Hello friends and welcome to the blog! Today, I want to discuss planner tips for people who are not used to planning, who have never planned in a planner before, or, are just getting back into it after a break.
My name is Sandra and I am a seasoned planner. I have had a “planner” ever since Grade 4. Yes, in those days, it was the school agendas that were given to us, but I have always had some form of planning in my life.
I got serious about planning when I was working full time at Sobeys, and also when I had my kids. I needed somewhere safe to write down all the appointments and tasks I needed to do. (Trust me, when you have a baby, there are a LOT of doctors visits!)
I started making ‘Plan With Me’ videos for my YouTube channel three years ago. I have a bullet journal (basically creating your own planner from scratch), but if you are new to the planner world, I would start small. I am going to share some tips with you that might help you on your own planner journey.
BEGINNER PLANNER TIPS
-
Start by writing things down
If you have never owned an actual planner before, you may be one of those people who try to remember all of the things. It is easy to get overwhelmed, and when you start forgetting when your appointments or get-togethers are, it’s time to start writing them down. You don’t need a planner for this. Some people record their memos in the voice- record section of their phone. You can use the actual notes section as well, or a digital calendar like Google Calender or Ical.
If you would rather write on paper, try recording your appointments or events on a wall calendar. Even after all these years, I still keep a wall calendar for quick reference, and as a place my kids can see future events. Another option is to buy a cheap notebook and record any notes or appointments. You can keep it small so it’s portable, but the trick is to keep all your dates, events, tasks and notes in one place so it’s easy to reference when you need to find the information at a later date. (I’m talking to you, sticky note users!)
2. Don’t buy all the things at once
The rainbow pens and stickers are enticing, yes, but do you really need them? Yes, I know - I was that person who bought everything at once. My excuse at the time was that I had a YouTube channel and I needed all the things. What if I hadn’t stuck with my channel and stopped? Then I would have been stuck with all this stuff that never got used. It takes awhile to develop the habit of doing something. If planning is new for you, buy a cheaper planner, and stick with one type of pen. If a week passes, and you want a pack of stickers, go ahead and get one. But start using them before you buy more!
3. Don’t be overly concerned with decorating
If you are just beginning to plan (especially coming from a place of no planning), don’t get too involved with decorative planning at the start. It’s nice to add a few stickers to make your planner pretty, but sometimes it can be overwhelming just looking at a sticker book. Some of the Happy Planner brand stickers have over 1000 stickers! I’ve heard stories where people are so involved in decorating their planner , that they forgot what they actually had to plan afterward.
4. Don’t worry if you think you have messy hand writing
Whether you are creating planner spreads for YouTube or Instagram, or are just planning for your life, you shouldn’t stress about what your handwriting looks like. As long as you can read it, it shouldn’t matter. The point of a planner is so you can organize your life and stop stressing about forgetting things. Your planner is a reflection of you and your life, and your writing adds character! Your writing is a reflection of your personality and that is a good thing!
5. Progress, not perfection!
Just start! Don’t be such a perfectionist that you are afraid to write in your new planner. There are many different options you can use to make your planner look neat if you make a mistake. (I.e. Whiteout is my best friend!) You can also use sticky notes if you don’t know the exact date of an event, or small page flags. Another option is to use pencil or erasable pen in your planner so you can erase and change dates.
6. Make time to plan
The easiest way to start remembering to check in with your planner is to schedule time for it. Best practice is to write out your plans the previous night. That way, you’re primed for the next morning and ready to go! I check in with my planner multiple times a day. It is very satisfying to check off my tasks as I go, especially if I have a work heavy day. If you plan out the entire week, sit down Sunday evening and make time to add in all the important information. If you schedule your planning session at the same time each day, you would be surprised at how quickly it will be become part of your routine.
7. Have fun with it!
Take your time with planning and try not to stress about it - getting started and setting a routine is a process, and it is alright to change it up from time to time! Try to stick with the same planner for at least the year (or the time frame of the planner), and then you can figure out if planning is for you. Remember, it might be hard to get started but everything becomes easier with practice.
HAPPY PLANNING!!
💜 Sandra
0 comments