My Planner Has Been Ruining My Life (Maybe?)

There's a meme circulating that several people have sent my way. It's a Facebook post asking,"What's been your biggest waste of money so far this year?" And the response is, "A 2020 planner." I can relate. 

I didn't just buy one planner for 2020. I bought multiple planners, in part because I love the feel of paper and a good pen in my hand. Plus, I get a rush out of opening a new planner and seeing all the fresh, open space for what I could schedule into my life. Also, I value time management and think it's important to have a vision for my life and put action toward creating that life. Buuuuut...let's be real. I bought EIGHT (!) planners this year. There's more to it than just loving stationery, a blank page, and goal setting. 

Here's the deal (I think). I have a subconscious belief that the perfect planner will make my perfect life come true. If my life isn't coming together the way I'd hoped, it's because the weight of the paper in my planner isn't right. Or because the monthly calendar view is broken out at the beginning of the planner, separate from the daily planning pages (I hate that). Or because the goal tracker is broken out by quarter and placed at the back of the book, instead of by month and included in the monthly spread. (Fellow planner nerds are tracking with me. How about the rest of you? No. Fair enough). 

Subconsciously, I've believed that the planner itself is what's standing between me and the life of my dreams. So, how are things going now that all eight (!) of my planners have been rendered temporarily obsolete?

To be honest, it's a relief. Now that I'm not obsessively planning every moment of my day, I have the space to find the moments that mean something. I no longer feel the weight of setting SMART goals for every aspect of my life. I no longer feel the pressure to constantly check something off a to-do list.  I no longer feel that I need to be looking at next quarter, next month, next week or even tomorrow in order to be satisfied with how my life is going. 

Now, I'm not saying that I won't crack open one (I'm choosing ONE and going with it) of my planners again once Minnesota's Stay at Home order is lifted and the pace of life picks up again. Although the book may once again serve a purpose - helping me feel like I have some control over my life - I'm not going to allow it to become a distraction or a scapegoat. It's a tool, but it's not what is keeping me going in life. I'm keeping me going - or holding myself back. The planner is just along for the ride. 

Tell me: How do you plan your day, your year, your life - whatever. Has that changed since the pandemic started? Have you learned anything new about yourself in this area?

Also: You might be interested in Use the Nice Dishes.