Looking for a way to keep your days on track and your to do list under control? Grab a free daily page calendar template and start planning with purpose.
I’ve used a planner since the 7th grade, but I’ve never used one with hourly time slots. For some reason, I balk a little bit at the rigid schedule of an hourly schedule. I know that’s slightly ironic seeing that I love planning.
I’ve tried them out several times, but I always go back to blank lines because I love the flexibility. I guess I’m one of those people that just doesn’t like the hard and fast commitment that comes with those time slots.
My love of flexibility worked out fine as a single person and even as a young married, but as a mom, it lead me to over plan, stress, and ultimately feel overwhelmed. Now, those little hourly lines are my best friend. Everyday has a variety of things that need to get done, and seeing things bounded by time helps me not over plan the day.
If you’re like I used to be, try it. I promise you’ll find some real peace when you realize that your time is full and it makes it a lot easier to say no – or at least bargain with your kiddos on what you’ll have to trade out to accomplish their requests.
How I Use My Daily Calendar
When I first started using a daily page with hour time slots I felt like I couldn’t do it. I was a chronic maker of to do lists and there just weren’t enough lines for me to write everything down. After quite a few weeks of trying, I came up with several ideas that make using a daily calendar a bit easier:
- draw blocks , color code them if you’d like so that you can easily see where you’re spending most of your time
- don’t forget to schedule in some down time and breaks for meals, etc.
- look to see if you can batch like tasks together – one day you’ll run errands, another you’ll stay home and take care of cleaning and laundry. Even a half day of similar tasks saves you time
- Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t get some things done – move them to another day or delete from your schedule if it’s not necessary
- mark a star by 3 tasks that are going to be your main focus – work on those first and remind yourself that these tasks help move you forward
So are you ready to give a daily calendar with time slots a try? It’s been a game changer for me as I’ve stopped making to do lists that go on for days and instead focus on selecting and scheduling the most important tasks of my day. If you want to give it a shot, grab the free printable below.
