1. You suddenly have more time in the day.
Planning ahead lets you combine tasks that make sense, move meetings into groups, and plan logistics in a way that simply isn’t possible if you approach your day as it comes. By planning, you can give yourself blocks of time to focus on various tasks. This reduces the time lost in switching tasks (context switch time) and lets you get more done.
2. You can clear your mind.
Have you ever had trouble sleeping because a thousand things to do run through your mind? Write them down. If you plan, you can capture all those worries in a list and you no longer have to worry about remembering each item. It takes a lot of mental capacity to worry about remembering your worries, which can then be free to focus on more joyful topics.
3. No more dropped balls.
If you write it down, you will remember it. You may not be able to get to everything on your to-do list. That’s ok! If you have something important that you cannot make, you can at least let anyone who’s waiting on you know a more realistic timeframe. That helps build better relationships and keeps you focused on the most urgent things at hand.
4. You have a new creative outlet.
Whether you keep your plans minimal, have lots of doodles, or add fun colorful stickers and stamping to your journal/planner, it’s possible to enjoy the creativity of planning. You can experiment with different layouts and page spreads, you can invent your own icon system for to-do list items, or you can simply have fun expressing yourself with each new planner page.
5. You can look back at progress.
As you build a planner over time, you will be able to look back and see how you have moved toward your goals. That may be through reflecting on filled in tracker pages, looking at goal and resolution lists, or simply reviewing favorite memories. Regardless, your planner provides a glimpse of your life and how it is progressing!
