Sunday planning is something I look forward to doing every week. Everyone has their favorite day to reset. Sunday is mine.
But, over the years, I have taken my favorite thing to do and turned it into a job.
How did that happen?
I overcomplicated a simple system.
Planning is supposed to help you alleviate overwhelm and chaos, not add to it.
I had become obsessed with finding new planner print outs and planning influencers to follow.
Have you ever had that feeling of overwhelm? Your mind is racing with all the things you are looking for anything to help you out of the situation you are drowning in?
I am a paper addict.
Paper planners, pretty notebooks, and Post-It notes find their way into my cart all the time. The problem with my addiction is that I often buy items based on looks and not on use.
I have spent a lot of money on these things to try to simplify my life, only to have them add to the chaos.
There are simple ways to plan, and they may not all work for you. The easiest way to adjust or add to your planning system is to start with one thing at a time.
Brain Dump
Without a doubt, knowing what you have to get done is the first step to planning.
Brain dumping doesn’t sound sexy, but it is exactly what it says: dumping everything out of your brain and onto the paper.
I used to keep a running list of things to do on a yellow legal pad that made its home on my desk. The legal pad was always handy when I had to remember something.
This worked great until I was somewhere that my legal pad wasn’t.
Have you seen those things?
No one wants an ugly notepad sticking out of their cute tote bag.
Solution?
Start using a cute Brain Book.
Add in all the things you need to do, attend, buy, make, and remember.
It doesn’t matter if you have to do it this week or a month, or even years from now. The point is to get it out of your head and onto the paper.
Choose a notebook that you love. You will not stick to the process if you don’t have something fun to look forward to.
If you are like me, and recently had a wake-up call to all the things you have stopped doing that are important to you, this process is perfect for you.
The Lists
Brain Dumping takes the pressure off to remember every tiny detail and how to try to fit it all in.
As you start to write everything down, your brain will start releasing more information for you. You’ll soon have a list of things you need and want to do, and information you’ll need to collect.
For example, you know your husband mentioned a meeting he has this week, but you don’t remember when it is. Adding it to the list of things to plan out will remind you to find out when it is.
Knowing the days your family has other things planned will also help you meal plan in the process. When you need a quick dish or have to plan to eat on the road, you can add this to your planning process while your brain is thinking about that event.
Thinking about that meal will trigger you to think about adding those ingredients to your shopping list.
Just like that, you’ve already started planning the week, meal planning, and grocery planning.
Keep it Simple.
Brain dumping is not complicated, so don’t make it more than what it is. It’s a simple tool that will help you plan your Sunday, and every day without getting overwhelmed in the process.
SHOP
