We all crave a life full of beautiful relationships, meaningful moments, and purposeful projects. Here at Day Designer, we know that no one wants to get to the end of her life only to look back and wish she’d lived better, loved more, and worked less. Despite this fear, many people still go through life aimlessly, setting arbitrary goals and living without a structure that could prevent a meaningless life. Daily planning using a system that works is key to your success. Before we dive into our top daily planning tips, it’s ideal to set the stage with:
• Your Why – Focus on what you’re working towards. Know why you’re doing what you’re doing!
• Balanced Goals + Priorities – Ensure that you’re not neglecting something important. Don’t put yourself or your loved ones on the back burner!
• Good Habits + Routines – Set yourself up for success!
That said, don’t wait on planning out your days until these are perfectly in place. Instead, start where you are! Simultaneously, you can work on defining your goals, if that’s something you’d like to work on, identifying your priorities, and establishing your best habits and routines. While big goals and plans matter…
Real change happens on a daily basis—in tiny, incremental steps. And here’s how to make that happen:
Plan Ahead
Design your day before the day begins. This could be first thing every morning, before you go to bed at night, or as you’re wrapping up the workday prior.
Be Realistic
The goal of designing your day is certainly not to make you busier! The #1 planning mistake is over-scheduling with unrealistic expectations. Avoid this—and better yet, leave some white space for the unexpected!
Align Daily Schedule and To-Dos
The Day Designer system was designed to give you one central place that literally binds it all together in a way that aligns your to-do list with your schedule—flanked by additional prompts to intuitively guide you through your day. Also, make sure your schedule and to-dos also align with your priorities to ensure you’re spending your time on what matters most!
Identify Your Top Three
Identify your top three projects, to-do’s, or goals of the day for laser focus.
Get Started
First thing in the morning, make it a habit to always touch your planner before you touch your phone! When it’s time to get started, select a few small tasks to get some momentum going. Then thrive on that momentum to achieve a more time-consuming task. Have an overwhelming project that you’ve been procrastinating on? Carve out 20 minutes for it, and remember that progress is success!
Check In
Review your schedule, to-do’s, and top three midday. Make adjustments as needed.
Reflect Back
At the end of your day, reflect on your achievements. Notice how much more successful your day is when you follow this daily planning strategy—and, even more importantly, how you feel in terms of overall happiness and contentment.
Give Yourself Grace
When a day doesn’t go quite as planned, no matter how hard you tried, give yourself grace—tomorrow is always a great second chance!
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It’s our mission to get you organized and on your way to living an intentional, meaningful, and well-designed life. Shop the Day Designer Daily Planner Collection or A5 Luxe Collection to commit to your new planner today!