This post is sponsored by AT-A-GLANCE. All opinions are ours alone.
Using the phrase “in these uncertain times” has started to become ubiquitous, even car dealerships are using it when trying to commiserate AND convince us that a new truck might help. So, what are you doing during these uncertain times to get some peace, manage emotions and escape? We’ve tried everything from eating the entire loaf of quarantine sourdough we baked to locking ourselves in the closet to hide from our small humans. And while these options are effective temporarily, we also love to escape to our paper planners. It’s true! Even though we aren’t using them as much at the moment to plan out parties, doctor appointments and school events, there is so much a paper planner can be used for that can help during difficult times. Here are some of our favorite tips for how to use a paper planner:
1. It helps you focus on what’s important
A planner is the perfect place to spend time reflecting on what really matters. If you’re feeling a sad and worried, pull out your planner and make a list of what you are grateful for that day. Then, as the weeks go on you can revisit those lists. They are sure to help you hone in on what’s most important and fill you with gratitude at the same time!
2. It helps you see what you’ve accomplished
Is there anything better than crossing off a list? Nope, no drug can touch that high! And while your to-do lists might look a little different right now, making a list of what you are doing that day, big or small, and then crossing it off will give you a feeling of accomplishment and show you how much you are actually doing, even if there is more Netflix on the list then there was in January.
3. It helps you feel in control when nothing feels constant
Feeling out of control is the name of the game right now, and using a planner to keep track of what you can control can really help to manage any feelings of chaos you may be experiencing. You can track everything from your water intake to the chores that need done in your planner and be in full control of making sure they happen by following up with them in your planner.
4. It’s a safe place to confront difficult emotions
Treat your paper planner like a journal! It already has the ins and outs of everything you are doing each day and is a great place to track your emotions to help you make sense of them. Try anything from simply writing down your emotion each day in your calendar to writing a paragraph about how you are feeling in the notes section. Then, you can revisit them and see patterns of when certain emotions come which can really help with managing them!
5. It’s a creative outlet
It’s time to awaken the 14-year-old doodler inside of all of us! Your planner is the perfect place to color, letter and doodle, which is a wonderful creative outlet and way to unwind!
The possibilities when you open up a blank AT-A-GLANCE Elevation planner are endless, and it’s a fun and functional tool for managing these “uncertain times” that is so much more than a calendar!
I love to hang on to my planners after they are full and flip through them from time to time. Revisiting different seasons of my life is such a great way to keep perspective, and this crazy time will be quite the memory to revisit someday!
What are some of your favorite ways that you use your planner? We’d love to hear your ideas!
You can get your own AT-A-GLANCE Elevation planner at ataglance.com, Office Depot, and Amazon!
Happy planning!
ox. Liz and Sam
