Finding time to do the things you love is tough. Life always seems to get in the way. Things come up, we have to drop everything and tend to the mess in front of us. I have always loved making lists. I don’t know about you, but I thrive on them. I’m like Dory 🐠 and cannot remember anything if I don’t write it down. If I don’t write it down: 1. It will be lost forever & 2. It will clog up my brain so much that I’ll get anxiety about it.
Then, I started doing this thing where I dappled in different ways of scheduling and list making. That turned into a mess. I couldn’t remember where I wrote that thing or that to-do list, or that person’s phone number! UGH! The past couple of years I have tested many different methods of planning: written, digital, apps, notebooks, calendars…. My goal for this year was to simplify my life as much as possible. Here is the way that I personally like to schedule my time.
- Google Cal- I have one day a week that I sit down and plan my week and my meals. I do this with my Google Calendar. Everything is in block format by color. Bright pink is personal, light pink is Coaching, blue is work, green is wedding, yellow is theater, and purple is bills. I try to stay on schedule as much as possible, but when things come up I can easily move my block of time or switch it with something else. I always try to prioritize my goals in my week. As you can see below there were things I wanted to get done with my business, so I scheduled it in. This is my primary source of planning my week. I look at my calendar every morning on my computer and I can take it with me on the app on my phone. It also notifies me 10 min before an event, so I can wrap up whatever I am currently doing. LOVE THIS!
- My Bujo– I used to love my bullet journal. When I was working on a cruise ship, I got so many people hooked into it. I wish I could say I still have the same schedule as I do while working on a ship; however, unfortunately I do not. Recently, I found myself getting too into the perfectionism of theming my months and draw straight lines that were evenly spaced. It was too much to have to conjure this up every month/week. Now, I use my bujo as a way to track my habits, look at my normal boring to-do list (like laundry, make a phone call, etc..), meal planning for the week, and I also write out my memories from the month. It isn’t my main source of scheduling so there is less pressure to take it everywhere with me and make it look pretty. I love getting to the end of the month for that reflection time and writing out all the things that I did. It keeps me present and helps me to practice gratitude when I feel like my life is getting crazy.
- Clear app- This app is a great one for those random things you think of when you’re on-the-go. I put my groceries in this app. They have this feature where you can swipe things away and check them off when they’re done. You can also move around the list to self-prioritize what’s needs to get done first. You can also title your lists. This app is fantastic for quick list making while out
Well, that’s it! I discover new things everyday about my preferences for scheduling. Taking the time to check in every week and/or every month to see how you’re doing is key to troubleshooting anything that isn’t working for you. I am always evolving in my planning journey and learn from the things that don’t work. For example: I like starting my weeks on a Monday instead or shifting my bullet journal intention. It’s all good with whatever you decide to do. My biggest tip is to keep it simple, make it functional, and schedule in time for planning and your goals.
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