How to Build a Planning System That Fits You

I used to feel so pressured and confused by my daily tasks. I had so many todos taking up space in my mind, and I didn’t know where to put them. And when I finally realized that I needed to write these things down, I didn’t know how to prioritize what was essential to me or how many tasks I could reasonably take on in a day. I tried the GTD system, the Ivy Lee Method, quite a few Bullet Journal variations, and other more traditional planners. And from all of my experiments this is what I learned:

I learned that the system itself doesn’t really matter. What matters is that I build my planning around the reality of who I am: my imaginative and creative INFP personality type, my needs as a highly sensitive person with chronic pain and ADHD traits. Around living life with my husband, family and friends, but also around my need for solitude.

So to create a planning system that truly feels like me, I needed to borrow specific concepts from these systems that actually fit my needs and then let go of the rest. Through this kind of process I gained a better idea of what methods of getting things done are actually for me.

You may have noticed that in my work I often go from talking about highly intuitive and fanciful dreamwork to being practical and productive. That’s because you need to be able to understand your dreams to bring them closer to reality. And after that, you need a plan to make them real.

So are you ready to bring the things that you want to do and accomplish into reality in a way that fits who you are?

If so, here’s a curated list of articles and resources that will help you do just that:

Articles

• My Three Essential Steps to Better Productivity as a Highly Sensitive Person
• How to Keep the Structure of Your Planner Simple
• How to Tell if a Weekly Planner is for You
• Free Minimal Half-Page Planner Printables
• Free Half-Page Planner Index & Notes Printables
• How I Finally Learned to Plan as an INFP and Found Planner Peace
• I’ve Totally Revamped My Bullet Journal! Here’s What I Did to Make It Better.
• Combine Productivity with Fulfillment: Three Prompts for Adding Meaning to Your Todo List
• Using Journaling to Transform How You Plan for the Day
• Here’s My Easy Contemplation Practice for Improving Mental Clarity
• How to Plan When Life is Chaotic
• 5 Minute Organizing for Daily Clarity
• Creating a Balanced Daily Flow for Daily Clarity
• How I’m Learning to Work With My Creative Seasons
• I Used Ikigai to Find Creative Clarity
• The Craft of Effective Digital Vision Boarding

Podcast Episodes

• The Craft of Digital Vision Boarding
• My Favorite ADHD Friendly To-do Apps
• Dream Journaling with Tech
• Use Your Digital Notes to Save What Matters

Books & Downloads

• The Little Book of Tiny Tasks: Make Your Life More Calm While Getting Things Done 5 Minutes at a Time
• 44 Days of Pressure Free Productivity
• Thoughtful Planning:How to Use Questions for Self-reflection to Design Your Day
• The Life Alignment Audit: A Worksheet for Reconnecting With a Lifestyle That is True to Who You Are
• Wildly Flexible: Routines for Neurodivergent Rebels
• The Quiet Depths Collection: Gentle Resources for Creative, Sensitive People
• Idealist Dreams: How I Learned to Plan as an INFP

I hope you find these resources helpful in bringing your goals and dreams into reality! And if you would like to learn more about who I am and what I do as an intuitive writer, artist and self care coach, visit The Guide to the Blue Forest.

In the meantime, what do you think you can do to make the way you get things done feel more like you? Take some time to find the answer in your mind or share your thoughts.