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Hi there, friends!

Lately, I’ve been doing lot of thinking about time. The time I spend doing the things that bring me joy and the time I spend doing things that don’t necessarily align with who I want to become.

The reality is time is a non-renewable resource. We can never get back the seconds that pass us by. In this life we’ve been gifted, it’s important that we fill our limited time with things that are of value to us, that serve our highest good, that take us to the next level.

I know, for me, I have plenty of unorganized thoughts about how I’d like to spend my waking hours doing things that support my life goals.

I’ve found it incredibly helpful to get all of these thoughts out of my head and into an organized space I’m able to easily reference.

My current primary method of planning combines Google Calendar and Notion—this has honestly been game-changing for me. I can easily visualize my tasks, modify and reschedule, and get the satisfaction of checking off my to-dos.

Check out my steps below for how I use both of these apps to bring clarity, calm, and purpose in my weekly planning!

How To Initiate Your Weekly Planning

1**) Set aside a time every week to do your planning.**

I personally like to do every Sunday and I’ll block out about 1-1.5 hours in calendar to do this. When I first started, I was planning at the beginning of every month and quickly realized it was hard to anticipate things that would pop up that required my attention. It’s much easier to anticipate the week ahead and be more focused on making space for these things.

2) Make a list of all the mandatory things that must be done.

These are things that if not done, there will be repercussions. This could be work, school, important meetings, etc. Block those commitments out on your calendar first, being sure to account for approximate travel time.

3) Make a list of all the things you do that help you function as a human being.

This includes sleeping hours, wake up times, times you usually shower, approximate meal times, your morning and nighttime routines, exercise, all other human things you might do. Add them to your calendar. This may seem silly, but it really helps to visualize how much time we spend doing these mundane, but necessary upkeep activities.

4) Make a list of all the things you want to get done.

For any important goals you’re working on, there are likely separate, smaller tasks. Learning a new language? Block out a few hours a week to reviewing vocabulary and grammar. Learning methods of graphic design? Block out time to pursue that course you’re interested in.

5) Make time for adequate self-care and wind-down times.

This is a non-negotiable for me. I treat these activities with reverence because I know that meaningful rest, restoration, and reflection is important. I personally include “Read & Reflect” and “For You” times where I can relax, reflect, and recenter myself. I place these wind-down periods at the end of each day and at the end of the week.

How I Combine Google Calendar and Notion

Okay, time to get a little nerdy here.

My planning game has leveled up considerably since discovering Notion. Notion is a software that provides a workspace to organize literally everything in your life. Where it be project management, personal to-do lists, finance budgets, class notes, personal wishlists, Notion can support your endeavors with customizable pages.

I use Notion to house my random thoughts on a project I’m pursuing. I turn it into a to-do, then I create space for it on my calendar.

I have Yearly Planning page where I list out all of my goals, then scale down to transform macro goals into micro monthly goals and weekly tasks.

My process**:**

1. Every Sunday afternoon, I open my weekly Notion planner. [credit to Jules Acree for template]

This page is formatted as a to-do, so each task as a checkmark next to it. When you complete a task, you hit the checkmark and it’ll strike through the task. Pretty satisfying.

1. I dedicate a section to just listing out random things I think of that need to be done the following week. I’ll get the task out of my head and onto the page with this method.
2. Then, I click, hold, and drag those items to the appropriate day of the week. I’ll duplicate tasks and place the where appropriate.
3. I have a “Weekly Highlights” section where I list out 2-3 key things I want to prioritize for the week.
4. I also have a section of tasks that need to get done at some point, but can take a back seat for now. This is handy so I never forget and if I have spare time, I can check one of these off.
5. Once I have my weekly tasks laid out, I head over to Google Calendar and start making time using the method I’ve laid out above.

Helpful Tips:

• Color coordinate. Make a set of similar tasks its own separate calendar with its own color. My human maintenance calendar is different than my work calendar.
• Create calm. If it’s helpful, try leaving an extra 15-30 minutes between certain activities. This helped me make space for easing into my activities and creating a swift, but natural transition into them. That way, if life happens and I’m a few minutes late to my next activity, it would be okay. If you’re early to a new activity, even better!
• Task batch. Look for similar tasks and schedule them together. If you’re cleaning up your space, you can also do your laundry, freeing up time somewhere else in your schedule.
• Add to-dos into your time blocks. If you have a 7-8 hours of working time, add in smaller blocks for tasks you need to complete during that time. I also do this with my wind-down time. I have a “For You” calendar with about 3 hours on Friday and Saturday nights dedicated to doing whatever I want. I’ll add in things I could do during that time if I have the energy, but will feel no shame if I just want to cuddle up and watch a good show or hit the town.
• Easy access. The iOS update (for my iPhone peeps) created a quick and easy way access apps. I have small-sized Google Calendar widget and a medium-sized Notion widget that displays my planning pages. This way, I can easily access both apps when I’m on the go and accommodate new plans.

Be Mindful

Life is all about balance. I like to keep in mind that I can set my intentions and dedicate myself to the work that will help me progress, while also creating the space for meaningful rest and play. In fact, I find that’s what helps me sustain my energy, rather than burn out.

Friends, you are a human being, not a machine. Life will happen and it’ll be okay.

Remember, time spent doing the things you love is not time wasted.

Alright friends, I hope you’ve gained a little nugget here or there that you might use in your own planning sessions. Thank you for reading and let me know if this was helpful!

Leave a comment below— what are your favorite type of planning apps and tips that help you achieve your goals? I’d love to know!

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