Today on my YouTube Channel, I am sharing the scientific research behind why habits are hard to change. For me, learning this information helped me better understand the way my brain works and come to a deeper understanding of some of the most common anecdotal information and evidence on how habits work. I hope by learning this concept, you will be better prepared to plan and execute on habit changes in your own life!
I want to let you in on a little personal development secret.
This year can absolutely be your best year ever.
How do I know this?
Because when you have been involved in personal development as a lifelong journey the way I have been, you begin to understand that no matter the ups and downs that life throws at us from year to year, season to season, the one thing we always have control over is our actions. Ultimately, it is our actions that define the success of a year, and when you take the time to learn from your past- your past mistakes and your past success as well- you can use that information to make better decisions and take better actions in the present. That means, no matter how wonderful or how terrible you think years past have been, you have a solid foundation of knowledge to reference to make this year the best year of your life. Armed with all that you already know and understand about yourself and the patterns that bring you success or failure, all you really need is a simple action plan of steps to execute to bring your best year to fruition. So, here are 6 simple (but not always easy) steps to your best year yet!
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6 Steps to Your Best Year Yet
#1. Choose the direction you are headed
The first step to having your best year ever is to clearly understand the direction you are headed for your life that would definitively make this year great. After all, how can we ensure your year is great unless we know what greatness looks like and feels like for you. Each of us will have a unique perspective for what would make a year great. What areas of our lives we want to see improvement or change in, what specific milestones we want to hit. It’s important to start your year off with a big picture vision for what you want to accomplish.
Now, to be completely transparent with you, from experience I have seen that very often this first step is the hardest for people to execute on. Although some people are blessed with a definitive vision for what they want their life to look like in the future, most people have a general feeling that what they have right now isn’t enough but they aren’t sure what they really want from life. If this is you, know that it’s completely normal to feel this way, but that this is ultimately a symptom of your general mindset. I’m going to talk about mindset more in step 6, but for now, understand that if you are struggling to see a bigger picture for your life, you likely have limiting beliefs that need to be challenged having to do with your potential and what is or is not possible for your life. It is very common for me to work with students who have been taught not to expect much from life, and that you certainly shouldn’t set goals and aspirations for things bigger than your current station in life. This is unfortunately a common symptom of small minded beliefs that have been passed on through generations, but it is not a true reflection of the world. In our current day and age it is extremely common for people from humble beginnings to lead marvelous lives and expand their worldview. Whatever you can dream for your life, you can achieve with the right mindset and a good plan to get you started.
DO THIS: I recommend spending some time journaling about all the wonderful things you want life to bring you. Take your time with this step, dream big, and if you reach a point where you feel like you want something but you also feel like it’s not possible for you to achieve it, push back on that limiting belief because I have found through experience that most things in life are possible in one form or another if we get creative about our solutions.
#2. Turn your vision into actionable goals
Once you have come to the end of your journaling about the future, it’s time to take your vision and turn it into actionable goals. Now, do keep in mind that this one journaling session for your future isn’t the be all and end all of all your goals. It’s just a jumping off point to get you started. As you turn your vision into goals, you may find that in order to achieve one goal, you will need to complete one or more other goals first. And that once a specific goal is reached, you may want to follow it up with something else. Keep all these goals in mind, again, don’t worry about how many goals you are creating, because there is enough time for you to accomplish everything you want in some way or another. So many goals branch off from other goals and dovetail together that when you weave together your goals for the vision of your life over the next 1, 3, 5, 10+ years, you really do have time to have it all!
DO THIS: Use the acronym S.M.A.R.T to turn each dream for your future into a Specific, Measurable, Actionable, Realistic and Time Bound Goal. Specific: what are you specifically trying to accomplish? Measurable: How can you track or measure when you have reached the goal? Actionable: What actions can be taken to affect the outcome of the goal? Realistic: How can you realistically achieve the goal? Time Bound: When do you want to accomplish this goal by, how much time should it take you to accomplish it and where in the course of your expected life does it make the most sense to work on this goal?
#3. Give your goals a practical plan
So far in this process you have started with big vague dreams, then turned them into actionable goals, and now you must give each goal a set of practical steps to execute on. For some of your goals the path for achievement will be pretty clear to you. Some goals like getting a specific degree or having children are more straight forward. That doesn’t mean you might not experience certain obstacles to achieving them, but you at least know how to get the goal done. For some goals, you may need to do some research to understand the best way for your to approach and successfully accomplish the goal. Luckily, Google is ready to supply a steady stream of insight and information for nearly any goal you may want to accomplish that you might be unclear about. Finally, some goals are a bit more abstract and may not have a set of directions at the ready for you to use to execute on. Again, some resources online may be helpful, it might also be helpful to find someone with experience like a mentor to help guide you, but if no good information can be found, just start with a plan that seems to make the most sense to you. When it comes time to execute on plans, it’s rare for anything to go completely according to plan anyway, but getting started and taking your first step in any direction towards your dream is a start none-the-less.
DO THIS: Create an action plan for each goal that is due to be worked on in the next year. Don’t worry about creating complete action plans for each and every goal, as year to year you can reassess your goals and create the desired action plans.
#4. Get out of your own way to get things done
Once the time has come for you to execute on your action plans, this is when the real resistance comes in. If you thought it was difficult to just imagine the future vision for your life, wait until you actually start to take action. That’s when the deepest, darkest limiting beliefs of your mindset will rear their ugly head! Your mind will find anything, any tiny little reason for you not to take action towards your goals, so be prepared for this. It’s quite normal and expected for this to happen- in fact it’s a scientifically understood part of the human brain. You see, your brain is a wonderful organ that manages practically all the functions of your body, but it does so by living in the metaphorical past. Anything you have experience with is acceptable for your brain, but anything new, like these big new goals and plans you’re making to change your life, are viewed as a threat. So the best thing you can do is take things slowly, step by step with your action plans and find a way to establish a routine where you give yourself dedicated time to work on your goals.
DO THIS: Aim to create a habit of doing at least one thing for your current goals each day and track your results. Taking small but steady action is a great way to build new neural pathways in your brain that establish permanent patterns and routines for you to go after your goals.
#5. Keep the details of your life organized
There are few things that can steal time away from us taking action on our goals like the necessities of everyday life. We all have to live, right? That means we each have a set of non-negotiable tasks that belong on our to do lists right there beside the action steps for our goals. So, as much as possible to mitigate this, I like to organize and systematize the mundane elements of my life. Organizing your life isn’t always the easiest task, but it is absolutely one that yields tremendous long term results. So, identify the areas of your life that are the biggest obstacle to giving time to your goals and find a way to system
DO THIS: ID a mundane or routine area of your life to systematize. A system is essentially a protocol for dealing with the task on an ongoing basis so you don’t have to think about it each and every time the task comes up. A great example of this is meal planning and prepping. Everyone has to eat and deciding on what to eat right before each meal adds to your decision fatigue each day and takes up valuable time you could be working on your goals. Instead, pick a day of the week to create a complete meal plan for the week, go grocery shopping and then prep some meals ahead of time. This process may take a few hours one day, but by bulking the task you ultimately will save much more time an energy than it would take to cook each meal individually each day. Of course, there are plenty of other areas of life you can systematize if meal planning doesn’t work for you, so consider where you end up spending the most unnecessary time and develop a system for minimizing your effort in this area of your life.
#6. Control your mindset
Mindset is your personal view or attitude toward yourself, your potential and the way the world works. Your mindset has been specifically crafted by your direct experience in life and the information you are given by those around you. Although your mindset is a liquid concept with the potential to evolve throughout your life, for many people, it solidifies by about the age of 7. Meaning, the experiences you had as a child, plus the experiences, lessons and stories shared by your direct family and community have solidly shaped your outlook and world view. But, our mindsets are simply a collection of experiences and beliefs- not necessarily true or false, but usually limiting in some way. They have the power to color our outlook of the world and affect the way we respond in different situations. If you have a strongly positive mindset, you may see the world as full of possibility and eagerly welcome and overcome challenges. But if you have a more negative mindset, you may be limited in the things you believe you can do, accomplish or deserve and you will act in accordance with these beliefs allowing even small obstacles to derail your progress or even worse, finding any excuse not to start on a journal to a cherished goal. Because mindsets are formed so early in life, most of us having been living with our intact and unchecked for the majority of our life, so it takes a lot of patience and self awareness to reprogram your mindset to overcome limiting beliefs. The best thing to do to start the reprogramming process is to handle limiting beliefs as they pop up on your journey. You can identify your limiting beliefs by paying attention to the things you try to avoid, or things you think negatively about yourself. Negative self talk is a major red flag that a limiting belief is present.
DO THIS: As you identify your limiting beliefs, one by one, in the moment that they arise, I recommend doing the following. First writing down the limiting belief that is holding you back in the moment. Next, identify where this belief came from. Did you learn this belief from family? Was it something that played out in your own life that you assigned to yourself? There is always a source for each of our limiting beliefs- a person or a situation that was a catalyst for it. Then, write down an example of when your limiting belief is actually untrue. Identifying evidence that goes against a limiting belief is one of the best ways to break down the stereotype and overcoming it. Finally, write out a phrase that is in complete opposition to your negative belief- effectively turning your negative limiting belief into a positive expansive belief. Every time you face that limiting belief again in the future, stop and force yourself to say and act on the positive belief instead. In time, one will be replaced by the other.
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So those are the 6 simple (but not always easy) steps to your best year yet! I know I gave you a lot of action steps and information to process here, but truly, these six steps are just the tip of the iceberg for your success. The deeper you go into each of these steps, the more you will uncover about your personal goals, aspirations, productivity, and mindset. For that reason, if you would like additional guidance as you work through this process, I would absolutely recommend the YOU GOT THIS Workbook.YOU GOT THIS is a Goal Setting & Planning Guide that not only walks you through these 6 steps in depth with much more example and information, but also contains dozens of activities and worksheets to help you clearly map out this process and bring it to life for your best year ever!
So, if you are serious about taking focused effort to improve your life through goal setting, planning and organization, click the button below to purchase your copy of YOU GOT THIS now!
As many of you may already know, something I like to track in my planner are the cycles of the moon. I’ve spoken briefly about why I do this, personally, in a planner setup video from a few months ago, but many of you asked for me to make it a dedicated post so that is what I am doing today!
So, in my planner I like to track when the full moon and new moon are- I don’t necessarily track the other phases of the moon- these two are the ones I am most interested in for the purpose of tracking and understanding my menstrual cycle, fertility and reproductive health. Full disclosure, I am not currently trying to conceive, but as a woman who may want to conceive one day and is of a certain age where conception is sometimes more difficult, I’ve been much more interested in my cycle and reproductive health now than I ever have been in the past.
So, you are probably wondering, what does the moon cycle have to do with your reproductive health? Well, actually, a lot, not in a directly measurable way, but in an indirect way due to the role the moon traditionally plays in our hormonal cycles.
I guess the crux of the matter here has to do with our body’s producing a hormone called melatonin. You may be familiar with melatonin- it is the hormone in our body that controls our circadian rhythm, which is our sleep/wake cycle, however, melatonin may also play a role in other cycles of our body, like our reproductive hormones. This is how melatonin traditionally works in our bodies- melatonin production kicks off on our bodies at about dusk, when the sun is going down and there is a visible reduction in light. Melatonin essentially keeps ramping up the darker it gets and makes us sleepy so that we go to bed when it’s dark, hopefully it keeps us asleep overnight and in the morning when the sun begins to rise, levels of melatonin taper off. So our personal melatonin production is tied to the amount of light in the sky. And some science and research has shown that the higher melatonin is in a woman’s body specifically, the more fertile she may be. Because of this correlation- some women who struggle with fertility or are undergoing fertility treatments are sometimes encouraged to use melatonin supplements.
Now, what does this have to do with the moon?
Well, traditionally, as in before the advent of modern lighting inside of homes- the darkest nights of the month would be the nights around the new moon. A new moon if you are aware is when there is no moon actually visible in the sky- so those nights are darker than nights around or on a full moon where the moon is at its brightest and the night is brighter. Now again, traditionally speaking, there is a belief or an old wives tale that if a women menstuates with a new moon, she is more likely to conceive during that time- and if the research into the role of melatonin is any inidicator- I’d say this is one of those old wives tales that might have some real scientific backing to why it works. Because new moon means a darker night, meaning more melatonin and perhaps higher fertility for some women.
Now, of course, because we have modern lighting in homes and work and buildings etc, this actually can end up throwing off our personal melatonin production and throw off our circadian rhythms making it harder for us to sleep and sometimes wrecking havoc on the hormonal cycles of our bodies. So, for this reason I personally prefer not to use the lights in my home as much as possible once it becomes dark. I know this might seem funny and like I’m shunning modern convinces but unless I need the lights on for a task, once it becomes dusk, I try not to use any bright overhead lighting- I prefer to use candles or lamps or I use my dimmer on my overhead lighting to keep my lighting as minimal as possible. And what I have found by doing this is that my menstrual cycle has seriously began to regulate itself. I used to have a cycle that was much longer than the average 28 day cycle- it could go on for like 35-40 days if I wasn’t taking birth control, which is a long time. So essentially a few years ago once I made this switch to not using lights, my cycle has seriously regulated itself and now I have very close to a 28 day cycle which is interesting. So, I track the moon cycle because I’m interested in seeing how the moon interacts with my personal menstral cycle. And I feel like I’ve learned a lot about myself, and my personal energy cycles from keeping track of all of this.
Interestingly, it seems as though for me personally, during the spring and summer when the days are longer, I end up menstruating with the new moon, but in the darker months of the year, my cycle switches to the full moon. I think this might have something to do with the juxtaposition of light and dark, that in the days of the year where there is more light, my body senses the darkness at night more, or perhaps in the winter months I end up using more light in my home and it throws off my melatonin production. Who knows- but I find it fascinating. So, that is why I personally track the moon cycles in my planner, obviously I also track my menstrual cycle as well, and for me its just a way to better understand myself and my health and the natural cycles of my body.
Today I wanted to share with you my updated Self-Care routine and give you a little gift to celebrate Valentine’s Day!
I really enjoy the topic of Self-Care! I know for some people, the conversation on self-care can seem to go in one ear and out the other, but I love researching and testing different ways to help me care for my body, mind and spirit. It’s my way of finding new ways to live my best life by feeling my best. Nothing raises my vibration like a little self-care and self love.
Lately, I have been obsessed with a few new self-care favorites.
1. Gua Sha: If you are not familiar, Gua Sha (pronounced gwa-sa) is a natural therapy traditionally used in East Asian medicine that involves scrapping the skin to massage, increase circulation and heal the fascia of the body. I first learned about this technique through some articles and videos that walked through the facial massage aspect of the treatment that uses a set of stone tools to massage the muscles of the face, depuffing it and creating an instant facelift type result. By the time I learned about gua sha I was already using a jade facial roller to massage in my facial serums as part of my skin-care routine, so using the gua sha scrapping tools seemed to be the next step that I was willing to try. And boy does it work! The results for the facial massage are somewhat subtle but still very powerful. I like to do the facial massage at least once a week. But the real game changer for me has been using the gua sha technique on my body. Specifically, my shoulder, back, legs, hips and thighs. For as long as I can remember, I have suffered from terrible muscle knots all over my body. I used to get regular massages for the pain, before graduating to acupuncture, but those are pricey options for the level of temporary relief I felt. Then, I discovered Gua Sha and learned about using the technique on your body to heal muscle pain and knots in the connective tissue- game changer! So now I Gua Sha various parts of my body 2-3 times a week and I’ve noticed a severe reduction in muscle pain and the nights I Gua Sha I have the best sleep!
2. Yin Yoga: I’ve been doing yoga on and off for years at this point and I can’t believe it took me this long to discover the practice of Yin Yoga. Yin Yoga is a slower paced version of yoga that specifically deals with the facia or connective tissue of the body by staying in specific poses for longer periods of time (3-5 mins). Turns out, a lot of the pain I experience in my body actually comes from my facia, so by doing gua sha to massage my fascia and Yin yoga to intentionally stretch out tight areas of my fascia, my daily pain and discomfort has virtually disappeared. To keep up my desired results, I’ve been practicing Yin Yoga about once a week.
3. Micro needling: Another new-ish element of my self-care skincare routine that I have fallen back in love with is micro needling. I know it sounds scary but it’s not as bad as it seems. Micro needling is a technique where you use a derma roller with little tiny needles on it to lightly puncture the skin and generate new collagen production. Micro needling is used for a variety of skin issues like acne, scaring, wrinkles, and texture and when used as a treatment consistently, I’ve seen a great improvement in my skin. So, I make sure to micro needle once a week.
So, I hope you have enjoyed hearing about some of my new self-care favorites that have been added to my self-care routine. Now, let’s go ahead and open your Valentine’s gift!
To help us keep track of our self-care, I have designed this Self-Care Routines Insert! It has space for you to list out your self-care routines in three areas of your life, wellness, spiritual and entertainment, because, after-all, self-care is more than just body care and I’ve been trying to establish new routines to help me feel my best mind, body and soul. So, I do hope you enjoy the insert!
Well, that is all for today! I hope you enjoyed this post and your V-Day Gift! Please be sure to share pictures of your insert with me on Instagram by tagging me @MissTrenchcoat!
It’s been a bit of a challenge for me getting into a new routine with my posting for the New Year after being out of one for a while, but I am hoping to build some momentum here on the blog this month! What a better month to reaffirm my commitment to my content than February, right? After all, February is a month where we often celebrate the concepts of devotion, dedication and commitment, usually in the form of personal relationships, but they can be any relationships. I do love my blog and my community and although I’ve been in a long season of transition trying to find my footing again with my work, I am still committed to showing up for each of you through my content and that is a very important relationship to me.
I know that success with this endeavor is going to boil down to whether or not I can get my routines in order and stick to them. One of the major routines I am currently working on is to write and design more for my community. After all, writing and designing is at the heart of my work and is truly my creative passion that I unintentionally cut out of my priorities in an attempt to focus more of my content on video. Video is great, don’t get me wrong. I love my YouTube channel and creating content for it, but more and more I feel like I’m just not as talented with video as I am with my writing and designing.
If you remember, there was a time when most of my content came in the form of blog posts and free designs I shared with you, and I’d like to work back to that point again. I feel more creative when I write regularly and when I create beautiful new things I wish existed in the world. That was once at the heart of my creative passions that have seemingly been reignited in the last month (I strangely credit this to the Chanel Desk Agenda) and I would very much like to flame the fires of that passion in February.
So here is my plan: I am going to commit to creating something every day.
This could be writing;a blog post, passages for my impending productivity book, or updating content on any of my platforms
This could be designing;a new insert, graphic, template, etc.
This could be photography;a stock image for my personal library, a picture for my websites, or a post on Instagram
Now, I realize that most of this creative work on a daily basis may seem invisible to you in my audience, and might even seem piece meal to myself, but the objective would be for a new routine to have formed by the end of the month and that you in my audience will notice the shift. I’d love for my platforms to seem a little fresher, for their to be a more stable flow of content to you, and to have created some lovely things to share that excite and inspire you!
To kick this month off right, I want to make sure you have seen a few of the new sharable freebies I’ve already created for you this year!
Okay, so I think that’s everything for today, but stay tuned to my blog for more great content this month. We’re going to talk more about self-care this month, I’ll be sharing some more posts on what I’ve learned about metaphysics, and because it’s that time of year- I also have some tax tips to share for fellow entrepreneurs to help make tax season a little less stressful.
In today’s video I am walking you through an activity I like to do to organize my habits and routines called My Ideal Day! I encourage you to download the free insert and create your ideal daily schedule to keep you on track with your goals for the year!
My planner aesthetic has certainly changed significantly over the past several years, as has the way I choose to decorate the planner itself. Where I was once drawn in by brighter colors and mixing bold patterns, adding flair to my planner with stickers, washi tape and other ephemera- now I prefer a cleaner, simpler and more elegant look. My color pallet has gone down to basic black and white with muted tones of nude and grey. I do love a pop of emerald green in the mix- used sparingly of course! But things have been refined quite a bit to create a vibe or aesthetic for my planner that aligns more with my personal style.
After all, I truly believe that although our planners are at their core, tools for our productivity, it’s important that they fit into our lives in a way that makes them inviting and exciting. I consider my planner an accessory of sorts- a living vision board of my aspirations brought to life in paper and ink, expressed in words and images. The way I feel about my goals must be reflected in the way I feel about my planner. I want to open it up each day- multiple times a day- to feel aligned with where my life is headed, excited about the things I get to do and the opportunities I’m creating for myself in my life. That’s why it’s so important for me that my planner has an intentional vibe (or vibration) in line with a specific aesthetic, because our planners can be great tools for manifestation if we let them.
So, today I want to share a few tips with you to help you create a unique vibe and aesthetic for your planner without needing to use stickers or washing tape to decorate. I know for many of us in the community- where we may have once been drawn to this ephemera, as we have progressed, it has become the content of our planners that has really taken center stage as opposed to the hobby crafting or decor. But that doesn’t mean our planners have to be bland. They can and should absolutely be beautiful and well organized as a reflection of the plans we make inside of them.
Without further ado, here are 5 ways to style your planner without stickers and washi tape.
Choose and stick to a color scheme.
The quickest way to create an intentional vibe for your planner is to define and stick to a color scheme by choosing a handful of colors that work together to tell the visual story of your planner. These colors you choose should then be used to help you decide different aspects of your planner like the color of the cover or binder, the paper and font colors used for inserts, your pen and highlight colors, and the stationery items you keep inside your planner. One comment I often receive about my planner (as well as other aspects of my life) is that “everything matches” or rather that everything coordinates. Matching is when everything is the same color/pattern, coordinating is when everything is within the same intentional scheme. The simplest way to get things to follow an aesthetic is to limit and stick to a color scheme and ensure that nothing deviates from that color scheme.
Layer textures and patterns in pockets.
Next, let’s cover the art of layering. As with other aspects of design like fashion and home decor, layering is another technique that can be used to create a deliberate aesthetic in your planner. For this technique, you will need to rely on the organization pockets of your planner to create a three-dimensional visual experience when you open the planner up. Now this can be done in the pockets of the cover or through the use of additional pocket inserts that can be added to the front of you planner to create visual depth. Using the pockets of your planner cover as a prime example, layout a few key pieces of inspiration mixed with functional stationery within your color scheme. Keep in mind that its good to vary items by size so that each item is visible, and that working with odd numbers is always more visually appealing. So that would mean if you are decorating a pocket, choose 1, 3, 5 etc items to put in the pocket as opposed to 2 or 4. As you can see in my example, my passport pocket has 5 items of varying hight organized so that each item is layered but visible. I’m also using a paper clip to ensure that certain items stay put and don’t move around in the pocket, but this clip also adds an additional element of depth as well.
Select a cover with the right vibe.
For this tip I am referencing both the planner cover itself as well as the front dashboard of your planners inserts. These two elements of your planner are very much the first thing you see when using the planner, so it’s important that thought and intention are put into their selection. When it comes to the actual cover of the planner, it’s important that the style, color, pattern, material and even the brand of the planner itself be in line with the vibe you are aligning with. You could want a simple black leather cover and assume any black leather cover will do, but all brands and all leathers are not the same. Make sure that the quality and feel of the planner is in line with your style. Then of course, when it comes to the inner cover, or dashboard of your planner, although this element will likely be some form of paper or plastic, choose something that sends a direct message through the imagery, pattern or style. That message, of course, should be the vibe you are setting for your planner and it’s aesthetic!
Add vellum overlays throughout your planner.
An element of planner decor I have long admired but only recently began to use myself is printed vellum overlays. In one sense, they are a wonderful way to add inspiration to your planner through printed words or imagery without having to decorate inserts with stickers and washi. But what I also love about vellum overlays is that they again add a sense of dimension to your planner because depending on what you have printed on them, you can usually see the next insert in your planner underneath it. If you are someone who likes to print and add pictures or quotes to your planner, consider using vellum paper next time as it really does stand out by adding an unexpected level of interest to your inserts as you are flipping through your pages!
Fill your planner with goals and dreams that truly light you up.
I’ve said it before and I will happily say it again- if the sole purpose of my planner is to keep track of mundane life tasks and appointments, I need a planner like i need a hole in the head! I keep a planner, not to manage my time but to manage my goals! A goal is a dream with a deadline, yes? And those goals aren’t going to manifest themselves! They take a fair bit of intention, planning and execution to come to fruition and that’s where your planner comes in. No matter which planner you are using and what your planner looks like, never loose sight of the fact that your planner is the physical manifestation of your future and life story being written in real time- and that’s a serious vibe that no amount of aesthetic can ever beat!
I hope these 5 tips have inspired you to create an intentional vibe for your planner this year! I would love to hear what you thought of this information and the aesthetic that you’ll be using in your planner so please do leave me a comment below!
Today I have something fun for you, a planner personality test to determine what your planner style says about you! Specifically, today I’m going to evaluate the four most common planner closure styles and what it reflects about your personality if you are use each. Now, I realize, most of us within the planner community have used different closure styles in the past. I for one have dabbled in planners with each of these closure methods, but I think there might be one or maybe two types of planner closures that we are drawn to above all others. Of course, if you enjoy this video make sure to give it a thumbs up, share the video with your planner besties and of course, leave me a message in the comments for the video to let me know your planner style and if the personality test was accurate for you!
First, let’s begin with the zip around planner style: If you are drawn to this style of planner you are likely a very cautious and even secretive person. You are likely not a very showy person, you’re much more reserved, you might be prone to anxiousness, and you might be something of a worst case scenario planner. Planners who use this style closure are likely to enjoy a small but close circle of friends and are not risk takers.
Next, let’s dissect the button closure planner style:If you are drawn to this style of planner you are likely a very buttoned up and professional type person on the outside. You are likely a networker at heart, with a busy schedule always making moves in your social and professional life. You like action and activity, you are drawn to people and likely have a varied network of friends and acquaintances. Although you might like to present yourself as a polish pro, however, you certainly have a wild or mischievous side you aren’t afraid to let slip out every once in a while.
Next, we have the string or elastic closure planner style: Planners drawn to this style are very flexible people who are also extremely creative. You are not afraid of a change of plans or to go with the flow. You have lots of big ideas and aren’t afraid to bring them to fruition, although, it must be said, you may have a tendency to start more projects than you finish. But you have a lot going on in your mind, sometimes is may be a little cluttered in there but you are the type of person who absolutely always finds some way to work things out and fit things in. You have a modest, but extremely tight knit circle of friends and family who consider you their #1 cheerleader and greatest supporter.
Finally, we come to book style planners or planners without a closure: If you are one of the planners drawn to this style you are likely very easy going and care free. You don’t like limits, boundaries or rules, in fact you are always trying to push the envelope when it comes to those things. You might have a rebellious spirit but always have your heart in the right place. Although you might normally be highly organized, you do sometimes have a tendency to bite off more than you can chew, but you always find a way to manage things without a meltdown. You may have a great circle of friends but often prefer to spend time alone in thought or self-care.
So, which of the four planner styles are you drawn to and do you agree or disagree with the personality typing? Let me know in a comment below!
Today I am continuing with my Productivity Myths series where I explain why some common productivity advice isn’t accurate and uncover the truth hidden beneath the myth so you can actually improve your productivity!
Productivity Myth #3: Hourly schedules keep your day on track!
It seems like pretty basic planning and productivity advice, doesn’t it? Even many planners come designed with hourly grids where you are encouraged to map out, hour-by-hour the tasks of your day. It reminds me of a quote “a place for everything and everything in it’s place” but twist that to “a time for everything and everything in time.” In a different world, where things always run smoothly and best laid plans come to fruition, an hourly schedule does seem like the perfect solution for planning your day. But, alas, over time I have come to recognize how this seemingly sound advice can wreak havoc when put into practice.
Now, I do want to provide a disclaimer to this information and say I recognize that in some cases, using an hourly schedule is necessary for the work that some of us do. Many businesses work on an hourly appointment schedule for very good reason, and I am not suggesting that this practice should end. I’ll expound on the situations where using an hourly schedule does work a little later on. What I am suggesting with this information, however, is that for those of us with more control over how we spend our time, there are significant reasons why hourly schedules are problematic to overall productivity.
First, let me explain the productivity science behind why using an hourly schedule may seem to work. There is an axiom in productivity known as Parkinson’s Law. It states that “work expands to fill the time allotted for its’ completion.” In common language this means that no matter how much time you give yourself to work on a task, it will take you that long to complete it. Now, in the past, I often took this axiom to also mean that work contracts to fill the time allotted for its’ completion. Meaning that if you give yourself less time to complete an objective, you will also accomplish it in that time as well. However, I have come to realize that this is not true for objectives across the board. Yes, if I give myself 15 minutes to clean my kitchen I can get a decent job done by speeding up my actions that I might usually do at a more relaxed pace in 30 minutes. Or, I might do a decent job but skip over some actions or lessen the quality of the work I am doing to some extent.
Now, cleaning my kitchen is one situation where my adaptation of Parkinson’s Law works well enough, but there are plenty of other examples where it fails. For example, if I am traveling by car to visit a family member in another state, this may be a trip that takes me 90 minutes on average. Now, if I gave myself a time frame of 120 minutes, by Parkinson’s Law, it may very well take me 120 minutes because I might stop at a rest area or for a snack or gas on my way to my destination. However, I cannot expect to be at my destination in 30 minutes or even 60 minutes because the laws of physics and the state of New Jersey say I cannot legally travel by car and reach my destination in such a short period of time. In some respects I believe that the concept of Parkinson’s Law shows how making a realistic schedule and sticking to it can work for completing objectives, however, it doesn’t really work when trying to limit time spent on tasks. In addition, it pretty much ignores some of the most common issues that interfere with productivity when using the model of an hourly schedule to manage your objectives.
So, next I want to lay out a few of the most common issues that arise when using an hourly schedule. If you have ever tried and failed to stick to one, you might recognize a few of these yourself from personal experience.
The most common issue I see with using an hourly schedule for your day is that many people have a difficult time carving out the proper amount of time to alot to an activity. If you have ever tried an hourly schedule and assigned tasks to a specific time slot, you likely faced the scenario where your tasks were taking longer than originally expected and although you were working diligently on your tasks, you started falling behind. Unfortunately, many people are just very bad guessers when it comes to assuming how much time something will take. It’s a default for many of us to assume something will get done quicker than is realistically possible. Even (and sometimes even especially) when we know we have completed a task before in the past. How often have you said to yourself “oh, I’ll do this now, it will only take 15 minutes,” but by the time you wrap up 40 minutes has elapsed? When it comes to time, hindsight is not 20/20 and unless you have specifically tracked and measured your time for various activities in the past, more often than not, you remember it taking less time than it really did.
The second most common issue people face when using an hourly schedule is that unexpected issues or distractions often pop up during the day and divert our attention away from our schedules, again throwing us off track. I think the concept of distractions keeping us from our work is something we are all familiar with and understand how that negatively impacts productivity, so let’s focus on unexpected issues. Unexpected issues can take the form of changes to our planned tasks, technical or communication issues that halt the flow of our work, or people/processes we need to work with or through to complete our work. These aspects are the most unpredictable part of creating a schedule because no matter how diligently we work towards our objectives, in many scenarios other factors can keep us from being productive and staying on track.
The third and final common issue people face when using an hourly schedule is that they ignore or fail to account for their personal energy cycles. People are not robots. Even if we know the precise amount of time our tasks will take and can ensure we are in a distraction and problem-free environment, it is still hard for us to stick to a schedule because working back to back on tasks is mentally exhausting and mental energy is a difficult factor to plan for. Each of us has an amount of energy we begin the day with and that energy cycles in highs and lows that most of us are not attuned to. Sometimes, work just drains us and this results in a slowing of our rate of productivity that again throws us off schedule. Yes, sometimes coffee can help us power through it, but that affect is usually only temporary.
Next, I’d like to explain one lesser recognized issue when it comes to using hourly schedules, but one that I am extremely mindful of, and that is the fact that hourly schedules prevent us from going with the flow of least resistance in our work. The way I look at the previous three common issues to using an hourly schedule is that they each represent a different form of common resistance that throws us off our well laid plans. This is an indication to me that the plans, however, were not well laid. Yet, people will continue to push through, clinging to their schedule, trying very hard to stick to it and then feeling overwhelmed and dissatisfied when they fail to achieve the plan. For me, when I approach my work, I see my objectives as outcomes I would like to manifest and so I prefer to go with the flow and not hold too tightly onto my own expectations or plans for how something should go in order to be completed. Although in many cases with our tasks, our reasonable expectations will be fulfilled, that’s not because things can only work out one way. Objectives can be met and outcomes can come to fruition in a myriad of ways, so when we try to stick to our plan as though its the only way forward, we usually prevent ourselves from meeting our objectives in the easiest way.
This is where I will insert my favorite productivity example of playing a game of chess to illustrate the point for you. In chess the objective is to capture your opponents King piece. Games of chess can last hours or even days between two players matched in skill making countless moves across the board, but a chess master can also win the game against a lesser skilled player within a matter of just a handful of moves. Think of your daily schedule or plans as those games of chess. Most of us start our day with a strategy that involves many moves and through our days sticking to this plan we can hit roadblocks that cause us to have to make even more moves to get to our desired outcome. But, in reality, there is a path you can take where you only have to make a few key moves to reach your objectives. It’s the Pareto Principle, 80% of our results come from 20% of our actions. So my suggestion to you is that using an hourly schedule is like playing a long game a chess, when you might actually be able to use a different strategy with far less effort to reach the same ends.
Now, I don’t want this article to be all negative, because as I stated earlier, there are situations where using an hourly schedule works, and I think we can learn from these situations how to best use an hour schedule to manage our tasks and objectives productively.
I think the best example of when an hourly schedule works is with an appointment based time management model. So visiting the doctor, getting a service done or having a call or meeting. When your work requires you to achieve a certain number of daily objectives, like sales calls or patient visits, mapping out an hourly schedule and working with clients within that window is a great way to put that reverse principle of Parkinson’s Law in place. The key here is that the limit or expectation is agreed upon by all parties and that a regular routine of service is fulfilled. I guess we can all have a laugh about expectations at the doctors office as in some instances our appointment window isn’t always honored, but for other professional services or customer calls the system works because their is an expected process to follow that from experience has very little deviation. So essentially, when your task or objective follows a script or prescribed system or process, it’s okay to use an hourly schedule for time management as long as other factors like interruptions can be minimized or prevented.
So I hope you can see now why I do not use hourly schedules on a daily basis for myself and I don’t normally recommend them to others. Moving forward I hope you will use this information to help you more adequately evaluate factors that hold back your productivity and keep you from executing on your objectives. Think about paying closer attention to or even tracking the time it takes you to complete tasks so you clearly understand the time expectations of your work. Notice the types of issues that pop up when you work on different objectives to help you better anticipate drains on your time the next time you complete those tasks. Most of all, I hope you will start to notice the patterns in your own mental energy while you work to understand how your energy cycles throughout the day. Each of these areas will help you understand yourself and how to maximize your productivity in the future, bringing you close to becoming the master of your productivity game.
I hope this information has been insightful to you and helps you to master your productivity game. I’d love to hear your thoughts on the topic and how you are using this information to benefit your life! So, please do leave me a comment below!
I was recently presented with an opportunity to purchase something of a Unicorn binder for myself and I took it! Here is a walk-thru of my updated 2020 Planner Setup now featuring my Chanel Camellia Desk Agenda. For those of you familiar with luxury goods or the luxury planner world, this is a similar concept to the Louis Vuitton Desk Agenda and is something of a notebook or planner cover that can be used as a planner organizer as well. My Chanel Agenda is set up using my 2020 Master Planner Inserts bound with disks and some fun stationery accessories. I hope you enjoy!
ALSO, for those of you interested in this planner, I wanted to point out a correction to something I said in the video. I stated that this planner was calfskin, however, it is goatskin. This is a little different than calfskin or lambskin. It’s soft like lambskin, with a bit more grain, however, it’s more durable than calfskin because it’s more water resistant. Hope that clarifies it for you- I know in the video it’s hard to really see the leather so I wanted to make sure you knew the actual material!
I know there are not many setup videos for Chanel Planners & Agenda’s on YouTube and I couldn’t find very much information myself on the elusive creatures- but hopefully my video gives you some insight on them. The agenda I purchased is from the Camellia line and dates to 2010, but she is in immaculate condition in my opinion.
This will likely not be the last video I make on the subject of this planner- I’ve already started adding new things to the planner that after I filmed today’s upload so I will share those in future updates. If you have any questions about searching for rare or luxury planners like the Chanel desk agenda’s, let me know and if I get enough Q’s I’ll make a video or blog post to answer your questions.
In the meantime, make sure you are subscribed to my Youtube channel because I’ve got some great new content I’m working on as well as some new freebie downloads to help you boost productivity in your planner!
Let me know what you think about the planner and what content you’d like to see from me in 2020 by leaving me a comment down below!
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