Let’s Talk About the Benefits of Planning
Here are some of the types:
Physical Planners 📖
Daily Planners 📅 – Focus on day-by-day scheduling with hourly breakdowns, perfect for detailed time management and busy schedules.
Weekly Planners 🗓️ – Show a full week at a glance, ideal for balancing work and personal commitments while seeing the bigger picture.
Monthly Planners 🌙 – Provide monthly overviews for long-term planning, tracking recurring events, and goal setting.
Academic Planners 🎓 – Run from August to July, designed specifically for students with features like assignment trackers and exam schedules.
Bullet Journals ✏️ – Customisable dot-grid notebooks that combine planning, journaling, and tracking in a flexible format you design yourself. There are many great videos out there of people who do this – I think you require very neat writing!!
Goal-Setting Planners 🏆 – Focus on breaking down big goals into actionable steps with progress tracking and reflection pages.
The type of planner I use is an 18m planner with the following spreads: Monthly To-do List, Month to view Calendar, Week to View Calendar and also a notes page at the end of the month. Each month starts with a really nice motivational quote. Having a lovely brightly coloured design helps too I feel.
Digital Planners 💻
Calendar Apps 📱 – Google Calendar, Apple Calendar, Outlook for scheduling and reminders with sync across devices.
Task Management Apps ✔️ – Todoist, Any.do, Things for organizing and prioritizing to-do lists with collaboration features.
Project Management Tools 📊 – Trello, Asana, Notion for complex projects with team coordination and workflow management.
Specialised Planners 🎯
Financial Planners 💳 – Budget trackers, expense logs, and financial goal planners for money management.
Meal Planners 🍽️ – Weekly menu planning with grocery lists and nutritional tracking.
Fitness Planners 💪 – Workout schedules, progress tracking, and health goal monitoring.
Travel Planners ✈️ – Itinerary organisers with packing lists, reservation details, and activity planning.
Wedding Planners 💍 – Timeline-based planners for managing all aspects of wedding preparation.
Business Planners 💼 – Strategic planning tools for entrepreneurs with sections for goals, finances, and market analysis.
The best planner type depends on your lifestyle, preferences for digital vs. analogue, and specific planning needs! 🌟
I’d love to see you try decorating your own planner with your own stash! Feel free to adapt it based on the supplies you have available, and don’t forget to share your creation in my Facebook Group.
Why I like to plan and Planning Tips
Planning offers numerous benefits that can significantly improve both personal and professional outcomes:
Creativity Planning helps me to be creative in the form of decorating the weekly spread to set me up for the week ahead. I love to use my Stampin’ Up! supplies to do this – why use other products when I have everything I need in my craft stash!
While you’re here, browse my online store for all your Stampin’ Up! needs.
Clarity and Direction Planning helps you define clear goals and establish a roadmap to achieve them. It transforms vague ideas into concrete steps, making it easier to understand what needs to be done and when.
Better Resource Management When you plan ahead, you can allocate time, money, and energy more efficiently. This prevents wasteful spending and helps you prioritize what matters most.
Reduced Stress and Anxiety Having a plan reduces uncertainty and the mental burden of constantly figuring out what to do next. It provides a sense of control and preparedness that can significantly lower stress levels.
Improved Decision Making Planning forces you to think through potential scenarios and consequences before they arise. This leads to more thoughtful, strategic decisions rather than reactive ones.
Enhanced Productivity With a clear plan, you can focus on execution rather than constantly deciding what to do next. This eliminates decision fatigue and keeps you moving toward your objectives.
Risk Mitigation Planning helps you identify potential obstacles and develop contingency strategies. You can spot problems before they become crises and prepare solutions in advance.
Better Time Management Planning reveals how long tasks actually take and helps you create realistic schedules. It also helps you identify time-wasters and inefficient processes.
Increased Accountability Written plans create accountability to yourself and others. They make it easier to track progress and stay committed to your goals.
Greater Flexibility Paradoxically, having a plan makes you more adaptable. When you know your desired outcome and have mapped the route, you can more easily adjust your approach when circumstances change.
The key is finding the right balance between thorough planning and maintaining flexibility to adapt as situations evolve.
Planner Do’s ✅
Do Start Simple 🌱 – Begin with basic planning habits before adding complicated systems. Master the fundamentals first and you’re sure to be productive.
Do Be Consistent 🔄 – Use your planner daily, even if just for a few minutes. Consistency builds the habit and maximizes benefits to you. You will reap the rewards.
Do Review Regularly 🔍 – Check your progress weekly and monthly. Adjust plans based on what’s working and what isn’t. Remember – life happens and it’s okay to start your plans over.
Do Keep It Accessible 📱 – Whether digital or physical, make sure your planner is always within reach when you need it.
Do Plan Realistically ⏰ – Allow buffer time between tasks and don’t overpack your schedule. Be honest about how long things actually take. As a general rule I keep my to-do list to THREE tasks.
Do Include Personal Time 🧘 – Block out time for self-care, hobbies, and relaxation. Planning isn’t just about productivity. This is pivotal for self-care and to avoid burn-out.
Do Use Colour Coding 🌈 – Develop a system that helps you quickly identify different types of activities or priorities. Keep your favourite pens and pencils near by, writing colourfully can brighten up anyone’s day.
Do Plan the Night Before 🌙 – Spend a few minutes each evening preparing for the next day to start with clarity and purpose.
Planner Don’ts ❌
Don’t Overcomplicate 🚫 – Avoid creating elaborate systems that take more time to maintain than they save. Keep it functional.
Don’t Plan Every Minute ⛔ – Leave room for spontaneity and unexpected opportunities. Over-scheduling creates stress and rigidity. You will end up failing before you even try!
Don’t Ignore Your Energy Levels 😴 – Don’t schedule demanding tasks when you’re typically low-energy. Work with your natural rhythms. (Especially if you have health issues and require pacing inserted into your day).
Don’t Abandon It After Mistakes 💔 – Missing a day or falling behind doesn’t mean failure. Just pick up where you left off.
Don’t Copy Others Blindly 👥 – What works for someone else might not work for you. Adapt systems to fit your unique needs and preferences.
Don’t Neglect to Update 📝 – Keep your planner current. Old, outdated information makes it less useful and trustworthy.
Don’t Make It a Punishment 😰 – Planning should reduce stress, not create it. If your system feels burdensome, simplify it. Go back to basics.
Don’t Forget the Big Picture 🌍 – While daily planning is important, regularly connect your tasks to your larger goals and values.
Remember: Your planner should serve you, not the other way around! 🎯✨
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Thanks for visiting my Let’s Talk About the Benefits of Planning Blog Post
I hope you enjoyed this blog and it encourages you in your planner journey. Here is an example of a decorated planner week for me. I chose Halloween theme because I plan to promote Halloween to my followers, customers and team that week!
