Manic Mondays

Happy Monday and cheers to a new week.

I used to really hate Monday morning. The thought of facing the week and figuring out a way to cram everything on my to do list into five days was exhausting. Many times I’d start a task, get overwhelmed and end up getting nothing done. Or other days I’d run through the day blindly completing tasks without direction, intention or purpose. Needless to say my mind, body and spirit were broken, run down and I’d completely lost sight of the goals for my family.

In some ways it is strange that an event planner struggles with organization. However, organizing client files, writing important notes down, creating a schedule and living by it comes natural to me when planning events because I am doing what I love – carefully and deliberately planning celebrations! Over the last year I have come to realize that I have to approach organization in all aspects of my life with the same passion and careful deliberate planning.

I sat down and tried to figure out ways to get my family life organized and on a schedule that would work best for us. I am a written word person by nature, so right away I knew that a phone app would not work for me. In order for something to be real to me – I have to see it written in plain ink. The written word for me is a commitment, a contract. If it’s written I hold myself accountable to it. 

I began researching planners when I stumbled across Emily Ley’s blog. Up until that point I had no idea who Emily Ley was. As I read through her blog I was taken aback by her candor. Like me she struggled with time management and organization. And like me, she understood that a successful family was born out of careful, deliberate planning. Her desire to simplify her life and do what matters most is what led her to create, The Simplified Planner. I was intrigued so I went over to Instagram to see what others were saying about it. After reading a few posts I was sold. I ordered Emily Ley’s Simplified Planner mid-Feb and anxiously awaited its arrival.

I received my planner early March and it has completely changed my life. In this planner I have space to list out daily appointments and to-dos, as well as a notes section. Space to list out a happy memory each week and daily inspirational quotes. For me the most valuable part of my planner is the quick meals section and the space to meal plan for the week. The “what’s for dinner” debate was the greatest source of anxiety for me. I was constantly running home and trying to feed my demanding toddler and hungry husband (he’s worse than the toddler) before they broke out in tantrums. More often than not I found myself staring into the freezer wasting valuable time, rushing through dinner or wasting money on take out. Now I write time in my planner to meal plan and grocery shop on Sundays. I prep, and sometimes completely cook, meals the night before so that my evenings are free to do what matters most to me – spend time with my family.

By no means am I encouraging anyone to go out and buy a Simplified Planner. Just because this way of organization works for me, it may not work for you. I am however encouraging each of you to ask yourself what matters most in your life and if you have the time to actually enjoy it. Would you be more successful in your personal life if you actually planned it out? For me, the answer to those questions was a resounding YES! I still struggle with planning out me time but I am getting better at it. Some weeks my plan goes off without a hitch and other weeks we backslide. The beauty in having a plan is that you are able to see what absolutely needs to be done and be flexible with the rest.

As I continue on my journey to simplify and organize I will share my findings with all of you. Until then, happy planning!

Check out a few photos of the Simplified Planner below. All Photos Courtesy of Emily Ley Facebook

xoxo,

Lauren