Creating Space for Joy: How Planning Can Become an Act of Self-Care
Your planner isn’t just for work and chores. It’s your permission slip for peace.
KAITLYN
The Shift Toward Slow
Lately, my favorite part of the day isn’t checking off my to-do list, it’s finding a few moments of peace, sitting with my planner or just with my thoughts, and reflecting on the day.
Our culture tends to glorify hustle to the point where we feel guilty for just sitting in stillness for a moment. But I am trying to unlearn this behavior, because since I have been taking more moments for myself, I notice I am happier, less-stressed, and am actually performing better at my work than I do when I am constantly in hustle mode.
After my last round of burnout, I realized that happiness and calm doesn’t just occur by accident. If we wait until our entire to-do list is done before being happy, we will never actually be happy, because there is always more to do. But using a planner can help us be intentional about creating these moments of peace for ourselves.
The Myth of “Earned” Self-Care
Most people, myself included, look at self-care as a reward after being highly productive. But we need to be consistently caring for our mental and physical wellbeing to truly perform at our best.
We need to realize that there is always another list, another task, another finish line ahead of us. I believe wholeheartedly that we should be setting goals and always striving for them, because without growth, life feels stagnant and unfulfilling. But while there is a time for work, there is also a time for rest. This may come in weekly 1-hour sessions, it may be a few days a month, or it may come in seasons. But the need for rest WILL come. We either create time for it, or we will crash and burnout when our body needs the break.
The Power of Everyday Rituals
Right now, I am loving getting into comfy clothes, a sweater, my cozy socks, and relaxing while planning out my week / month. Setting a cozy atmosphere gets me in the mindset of balance and self-care, instead of feeling anxious and creating a huge task list that will be impossible to complete.
These little rituals remind me that I’m not a machine built for output. I’m a person who deserves delight. Even if that delight is just a hot cup of tea or a nice candle burning.
5 Tiny Joys to Schedule into Your Week
- Making your favorite hot beverage
- Organizing one small space
- 10-minute stretch or journaling break mid-afternoon
- A mindful walk with no podcast or music
- Writing gratitude or reflection notes in your planner
How Planning Makes Space for Joy
The irony? The thing that we think of as being the ultimate tool for productivity has become a way for me to create breathing room in my daily life: my planner.
Planning does not mean rigidity, it’s structure that creates freedom. Having structure and routine to my days mean that I complete the necessary tasks in a timely manner so that I have time leftover for myself. It’s about looking ahead, preparing for deadlines, and working in batches of time across a longer period, rather than procrastinating and anxiously finishing tasks last minute. It’s about building self-care habits, like movement, meal prepping, and rest, so that I can perform at my best daily.
When I block time intentionally, I can actually see where my joy fits in and I treat it as non-negotiable. I have actually starting writing my little joys in my planner. For example, if I am working on a fun creative project, I am sure to write this on the days I plan to work on it. Even if it’s for 15 minutes. This gives me some bright spots in my weekly spread. So I am not just looking at a week full of tasks, but also the fun things I am looking forward to.
The Reframe: Planning as Self-Love
Every time I plan with intention, I’m telling myself, ‘You matter enough to make time for what makes you feel alive.’ We all deserve that. So use your planner as more than a means of completing tasks, use it as a way to design your days and remind yourself that you have a beautiful life to live.
Slowing down and focusing on my health and my personal projects has improved my creativity, productivity, and relationships.
When we stop rushing through life, we can finally start living it. Because life is about so much more than a list.
Your Takeaway
I encourage you now to ask yourself “what do I want right now?” or “what would bring joy to my day?” Find one thing you can intentionally plan that brings joy and write it in your planner right now.
Your planner isn’t just for work and chores. It’s your permission slip for peace.
Next Steps
If you’re craving more clarity, balance, and calm, this is exactly what my program, Your Lifestyle Rebrand, helps you build. It’s not just about productivity; it’s about designing a life that feels like yours again.
With this program, you will get:
- Lifetime access to the digital guide, as well as any future updates
- Printable workbook with templates you can reuse over and over
- TONS OF FREEBIES
- An exclusive Facebook Group Community where we support and uplift each other
Ready to get started designing your days?
FREEBIE
In case you missed it, grab the RESET CHECKLIST here! It’s perfect for that end-of-year reset and narrowing down your list of items to focus on, so that you can intentional, productive, and well.
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