Your guide to planning a new month like a pro!
If you’re not someone who’s into organization, you’re probably skeptical about the idea of monthly planning.
I mean, as an organization nerd, even I took my sweet time before jumping into this game. I thought daily scheduling was enough to keep me on top of my tasks.
I also believed that planning my month would take me away from the flow of life. Boy, I was so wrong.
Turns out that planning your month is the key to keeping life sweet, stressfree, and put-together.
Every new month offers you the opportunity to reset your life and make something good of your life.
And when you plan your month in advance, you honor this opportunity and hold yourself accountable to chase down your goals.
A solid monthly plan can make everything in your life less overwhelming and more achievable.
Whether you’re juggling work, social life, hobbies, or just trying to keep your plants alive (been there), this post is for you.
We are going to look 14 simple ways to plan your month without stress!
Ready? Let’s dive in!
14 Smart Tips To Plan Your Month
1. Start With a Brain Dump
We’re going to start with the most sane thing you can do to let out all the insanity in your mind — a brain dump.
What will you need? Your fav notebook or the Notes app if you’re digital-savvy. Grab one of these two and just let it all out.
Grab your favorite notebook (or your Notes app if you’re digital-savvy) and just let it all out.
Appointments, tasks, ideas, goals, and even random thoughts like “Should I finally start that pottery class?”, you are going to write down every single thing on your mind.
This first step will clear up your mental clutter and give you a bird’s-eye view of everything you’re working with.
Side tip: Use different colored pens or emojis to separate categories—work, personal, health, social, etc. It’ll make things pop and keep you engaged.
2. Set Your Monthly Goals
Now that you’ve got everything out of your head, let’s focus on what actually matters for the month, which is goals.
What, you didn’t think we’d plan the month without any goals, did you? That’s just not possible.
Now, you absolutely do not need to set mammoth goals here. Every month will look different for every person.
February might be the month of love for most of the world, but for you, it could mean celebrating self-love or doing a short health challenge.
So, ask yourself these questions:
- What do I want to achieve this month?
- What’s one thing that will make me feel accomplished?
Once you know what areas of life you want to pour into, set SMART goals (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound)
Instead of saying, “Get fit,” go with, “Work out 3 times a week and drink 2 liters of water daily.”
And please, limit yourself to 3-5 big goals. Nobody needs a 20-item to-do list screaming at them every day.
3. Theme Your Weeks
Let’s make planning a little less chaotic and a little more stylish. Pick a theme for each week to keep yourself focused!
For example:
- Week 1: Organize my space
- Week 2: Social connections (hello, coffee dates and calls!)
- Week 3: Self-care and downtime
- Week 4: Work projects
By giving each week a vibe, you’ll feel more balanced and less like you’re trying to do everything at once.
This tip works really well for me during the months when I want to keep it all balanced.
I get to carry forward whatever habits I like from week 1 and then work with new habits during week 2 and so on. It’s fun and doesn’t complicate my month at all.
4. Break It Down By Day
Once you’ve got your monthly goals and themes, it’s time to zoom in.
Your days are what make up your week, which then makes up your month. So, everyday goals matter too.
At the start of every week, split your goals into bite-sized daily tasks so that you achieve something by the end of the week.
If one of your goals for the month is to finish a book, maybe aim to read two chapters every night before bed.
If you have a big project to work on, you could break it into manageable milestones that you can tackle every day.
Read later: How To Plan Your Day: 8 Tips For Effective Daily Planning
5. Create a Calendar You Actually Want to Look At
If your calendar feels like a chaotic mess, you’re not going to use it. Period. So make it pretty!
Use stickers, washi tape, and colors to make your own calendar and stick it on your cupboard.
If you’re not a fan of creating stuff, I get you, my friend. I am not big on glue and colors either, but that’s what we have technology for.
You can use Google Calendar to map out your weeks and the whole month, or just create a schedule by the day using fun colors.
It’s something you’ll want to keep checking every few hours to keep yourself on track.
Here are things you should add to your calendar:
- Your work hours
- Appointments and deadlines
- Fun plans like brunches or movie nights
- Workouts
- Self-care rituals
- Bedtime
Might help: How To Create A Daily Routine That Works For You – 7 Easy Tips
6. Schedule a Planning Day
Now, the most important part of planning your month is the planning part, of course.
Often, we know we have to do something, yet the time to actually do it passes by and then we put it off for the next month.
So, at the start of the new month, or at the end of the old month, set aside a day to actually do your planning.
This doesn’t mean you’ll spend the whole day planning. Just give an hour of your time, please.
Light a scented candle, make yourself some tea, and make it a whole vibe.
Review what worked last month and what didn’t, then adjust and set your new goals accordingly.
Also, take time to celebrate your wins from the previous month, no matter how small they are.
Did you drink more water? Check! Finally decluttered that one drawer? Gold star for you!
Pat yourself on the back for every big and small accomplishment, and then step into the new month with a clean slate.
7. Make a Master To-Do List
Some tasks don’t fit neatly into a weekly plan but still need to be done. I like to list such tasks together and call it a master list.
Your master list for the month will consist of all ‘anything’ tasks, like replacing your air filter or finally sending that email you’ve been putting off.
Keep this list separate from your daily to-dos and make it a point to do at least one thing off of it every week (at whatever random time suits you).
8. Add Buffer Time
No matter how well-planned you are in life, things happen. Meetings run over, traffic sucks, and sometimes you just need a nap.
That’s why it’s important to build in some wiggle room to your schedule (both daily and weekly) so that you’re not scrambling when things go off track.
There should be at least one to two hours in your daily schedule that don’t have anything planned. You can spend it in whatever way you want when the time comes.
As for your week, there should be at least one free day or evening for spontaneity. You’ll thank yourself later for this.
9. Track Your Habits
Whether you’re trying to drink more water, meditate, or get 8 hours of sleep, tracking your habits can be super motivating.
Use a habit tracker app or just draw one in your planner, and keep a track of your top habits.
Simple habits you can track daily:
- 10 minutes morning meditation
- 8 glasses of water
- 20 minutes exercise
- 5k steps
- Morning and evening skincare
You don’t need to aim for perfection here. It’s totally cool to miss a day with one or more of your habits.
Just get back on track the next day and try not to overexert yourself.
10. Plan For Fun
I don’t care how busy a bee you are. Your month just cannot and should not be about all work and responsibilities.
You have to live your best life, no matter what!
So, please, schedule some things in your month that you’ll genuinely look forward to.
This can be a spa day, a solo date at the cinema, or trying a new restaurant with friends.
Treat your fun plans with the same importance as your work meetings. And protect this time like your sanity depends on it (because it kind of does).
11. Meal Plan Like a Pro
Food is your fuel for everything in life, but let’s be honest, nobody wants to spend 20 minutes every night wondering what to cook.
So, at the start of every new week of your month, take an hour just to plan your meals for the coming 7 days and save yourself the stress.
You’ll save some money along the way by avoiding random takeout.
I’d also suggest prepping some ingredients in advance, like chopped veggies, cooked grains, or even full meals.
This will make the job of cooking your meals very easy for the coming two-three days.
12. Check In Weekly
Planning doesn’t end after day one, you know. You gotta stay active with your planning by reviewing regularly.
Otherwise, you may lose motivation trying to stay rigid and not adapt.
Every Sunday, spare 15 minutes to review your week, adjust your plans, and set intentions for the next week.
Think of this as a small life reset.
You should also use this time to quickly prioritize your to-do list for the coming week. What’s urgent? What can wait? What can you delegate?
Answering these questions will help you put focus on what’s the most important and avoid wasting time on less important tasks.
13. Be Willing To Adapt
Even the best-laid plans can go sideways. And that’s okay!
We’re humans at the end of the day, and we need adjustments and rest in life, plenty of them actually.
If you find out mid-month that something isn’t working for you, feel free to ditch it, but instead of leaving the space empty, replace the ditched goal with something new.
Like, let’s say you find out you don’t want to exercise every day, as you’d decided at the beginning of the month.
No biggie. Just swap out this goal with weekly exercise instead, and challenge yourself to walk for 20 minutes a day instead. Makes sense?
Be willing to pivot if something isn’t working. Your plan is there to serve you, not the other way around.
14. Reflect At The End Of Month
At the end of the month, take some time to reflect the month that’s just gone by.
What went well? What didn’t? What’s one thing you want to improve on?
Use these insights to fine-tune your approach for the new month.
I also like to write down one highlight from the month.
This helps me practice gratitude and end my month on a positive note, regardless of my setbacks (which are inevitable).
Start Planning Your Months!
So, these are the 14 things you can do to plan your month smartly.
You basically do all of this at the start or end of a month, and then repeat when it’s time to step into the next month.
By taking the time to organize your goals, scheduling your priorities, and leaving room for joy, you’ll be setting yourself up for a month that’s both productive and fulfilling.
So grab your favorite planner or digital tool, pour yourself a cup of coffee, and have a happy time planning your month!
Read next: How To Organize Your Life In One Month
Was the post helpful? If yes, then let me know two of your favorite tips in the comment box. Thank you for sticking with me till the end!
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