How do you plan your life when everything is uncertain? Your life is complete chaos because…..
- You just had a baby
- You are moving
- Your job is unpredictable
- You have to quickly leave town because of a Hurricane (? This one might just be for me….All my Southerns can relate)
It can feel as though you are unable to plan at all, because how can you plan when everything is constantly changing! Well, I’ve definitely been there (and am currently there) so today I wanted to share with you my top 5 Strategies to help you use your planner in uncertain times.
Embrace the idea of a messy planner
You still need to write things down and keep track of as much as possible but you are afraid of your plans changing. If your plans change then you will need to use white out or even have to SCRATCH OUT in your planner! AHHHH!!!
I get it. You want your planner to be pretty and decorative but in this season you need to embrace the messy planner. The best thing is for your planner to be functional and useful to you, so embrace the scratch outs and white out and use your planner. If it REALLY bothers you then get an erase-able pen or a pencil to write in your plans.
Don’t Time Block
Yes, I’m a HUGE fan of time blocking.
I believe scheduling your day by the hour can really help you make the most of your day. But when you day is unpredictable, it is almost impossible to use the time blocking method to get things done.
So what should you do instead? Create lists. When things are super unpredictable (like whenever I have to up and leave my home because of a Hurricane..?), I stop time blocking and start making lists.
Track the essentials. Ask yourself questions. What do I need to accomplish during this day? Write a list and check it off as you go.
Tip: Keep your list in a vertical style planner, on in an insert sheet, or just in a plain notebook.
Have Frequent Check-ins
With frequent changes that occur throughout the day, one of the easiest ways to still plan is to have frequent check ins.
Checking in on your planner and writing changes as they occur are super helpful to your time management.
Constantly writing in your planner will allow you to track your progress and not feel as though you need to back track in your planner. Another method that I use frequently is to switch to daily planning until things get more stable.
Make Your Plans Like A Palm Tree
The main issue with uncertainty is the stress it can cause you if you allow your feelings to get caught up in what you aren’t able to accomplish.
Your plans need to flow like a palm tree. If life happens and the changes in your day causes you to have to change your plans, then let your plans flow around your day.
Get accomplished whatever you can, and what you can’t accomplish….flow those items to your next day. Don’t fret. It will all get done.
Keep A Digital Backup
I’m a big fan of keeping a digital and paper planner.
I believe both are essential to having a complete organizational system but this theory is multiplied in times of uncertainty. If you are constantly on the go, then your paper planner may not always be accessible to you.
This is why I love to have a backup plan to my paper planner and some of my favorite digital tools of choice are the notes app and google calendar.
If things are coming at you swiftly then you may want to have a digital backup to your paper planner to make sure nothing gets lost. I will add different things to my calendar or notes and then transfer them to my planner at the end of the evening.
That way I am still accomplishing my goal of having my entire life in one place.
P.S. My new course “How To Start Planning Your Life” is opening soon and I would love for you to join me! I’m going to teach you how to plan your life all in one book. See you soon!
