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How many times can I talk about planning in my articles? This is like my third, but final time I promise. I wrote briefly on planning saying basically that it will lead you to a more balanced college life. Or at least it will try to. However, I never really wrote about how to start planning. Growing up, I had a on and off again relationship with planners. I would buy a planner, be invested into it for about two and a half weeks, start missing days which turned into weeks, boycott ever buying a planner again, and then a month later purchase a brand new one thinking that I just need a fresh start and vow to myself that I will not burn out this time. Yeah…that cycle repeated itself like twenty times, but I have finally found the best way for me to make a habit of planning and truly enjoy it. Hopefully this ultimate guide to planning will help you develop this newfound habit.
Step 1: Buy a planner— Go to Target, walk over to the home office supplies section, and find yourself a planner that suits you. This was the easiest step for me by far because I love Target and I was used to this step. I have bought plenty of planners at Target over the years. However, I made sure to be picky with this one. I made sure the planner would have the correct formatting I desired, the cover that was aesthetic to my taste, any extra things like stickers, prompts, etc. that motivated me to plan, and overall, just fit my busy schedule. You can conclude that I went all out with my planner; however, you don’t have to do that if you want to. As long as you find a planner that suits you, your schedule, and your personality, that is all that matters. You can also look on Amazon or any other website/store that sells planners. You really have no excuse so go do it! Here are a couple of my favorites:
Step 2: find a color-coding system— I don’t know about you, but when it comes to color coding for me it is an act of science. If things are not color coded, I get confused quickly and words jumble together into a big mess. When you color code, you can see every task in full view and don’t have to worry about accidently missing something. It also just takes up less space in your planner because you don’t have to write what each task is for. This is helpful when it comes to the month section of your planner. Here is how I do mine for reference:
Green = college things
Red = math
Blue = English
Yellow = geography
Purple = psychology
Light blue = work
You get the gist of it. Anyways, when I see these colors, I instantly know what class/event that certain task is for. I use my all-time favorite pens for this which are the paper mate inkjoy gel pens:
https://www.amazon.com/Paper-Mate-Retractable-Assorted-1951636/dp/B019QBOG3U/ref=sr_1_18_mod_primary_sns?crid=AI1UWNE9M4XB&keywords=pens&qid=1666196068&qu=eyJxc2MiOiI3LjU5IiwicXNhIjoiNi44NyIsInFzcCI6IjYuNTgifQ%3D%3D&sbo=GLaw0Fx56FiNH%2FiZ%2B6XKiQ%3D%3D&sprefix=pens%2Caps%2C120&sr=8-18
Overall, the use of color coding will help you stay organized within your planning routine.
Step 3: Write down everything— I don’t care how big or how small the task is. Write. It. Down. It gives you less of a chance to forget about it and it helps you to make a habit out of planning. It can also make you feel more productive in general because crossing off small tasks from my planner makes me feel like I am doing something with my life rather than be lazy. Some examples of tasks/events are:
- make your bed
- family dinner
- start an assignment
- email your professor
- write down that meeting you are most likely going to miss if you don’t (we’ve all been there)
No matter how big or small, writing it down will do wonders for you.
Step 4: Take your planner everywhere— and yes, I mean everywhere. Your planner is there to plan out your life and write down all your activities. Shocker I know, but you can’t do without your planner being present. I would suggest bringing a tote or a bag wherever you go so you can store your planner inside. So, at a moment’s notice, you can pull it out, check for your availability, and write down all the events/responsibilities you must complete. Your memory may be great in the moment, but I can promise you that you will most likely forget it if you don’t write it down right then and there. So, bring that planner with you.
Step 5: Make goals for yourself— Goal setting and planning work hand in hand. If you don’t create a goal that you will make a habit out of planning and enjoy it, you will burn out. Start with short term goals. Every morning, sit down and record your events and to-dos in your planner. Make it a goal to do that for 3 days in a row. If you complete that goal, change it to a week, 2 weeks, a month, 6 months, etc. The actual act of having a goal set for yourself will make you motivated to plan. Finally, when you complete each goal, reward yourself! This will help to reinforce the habit and to keep the goal alive.
Step 6: Don’t beat yourself up if you miss a day— Look, we are not perfect. I miss days all the time when it comes to planning. I think to myself I am too tired to plan, or I will just do it later and then never actually do it. I regret it most of the time, but I make sure to plan the next day. No matter how many times I may fail at something, I will never give up because I will keep trying again and again. So, this is what you should do. Making a habit out of planning is difficult and you will fail sometimes. That is perfectly ok. However, set yourself up for success next time so you will not give up and repeat the never-ending cycle I mentioned in the beginning of this article. Trust me, this will be one of the best decisions you ever make. It will make you proactive, productive, and organized. Just stick with it and as always reach for the stars!