Hello Daisies! Janet here with you today. Let’s talk about routines. Each month, I add a different routine prompt in the CD Planner Challenge and it has definitely helped me to get organized. Do you follow a routine or do you just go with the flow? How do you stay organized and on track with your To-Do Lists? What sources do you use to help you remember your tasks? Do you use digital calendars or brain dump pages for that? Do you set aside time everyday for your planner? Are you an AM or PM Planner?
  
For me, it’s a combination of both. I have a digital calendar for certain schedules and tasks. Use emails of course, and I also use my Personal Daily Pages for brain dumping, adding notes throughout the day as well as notes from the Planner Note and Sticky Pads. I like to plan my tasks in the morning…after coffee of course. I really find that routines help tremendously with organization. You have a plan and you stick to it. If I don’t, then I don’t accomplish as much as I want to.
  
Do you have a routine? If not, here are some ways to help you develop a planning routine:
  
FINDING THE TIME:
Are there days you don’t get to your planner? Set time for yourself everyday to review your tasks and goals and stick to it. When is the best time for you to sit down with your planner? Do you prefer AM or PM? For tasks, I do best in the AM, usually during the first part of my morning routine when I’m getting the kids up and making breakfast. It’s my brain dump hour. I think about the things I have to do that day and I jot it down on my Personal Daily Page Inserts. I tried this the night before, but I usually like to wind down with journaling the daily happenings in my Personal Dori instead. This brings me to a happy place as I prefer not to think about daunting tasks for the next day.
  
FINDING A PLACE:
So depending on what time of day you choose, make sure it’s a quiet environment where you can be alone and away from any distractions. The best time and place for me is in the basement. After the kids leave for school and my morning chores are complete, that is my quiet hour. I can sit in the living room there and enjoy my planner peacefully.
  
SET WEEKLY GOALS:
Once a week, set your weekly goals. What do you have to do this week? Appointments, meetings, chores, etc. With this list you can start planning out your week. Sources can come from
– a digital calendar
– emails
– your phone (notes, reminders, apps)
– brain dump pages or notes on the fridge 🙂
– uncompleted tasks from previous days
Do this once a week to help organize your tasks for the week.
  
ORGANIZING YOUR DAILY TASKS:
Each day, think about any other tasks you need to accomplish. I do my actual family/home planning in my Standard Dori. So I turn to my Personal Dailies and Note Pad for this. Review the previous day and previous week for tasks that you haven’t completed yet. Once you have you list of tasks you’d like to complete today, prioritize them. Decide which are the most important to least important and list them in that order in your Must Do, Call/Email, To-Do, and Schedule Lists. These are all in the Cocoa Daisy Daily Inserts. If you use a Dori for your planning, just list your most important tasks. Throughout the day, check off your completed tasks. Nothing better than a sense of accomplishment! Add to it or change if necessary.
  
REVIEW:
At the end of the day, review your lists. If you have any tasks that weren’t completed, migrate or reschedule them for the next day.
  
DAILY/WEEKLY/MONTHLY:
Once you have a system down, you can try setting other routines as well as weekly and monthly routines. It really helps you stay organized!
  
This week in the CD Planner Challenge was a Daily/Weekly/Monthly prompt. So I applied the steps to develop my Daily, Weekly, and Monthly Planner Routines and added it to my Collections in my Bullet Journal:
 

  

I also planned out my monthly planner set up:

And here is the full spread:

Washi Tape: Day in the Life: June 2017 Pocket Scrapbook Kit
Floral Pattern Paper: June 2017 “High Tide” Patterned Paper Add On
Stamp Set: Pen Pal (August 2016 Scrapbook Kit)

   
Thanks so much for joining me today. Let me know about your routines, I’d love to hear! And do you play the CD Planner Challenge? We hope you are! Using the prompts can inspire you in so many different ways! A brand new Cocoa Daisy Planner Challenge is coming soon. Follow Cocoa Daisy on Instagram to get the first look. Look for it on the 27th! The Standard and Personal Size printables will be available for download in the Cocoa Daisy Store on the 28th. You will always find the current challenge in the Current Kits & Add Ons Section. Want more ideas? Check out the previous challenges in the Freebies>Day Planner Freebies Section!
   
Happy Plannin’!