Appreciation post: My simple monthly layout that saved me from burnout

I tried going all out with a fancy weekly spread for March, with color coding and doodles, but by the second week I stopped using it because it took too long to set up. So I stripped it back to just a monthly calendar and a basic task list on the next page. What I learned is that my brain can't handle all the extra fluff when I'm already stressed out. Has anyone else found that simpler spreads work better when life gets busy?

3 comments

3 Comments

robin59124d ago

Isn't it funny how we think more is better until we crash and burn? I tried washi tape and stickers once and ended up hating my planner within a week. Now I just use a black pen and a monthly grid. That's it. No frills. The simpler it is, the more I actually use it.

wesleyb2024d ago

all the extra fluff" is what buries me too. A blank monthly page and a sticky note is my go-to now.

charles_mitchell24d ago

Wait, didn't you used to be all about the fancy layouts and colored pens? I was the same way honestly. I used to think a planner had to look like a work of art to be useful. But after a few months of buying stickers and washi tape I never touched, I realized I was spending more time decorating than actually planning. That whole "less is more" thing finally clicked for me when I saw how much faster I got through my week with just a black pen and a monthly grid. Did it take you a while to come around to this way of thinking too?