Longing for a Change in Planner Routine
Today, I want to talk about a feeling I’ve been having since I finished the book, The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. While I found that the majority of the content did not resonate with me (I don’t consider myself a blocked artist), it did get me to thinking.
First, I realize that I don’t spend enough time on creative, fun things - I don’t mean creative content in my business, because that’s really all I do - I am an online creative entrepreneur (“content creator”). I don’t do anything intrinsically for myself in the creative department. By this I mean my alone time is spent either journaling or reading a book. Things I want to be doing might be practicing new songs, colouring for relaxation, or drawing - whether that’s doing “A-Doodle-A-Day Challenge”, just random doodling, drawing creatively in a notebook or sketchbook, hand lettering for fun or water coloring in my travellers notebook - something where I’m not pressured by limitations, time, or deadlines for my business.
The second thing I’ve been craving is some time off or relaxation time. These past few months, I’ve seen messages from online and other content creators saying to slow down and take it easy. Let’s slow down with the season and stay in and cozy up with a good book. Truthfully, this is the time that I’m hustling. I’m usually gearing up for increased sales on Etsy, and creating a demanding content schedule for November and December. I usually do Planmas or Vlogmas (or both like I did in the past two years).
Some goals I set for myself in November were to just slow down, make more time for sleep and reading, and also to take care of my home. I want to be more intentional with my time and spend quality time with my family for the upcoming holiday season. I’m not really a t.v. or movie person, but I think I would enjoy watching a few Hallmark holiday movies (which start on November 1st).
This feeling that I have is pushing into my planning and journaling routine a little bit. I noticed one morning that I was experiencing some anxiety over finishing all my journaling and all my work in one day. I think that I have pushed myself for so long and for so hard that now I’m kind of wanting to let it all go. Last night, I even found myself checking out other planning systems online to see what other people are doing right now.
Now here’s the thing, I know I have good systems. (I still need to create a video on this topic). I use the Franklin planner system, and I love it! I also use a bit of the Getting Things Done method (by David Allen) along with the Franklin planner and I find it works really well for me. I know these systems are amazing and I’m not changing them. My Planner Perfect travellers notebook is also amazing and I’m enjoying using the system tremendously. I want to continue to use them. In the past, I’ve found that by changing a simple, single thing within the system (i.e. decorating when I didn’t before, or vice versa, changing my layout, changing the size) has worked for this “planner melancholy” I’ve been experiencing.
This time, it’s not working. So here are the things I’m changing:
Journaling Routine
I started writing morning pages when I started The Artist’s Way, and I think this was when (and where) a lot of my problems started. Morning pages takes me a lot longer than the 30-35 minutes it’s supposed to. Part of that is sometimes I sleep in later and then my kids keep distracting me. It can literally take me up to five hours to finish the three allotted pages with how much I have to do for my kids. (Especially in the middle of a teacher strike)!
However, I found that I’m not ready to give them up. The funny thing is, they haven’t really done anything for me that I’m conscious of anyway. It’s supposed to help you solve problems and move the needle, but I kind of think it’s a big waste of time. However, it’s also really enjoyable and I’m just not ready to give up.
So, I’ve made some adjustments to my routine. I stopped my regular journal that I usually write in every day. I’ve stopped my reflections, as well as my business journal. I found I was dreading writing the same things over and over so I put them on the back burner for now. I may go back to them at a later date.
Adding creative doodling to my routine.
I miss the bullet journaling days. Those were the days when I just started posting videos to YouTube, but my business wasn’t as complicated as it is now, with multiple moving parts. My bullet journal was enough to handle all that I could throw at it. But most importantly, my bullet journal was a tool that I used for my creative outlet and it was fun because I shared it with the world. My biggest role model at the time was Amanda Rach Lee.
As my business picked up, I just couldn't create spreads in a bullet journal that would track all the information I needed it to. I mean, it could but the spreads that I had to create to do that took up far too much time and one book could only handle three months at a time.
I’m craving that simple time, where I didn't have to do all the things. I want to have a monthly calendar and a weekly spread; maybe a habit tracker and that’s it. Actually, I started getting nostalgic the other day and I started rewatching some old videos and channels I used to watch in the past. I would like to go back there, even for a moment. Beware : this is when I start to bring in challenges for myself - can I use a bullet journal again for a month, or can I just use Planner Perfect to plan everything? I think if I changed things now, I would throw myself off balance and I wouldn’t be able to find a needle in a haystack.
So, for now (remember, as of writing, it’s only mid-October, and this could change without a moment’s notice), I will bring back my doodle-a-day-challenge. This is where I pick a topic (I like to use Cindy Guentert-Baldo’s Rando Doodles) and I hand-letter the words (one per day) and on a separate page, I draw whatever the word is. This allows me a bit of creative doodle time without me stressing about the time commitment.
I don’t know if this is the answer, but currently, I’m unwilling to say goodbye to my entire system as it exists, because I think I would be lost. My Franklin Planner is truly my life and I love the order it brings to my life, household and business. My Planner Perfect Travellers notebook system is really helping to keep a spot for my health, scripting, and meal planning.
Once I’ve implemented any changes, I will come back and let you know what that change is! Who knows, I may even decide to do a bullet journal on the side just to “get it out of my system”. I know that it doesn’t really work for me currently, but maybe visualizing it isn’t the answer. Maybe I actually have to see it in front of me in order to realize it!
Thanks for reading and we’ll see you again next time!
Sandra
