Planning on Planning in 2024

Not that I've been thinking way too much about this or anything...

Hey friends,

Today, I'm excited to go behind the scenes a little and dive deeper into my 2024 planning journey. Along with some thoughtful planning insights, I've got a special video to share with you all as well. 

🌈 Planning as a Creative Catalyst

As someone managing multiple creative roles from home, planning is not just a task - it's a necessity. 

Between writing, creating courses, podcasting, and living life, I've got a lot on my plate. My planners (both paper and digital) are key to managing these diverse tasks. They help me compartmentalize my thinking and help me to group projects and tasks. 

By dedicating time to plan, I know that when it's time to create, I can fully immerse myself in a creative flow, undisturbed by the logistical concerns I already dealt with.

Goal Setting: The Mix of Challenge and Achievability

My personal goal-setting process is all about balance. I love setting goals that push me beyond my comfort zone while ensuring some are easily within my reach. 

This approach helps me stretch creatively without overextending myself and feeling bad about all the things I wanted to do, but really didn’t have the mental, emotional, or physical capacity to do. Writing goals down in my paper planner, especially, aids in memory retention and adds an element of fun with creative decorations like stickers and washi tapes. 

Goal setting is a place where you can choose to be kind to yourself and give yourself grace.

Planning Projects with Mind-Mapping

When I start a new project or newsletter, my go-to technique is mind-mapping. 

I start with a central idea, and then I branch out to cover all aspects of the project. This approach was even effective for planning our Thanksgiving meal, resulting in quite literally the best holiday meal we’ve ever made. .

Next, after getting my ideas on paper, I use highlighters to group related concepts. This helps me decide what to immediately add to my planner and Google Calendar, and what needs more thought. 

From there, the process differs slightly depending on the project. For writing tasks, it progresses from mind-mapping to organizing, outlining, drafting, and finally, publishing. For creative projects, it involves organizing the mind map, detailing each section, and breaking these down into specific steps. I document these steps in my planner, often with the help of post-its or additional notes. 

This brainstorming method helps me to make sure that I’ve got a clear path from the start of my idea to the completion of my final project.

Tracking Progress with Planners

Using planners to track progress is more than a task - it's a journey of achievement. 

I am a huge fan of celebrating our achievements, even the smallest ones. Marking off completed tasks is not just satisfying; it’s a clear indicator of my progress and accomplishments. It’s also a really great dopamine hit and feels good for your brain and body. 

Planners really help me stay motivated and aware of how much I've achieved and what's still ahead.

Struggling with Planning? Here's a Tip

If you're finding planning overwhelming, start with planning just one aspect of your life. Once comfortable, gradually incorporate more areas. This trial and error process helps in identifying what planning methods work best for you, remember to acknowledge that these might change as your life evolves.

📹 A Peek into My Planning World

In the video I'm sharing in this newsletter, I’m sharing one of my new 2024 planners. Come check out how I’m going to use the undated planner from Everyday Explorers Co. I discuss how its layout, stickers, and portability make it perfect for content planning and brainstorming on the go. It's a real-world example of how I integrate planning tools into my creative process. Don’t miss out on seeing the planner in action!

I'd Love to Hear from You!

How does planning shape your creative process? Do you have any unique methods or favorite tools? Hit reply or share in the comments – I can't wait to read your thoughts and tips!

Happy planning and creating,

Kristin