4 Reasons I Plan My Week in Advance

Some people think I’m crazy when I tell them I plan my week in advance. I’ve been doing this for two years in a row now, and I did it when I was in college. I intend to keep doing it, too. Before I started doing this I would get overwhelmed by the lack of predictability and the way things used to mount up. I’d constantly run out of time to get things done and have a constant nagging fear that something had been left unfinished. I would rely on stress medications like the cbd concentrates canada specializes in, just to get a break from the mess in my mind. These were great but it would be nice to only take them when I really need them, rather than every day. A friend recommended this new way of doing things, which required some time input at the start of each week but gave me huge peace of mind in return. When looking at the bigger picture, it actually helps me to be more productive and allows my household to run much more smoothly. I’m not saying that this will work for everybody, but it works for me and I hope it will work for you too.

In no particular order, I schedule my week so that:

1. I don’t waste my time on things don’t matter. You know, like Pinterest, Facebook, playing games. Seriously, I could play the My Little Pony app (yes, you read that right) or Sudoku all day if I didn’t have things going on. I have found that, in the past, if I didn’t have my time scheduled, I would waste all of my time on mindless pinning, Facebook stalking (ahem, browsing), and games. It’s either that or I come up with some nervous, destructive habit that drives everybody crazy (myself included!). What happens then? Oh, things come up last minute, stuff that should have been taken care of doesn’t get done, or I end up feeling guilty and stressed when important things are left undone.
2. I don’t forget anything. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve gone without writing things down only to forget them later. Even if I write it down and then lose the note, just because of the fact that I’ve written it down means I’m more likely to remember it. Maybe you have an impeccable memory, but this most certainly isn’t me. This is why many schools provide agendas for their students. They know that, unless the child writes down the assignment, he/she is more likely to forget. If I sit down and look at my calendar at the beginning of the week and write down all of my appointments, things to do, phone calls to make, etc. I won’t be as likely to forget them.
3. I know when I need to leave the house and can provide myself cushion for delays. Okay, I hate being late. Hate hate hate it. My dad was always late to pick me up from work when I was a teenager, so now I can’t stand it. Planning out my week in advance allows me to figure out when exactly I need to leave to get to appointments, meetings, etc. on time and also allows me to build in a little cushion for delays. When I leave with plenty of time, I’m less stressed, the kids don’t get yelled at, and we are all-around less rushed. I don’t know about you but the planning option sounds much better than the alternatives.
4. I don’t overwork. I schedule time in my day for spiritual growth, exercise, and family time, in addition to housework, blogging, working on the book, and other commitments. I find that, when I have these scheduled in advance, I’m more likely to follow through with them. My life is more balanced This makes me a more relaxed, healthy, and enjoyable, mother, wife, daughter, sister, friend, etc. And because I provide cushion in my schedule, if I have some free time, I can squeeze in whatever needs done or just relax.

Check out some of these other posts to print off the free printable goal sheets and weekly planners I’ve created for the specific purpose of planning my week:

• Monthly Goal Sheet
• Weekly Goal Sheet
• Weekly Planning Worksheet

What are some ways you plan ahead and why? I’d love to hear what works for you in the comments below!