If I’m honest there are plenty of things I cannot do without. Sleep which I’ve made a priority for me and which is part of my self-care routine is right up at the top. But I’d also add in meditation another must that helps with my serenity and mental health. Connections with my support system another must on my list. But throughout it all my planner is a key component.

My planner isn’t just a planner it’s more of a system. Anyone who has a planner, whether like me it’s on paper or online, will always tell you it’s a system not just a bundle of pages. It’s a life line that keeps me on track but also has huge benefits for my mental health.

The Benefits Of Having A Planner System.

There are many benefits of having a good planning system in place for your life. I’ve listed some here but this list is not all inclusive. You’ll probably find that you gain a lot from the right planner system for you. Not just in work but also in your personal life as well as for your mental and physical health.

For me having a planning system in place really benefited my mental health. That was one of the biggest reasons I have kept a system in place over the last thirty years. So how will it benefit you?

1 You Can See All Of Your Responsibilities At A Glance.

Having a planner system where you can see everything that you need to do at a glance is so important. You don’t need to worry about forgetting to do something. You can check it and add in items at any time. Remember though to keep it simple, accessible and flexible so that it will also reduce your stress levels.

2 You Get To Prioritize What Is Important For You.

A good planning system will help you keep what’s most important at the top of your list. A weekly review and reevaluation of your priorities every 3 months will also help keep that list to a manageable size.

It’s all too easy to become overwhelmed and tied up by things that are not important or a priority for us. Making those tasks you need to prioritize more visible will help keep you on track and less overwhelmed.

3 You Can Coordinate More Easily With Others.

Good communication and coordination with others in our lives is vital for an easier life/work balance. Make sure your system allows for easy communication with your partner, family, friends, and colleagues.

One example: As parents we try to keep track of everything our family is doing but this can be hard. Again keep it simple, flexible and accessible for all family members. An online planning system which you, your partner and your children, if old enough, can coordinate with one another might be the best method for this. This will cut back on time wasting and miscommunication issues.

4 You’ll Be More Productive In Work.

Not only will you be able to track projects and due dates but other vital information also. You can keep track of essential data, hit targets, note time spent on each task and project. Plus delegate more easily as you can see what each person is doing. It will also enable you to break larger projects and goals into more manageable tasks.

So instead of feeling overwhelmed you’ll see that you can achieve things when you plan them out. You can also coordinate and communicate more effectively with colleagues saving you time and money.

5 You’ll Feel Less Stressed.

Being able to keep a clear eye on what you need to do will enable you to reduce your overall workload. Remember there are only so many hours in the day. You are only one person and you can only complete so much.

If our schedule is overloaded this is very counterproductive in more ways than one. Our stress levels go up, our sleep goes down, our mental and physical health suffers and so does our productivity.

Our schedule needs to be realistic. We need down time plus we need a sense of accomplishment, of actually getting those jobs ticked off our list. Or else we feel it’s a never ending cycle of work and things we hate to do.

Each time we cross something off that list or put a tick on that tracker we get a boost to our mental health. We feel like we are that bit closer to our goals and we gain a greater sense of achievement also.

6 You Can Get Clear On What Time You Have For You.

If you don’t have a planner system it’s all too easy to not schedule in your personal life. It can be all too easy for your work or other people to take over your life. If we don’t have a system in place then we won’t schedule in time for ourselves. Our mental health will suffer as will our relationships. We have to make time for what is important to us, not just in work but in the rest of our life as well.

We need that time off for our basic self-care, our creativity, as well as time with our children, partner, family and friends. It can be a fine balancing act at times. But if we remember that it’s a life/work balance we are after not a work/life balance then we might achieve it with the help of our planner.

A Word On Keeping A Journal As Part Of Your Planner.

In my planner system I’ve also included a journal. I use it for a couple of reasons and I know how much using it has helped my mental health.

Primarily I use it to complete a nightly brain dump and secondly to practice some gratitude. Both are well documented as having huge benefits for our mental and physical health. Let me see if I can convince you to include a journal as part of your system.

The Benefits Of Using A Journal.

Research shows us that journaling has huge benefits for both mental and physical health. Here are just a simple of these benefits.

1. It acts as a stressmanagement tool.
2. Plus can be used as a tool to help  anxietyand depression
3. It also has been shown to benefit asthma, rheumatoid arthritis and other health conditions including strengthening our immune system.
4. It improves cognitive functioning.
5. Plus it helps our right brain to create freely.
6. It removes mental blocks and allows us to use all of our brain power to better understand our self, others and the world around us.
7. So perhaps our ancestors had it right when they kept that diary.

If you include a nightly brain dump in your journal you will also help your mental and physical health. A brain dump is brilliant as a pressure release value last thing at night. But it works just as effectively at any time during the day when we feel overwhelmed, anxious or stressed.

It is an effective way to clear your mind before bed. As you dump out everything that is on your mind at that time. It instructs the mind to let these items go. Thus freeing up some space and helping us to relax better. This does improve your night’s sleep.

The Benefits of A Nightly Brain Dump.

Some of the benefits of a nightly brain dump include:

1. It helps you relax and get a better night’s sleep.
2. Helps improve your focus, problem solving skills and productivity.
3. Making note of information will actually get your mind to remember and take more notice of it.
4. It keeps important data in one location for ease of access and time saving.
5. Your stress, anxiety and depression will ease. Letting things out of our minds rather than locking them in really does help symptoms.
6. It also helps you keep things in perspective.
7. It can be used to review your priorities on a regular bias.

Remember a brain dump is a very effective tool that can be used at any time. So the next time you don’t know what to do next or are feeling a bit unmotivated? Then complete a brain dump, pick one 2 to 5 minute item off that list and get started again.

Planning Is An Evolving Process.

My personal planning system is still evolving and I think it always will be as I change and grow. It’s been a hugely beneficial system in my life for over thirty years as I raised my family. So I don’t think I could do without it now.

Remember just because one system works for someone it doesn’t mean it will work for you. Never be afraid to adjust, adapt and change up someone else’s planning system to suit your lifestyle.

Reach Out For Support.

Remember you are allowed to ask for support. No one is an island. In fact I would strongly advice you make sure you create a positive support system before you start to make any changes in your life. One part of that positive support system is working a therapist. Please reach out to a local therapist if you need to.

My Workbooks

I offer a variety of tips and discuss a range of topics in my workbooks The Building Blocks Of Self-Care, Moving Towards Self-forgiveness, The Little Book Of Reflection And Gratitude and Building Acceptance Into Your Life. You can purchase them on Amazon or here.