How Using a Planner Has Helped My Life


When I was in elementary and grade school I absolutely loved taking the trip to get school supplies in the fall and picking out my planner for the year. I loved having a pretty planner to put all my school assignments in. It kept me organized and on track. I kept up with my planner obsession in college, but after graduation I didn't get a planner again...until now!

Truthfully, prior to this year I hadn't felt the need to have a planner anymore. But right now with juggling familiar obligations, work, my blog, the summer theater festival I co-produce, the organization I am on the board of, my social life, and other extracurricular activities, a planner is highly necessary. 

For Christmas Hubs bought me a Living Well Planner. Even having only been using it for a short time I'm already seeing the positive impact of being back in the planner life. Here's how using a planner again has helped my life:

Remember that it is not necessarily the paperwork and data that is causing so much stress; rather, it is our inability to process it all. Simplify the process, and you just might find you've solved the problem. 

Seeing my life at a glance. While I love my Google Calendar, it doesn't allow me to see EVERYTHING all at once - work events, gym classes, blog post schedule, meal plan, etc. My planner is allowing me to really see how all my responsibilities relate, from when I have a deadline to what I'm cooking for dinner. This is helping me make better planning decisions. 

Blog planning. Having the calendar in front of me I now schedule out posts to have at least one new blog post a week. Prior to this I didn't really think about my publishing schedule with the month in mind. I'd write as ideas came to me and post right away. So I could have a week with five posts, and then nothing else for weeks. With the planner I am now spacing out posts, functioning with a real editorial calendar. 

Anxiety Relief. Now that I am using my planner when something comes to mind that needs to be done I can look at my schedule as a whole, at a glance, and write down when I plan to tackle the task. I've had much less anxiety and stress being able to plan to work on things, rather than just having all my to-dos floating around in my head and feeling like I had to do everything right away.

If you're in the market for a planner Amazon has some great ones HERE* at all price ranges. 

Do you use a planner? How does it help your life?

*affiliate link


14 comments

  1. I loooove planners. I have the Day Designer and I'm obsessed with it. I definitely believe that writing down a list of things to do will help one be more organized and effective. Happy planning!

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    1. Actually you tweeting about the Day Designer is what made me start looking at planners, so thank you!

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  2. I love my Day Designer! I couldn't live without a planner!

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  3. I am thinking about buying the Living Well Planner! I want to hear all about it! LOL

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    1. I really like it! I think it's really well thought out, particularly if you're running a household - it has meal plans, goals for home improvements, etc. I also bought the sticker pack, but I feel like I didn't really need it. I'll probably end up decorating the cover myself.

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  4. I agree. I have only been using a planner for a short while and it has made a huge improvement in my time management skills. Before, I might have thought of what I was going to get done in time chunks of "morning" and "afternoon". But now, I think in time chunks of "half hours". I get remarkably much more done.

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    1. It's amazing how a change in perspective can make us so much more productive!

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  5. I don't use planners but I have friends who are using them. I think it's a great way to organize things.

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    1. It's great to see everything layed out in front of you. What do you use to keep organized?

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  6. For people who live in the real world rather than all-online, planners are a great help. The one you got is beautiful, by the way.

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    1. My mind works much better seeing things written out rather than digital.

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  7. Thanks for sharing. I want to start using a planner again.

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  8. I completely agree about the anxiety relief. Planning has helped me tremendously with that!

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