Plan With Me: Erin Condren Horizontal Planner

Happy Saturday, my friends! It's Becky here, and on Saturdays, I like to film my "Plan with Me" video where I get ready for the following week. If you're new to these types of videos, I plan in my Erin Condren horizontal planner, which is a life planner that I use for both personal and work purposes. I like to get ready for the following week a couple of days in advance, so let's go ahead and get started!

This week, we're going to plan for the 20th through the 26th of March. Before we begin, let me remove the two things that I already have scheduled. I always like to use tiny Post-it notes to write down any notes ahead of time because I never know how I'm going to be planning that week.

Embracing the Transition to Spring

This week marks the official start of spring. Now, I don't know where you all live, but here in Colorado, it is still very cold. While it feels like spring is trying to make its appearance, it's not quite there yet. To symbolize the transition from winter to spring, I decided to use this Washi tape that has grey and floral patterns. The grey represents the lingering cold, while the flowers represent the hope of spring.

I always start by putting the top Washi tape on my planner. And this time, I have a brand new roll, so let's see if I can get it going... Ah, there we go! Perfect! Once you get it going, it's smooth sailing. This Washi tape is from Erin Condren, which is where I get most of my planner supplies.

Adding Some Fun and Function

Now, as you all know, I am a functional planner. So, let's go ahead and start off by putting some wacky or different holidays on the planner. I've been enjoying using the 2023 celebrations collection from Christian Designs. And for this week, we have a few noteworthy holidays to mark.

First, we have the first day of spring on the 20th of March. This is a great way to officially welcome the new season. On the 21st, we have Down Syndrome Day, which is very dear to my heart. I have a second cousin who was born with Down Syndrome, and he was an amazing and inspiring individual. Remembering him always brings a smile to my face. On the 23rd, we have Puppy Day, which is perfect because my life revolves around my two little pups, Linus and Leo.

And that's all we have for the week in terms of holidays. So, with the Washi tape and these holiday stickers, my planner is already looking colorful and exciting.

Mapping Out Weekly Tasks and Routines

Next, let's move on to mapping out my weekly tasks and routines. On Mondays, I usually have a busy day at work. I have to cover for one of my employees, so I'll make a note of that. I also have to do my procurement card allocation, as well as order lunch for tumor board, so I better remember to do that as well.

On Tuesdays, I have an early morning meeting at 7 am, followed by a meeting with my boss at 9:30 am. The rest of the day looks relatively clear, so I'll keep it open for any ad hoc tasks that may come up.

Wednesdays are special, as it's one of my former employees' birthdays. I want to make sure to text her and wish her a great day. I also have a class in the morning on "Six Clinical Practices for Leading Teams," which I'm really enjoying. The day will end with tumor board at 11:15 am and a department staff meeting at 1 pm.

For Thursdays, I don't have anything specific planned yet, but I'm sure I'll have some tasks to jot down as the week progresses. On Fridays, my boss Matt will be out, but I still want to meet with my team for one-on-one sessions from 11 am to 1 pm.

Adding Personal Touches and Reminders

In addition to work-related tasks, I like to incorporate personal reminders and activities into my planner. For example, I have a Payday sticker to mark my husband's payday, which is also a reminder of my YouTube payday on the 21st. I'm also making an effort to read more, so I have a book sticker to remind myself to start reading "The Giver of Stars" by Jojo Moyes.

I plan on going to church with my dad next Saturday since my husband will be out of town camping. Mass starts at 4:30 pm, so it'll be a nice opportunity to spend some quality time with my dad. I also need to work on my grocery list and go grocery shopping on Sunday to prepare for the week ahead.

To keep track of the week, I mark it as the last week of March with an orange marker. It's a small detail, but it gives me a sense of accomplishment as I make progress through the year.

Wrapping Up and Planning for the Budget

And just like that, my planning for the week is complete! This process always makes me feel more prepared and organized for the upcoming week. I've filled in my content schedule, noted important work meetings and events, and added personal touches to remind me of what's important to me.

I hope that each and every one of you is also having an amazing weekend, and I'm glad that I could be here as a form of company for you as you do your own planning for the week. Stay tuned for tomorrow's video, where I'll share the fourth week of March budget.

Take care, my friends, and see you soon!