How to Use a Weekly Planner
A question we often get asked is “how do you use the Week on One Page planner?” It’s a loaded question with a million correct answers.
Great planners are designed to be used in a myriad of ways. We’re all a bit different, leading different lives with our own responsibilities and roles. Some like to schedule their days down to a t, while others find that too much prescription or details can leave them feeling anxious throughout the week (raises hand!).
Today I want to talk about how to use a weekly planner! These are the five tenants I follow in using a weekly planner (this year I’m using the 2021 Antelope Week on One Page planner)!
Use a Weekly Prep Day
A key feature of a weekly planner is being able to see your entire week at once. It allows you to plan on a weekly basis, determine your goals and objectives for the entire week, and schedule tasks accordingly. Prep Day is ESSENTIAL for setting yourself up for success. I talk more about my prep day routine here – prep day is the day to get organized and meal plan, the day to mentally and physically prepare for the week ahead!
Develop a system for color-coding.
I love using colored pens in my planner. It helps me get a quick, overall picture of where I’m spending my time. Create a color-coding system in the front of your planner so you have easy access to it. This makes me feel like I’m more efficient and it keeps the information organized in a visual way.
Write it ALL down.
Have general to-dos for the week? Health goals for the week? Intentions you want to set for yourself? Get it out of your head and onto paper in your planner. Do not attempt to keep everything in your brain. Mental lists do not work! We think we’ll remember that one thing we need to do, or that little bit of important information someone told us but we won’t. Magical things happen when you write things down.
Index everything.
Indexing your lists, notes and to-dos is vital to utlizing your weekly planner throughout the year. Don’t you want easy access to important information you add to you planner (like contacts, dream lists, important dates) year after year? The index section in our weekly planner was designed to help you categorize and record your lists and notes. But if you’re planning doesn’t include an index section make sure to keep notepads and notebooks handy (see below).
Keep notepads and notebooks handy for easy access.
Notepads and notebooks are great for scratch paper. I keep both close by for notes, a place to index lists and to-dos, and a spot for additional list-making. I like adding the big projects I’m working on to the monthly spreads in my planner. It’s a great quick reference for days when I need help finding focus.
Our weekly planner format was designed to be flexible, to fit your needs by offering you ways to categorize your lists, action items, and tasks. We wanted to give you the ability to track your schedule while organizing your to-dos. But each person that uses a weekly planner is different and so is the way the planner format is used. That is the beauty of it!
Are you a weekly planner person? Share your tips on how to use a weekly planner below!
