Help! I Can't Face My Planner.

Why do I seem to use my planner less when I need it the most?

Are you a planner lover who's found themselves neglecting their planner more often than not? Read on to discover how you can get back on track and make the most out of your planner when you’ve found yourself in a tapped-out slump.

Have you ever found yourself in the paradoxical situation where you need your planner the most, but you use it the least?

Well, I’m currently there.

Many of us planner lovers can find ourselves neglecting our planners during our busiest or most stressful times, leading us to feel like we’re dropping the ball and can’t cope!

After all, the main reason we have a planner is so we can avoid drowning in the murky sea of disorganisation. But I’m going to fess-up and say that when I find myself in that sea, I weirdly end up neglecting my planner more than normal.

And this neglect can quickly spiral out of control.

Oh no! I’m in a planner slump :-(

I’ve personally found that during my current planner slump, I’m feeling more overwhelmed and unprepared in my personal life.

Outside of work I’ve missed important meetings, and my productivity, in terms of my side hustle, has plummeted.

All of which is having a negative impact on my professional life outside my 9-5, as well as my personal life.

And the biggest problem I’m facing right now is, the more this planner slump drags on, the harder it seems for me to get back on track!

So that got me thinking…

What if there was a way to quickly break out this of this slump, no matter how far down the slump one has fallen?

There are no magic pills, just simple routines.

James Clear put it best when he said:

“You do not rise to the level of your goals. You fall to the level of your systems.” - James Clear

I would love to give you a five step protocol for instantly busting out of any planner slump you may find yourself in.

But the truth is, there aren't any magical quick fixes.

I’ve found the solution boils down to having a simple routine, which is firmly embedded into my planner practice when I’m in a “good place”.

So when I find myself in a crappy place, I know I can “fall to the level of my system”.

Here comes the yucky medicine to rid oneself of a planner slump.

It’s a dual dose made up of consistency and discipline.

Taken three times a day: once in the morning, once at midday and again before bed - preferably on a full stomach!

But jokes aside, even in busy times, we should make it a point to touch base with our planners throughout the day.

So, my aim is to start by scheduling time each day for planning.

But to make the medicine sweeter, this time isn't about updating my planner with new tasks, deadlines, and priorities, or reviewing what has been accomplished and what still needs to be done.

This is simply a time to open up my planner and check in.

I know. It sounds so obvious, so painfully basic - just “check-in” everyday.

But, when life seems overwhelming, it can feel easier to rely on hope and a prayer rather than confront a planner filled with burdensome commitments.

So, the aim of my planning routine to get me out of my slump has zero pressure to be ultra-productive, or crush goals, because if that's all my planner is about, then I know I'll struggle to face it when my bandwidth is tapped out.

The vibe I’m going for is all about an easy-breezy check-in.

An “Oh, hey babe, how you doing? You look gorgeous! Lemme just take a look at that monthly…”

Don’t mind me and my planner here, we’re just having a cosy little moment together.

And I believe, over time, this causal check-in will become a habit groove in the timeline of my life, and I’ll find myself turning to my planner more, even during my busiest periods, because I’ll be doing it on autopilot.

As a next step…

Consider sharing your own experiences and tips on handling a planner slump. Let's learn from each other and support each other in our quest for planning a life we love.

Chloe x