I could do a whole blog post about designing planner covers but let’s be honest, the pretty planner cover isn’t what actually is important. It is the actual plan and taking the time to do it. 

We are going to dig into three easy steps to plan your month and how to ditch the excuse that you have no time. Remember that mission I am on to stop the overwhelm? This is another tool in your toolkit. 

The first step to a successful month is taking the time to plan.

And within that step I want you to do a BIG brain dump. Write down everything that comes to mind when you think about what you want to accomplish. Work, business, family, personal. All the things. 

Then look at that list and prioritize. 

1. What has to happen in the next 30 days? 
2. Do these ideas/projects, etc fit within your long-term goals? 
3. Are there any that can be eliminated? 

Once you have your brainstorm list and have prioritized/organized it, select 3-5 things that you want to focus on for the month. 

Do you love these tips? Take the Productivity Personality Quiz to get a Netflix-style binge-worthy resource list to help you find your focus and is customized to you! Take the quiz here. 

Then ask yourself a few questions:

1. Are you overscheduled? 
2. When will you actually work on these goals? (I will share how I do it in a minute)
3. What do you need to be successful? Tools? Resources? More time? 

Now that you have intentionally thought about what you want to do, it is time to schedule it.

Here are a few tips for scheduling: 

Start with big blocks first. (I use my monthly calendar and schedule out the BIG things so I can see them all laid out)

Then layer in the day-to-day. Don't forget time to eat and sleep, you come first, then your business. Stick to those boundaries. 

This process should take maybe take 30 minutes but is going to save you hours. And stay tuned because next week I am going to teach you my 8-hour workweek (in business that is). Ditch the excuse that you have no time and get to planning!

P.s. If you want this planning process all laid out in one place, check out the Crush the Rush planner! 

Looking for more on this topic? Check out the Strategy Lab in the Crush the Rush Club!