Extraordinary Dreams Require Extraordinary Planning
/It's no secret that I'm a proponent of getting out of my brain and into some realm of reality: paper, computer, calendar, another person;
anything to get my thoughts one step closer to actualization.
It can get exhausting, the extensive gathering of information about what it is I hope to accomplish, what's already been done, who I might connect with, how much time I have, and so many more considerations. I've found it difficult to keep a planning "routine" as my life lacks structure and I am full of excuses. (Really, just the latter)
With my life fully moved to Tennessee and the bus parked right outside, awaiting conversion, there are a million and one things going through my mind that truthfully, I probably should have planned for far in advance to this moment:
What's going to be the primary way I make money here?
How will we track our activities, purchases, and progress on the bus?
What's the best timeline for building the Skoolie TV show, and what are all the elements that need to be built for the platform?
When will Alhen and I have time for just us, outside of bus time?
Just to name a few.
That's why I partnered with Ink + Volt last month, to put their latest planner and daily list maker to the test.
Multiple projects, personal and professional, and the need for just enough structure to support me while I push some major boundaries.
Originally, I came across the first version of this planner, named the Spark Planner, a few years ago via Kickstart. Kate Matsudaira, a badass female entrepreneur who now has quite the team, caught my attention in the sea of "planner fever" and stood out with a sleek and minimalist design; a multitude of deep and direct prompts for the year, month, and week; and a block style weekly planner. As opposed to an hourly planner, which I have down to a tee within my Mac calendar, these blocks for Morning, Noon, and Night inspired me to use these spaces differently than for just keeping track of appointments.
I've tried many planners in the past, including the illustrious and showy Bullet Journal, which I do still enjoy. With the demand on my time and creativity for the school bus conversion and all of the independent governance of time that goes with this lifestyle, I needed just enough structure. This planner already has me off to a great start.
To help keep MYSELF on track, I'm going to blog about my experience with the initial planner setup, what it takes to develop a planning routine (IE self-accountability), how the prompts and formatting work with how I interpret information (because we are all different in that aspect), and overall, tips and implementable ideas you can apply to your planning lifestyle.
I received my planner at the beginning of this week. Now that I'm settled in Tennesee (!), I'm taking the weekend to get acquainted with the prompts and establish my goals from now until the completion of the planner in mid-2018. My planner begins the first week of August, so I have a couple of weeks to develop my system and routine. Until then, I'll be working on the plans for the skoolie and for establishing a more available consulting presence online.
Don't have a planner yet? Join me with your own Ink + Volt planner. Check out their website to see if their system works for you.
