Series Intro: 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management

Hey everyone!! I know I've been gone for a while but if you follow me on Instagram and YouTube you will know why. I started reading The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management by Hyrum W. Smith and decided to do a video series on what I am learning from it. I will be using the 7 Habits Inserts from Franklin Covey as my new planning system for 2017 so this was good background research. I won't go into too much here on the blog but I will create a post to embed my video for those of you who are not following me on YouTube (which you should be!!)

I really hope you enjoy this series. Please join the conversation in the comments of my YouTube channel and let me know if you have any questions.

How I Plan: Monthly Planning Process with DIYFish vCarie

Here is the 3rd installment of my How I Plan series.

How I Plan: Meal Planning Process

I finally found a meal planning system that works for my family of 3.5 and our somewhat busy schedule. I meal plan and grocery shop for 2 weeks at a time and try to have us eat out as little as possible.

Functional Planning Can Be Pretty Planning

There is currently a war going on between pretty planners and functional planners. (I'm just kidding. It's not even that serious). But there definitely seems to be two distinct camps. Neither one wrong nor right, better than the other. Just different. Comments and questions on Facebook, Instagram, and YouTube from newcomers to the planning world make you think you have to choose a side.

I'm here to tell you that you don't.

I am a self proclaimed functional planner. Those of you who have been following me on social media for a while or who have read my About page know the different roles and goals I juggle. I just have to be functional in order to get it done.

But I still like pretty.

Pretty motivates me to open my planner everyday and get things done. My definition of pretty is personal and subjective, as it should be. I need white space to breathe. I can't do a full page of decorative stickers (although I did for a while in my Happy Planner).

Totally Off My Game

Some days I amaze myself with how productive I am. Some days. Most days I have an average level of productivity, and I'm neither upset nor amazed. Then there are those days that I am totally off my game.

This was one of those days.

I did absolutely nothing from my to do list. I didn't go grocery shopping, which led to me scrambling to put dinner together for two days. And...I missed my son's appointment for his flu shot. I was able to reschedule it for a more convenient time, but I'm lucky they didn't charge me for missing the appointment.

I definitely can't let a day like this happen again.

I'm on Philofaxy!!

I know this doesn't seem like a big deal BUT IT REALLY IS!!! I have been a lover and follower of Philofaxy for years and it is just so cool to see my blog posts listed among all the other Web Finds.

I can't wait to see more of them there. And if you found my blog through Philofaxy, welcome!!

Check out Philofaxy to see my posts on the weekly round up.

How I Plan: Project Planning w/ DIYFish vCarie and v2.2b

This is my first post that I have a corresponding YouTube video, but it definitely won't be the last. Please scroll to the bottom of this post if you would like to see the video instead of reading the post.

I am currently using DIYFish vCarie and v2.2b. (As of the writing of this post the DIYFish shop is on vacation until September 13). You can find links to these specific inserts in my detailed set up post here.

The video is very detailed so I will just post a few up close shots here. If you have any questions, please leave them in the comments below.

3 Day Weekends Are Not All Fun

Now don't get me wrong, I love a 3 day weekend as much as the next person. I love the extra days to hang out with my family and just kind of chill.

What I don't like is the day after a 3 day weekend.

I actually had pretty high hopes of being productive on Labor Day. Not necessarily the brightest idea, but hey I can dream right. My preggo belly and my fiance had other plans in mind. Both of them thought I was working too hard and doing too much and I needed to rest. So rest I did.

Then came time to plan out the day after.

Now I have this ridiculous to-do list that pretty much all has to get done on this day.  If they don't, every day after just becomes a ridiculously long to-do list because of it.

I did manage to schedule a nap/rest time into this day. Maybe next time I should schedule a whole day of rest.

September 2016 Planner Setup with DIYFish and Sew Much Crafting

**Please be forewarned that this post is very picture heavy and probably quite long.**

This lovely little beauty is my Limited Edition Teal Kikki K in medium size with a rose gold leaf pattern. You can find it on the Kikki K website here. I use it as my everyday carry (EDC) and it holds everything. I don't use a separate planner or notebook for any aspect of my life.

Inside my front cover I have a few Target Bullseye page flags that I use for forward planning and the short Kikki K notepad that came with the planner. It is a quick way to jot down things while I'm on the go without showing someone inside my planner. Behind the secretarial pocket I keep important papers like my ultrasound pictures and upcoming doctor appointment card. My dashboard was custom made by Pink Bow Ties. As of the writing of this post, her shop is on vacation.

This is my post it note dashboard. I use these for items and notes that need to be placed in my planner and dealt with at a later time. The colored flags on the top right side are only used in my project planning section.

Why I Plan

I figured my first post would be a good time to describe everything I have going on in life and why I need a planner to manage it all. I touched on it briefly in my About page but I decided to give more detail.

This is in no particular order of importance.

1. I am a stay at home/work at home mom. I work online on various projects as they come up but they are not consistent. Within my household I have to manage all family members schedules, bill paying, meal planning, and the normal cleaning and household maintenance.

2. I am a full time Special Education major. Self-explanatory as far as school work.

3. I am PTA Vice President at my son's school.

4. My 6 year old son attends a performing arts school so in addition to normal school activities he also has music, dance, and instrument recitals.

5. I have a baby due in January.

6. I am getting married in July of next year and wedding planning has been put on the back burner until after the baby comes.

7. My fiance is a chef and also decided to get another degree in Nutrition Science.

Throw in the usual doctor appointments, family activities, and other things that go along with managing a family and you will see that I have a lot on my hands.

Nothing that my trusty planner can't handle.

What type of things do you have to manage? Why do you plan?