Enthusiastically, Dawn

I am thrilled to have with us today on the blog, my favorite Planner person, Jenny Penton, I know she will inspire you today. I have mentioned Jenny often during this Planner series as I love her, her philosophy of life and planning, and when I asked if she would share her awesomeness for my 31 day writing excursion, despite her own busy schedule, she agreed. YAY! I have read Jenny’s book “Planner Perfect: A fresh Idea on Organizing Your Life” (Also available on Amazon) and used her pretty planner pages. So, get ready to be blessed…

If you are a master at creating lists; organized with all your to-do’s, you might be not planning big enough. 

To plan big you have to learn to move beyond organizing just your tasks. Yeah, that pesky, unending list that mocks you when you fall behind have their place, but if that’s all you’re doing, you’re not planning big enough. This may be a relief for some. Following just your tasks can get depressing. Depressing because you’re leaving out a big part of your life story. YOU. There will always be to-do’s, but what about all your, wanna do’s? What about your goals and dreams? What if I told you, you could actually plan your life according to your mission statement? 

It’s time to rethink the way you plan. It’s time to plan big, doing some real planning beyond using your phone as your task organizer. I’m talking setting some serious goals, creating a mission statement and taking your life and planning life to the next level.

Here are my best tips for planning big:

Planning big means you create a mission statement for you and one for your family. This keeps you on point for everything you do in life. When life comes at you with all of its enticing activities or requests for your time, you’ll know what to do. If it doesn’t fit or flow with your mission statement, omit it, say no, and stay on track with your goals you set for your life.

Planning big means setting goals every month. Set goals specific to each month and think BIG! What are your goals for the month? Write down what you want to do, what you want to see, and make a point to be thinking what you would like to accomplish for yourself spiritually, emotionally, physically, and write it all down. Script wardrobe needs, holiday plans with details, birthdays, whatever your month needs. By being proactive in your planning you are taking the reigns and are in control of your life, and obtaining personal goals. It’s truly the only way to live. It sets you up for being the best you, you can be, and an inspiring keeper of the home.

Planning big means you script your days out in detail. Most planning systems are set-up with small squared, time specific allotments to write out your tasks and days. The Planner Perfect planner is set-up so that you are writing your days out on large, loose-leaf with room to write out your days according to your goals. No need to be time specific unless you have appointments you need to keep; stick to time frames and script your days. From the time you want to get-up to the time you go to bed, be detailed, be specific, and pull goals from your goal pages and execute these goals into your days. Your tasks will be speckled into your days here, the idea is that these tasks are designated for certain days to accomplish them. This also keeps you from being overwhelmed by all the tasks that need to be done and keeps you in control of all that needs to be done. This is how you can accomplish the goals you set out to reach and be mega organized.

Planning big means you plan your meals each and every week. You have a designated grocery day, and you are prepared for dinner because you’ve planned your dinners for the week and grocery shopped accordingly. Keep your master menu for the week in your planner and write your menu and grocery list on the next page. I like to write out my grocery list with all my favorite foodie magazines and cookbooks with a cup of coffee and my favorite, comfy chair. On my grocery day, I simply pull my paper out and shop! 

With the holidays quickly approaching, this is the time to not delay one more second. Planning your months up to Christmas will keep you organized all holiday long! Write goals each month and execute them into your scripted days.

Life planning doesn’t mean life is perfect. It means you are in control of your life. You’ve decided not to hand over your life to chance. You are praying over your life and the lives of your family, you are proactive, you are setting goals and asking God for direction. You are the author of your own life and you are loving it. When things don’t go according to plan, that’s ok. You change things around and make it happen on a different day. God is ultimately in control and will guide you, no need to stress. Life planners adapt and stay the course. With these simple life planning steps, you’ll be a life planner… planning, big.

For more on life planning, visit Jenny @ www.plannerperfect.com

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This is Day 23 of the series Planning with Purpose: 31 Days of Planner Tips

I wrote an INTRO POST here explaining everything!

I have also made designated a PAGE for it. Hope this makes it easy. I am happy to tackle a topic, or issue with regard to your planner habits.

Feel free to leave a comment or e-mail me. 

I pray this series is a blessing to you. 

Linking with:

Create with Joy

Missional Women