Today I wanted to share with you guys how I use a daily planner to increase productivity. In the past, I have been guilty of wasting a ton of time on my phone just scrolling without even realizing it. Then I would always run out of time to get the stuff that actually mattered done and would never have any extra time for home projects, etc.
So first and foremost, I just want to introduce you guys who don’t already know to my planner system that I use. I currently use a digital planner that I created, alongside the Goodnotes app on my iPad and iPhone. The digital planner system can be found HERE (in multiple styles too). The Goodnotes app can be downloaded from the App Store or click HERE to be redirected to it. I do also have planner printables that are nearly identical to my digital set up and can be found HERE.
So one day I finally had enough and decided I was going to write out everything I wanted to get done the next day and assign a time for each thing to see what would happen. I used a timer on my phone set at 30min intervals for the whole day to keep me aware and on track. Would you believe it if I told you it actually worked? On a normal day, I wouldn’t get half of the stuff done. Along with being guilty of scrolling on my phone mindlessly for way too long, I also have a tendency to get fixated on a single thing and not get all the other day-to-day things I need to do done. As a mother, wife and small business owner, this was always nagging at me. If I made progress in one area, I ended up behind in the other areas. Now that I’m using a daily planner, I feel like I finally have control and can do what I need to get done all in a day’s work.
Now I know what you’re thinking, doesn’t it take a lot of time to write it all out every night? It actually doesn’t! Since I use a digital planner in Goodnotes, it’s easy to copy everything on a page and paste it onto the next for the next day. My weeks don’t change much. So even if my Monday is different than my Tuesday, I can copy Monday to the following Monday, etc. I do also use my weekly and monthly planner pages to view things at a glance and plan for the whole week/month at once. The daily pages then break up each day accordingly.
So my suggestion to you is to give it a try! Write down everything you want to accomplish in a day and give yourself an adequate amount of time for each task. Then just hold yourself accountable. Sticking to it is the hardest part about it but having a daily schedule set helps me hold myself accountable and encourages me to get up, put the phone down and get to work. It’s amazing how much we can actually get done if we stay focused and off our phones. Another way to look at it when you just aren’t feeling motivated and would rather watch tv, take a nap, etc, is “what am I willing to not get done so that I can……….” Then ask yourself, is that acceptable to you?
