Planning with intention: a guide to making the most out of your planner.
A typical planner sprawl of all my favorite things to make my planner pages pop!
A man’s heart plans his way, But the Lord directs his steps.
-Proverbs 16:9
I’ll admit I’m a planner addict, if I walk into a Michael’s or any other stationary store I’m in big trouble. I get really giddy when I see aisles of stickers, sticky notes, and washi tape. I can spend my entire afternoon doodling and creating beautiful pages filled with stickers and washi tapes, but If I don’t commit my plans to God and also set an intention to my plans it won’t even matter. This has led me to practice intentional planning. In my planner I have a designated area where I write down quotes, affirmations, bible scriptures, self care tips, and goals. I also actively check tasks off after I complete them to track my progress. Are you interested in using your planner with intention? Keep reading to find out!
Supplies:
Planner
Washi Tape
Markers
Sticker sheets
A resource to look up quotes and bible verses
Choose your planneR
Planner binder from Michael’s with customizable inserts.
I purchased my planner from Michael’s, I was able to choose a mini planner binder that easily fits in my purse. They come in an array of different colors and patterns. I chose the rose gold binder that is featured above. You can also choose what planner inserts you want. I have the floral design that matches the aesthetic of my rose gold accessories. There are other great planners out there as well. My favorites are the Day Designer, Kate Spade, Cloth & Paper, and Erin Condren. Think about your lifestyle and what suits your needs. If you love a DIY planner start from scratch and buy a binder and fill in what inserts you want for your planner.
Be Creative
Decorative washi tape and stickers helps the pages come alive.
This is your time to shine! You can use different colored markers to write down important things and to make your pages pop. I love to buy sticker sheet books designed for planners and decorate my entire monthly and weekly calendar pages. My favorite is Create 365 -The Happy Planner brand. They have many themed ones that can fit the aesthetic of your planner. I also love to use washi tape. Washi tape are small tape rolls that comes in all textures, prints, and colors. These are great for color coding. Pictured above I used pink washi tape to highlight the week of my upcoming vacation. I like to use a designated color for doctor appointments, meetings, workouts, etc.
Do nothing without intention
Each month I jot down : a bible scripture, one self care activity, and a list of goals
Practice mindfulness and intention setting in your planner. I like to incorporate three things each month. A bible verse, one self care activity to practice weekly, and goals that I would like to reach by the end of the month. I choose a bible verse that resonates with what I need and it lifts me up and reaffirms me when I open up my planner. The self care activity is done to make sure I set some time out to nurture myself. The goals I jot down are usually short term but I try to write a long term goal as well. This method ensures that I’m doing my best to live a purpose driven life.
Planning with friends
Planner night with friends at a Teahouse.
What better way to bond with your sister friends than to host a planner night? I gathered some girlfriends and we brought our planners and planned out our summer. We shared planner accessories, doodled and wrote, and drank some perfectly brewed tea at Brooklyn Tea (a Black owned teahouse in the Bed-Stuy neighborhood of Brooklyn). This led to some great conversations and prompts on how to live more intentionally. Being able to do this collectively gave us the motivation to crush those goals and support each other’s plans.
I hope these tips were helpful! Happy Planning!