How To Plan Your Month In One Hour Or Less
Our busy family stays on the move, and that makes it vitally important to have a system for keeping everyone organized. I am always seeking ways to stay on task and get more done in less time without stressing out. From sports practice to the family trip to your big meeting at work you can organize and plan your month for the entire family in one hour or less.
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Why You Need to Plan Your Month
Unfortunately, it is far too easy to miss an appointment, forget about practice, or double-book your schedule, right? Those mishaps occur when we are not fully in command of our time.
Time is the most precious commodity you’ll ever have. Once it’s gone, it’s gone. You cannot create more of it, and you cannot recoup what you’ve wasted. Taking control of your family calendar is the first step in becoming more aware of just how much time you actually have.
What You Need to Plan Your Month
You need three tools for scheduling your family calendar for the month: a handwritten planner, a shared calendar app, and a wall calendar or family command center.
- The handwritten planner is for inspiration, ideation, and organization. The tactile feeling of writing things out and visually watching activities materialize helps visual learners to think more clearly. The Erin Condren LifePlanner is fully customizable to meet all your family’s planning needs.
- The shared calendar app is for automated planning, electronic reminders and access for everyone in the family. My favorite free shared calendar app right now is Cozi Family Organizer. Using Cozi I can set reminders tasks for Harold that he would otherwise forget. And we don’t have to all be on the same email platform. It’s a win-win!
- And the wall calendar serves as a highly visual reminder and central command center for the family. You can leave notes and reminders for the kids, instructions for the sitter and important information like numbers to poison control or emergency services. Olivia and Alexandra love to leave me messages and see what I respond on the board.
A Simple Strategy to Plan Your Month
Follow these five steps and complete your monthly planning with time to spare.
- Record all known activities on the month-at-a-glance view in your handwritten planner before the month begins. Include birthdays, recurring activities, special events and school activities.
- Record new events on the month-at-a-glance view in your handwritten planner as soon as you learn of them, even if you pencil them in.
- Pick a day each week to transfer all activities to the detailed weekly view of your handwritten planner if you choose. I typically do this on Sunday.
- Enter all shared activities in your online planner. Automate reminders, enter notes and assign tasks to each family member as necessary.
- Record activities and need to know reminders on the wall calendar in the family command center. Include Family Game Night, date night for the parents, grandma’s upcoming visit and anything else that will remind your family what’s coming.
If you still need a little help getting started, download your monthly planning printable as a guide to get you started on the right foot. Click on the image below, save, print, and get stuff done!
And now you’re done! Get more done in less time using a process like this one.
What ways do you plan your month for your family? How will you regain and maintain control of your time and schedule?
I just started my hair supply company and planning is a big part of how we get things done and move forward with new products…Spot on!!!
Planning ahead is a task. You have to did it write to win.
Planning is a big part of how we move ahead you have to plan to win.
This is exactly what I needed. Was just taking about this with a girlfriend. We all think we have more time that we really do but it’s really about planning and preparation. Love that quote btw!
I’m really working on my time management this year. I’ve been just dedicating ‘work hours’ for my blog and sticking to those.
I’m bad at writing things on calender’s, i tend to keep it in my head, but i think its great to get your thoughts out of your mind and onto paper or a calendar. Great organizational skills.
I definitely am trying to plan my life better. Thanks for these quick tips on better time management!
I’ve been using a calendar this year to help me focus my efforts and be more consistent. I’d love to say its working a miracle, but I it’s not. However, I am doing better than before, so baby steps are important.
I use my phone for everything. Love to have it on me and handy for those little reminders about pick ups, appt’s, and everything in between.
I am all for this! Especially with my blog I find planning content out really lets me use my time better. When I get some free time to work on things I am able to see what is coming up and get to work right away on it.
These planning tips are very helpful. I am only a partial planner and set my goals then like to tweak my day as it happens. 🙂
I need to get better about planning out the month. When I worked in the corporate world I did it flawlessly but now I need to implement the same with my blog business!
I love planning my month down on paper, there is just something refreshing about seeing it all at once in one place.
Then I know what I need to get done at a glance.
So much easier!
Oh my, I can hardly plan out tomorrow, much less a month. I wish I was that organized!
Wow, that’s so impressive. I have never been that organized but there’s so much good advice here, I just might try it for next month!
I love this. I have that same planner and it is my world! Well not my world but it keeps my world organized lol
I love your recommendation about using multiple calendars. I sometimes feel silly using three but as I enter this year, I agree that I need to make sure and have back-up. I’m going to try your system to get things done.
Planning you month is a great idea as it allows you to know what you have planned for each day. I keep a calendar of appointments by my desk at all time.
I’m so behind on my calendar. We need to update the large family calendar on the fridge.
I only have a planner that I now carry around with me. It has been helping me greatly. I also use my phone’s calendar from time to time.
You know l started using a planner book as well as online one, but l need a big ass one for the wall! 🙂 . I think if it’s staring me in the face all the time, l will buck up and do better. I love the Buddha quote.