Karen Brown Tyson

Tag: planning

How to Build Your Author Brand: A Complete Guide + Free Template
Do you have an author brand? In this post, I’ll share what I learned about the importance of building an author brand.

As a writer, I know how easy it is to get wrapped up in the writing process daily. For months, I focused solely on writing my first book. Then, when I came up for air, not only did I have to start thinking about marketing my work, but I soon learned that I had to build an author brand.

Photo by Pocstock

And before you object, yes, you need an author brand.

Why? Because a brand is anything that separates one product from another. So, your brand as a writer lets people know who you are, what you like to write, what you stand for, and any other products you offer. Bottom line: The public should recognize your brand and distinguish you from other writers.

Before I finished writing my first book, I started introducing myself and my book to the world.

Below are seven strategies that you can use to build your author brand. A few things to remember:

1) There is no one way to build an author brand. What works for one writer may not work for another writer. So, focus on what works for you. Be authentic and stay true to yourself.

2) You DO NOT have to do EVERYTHING listed here to be successful. Instead, try one or two things and build as you go.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost, if you purchase using the links.

Start with a plan to build your author brand.

Planning has been an essential part of my journey. Start with a business plan before writing your book or launching your new writing project. This will help you get a clearer idea of your goals and how best to achieve them. The more detailed the plan, the better your chance of succeeding. Ask yourself questions like:
- What do I want to accomplish? What are my goals?
- Who is my ideal reader? Or target audience?
- When will I be ready to launch my writing project or book?
- How will my writing business grow? Will I write a series of books?
- How much will I charge for my work?
- How will I let reporters and the public know about me?
As you answer these questions, you can create a business plan. In addition to your business plan, here are seven additional tools and strategies you can use to help you build your author brand. As you move forward, I encourage you to try new things and not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone.

Also, check out 3 Great Ways to Promote Yourself as a Writer.

#1. Content marketing plan

Next, create a content marketing plan to launch your book. Content marketing is a powerful tool for any business, whether you’re an individual or a corporation. The critical factor in its success lies in the consistency with which content can be developed and distributed across various channels.

What is content marketing? Content marketing is creating and distributing relevant content to attract an audience and drive profitable customer action.

Content marketing is a way to provide solutions for your customers’ or readers’ pain points and challenges. It allows you to tap into what readers care about by focusing on value propositions. When done correctly, content marketing helps create a relationship with your audience, which leads them to trust you. When you build trust with your audience, they’re more willing to buy from you when it comes.

The content you create to promote your author brand should be engaging, informative, and entertaining. It’s also essential to engage your customers in ways that will help them promote your brand.

#2. Media kit

A media or press kit is an essential public relations promotional tool to help you present yourself to the media and potential sponsors. Media kits provide journalists with the information they need to write about you, generating coverage for your book and brand. A typical author media kit, which I recommend that you refresh and keep updated, includes:
- A 100 to 200-word biography
- Press release
- A tip sheet that offers the media various topics they can discuss with you for potential stories.
- Photographs
- An excerpt from your book’s first few pages or the opening chapter.
- Sell sheet which offers retailers and book bloggers details about your book (see an example of my sell sheet on the right)
- Contact information
To create my sell sheet (and all of my content), I used my favorite graphic design tool, Canva.

Please sign up for my newsletter below if you would like to grab a copy of the FREE media kit I created in Canva. You will need Canva to make changes to the kit.

#3. Launch a website

A website allows you to highlight several aspects of your writing — books, a blog, workshops, speaking engagement dates, and reviews. In addition, a website is excellent for sharing your work with potential literary agents and event planners looking for speakers for an event. I launched my website to coincide with my first book, Time to Refresh.

Before launching a new website, you will need a hosting provider that offers various hosting services, like Bluehost or Siteground. Once you have chosen your provider, you can build your website with WordPress. There are many easy-to-use themes to develop your website, and you can select the number of pages for your site.

You can promote your book and interact with fans and potential readers through your website. Build an email list by offering valuable tools and information to visitors to your site. You can use many email marketing tools to engage with your website subscribers. For example, I use ConvertKit to share information with my target audience, and MailChimp and Constant Contact are also available.

Be cautious about websites: Keep your website updated with new information. Create a plan for managing your website, including an editorial calendar if you plan to have a blog.

#4. Start a blog

Use your blog to position yourself as a thought leader with experience related to various topics. Before you start a blog, consider the following points:
1. Blog tagline and title—Your blog’s tagline should summarize the heart of who you are and what readers will find when they visit your site. The title is vital in attracting people to take a look, so it needs an attention-grabbing phrase or two that sums up its purpose for existence.
2. About page—People who visit your blog want to know more about you. Create a separate page that highlights your career and experience.
3. Blog post topics — Make a list of issues you plan to write about regularly. Create an editorial calendar outlining when to cover each topic and post consistently. I use CoSchedule to help me schedule blog and social media posts.
4. Comments—To get the most out of your blog, you should develop a policy for handling comments. Decide upfront whether every comment receives approval before going live or if every comment goes live without your review. Also, determine how you will deal with any harsh comments or spam that may get through.
I started my blog in 2019 to share my thoughts on topics near and dear to my heart—writing, communication, productivity, book reviews, change, and faith. I took Suzi Whitford’s Blog by Number course to hone my blogging skills. The course was AMAZING! Suzi offers so much valuable information on blogging and a FREE course that includes a FREE blog plan.

#5. Social media

Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook, Pinterest, TikTok, and LinkedIn offer a way to connect with your audience. Before you tweet, post, or like anything, determine the messages you will post and how often. Then, create a simple strategy for how you will use social media. Test different social media platforms and select two to get you started. Don’t worry about building your author brand on all platforms at first. Instead, focus on the social media platforms that work best for you.

To sign up on your social media platform of choice, take the following steps:
1. First, create an account name, profile URL, or user name.
2. Then, add a link to your website in your new social media profile.
3. Add your profile information.
4. Connect with other authors, creative entrepreneurs, or authorpreneurs you know; consider following or friending them.
5. Be prepared to add a post.
You can create banners for your social media platforms in Canva. Here is an example of my LinkedIn banner.

For more information, check out How Writers Can Post Stuff on Social Media Readers will Love

#6. Podcasts

Another great way to promote yourself as an author is through podcasts. With podcasts, you could either be a guest or start a podcast where you interview guests about topics important to you and your audience.

Whether you decide to be a guest or a host, you must create a plan. Here are a few steps to get you started.
1. Find podcasts that reach your target audience.
  Do a Google search on the best podcasts (fill in the blank with your niche or genre) to find your target audience.
  Go to iTunes and do a keyword search for podcasts that match your interests. For example, I would search for podcasts for Christian women, productivity, or writing.
2. Keep a running list of the podcasts that fit your niche.
  Draft a pitch email to the podcast host to learn how to be a guest. If you’re looking to host a podcast, note that the podcasts are similar to the kind of podcast you want to launch.
3. Consider an offer for the podcast audience.
  If you secure a spot on a podcast as a guest, consider giving away a free copy of your book or product. Offer the audience a discount using a code unique to that show. If you’re hosting your show, let listeners know where they can buy your book or if you’re offering a discount for a limited time.
Get a good microphone, whether you are a guest or a host. For my first podcast, I relied on the microphone on my MacBook. This was a big mistake. I realized the sound through my laptop speakers was not good. Since I was on a blog and podcast tour with my book, I purchased a new Shure microphone and boom arm for my workstation.

#7. Guest blog posts

Guest blogging is one of the most effective strategies for extending your content marketing reach. It gets fresh eyes on your writing, secures high-quality backlinks from authoritative domains in your niche, and increases social shares across platforms like Facebook or Twitter (now known as X).

The first step – before getting started with guest blog writing—is figuring out the following things:
- Which bloggers reach your target audience?
- What tags and categories does the blog use?
- Will the blog allow you to include your byline? If not, the site’s value to your brand may be insufficient without a byline.
- How often does the blog publish posts? They may not offer guest blog posts if the blog isn’t updated regularly.
Once you find blogs that meet your needs, review their guidelines, write original content for the audience, and submit. When possible, include links to your social media platforms and website.

Examples of author brands

If you want to see a few examples of excellent author branding, check out these sites:

Priscilla Shirer

Jerry Jenkins

Paula Rizzo

L. Penelope

Malcolm Gladwell

Create a 30-day action plan

Now, it’s time to take action. I find that it’s best to research an idea or work on an action plan over 30 days. While some projects may take 60 or 90 days, I like to work on things in 30-day increments.

In your 30-day author brand-building action plan, you’ll want to include these eight things:
- What are the goals you want to accomplish?
- What small wins would you like to achieve within these 30 days?
- What will be your success metrics?
- What is your learning goal? Will you learn how Instagram works? Will you learn how to write blog posts?
- What will be your daily activities?
- What will be your weekly activities?
- What do you want to attempt to do at least once within your 30-day period?
- How will you get your activities done? Schedule everything in a notebook or planner.
Are you ready to take action? First, answer the questions above to create your 30-day action plan. You can also add different questions to the list. Then, let me know if you have any questions or want to share big or small wins.

Finally, you can build your author brand in many ways beyond what’s listed here. I hope this post inspires you to either START or KEEP GOING.
October 31, 2024
7 Things You Can Do to Improve Your Internal Communications

Today, companies of any size must ensure their internal communications are beneficial and impactful.

Simply sending messages from management to staff is no longer sufficient. Instead, strong internal communications tactics are needed to help organizations stay agile in an evolving world.

As a result, investing time into effective internal communications shows employees they are valued and allows businesses to flourish.

Why Are Internal Communications Important?

According to a recent survey by Grammarly, companies with 500 employees lose about $6.25M a year resolving communication issues. In addition, there are financial costs associated with poor internal communication, which include:

● Missed deadlines

● Eroded brand reputation

● Decreased productivity

Research by Aon Hewitt (2020) indicates that time lost due to improper communication costs US companies $85 billion annually. But, unfortunately, that doesn’t account for the psychological costs of stress and frustration felt by the employees dealing with the inefficiencies.

What are the Benefits of Improving Internal Communications?

Companies with strong internal communication see a much higher employee engagement rate, resulting in employees feeling supported and valued by their managers. This helps cultivate trust between employers and employees, which drives productivity and reduces turnover rates drastically – up to 202%, according to Dale Carnegie’s research.

Excellent internal communications also foster better collaboration amongst workers, leading to more significant value creation for the company. Consistent communication practices are essential in creating an effective working environment where teams can collaborate effectively toward common goals.

And Most Common Internal Communications Issues Are…

1. Lack of transparency
2. Last-minute, unclear requests from senior management
3. Top-down only communications
4. Not listening to employees
5. Employees unsure of company goals
6. Ignoring remote employees
7. Weak messaging
8. No communications support from managers
9. Complex onboarding and offboarding processes
10. Poor measurement of the internal comms plan

How to Add Value to Your IC Strategy

Focus on delivering a multi-layered approach to get the most out of your Internal Communications strategy. For example, utilize newsletters and emails to reach employees but don’t forget about other mediums, such as videos or in-person meetings with key front-line personnel; these extra steps can help ensure an effective communication plan from all levels within the organization.

1. Deliver purposeful information to your employees on time

Keep your staff updated with timely and relevant news about what’s happening at the company. Showcase important information from top management so everyone can stay informed, understand expectations, and see what lies ahead.

2. Make the most of your intranet

Unlock the power of your intranet to drive employee engagement and productivity. From job postings, essential documents, and upcoming events – create a one-stop shop for employees to access what they need quickly. Strategically design an organized layout showcasing only the most valuable information so everyone can get back their work quickly.

3. Hold productive meetings

Organizations rely on meetings to keep their operations running smoothly but they needn’t become time-sinks. Establishing guidelines that ensure everyone understands what a productive meeting looks like will help prevent unproductive conversations and maximize the value of these all-important gatherings.

4. Produce short-form educational videos

Utilizing short-form videos like the ones on Tik Tok and Instagram is a great way to brighten up your internal communication strategy. Instead of just reading about topics, consider engaging your employees with fun video content that effortlessly shares knowledge in an entertaining way.

5. Get managers involved

Leadership is key in the workplace. Managers can inspire their teams and engage with them to drive outstanding performance. Equip your management staff with resources that facilitate effective communication between colleagues, allowing for meaningful conversations and strong collaboration.

6. Hold regular listening sessions as part of internal communications

Creating a culture of open communication is essential for any business. Regular listening sessions provide an excellent opportunity to encourage employees to be heard and allow managers to gain valuable insight into the pulse of their team. Through active engagement and dialogue, these productive conversations foster greater understanding between colleagues while providing invaluable feedback that can shape future decision-making processes.

7. Help employees feel like they belong

Following the aftermath of the pandemic, companies must shift their focus from measuring employee engagement to a much deeper sense of well-being. Cornell University describes workplace belonging as “the feeling of security and support when there is a sense that an individual has been accepted within his team or organization.” In reality, employers must go beyond standard practices to ensure individuals feel secure in their work environment.

Ready to improve your internal communications?

Are you looking to maximize your organization’s internal communication efforts? A comprehensive and up-to-date plan is invaluable for companies that want to reach their goals.

Constant Communicators can help provide the creative, strategic planning solutions necessary for success.

Investing now will ensure improved collaboration and strong support of key objectives – so don’t delay. Take action today toward better communications within your organization.

January 24, 2023
2023 Erin Condren Deluxe Monthly Planner: A Comprehensive Review
As we continue our focus on planning, I thought it would be good to follow my review of the 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner with a review of the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren.

While I find daily planners to be effective in helping me organize day-to-day activities, there is value in using monthly planners too.

The Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren is a complete planner that can be used for overall scheduling or focusing on specific tasks or projects.

A monthly planner (see also ‘How To Organize Your Planner‘) can help to kick-start your goals, and greatly improve your organization.

In this review, we’ll take an in-depth look at the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren to see if it can help you get organized.

All about the Erin Condren Deluxe Monthly Planner

What I like most about the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren is that it combines a calendar and a notebook.

It’s designed to help you plan your day-to-day, schedule all your projects, and budget your monthly spending.

For writers, the Erin Condren Monthly Planner is a space to combine creative planning with regular activities.

The Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren is a 12-month planner featuring mini months, a monthly two-page calendar spread, monthly productivity pages, and 10 lined note pages at the end of every month.

The calendar spread features boxes for important tasks. Also, you can expand those tasks on the note page following.

Each month is tabbed for easy organization. You can add additional note pages to the back of the planner. Sticker sheets are included to add sparkle and inspiration.

What I like about the planner

Erin Condren’s monthly planners give an excellent first impression. Each planner (see also ‘Best Self Planner‘) is sturdy with vibrant covers.

You can also build your monthly planner with the following options.
- 2 sizes: 7″ x 9″ or 8.5″ x 11″
- 3 interior design options: Harmony Colorful, Harmony Neutral, or In Bloom
- Add 40 extra lined or productivity note pages
Intuitive layout

The design is intuitive to use and comprehensive. The planner offers mini months, a two-page calendar spread, and a monthly productivity page (see also ‘Best Productivity Planners‘).

This expands the planner’s use, as you can fit these sections to your needs. Add a word count goal (see also ‘How to Write More: 10 Quick Ways to Boost Your Word Count‘), planning goals, habits you want to pick up, or whatever works for you.

Each month combines detailed planning sections with pages that take an overview of events. This makes it easier to track monthly, daily, and yearly goals.

Dated and tabbed calendar

The deluxe monthly planner is a large book, and finding the right section could take a lot of flicking back and forth.

However, the dated calendar tabs make it easy to find the right page, even in a hurry.

For yearly planning, the tabs can be used to check and set your goals quickly and add those important future dates you don’t want to forget.

Multiple design options

You can’t judge a book by its cover, but you can feel motivated to pick up a planner when you like the design. An attractive front cover should never be the main reason for choosing a planner, but it helps.

Erin Condren monthly planners are available in incredible designs, so you’re almost guaranteed to find one you love.

Not a fan of any designs? You can even upload your photo for a planner perfect for you.

Personalizations

It isn’t just the cover design that you can personalize with an Erin Condren monthly planner!

Once you’ve chosen your favorite cover, you can pick your preferred coil color and personalize the design with your name or an inspirational quote.

Inside the planner, there are even more options waiting for you. Pick between the standard 7” x 9” planner and the large 8.5” x 11.”

Choose the interior design: whether you prefer bright colors for motivation or find neutral shades to help with clear strategizing, your planner can suit your needs.

Depending on your purchase, you can even alter the calendar’s start date, which is excellent for academic planning.

Finally, if you like the notebook aspect of the planner, you can add additional note pages to the back.

Lined pages

Lined pages might not appeal to all creative planners, but we love how easy the lines make it to employ different organizational tools.

With pre-lined pages, you can easily design your charts and graphs and prevent “wandering handwriting” problems.

Double-sided pocket

Always losing track of your bits and pieces? From notes written on the go, to receipts we absolutely can’t lose, one misplaced piece of paper can throw all your plans off course.

The sturdy double-sided pocket included with the monthly planner gives you a space to keep those easily misplaced essentials.

The pocket may seem like a small feature, but it does increase the overall usability of the planner. You simply need to slide in that piece of paper you need to keep close, and it’s safely stored for future access.

80lb. text weight paper

Good paper can make or break a planner. Erin Condren has equipped every monthly planner with 80 lb text-weight paper.

This paper resists ink bleeding, allowing you to write without worrying about ink appearing on the next page. It feels good to write on, and your letters will stay sharp and clear.

Price

The Erin Condren monthly planner is hardly a budget buy, but we think it’s reasonable considering how much you get for the price.

However, watch out for the additions and personalizations, as they can add up.

What I don’t like about the planner

I realize no monthly planner can do it all (unfortunately), no matter how good it is. However, I feel the Erin Condren monthly planner could be improved in a few areas, so let’s look at these in a little more detail.

Lacks Weekly Features

This is expected from a monthly planner, but planning your days and weeks in detail is tricky with the overall layout.

If you wanted to use this as a weekly planner, you’d need to make the most of those note pages at the end of each month.

For many, the lack of weekly planning won’t be an issue. If you already have a daily or weekly planner (see also ‘2023 Season by Season Daily Planner Review‘), then the monthly planner is a helpful addition that provides a scheduling overview.

However, a more complete organizer might be preferable if you prefer to keep all your notes and planning in one place.

Daily note-taking isn’t impossible in the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren, but you can’t go into much detail.

Additional note pages come at a price

I love the Erin Condren monthly planner because it allows you to combine note-taking with calendar planning, making this an excellent planner for budding writers.

However, it’s a shame that to make the most of this feature, you need to pay extra for the note pages.

Works as a general planner rather than a writer-specific planner

This isn’t necessarily a problem with the monthly planner, but it is something to consider when deciding if the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren is right for you.

The planner is designed to be used by anyone for any need. That could be family budgeting, writing meal plans, or organizing school activities.

It is an all-encompassing planner and will appeal to many people.

However, if you’re new to planning and hoping to use the monthly planner specifically for writing goals, the lack of direction might be a stumbling block.

Of course, it could always work the other way. The versatility of the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren might allow you to tailor your organization to your own goals.

Verdict

Overall, the Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren is an excellent tool for planning.

The amount of personalization available allows you to create a planner you want to use and tailor to suit your own needs.

On the inside, the deluxe monthly planner is laid out intuitively, with plenty of room to plan your month in detail and provide at-a-glance goal-setting and memos.

I love the note pages between each month. The quality of the Erin Condren monthly planner is exceptional, with quality pages that don’t allow the ink to bleed.

Additional features such as stickers and a back pocket increase usability.

The Deluxe Monthly Planner by Erin Condren can’t guarantee all your goals are met. But the intuitive layout and attractive designs do help!
October 24, 2022
2023 Season By Season Daily Planner: A Comprehensive Review

I use a variety of digital tools and apps to organize my life. But I love a good paper planner. So when Cultivate What Matters launched its new 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner, I couldn’t resist the opportunity to check it out.

I don’t know about you, but this year has been pretty busy. More client assignments and family commitments mean I have to ensure that my days, weeks, and months are organized.

But as life changes, what I need from my planner must change too.

Cultivate What Matters, the company responsible for PowerSheets, now offers the Season by Season™ Daily Planner as an intuitive, flexible tool for living more intentionally. With its streamlined monthly and daily planning pages, this planner (see also ‘Best Productivity Planners‘) is designed to help us make every day count.

But will it? Where does the Season by Season™ Daily Planner succeed? Can it be improved?

In this review, I share what I learned about the 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner. Keep reading if you want to know what I discovered.

What is the Season By Season Daily Planner?

Cultivate What Matters is a company that revolves around being intentional about setting and achieving goals.

To help you do this, they sell a wide range of journals, planners, calendar sheets, conversation cards, and inspirational t-shirts.

They even have a “Reading Journal,” where you list the books you’ve read and what you learned.

The aim is to give you a structured way to plan each day and determine your goals to live a more fulfilling year.

One of their newest ways to do this is through the “2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner” which allows you to do a day-by-day plan for the upcoming year.

However, this one differs because it divides the days into 90-day windows. This 90-day planner is the perfect timeframe because I like to focus on projects and goals quarterly.

What’s to like about the Season By Season Daily Planner?

The 90-day format

I’m excited about the 90-day format. As I start mapping out my goals for the coming year, I plan to use every 90 days as a guide to complete projects.

I know how hard it can be to start a new project. How long will the project take? How will it look at the end? Will there even be an end? Can I finish?

There will always be a lot of doubt when we begin a new goal, which usually stops so many people from finishing or reaching them.

With the Season By Season Daily Planner, the goal-planning process seems less daunting.

Seeing each project neatly divided into tight 90-day windows, with day-by-day mini-goals along the way, will give me a much better visual and work nicely with my Kanban system.

Only time will tell if my projects feel less overwhelming and more manageable.

Seasons

In addition to working well with my visual planning system, the 90-day windows line up with the year’s four seasons. Where possible, I plan to organize my goals around these seasonal periods.

For example, my book launches in 2023 will be spread out quarterly, allowing me to plan activities and promotions around the weather or special events.

Daily planning space

As you know, the planner lets you plan each day by itself, with space for scheduling everything out. One thing I noticed about the Season By Season Daily Planner is how the pages are laid out.

For each Monday-Friday period, each day gets a page. On the left is a column from 5 a.m. to 10 p.m., with two lines for each.

This way, you get to plan day by day and hour by hour. Skillfully, it omits most hours that people will be asleep so as not to waste space.

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Then, on the right of the page is a series of empty bullet points. This is where you fill out your priorities for the day, the overall goals, and things you need to do.

After that, there are three options: “Tend to my goals,” “Express gratitude,” and “Encourage someone.”

You can tick as many or as few as you want, but it gives you a good suggestion of how to spend your day. Also, you get a good balance throughout the week to live a more well-rounded life.

Finally, there is space for “Today’s Win,” where you can highlight your accomplishments for the day.

Monthly overview

Not only do you have individual days, but there are also some monthly calendar pages.

These allow you to know what your month will be like at a glance. This can make it more manageable and less overwhelming.

Rhythms

Before each of the 90-day windows, there is a space for recording “joyful rhythms.” The idea here is to start each season by taking stock of your best routines so you can cultivate them.

I like this section because it reminds me of the importance of habit tracking. Routines are important for getting through our days with some semblance of order in what can otherwise seem like an unruly world. The idea here is not just about maintaining current habits but also figuring out which ones should be continued into future months so that we feel more prepared.

What could be better about the Season By Season Daily Planner?

Weekends are combined into a single page

Often, our biggest plans fall on the weekends. This is certainly the case with personal and social activities. However, this planner combined Saturday and Sunday into just one page each week.

I understand why they’ve done it – the workweek will be full.

It’s a shame, though, because I would have liked the same amount of space for Saturday and Sunday, allowing me to do an hour-by-hour plan.

Weekends can sometimes be busy, and it would have been a nice way to take control of them.

Limited designs

When you buy the Season By Season Daily Planner, there is only one design and color scheme.

The design in question is a soft beige with neat gold writing, a golden coil, and corner protectors

It’s a very smart and beautiful design, but it would be nice to have some personalization.

Since the PowerSheets, planners come in such pretty, unique designs, it would have been nice to have the same type of selection for the 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner.

Verdict

Overall, Cultivate What Matter’s 2023 Season by Season™ Daily Planner looks like a winner.

Although it slips on its weekend pages and lacks design choices, there is still a lot to love.

Its 90-day seasonal windows help to organize your year by projects, while the weekday pages have space to plan.

October 13, 2022
How To Use A Daily Planner Effectively + Free Printable Template

Do you wish you could get more done during the week? Do you have great ideas that never seem to come to life? If you answered yes, it might be time to add a daily planner to your life.

Whether you use a paper or digital planner, writing your goals, ideas, and plans is a great way to organize your week and get more done.

If you need help starting or keeping a planner, fear not, because here is a list of tips you can use.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost, if you purchase using the links.

Practice consistency

Keeping a daily planner can be exciting and fulfilling. You faithfully log important dates, events, and goals in the early days. Then life happens. Before you know it, your planner is in the corner collecting dust.

Lack of consistency is one of the reasons people lose interest in keeping a daily planner. But consistency is the key.

Studies show that to develop a new habit, you need to do it consistently for it to take effect.

If you fail to use your planner daily, it’s easy to fall out of habit and stop using it altogether.

One of the ways I stay consistent in writing in my planner is by keeping it with me. I also keep it in places where I see it every day. This reminds me to keep writing in it and helps me make it a part of my daily routine.

Record as much as you can

People tend to think they can remember a whole host of minor details and facts in the confines of their heads. I used to be one of those people.

But the experience taught me that it could be hard to keep track when I have multiple tasks ahead of me, such as appointments, holidays, meetings, and even grocery shopping.

Research shows that we remember things better when we write things down. I learned to take the time to write down all of the events I have going on. As a result, I can free up my mind to think about more important things. Ultimately, I felt l less overwhelmed and more at ease.

Keeping a planner not only helps you to stay organized but can give you a clearer head too.

Use a smaller-sized planner

If you’re worried about carrying a large planner, consider keeping a smaller-sized planner. A smaller planner can fit more easily in your backpack or a handbag.

Large, bulky desk planners can be aesthetically pleasing, but they’re just not as practical.

By choosing a planner that is more compact, you can take notes on the go.

As new tasks or activities come up throughout the day, you can whip out your smaller-sized planner on the spot.

Don’t stress about filling it in

Many people think that it’s pointless having a planner if they don’t fill in every available space, but this isn’t the case.

Your planner should be a direct reflection of your life. Some weeks might be empty, but others might be packed with tasks, events, or reminders. Enjoy the weeks when you don’t have as much to do.

If you enjoy writing things down but don’t necessarily have much to fill in your planner, you should consider keeping a diary too.

This will help you jot down any thoughts and ideas floating around your head and will also help to satisfy your craving to write things down.

Personalize your daily planner

The prospect of making it look aesthetically pleasing can give you an incentive to start keeping a planner.

There are so many ways that you can spruce up a boring old planner by filling it with drawings, quotes, and stickers.

You can style it according to your unique style and taste because, after all, a planner should be a reflection of you and your daily life.

Pinterest has many ideas on how to accessorize your planner, so why not look to find some inspiration?

Use action words with each task

If you want to complete a task, use action words. This will help you get it done. Action words can include things like “create,” “organize,” and “research.” Using action words will make you more likely to complete the task.

Add a goal-tracking section

If you want to stay on top of your habits, add a goal-tracking section.

Having a goal-tracking section in your planner is an excellent way to keep track of things like how much water you drink each day or your workout schedule.

This could help provide structure to your day. The goal-tracking section helps you keep track of your plans and reminds you why they are important. You’ll be more likely to achieve these goals if they’re written and visible.

Final thoughts

Keeping a daily planner is a fantastic way to track all your tasks and activities. Over the years, I have come to love a variety of planners and notebooks. One of them is the Erin Condren LifePlanner. You can find out more by watching the video below.

Remember to have fun, no matter what type of planner you choose.

October 3, 2022
How to Prepare for the Week Ahead in 5 Easy Steps

If your life is anything like mine, you have a lot going on. Every week is full of work assignments, family commitments, goals, and dreams. I remember ending some weeks on top of the world, and other weeks, I felt like I didn’t accomplish much.

Photo from Shutterstock

And sometimes, I ended my week feeling overwhelmed. Does any of this sound familiar to you?

Planning your week is a great way to stay on top of everything and avoid last-minute disasters. This post outlines what works for me in five easy steps to prepare for the week ahead. As you read through, I encourage you to apply the steps that work for you and eliminate anything that doesn’t.

Disclosure: This page contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission, at no extra cost to you, if you purchase using the links.

Step #1 — List

One of the best ways to prepare for a busy week is by setting aside time on the weekend — either Saturday or Sunday — to list all of your meetings, appointments, tasks, and commitments for the upcoming week. Also, include any goals or projects that need your attention. Don’t worry about how many items you list, as some of the things you want to work on may flow into the following week. By getting everything out of your head, you can see what’s ahead of you. With a plan in place for the whole week, I wake up on Monday feeling more organized and ready to take on the week.

Click here to read the blog post on how to add calm and focus to your life.

Step #2 — Categorize

Once I list all my thoughts and tasks, I group everything into different categories. I encourage you to create categories that work for you. The categories I use for my system are:

Business, faith, medical, self-care, home-life, connections, and fun.

As you categorize your tasks, you can use one or more of the following tools:

A whiteboard or flip-chart paper posted on a wall

A journal or PowerSheets planner

An electronic document

Use the display that works best for you and keep it where you can see it every day. Then, as you go through your week, mark off everything you complete. If you cannot complete a task, move it to the next day or the following week.

Step #3 — Organize

To help organize your tasks, you can use lots of systems. I like the Eisenhower Matrix, which allows you to decide which tasks are most important by categorizing them into four boxes. It’s a simple decision-making tool that can help clear up your schedule so it will be more organized and efficient.

Stephen Covey popularized the Urgent-Important Matrix in his best-selling book The 7 Habits Of Highly Effective People. This habit is named after Dwight D Eisenhower, who organized his obligations so that only matters of importance and urgency came across his desk.

But there is a clear distinction between important and urgent tasks.

Urgent tasks are the ones that demand your attention. A good example is an email from someone who needs a report by the end of the day.

Important tasks are the backbone of all other work. With important tasks, you have more time than you do with urgent tasks. For important tasks, apply a deadline and work on them until they are complete. Then, monitor your progress to ensure that the tasks don’t become urgent due to procrastination or missed deadlines.

Step #4 — Schedule

When planning your schedule, make sure to balance your week by choosing the important and urgent tasks from each category. If some tasks seem more pressing than others, use those as priorities for planning out what needs to be done first so they don’t fall through the cracks.

Step #5 — Reflect

Well done! You’ve made it to the end of another week. Take some time for yourself and do a weekly reflection. What are your thoughts on how things went this time around? Do any tasks need moving to next week? Make a note of anything that didn’t go well to make changes.

Photo from Adobe Stock

February 8, 2022