15 Planning Tips in 12 Minutes

Instead of my usual deep dive into a specific planning topic, here are 15 quick planning tips!

Use Erasable Pens

This takes a lot of pressure off. I recommend MUJI’s!

Estimate how long tasks will take

There’s a column in Passion Planner for this. I assign tasks that take 60 minutes or less – anything larger needs to be broken down. 

Get a Planning Puppy

Not really a tip but puppies are soft [and sometimes make filming YouTube videos difficult so I try to just go with it…..]

Reflect

The most important part of planning! I reflect on a daily, weekly, and monthly basis. Reflecting is where growth happens.

Go on a Planner Date

If you keep putting off planning, or any task you’re avoiding, find a way to make it lovely. Try a new cafe, or pair the task with a favourite snack or beverage.

Schedule Rest

If you’re building a habit, schedule that habit into your day. At the weekend, I write REST across the page at 3pm. It might get rescheduled, but I write in erasable pen. 😉

Song of the Week

I track my favourite new song of the week. This challenges me to listen to more music, and helps jog my memory of the week when I look back.

Start with Verbs

Instead of ‘groceries’, write ‘buy groceries’. Starting with an action word makes it easier to take action.

Make time for your Obsessions

I schedule in Survivor every Thursday morning, because if I don’t, I’ll feel guilty when I end up watching it anyway. Make fun time as fun and guilt-free as possible!

Clear out the back pocket of your planner

I do this weekly. In mine, I keep scrap paper, one sheet of stickers, and extra letter writing supplies.

Draw boxes

Organise your thoughts and neaten up empty spaces with pretty boxes to contain lists!

Only set goals that you’re passionate about

Don’t get lulled into setting a goal for the sake of it. Find out what you want to pursue by exploring, not by following an arbitrary goal you don’t care about.

Draw your wardrobe

One of my back pages is filled with illustrations of my clothes so I can see my whole wardrobe at a glance. Capsule update coming soon!

Weekly layout

(Not a tip, but I was asked to share my weekly layout, so take a peek in the video!)

Articulate obstacles as questions

If you’re struggling with something in your planner system, articulate the problem as a question. Often asking the question will lead you to the answer. On that note… leave me your planning questions in the comments!