How to Plan Out and Schedule Your Life + Boost Your Creativity and Productivity!

I have a secret to tell you guys.

Until about three years ago, I was just about the least organized person in the world. Seriously. I didn’t even remotely have my shit together, which was made evident by the fact that my paperwork, school work, and even electronics were scattered haphazardly across my apartment.

Whoops!

I lied to myself by saying that I was just creative, and that that was simply the best way for me to work. Spoiler alert: I was 100% wrong.

When I started getting more into blogging and further along in my education and career, I realized that was not the way I wanted to be living. So I came up with a system that keeps my mind and space extremely organized, instead of in complete chaos. Today I’m sharing my well guarded secrets with you guys, so that you too can start streamlining your life and being the best version of yourself (you’ll thank me later).

First off, let’s start with the most important part: buy an amazing planner and actually use it. Investing in a beautiful and detailed planner is probably one of the best decisions that I’ve ever made. Seriously. And you know what? There are actually a lot of options out there now. Long gone are the days of the same old black leather day-at-a-glance planners of yesteryear. Need some inspiration? Try here, here, and here

Now let’s get into the nitty-gritty.

1) Get over the idea of being “Miss Spontaneous” .
Look, there’s nothing wrong with a little bit of spontaneity. But hey, if you want to be the queen of organization and getting shit done, you might just have to put that dream aside for a while.

Scheduling and planning involve lots of things, but the most important is actually having a plan. So even if you don’t have a planner yet, grab a piece of paper and just write down what needs to be done. That whole concept of “winging it” isn’t something that is going to cut it.

2) Split your life into categories.
Before you get into meticulously scheduling your life, you need to step back and think about what your life actually consists of. Unfortunately, there’s no magic list of categories that are one size fits all. You kind of just have to sift through your life and break things up into easier to handle categories. For example, my categories are: self care, blogging, work, school, health, and love.

3) Get really comfortable making lists. Like… really comfortable.
I don’t know how I ever navigated the world with out lists. Not only are they incredibly easy to make, but they also help you stay organized and can even provide some A-Class mental benefits. For me, list writing has almost become therapeutic. My top recommendation for list writing? Write a to-do list as you’re enjoying your breakfast or your morning coffee. And another important note? Don’t just write the things you have to do, also include fun things!

On my morning lists you’ll often find things like: “treat yo self”, “try something new today”, and “draw a bubble bath, you deserve it”. Starting your day out with a list not only makes you feel super productive from the start of the day, but it also gives you an opportunity the reflect on your goals, both long-term and short-term. Talk about good vibes.

4) Set aside an hour a week to plan.
Yes. You read that right. Schedule time to plan. I set aside an hour or two a week, usually on Sunday, and I use that time to block out my week. In addition to this, I set aside an extra hour at the end of each month to make sure my calendars and planners are up to date and ready for the month ahead. Not only does this get you organized, it sets up your brain to be goal oriented and prepared for the future!

5) Get creative!
I really got into planning and scheduling my life when I realized how much fun it can be. Not only are planners super cute nowadays, but planner accessories are seriously killing it in the game. Though they come in all shapes and forms (a quick search on etsy will bring up thousands of results) my favorite planner “accessories” are stickers.

Not only do they make me feel like I’m a child again but they’re also super cute. They’re great for reminders of important events or as positivity boosts throughout the week. Also they’re super, super cute. Don’t believe me? Check out these.