It's a new year...
And a new decade, but chances are if you’re a busy mama, things may or may not have started out smoothly.
Maybe your kiddo (or whole family) got sick over the holidays, or you got back from a trip and it took longer for you and your family to adjust and fall back into a routine.
Perhaps you’re just starting to feel like you’re getting back into the groove of things.
If that’s the case, I hear ya. In planning for this coming year, I had decided I wanted to schedule time to set aside to outline deadlines and tasks that I wanted to complete. Well, as you can imagine, with all the events and things going on over the holidays, it… just… didn’t…happen. But I decided to release perfection and get back on track as soon as I could. In doing so, I decided to create something that would help you plan your year too.
Tips for scheduling tasks and deadlines
With planning my year, I’ve gone over various strategies and information online. I’ve tested or looked at various planners. I’ve tried several different methods and layouts for creating to-do lists and scheduling tasks too. What I found to be helpful is first figuring out what format I prefer, to find one that works best for me. It can be different for each person. So first choosing a format you like will help you in the planning process.
While there are many ways to go about planning your year, below are some tips I’ve found helpful:
- Decide on the format you prefer and print out twelve sheets; one for each month – start with your preferred day and make sure your calendar and planner match up – you can use the one-month template included.
- Fill in the month you are starting with, number the days and select a word-of-the-month. Your word can be based on how you want to feel, the intention you want to set or what you want to focus on. For example: Say you want to feel more energized…You can select the word “Energized” and include that. It can prompt you to focus on getting more sleep and scheduling time to exercise that month, so you do feel that way. Or if you have an exam coming up, you could choose the word “Study.” The word you choose and its purpose is your choice.
- Set aside time to create and complete your calendar – free from distractions
- Write out a list of everything you want to do for the coming month and year. Writing it out first, helps you get clear on things, even if you prefer to use a digital calendar
- Plan your year by planning each month individually….again writing it out first
- Block out holidays, birthdays, important dates and time off
- Select deadlines, dates and times for appointments and tasks.
- Fill out as many many months as possible for the year, with the time you have. If you don’t complete any of the months, re-schedule a time and day to get back on track and schedule out the rest of the year.
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