Issue #7 - Plan ahead, be ahead!
Issue #7 - Plan ahead, be ahead!
Let's put that new planner to use! All the tips, tools, and resources you need to simplify your life.
Hi there,
I hope the first half of January is treating you well and that you’re slowly and calmly easing into the new year. For me, this month is a hefty one. I am not only dealing with the beloved four-month sleep regression, but my husband’s leave is coming to an end and he is preparing to return to work in the next few weeks. And with that will come a ton of planning, rearranging schedules, and organizing so we can minimize the potential for chaos in the days ahead. Very timely IMO as we start the year and focus on Q1. This issue of The Momsletter focuses on bringing you the best planning and scheduling tips, tools, and resources to help simplify your life.
xx
Ingrid
P.S. Don't forget to check in on your mom friends. Just forward this email or share this link.
Here’s what is happening in our lives at the moment
The average parent has to juggle about three different schedules a day (at least). No? Just me? Think about it.
In no specific order, there’s the family calendar, the work/business calendar, and the personal calendar. And as much as we try, keeping track of everything is hard, but it doesn’t have to be. 2023 is the year we will prioritize planning and scheduling to maximize our time and simplify our lives. Doing so will…
Unload what’s on your mind so you can feel lighter and less stressed.
Give you a macro view of your commitments or goals.
Keep track of progress and enforce accountability.
Improve your productivity and time management skills.
Make time for what’s important!
Ready? Let’s go!
☞ Tips to stay organized as a family:
Family Calendar — Having a calendar that all family members can access is key to staying organized. Whether digital or paper is up to you; either will help you manage your time and improve your productivity. Once you have your family calendar set up, make sure everyone gets in the habit of consistently adding events, reminders, and important dates. And remind everyone to check it daily, and before the start of a new week so everyone's on top of their schedule and can plan accordingly.
Weekly Meetings — Schedule meetings with your partner or the whole family (depending on your children's age) to review your plans for the week ahead, set goals, delegate responsibilities, and prioritize accordingly. These meetings do not have to be formal and can be a part of your breakfast or dinner routine to help keep you all on the same page! That way, everyone feels heard and involved—and there are no surprises.
Time Blocking — Time blocking is one of the most effective ways to manage your time and help avoid overscheduling. Instead of trying to schedule every minute of your life, block out specific chunks of time for certain tasks, even if it’s just 10 minutes to take a quick walk. This allows you to be more focused and productive. For example, if you have a project due in two weeks, block out two hours each day this week to work on it. You'll get more done in less time!
Quarterly Planning — It's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day of parenting, but it's important to take a step back every now and then and look at your long-term goals individually and as a family. By doing this quarterly (or even monthly), you'll see how well each family member is doing with their goals over time, which will help you stay organized, focused, and sane.
"The key is not to prioritize what's on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities." —Stephen Covey.
Tools and Resources
☞ Digital Planners — For those who prefer digital planners over the classic paper ones.
Google Calendar is a free time-management and scheduling calendar service developed by Google. I know it is an obvious one, BUT it’s often forgotten. Download the app to any device, share your calendar with your partner or family members, start color coding, and plan away in one place that is easy to access from anywhere.
Cozi family organizer is a surprisingly simple way to manage everyday family life.
☞ Digital Scheduling Tools —Most commonly used for biz, but can be for personal use.
Calendly is a modern scheduling platform that makes “finding time” a breeze.
Doodle is the fastest and easiest way to schedule anything — from meetings to the next great collaboration.
☞ Amazon Shopping Lists* — And because I know time is hard to find these days, I compiled three lists to help get you started. Just click below to browse and shop!
★BONUS★ — Here’s a monthly calendar template you can download and print for free!
10 Podcasts to listen to in 2023
Happy as a Mother with Psychotherapist Erica Djossa
Raising Good Humans with Dr. Aliza
Good Inside with Dr. Becky
Time Out: A Fair Play Podcast hosted by Eve Rodsky
We Can Do Hard Things with Glennon Doyle
Latina To Latina with Alicia Menendez
Being Bumo with Sara Sohn and Chriselle Lim
Trending articles
🔥🔥🔥 When Life Gets Busy, Focus on a Few Key Habits by Jackie Coleman and John Coleman | HBR
🔥🔥🔥 What If We Make Affordable Child Care About Wellness?
by Kathryn Jezer-Morton | The Cut
The beauty of friendships in parenthood by Catherine Newman | The Washington Post
The pandemic intensified the childcare crisis—and it could be a permanent and expensive problem for working parents by Megan Leonhardt | Fortune
✦ Community highlights ✦
Emily Steele, soon-to-be mama of two and co-founder of Hummingbirds, a platform connecting hyper-local content creators with brands in their city, just raised $1 million in seed funding. Congrats, Emily and team!
Lauren Ramirez is getting ready to open Dogeared Coffee Company, a bookish spot for good coffee in Clemmons, NC. Follow her journey to opening day.
Rebekah Bastian and Kt McBratney, co-founders of OwnTrail joined the Techstars family as part of the Techstars Anywhere class of 2023!
Leaving you on a good funny note…
Partner of the month: erincondren
Founded in 2005 by fellow mom Erin Condren as a stationery business operating out of her children's playroom that has since evolved into a leading brand in the organization space. The signature LifePlanner™ has sold over 3 million copies worldwide and is the perfect planner for families!
This issue was brought to by Ingrid Zapata Read, founder of Working Momkind. Got a question or suggestion? Leave a comment or get in touch.
I love this post because I always feel so frenzied when I don't get organized! Just purchased a desk calendar :)