Hello, friends!

I am no stranger to switching up my planning format, and it works because the system I use, no matter the planner, stays the same! Maybe you are like me and get bored using the same planner. Or maybe your season of life calls for something different (more portability, more room, more customization, etc). If this sounds like you, then keep reading to see how I give myself plenty of permission to change the planner format while keeping my system intact. 

Let's talk about my system.

 Step 1: Get the Mental Load Out of Your Head 

First, we need to unload our mental space so we can calm the chaos, before the chaos wins. First, I braindump alllll the items taking up space in my brain. Big or small, urgent or not, if I've thought about it, it's written down. The Moss & Mirth Classic Inserts come with color-block, perforated sheets that I use for this step.

Step 2: Know Your Schedule (and identify unscheduled time!) 

I plug in all my known events in my "Today" section so I can see how full my day is to determine, realistically, how much I can do that day. The icon stickers from the Moss & Mirth Classic Cousin Sticker Kit make great bullet points and visual reminders for this step. 

 Step 3: Decide What Matters and Make Room for it

Next, I create a section for my "Must Do's" and "Maybe's". Each day, I review the week and my brain dump list to determine what must get done that day (urgent and important) and what I could potentially work on. You'll notice that I didn't have any "Must do's" for Monday, and I covered that section with a sticker from the Moss & Mirth Classic Cousin Sticker Kit, to remove the temptation to fill that space with things that feel like a priority but are not. 

 Step 4: Make it Smaller (and less intimidating!)

Lastly, I fill in my Mini-do's. These are small tasks, either time to complete or importance, but still need to get done. Reminding myself that it will ONLY take 10 minutes or less to do the task helps me to find pockets of time to complete them (and not make a big deal about it). Mini-do's often repeat throughout the week (trash out, litter cleaned, dishwasher empty), so it's nice to have them in their own section to quickly scan and just get it done.
This system works no matter what planner you are using. So switch up your planner format as much as you want, keep consistency with the system, too!

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