Do You Need A Planner Or A Reality Check?

I read a post on Facebook recently where someone said they needed a planner to get their hectic day to day activities planned out properly. Plenty of people were responding with their favorite paper-based planners. Even though I provide a weekly planner free for people who want it, that was not my response. Want to know why? Because a planner may not be what she needed.

Have you ever bought one, used it for a couple days, hell maybe even a week, then it seems to find a spot on a chair in a pile of other stuff collecting dust?

A planner may not be what you need either - at least not until you identify some other things about yourself.

Answer the questions on this list and get real with yourself. You may just find that there are things you need to put in place BEFORE a planner comes into the picture.

• How do you work best? Or what is your Getting Shit Done style? Are you a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants person or do you prefer a very detailed plan of action?

• What is your most productive time of the day? You'll be able to find out more about how to use this and other times to your best advantage in my NEW upcoming digital product, "27 Energy Resets To Increase Productivity".

• What does your ideal day look like? Write it out! There is nothing stopping you from being idealistic here.

• Why doesn't your day look like this now? Be honest.

• Have you designated certain days for certain activities? If you have, list them out.

• Do you have boundaries in place? This is KEY! If you have not set up time and space boundaries with yourself, your family and your friends you are doing yourself a huge disservice and probably kick yourself in the ass often for saying Yes to things you don't want to do.

• Do you find it easy to follow a routine or schedule? If one is put in front of you do you do it or does the thought of it make you cringe? Do you find it constricting to your nature or do you sigh in relief knowing you have a plan?

• Are you open to creating new habits? Be honest with yourself. Creating new habits takes dedication and does not happen over night.

It is important to identify how you honestly work right now. Then you can work within that to find a doable schedule that you will actually follow. If you don't get real with yourself no planner in the world will make a difference.

Now, my planner does guide you through this so that you see the value in your goals. It helps you see why you are doing what you do and makes sure you schedule time in for yourself. I work with some of my clients on this scheduling piece if they are struggling to get shit done because things seem to usurp their time. Feel free to schedule a call with me to see how I can help.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this process and if you discovered anything about yourself while answering the questions. Just send me a message!