Looking to boost your productivity? Thinking that this might be your year after all? The best way to be successful is to plan for it, and we know just how; through a daily planner to help you manage your life. If you’re looking to get organized with a planner in your quest for productivity, there are a few things you need to do first:
1. Choose its purpose
What are you looking to get out of planning your week? Are you looking to put in all your social and work appointments? Are you using it to track your running times and gym goals? Do you want to write down five things every day you’re grateful for? Make sure you know what you’re looking to get out of your planner before you invest in one.
Marble Notebook Available Here
2. Get the right planner for you
Do you need a weekly view? Monthly also, or only? Do you need a page for each day? Some planners will have a breakdown of every half-hour in your week, others have ample space for note-taking; some have removable pages for when you need a bit of extra room. Setting your purpose will help you pick which one is right for you, so when you’re browsing planners you’ll be able to recognize the qualities you want.
Speaking of which…there are even dedicated books to help you plan things like blogging nowadays, so you can save a blank planner for your everyday stuff. The Ultimate Blog Plan is perfect if you want to take your blog to the next level, it contains workbook exercises and strategies to help you plan every little thing towards your blogging success!
The Ultimate Blog Plan Available Here
3. Make it light
Sure, those huge, multi-tabbed thick planners are great for big writing, but if it’s too heavy or big for your bag, you’ll never take it with you (and that’s when you’ll need it — on the go!). Pick one that’s light enough to be portable.
I Am Very Busy 2017 Journal Available Here
4. Set some goals
A goal without a timeline is just a wish, so if you’re goal-setting, look ahead to the following weeks and months and figure out where you want to be and when. If in six months you want to have saved $1,000, mark the date six months from now and work your way backward, setting small goals every paycheck. Your goals might be financial, health-related (such as losing weight, or getting your stamina up), career-oriented (like eyeing a new job or promotion), or anything in between!
5. Embrace the highlighters
If you’ve got goals in more than one category, you should track each of them individually. Colour-coding is a great way to track how much time you need to dedicate to each of your goals, so you can find balance in the amount of time you’re spending on each goal. Not only will it give you a visual representation of how much progress you’ve made, it’ll also turn your planner into a rainbow of productivity. Score!
Pink Leather Journal Available Here
6. Use it every day
What we do all the time matters more than what we do some of the time. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day to write down your progress, set future appointments, and reflect on where you want to be tomorrow. Plan your time accordingly, and your productivity will skyrocket!
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Looking to boost your productivity? Thinking that this might be your year after all? The best way to be successful is to plan for it, and we know just how; through a daily planner to help you manage your life. If you’re looking to get organized with a planner in your quest for productivity, there are a few things you need to do first:
1. Choose its purpose
What are you looking to get out of planning your week? Are you looking to put in all your social and work appointments? Are you using it to track your running times and gym goals? Do you want to write down five things every day you’re grateful for? Make sure you know what you’re looking to get out of your planner before you invest in one.
Marble Notebook Available Here
2. Get the right planner for you
Do you need a weekly view? Monthly also, or only? Do you need a page for each day? Some planners will have a breakdown of every half-hour in your week, others have ample space for note-taking; some have removable pages for when you need a bit of extra room. Setting your purpose will help you pick which one is right for you, so when you’re browsing planners you’ll be able to recognize the qualities you want.
Speaking of which…there are even dedicated books to help you plan things like blogging nowadays, so you can save a blank planner for your everyday stuff. The Ultimate Blog Plan is perfect if you want to take your blog to the next level, it contains workbook exercises and strategies to help you plan every little thing towards your blogging success!
The Ultimate Blog Plan Available Here
3. Make it light
Sure, those huge, multi-tabbed thick planners are great for big writing, but if it’s too heavy or big for your bag, you’ll never take it with you (and that’s when you’ll need it — on the go!). Pick one that’s light enough to be portable.
I Am Very Busy 2017 Journal Available Here
4. Set some goals
A goal without a timeline is just a wish, so if you’re goal-setting, look ahead to the following weeks and months and figure out where you want to be and when. If in six months you want to have saved $1,000, mark the date six months from now and work your way backward, setting small goals every paycheck. Your goals might be financial, health-related (such as losing weight, or getting your stamina up), career-oriented (like eyeing a new job or promotion), or anything in between!
5. Embrace the highlighters
If you’ve got goals in more than one category, you should track each of them individually. Colour-coding is a great way to track how much time you need to dedicate to each of your goals, so you can find balance in the amount of time you’re spending on each goal. Not only will it give you a visual representation of how much progress you’ve made, it’ll also turn your planner into a rainbow of productivity. Score!
Pink Leather Journal Available Here
6. Use it every day
What we do all the time matters more than what we do some of the time. Spend a few minutes at the end of each day to write down your progress, set future appointments, and reflect on where you want to be tomorrow. Plan your time accordingly, and your productivity will skyrocket!
LET’S CHAT
What do you use your planner for?
Sign up for our newsletter and stay up to date
Charlotte Bailey
Contributor
Charlotte Bailey is an freelance writer living in London. Originally from Canada, she's a word nerd, compulsive list-maker, and lover of novels & film.