of me. I also make sure to include travel time or getting ready time so I am never late to a meeting or appointment.
  • Second, every time I make an appointment, whether it’s for myself or someone else in my family, I always try to note what we’re going to be doing beforehand so that we can be as prepared as possible. This way we don’t waste time trying to figure out what happened to our agenda once we get started with our meeting. 
  • Finally, once a month or so (depending on how much activity is happening in my life), I like to take a break from everything and just relax by going through all of my appointments one by one and marking off each one that’s been completed. This helps me stay on top of everything and makes sure that nothing falls through the cracks because I wasn’t paying attention.

4. Use it Functionally

Start by brain dumping!

Just take some time to write down everything that’s on your mind and then organize it into categories. This way, you can easily access what you need when you need it. Additionally, try using a planner app that helps you stay organized and motivated.

Learn to prioritize your list.

The first step in prioritizing your list is understanding what is important to you. Once you know what matters most, it will be easier to figure out which tasks should take precedence over others. 

Another way to help with prioritizing is by using a calendar system. This will help you keep track of when different tasks need to be completed and can provide structure for your day-to-day planning. Finally, try not to get bogged down by the number of items on your list; if something isn’t important enough, it won’t take up space in your planner or mind and can be skipped altogether.

Use daily, weekly and monthly lists to stay focused.

 A daily planner will help you keep track of your waking hours, while a weekly planner can help you plan your days and weeks in advance. Monthly planners can help you plan out your entire month, including holidays and other special events. Whatever type of planner you choose, make sure to use lists to stay focused. Each list should have specific goals or objectives, so you can easily see what needs to be done in order to meet those goals. By using a planner and lists, you’ll be able to stay on track and achieve your goals!

  • Some of the different lists in the planner include: -To Do List: This list is designed to help you keep track of everything that needs to be done. It includes things like chores, errands, and appointments.  -Weekly Planner: This list is used to plan out each week. It includes tasks like work, school, and leisure activities.  -Monthly Planner: This list is used to plan out each month. It includes things like birthdays, holidays, and vacation plans.  -Daily Planner: This list is used to track everything that happens during the day. It includes things like meetings, phone calls, and errands.

Make sure to set aside time to review and evaluate what you accomplished

To stay on track and maintain a successful planner, follow these tips:

  • Set aside time each week to review your progress and reflect on what you accomplished. This will help you stay motivated and focused on the goals you set for yourself.
  • Evaluate your plan regularly to make sure that it is still meeting your needs and objectives. If necessary, make adjustments as needed in order to remain successful.
  • Be persistent in your efforts – if at first you don’t succeed, try again, and again, until you do! Remember that persistence pays off – over time, a successful planner will help you achieve your goals faster than if you didn’t have one at all!

Review your progress on a regular basis to make sure that you are on track.

4. Make it Fun to Use

  • Choose a colorful or trendy design that you love.
  • Write down things that make you happy or proud, like accomplishments or new friendships made.
  • Make monthly or weekly goals, and reward yourself for meeting them! For example, go out with friends for dinner or buy yourself a new book after accomplishing your goal for the month.
  • Make it personal. Add photos of family members, friends, pets, or anything else that’s important to you. Or design your planner using coordinating colors and patterns to create a cohesive look.
  • Use dividers and tabs to customize your planner however you want.
  • Use colorful paper and stickers. This will help you to keep your planner visually appealing, and it will also make it easier to find entries and reminders.

5. Let It Support You

Finally, don’t forget to let your planner support you. This means relying on it as a tool, not as a crutch. If you find yourself using it more as a crutch than as a tool, it’s time to switch things up.

If you’re like most people, you probably rely on premade planners to keep your life organized. But if that’s not working for you, there are plenty of ways to create your own planner. Here are a few tips:

  • Start with a blank template.
  • Find free printables online and put it together into an agenda or binder.
  • Try using Canva to find templates or alter and design your own planner easily

These tips will help you stay consistent with your planner and make sure you’re able to use it to its fullest potential. So go ahead and give them a try – you won’t regret it!

 

Grab my 2023 Dated Digital Planner Here: