Happy New Year. 2022 is finally here. As the year rolls out, it is time to set goals, plan and achieve all you have been thinking about for so long.
You thought about getting new planners. Searched on google and made googly eyes at the cute planners with stickers and extra bells and whistles or that beautiful moleskin.
You gobbled up tons of Youtube videos taking in people and their beautifully decorated planners and bullet journals. And it made you intimidated even to start because your planner does not look that pretty! Or You forgot to write them down because there are too many bells and whistles in that premade dated planner.
In the end, it did not see another daylight, stacking up on your bookshelf, dust- gathered, and your planning kicked out of the door because you felt intimidated or got bored.
Don’t do that.
Planning is simple. Understanding what you want specifically will help you fill up that planner much sooner than you can think.
That’s why I put emphasis on simple ways to plan your time. And on this blog, I will take you with me on to show you how you just need 8 things on your planner to plan your 2022 simply but effectively.
What do I use as my planner?
A simple blank notebook. Yes, just a simple, blank, spiral notebook. I find the un-dated white pages give me a sense of freedom while planning and I can change the way I plan when I think something is not working.
But if you prefer premade templates and dated pretty planners I have some recommendations for you all as well.
2022 Planner by Alicia Souza. Check it here. (this is an affiliate link which means you will not be charged anything extra but I will get a little commission. Please try to support me so that I can create more content at ease.)
1. So the first thing I have on the planner is a Welcome message to 2022
I like to imagine time as a sentient being (an overly imaginative reader-writer brain here, guys) who watches over me. Usually, they are neutral to the approach yet benevolent, giving me opportunities here and there.
So I start my year by welcoming the year and praying for a well-spent year.
2. Gratitude for 2021
2021 is a year we all probably be happy to forget. We suffered the devastating Second wave that hit my country too hard, and we are still bearing the wounds and scars.
But 2021 also helped us realise a lot of things, right? Regardless of how the year treated you, treated all of us, we are still alive to cherish some more time the life we have been bestowed. So thank the year, be grateful. And then we move on.
3. A vision board
Let us design a vision board. Unleash your creativity and make the vision board design as you want. I personally like to add them like sticky notes. Write down everything you want to achieve. Visualise them in your mind while writing; write in the present tense as if they have manifested already.
My suggestion here would be to write everything you want to achieve in your life or to make your “dream life”, even those that might seem unattainable. It does not hurt to write everything you want, right?
4. Yearly goals
Everything important starts from here. We need some time to make this part a bit more organised. Trackback a little and think. You need to do a review of the previous year. Take your trusty notebook out or your previous year’s planner and check what you achieved and what you did not.
If you achieved everything, you are the BOSS! But if you did not, like me, it’s fine. You know what to plan for in the coming year.
A good way to do this is through Shadow Work.
My currently Yearly Goals are divided into four parts: Career, Personal Brand and Business, Health and Mindfulness, Habits and Productivity. The last two are usually overlapped most of the time. You can add things that are your top priority.
5. Quarterly Goals
It’s easier to measure the metrics or habits and goals if you keep them shorter. It’s easier to break your long term goals into short term goals to give you enough time actually to perform them consistently. Like a chain reaction, every piece of goal should be placed in a way that it reaches back to the long-term goal.
I break my yearly goals into four quarters and assign small attainable goals that can ultimately take me to my bigger goal. The same four criteria mentioned above get an upgrade through every quarter.
6. Monthly Goals
Now for your monthly goals, chop the quarterly goals into smaller monthly goals. You might want to step back once more and think. Pick one goal from your yearly or quarterly goals and think that how you can achieve it? What steps are there that you have to take to reach it? Can you break it into shorter goals and eventually reach them? Boom! You get your monthly goals. Write them down as we move on to to the next part.
Pro tip: Add S.M.A.R.T goals.
- S – Specific
- M – Measurable
- A – Attainable
- R – Relevant
- T – Time Bound
7. Weekly Goals
Nitty -grits! That is what I call them. Because now we are down to even shorter-term goals to achieve. Use the same S.M.A.R.T process and break every month into 4 weeks. Smaller achievable goals are all we need.
8. Daily to-do lists
There is something very satisfying to check all the boxes of each work. I guess it is of no more suspense that the daily to-do was coming on in the list. While creating daily To-dos think about the small steps you can take to reach that weekly goal and monthly goal.
Now some issues might arise, especially if you are a starter:
- Do not feel intimidated
I understand if you’re going “Holy Shit!” internally after reading this post but there is nothing intimidating is going on here. Just give it some time and think. All the pieces will fall in their places themselves.
- Get ready to embrace the chaos
Even after very carefully planning your whole life out, there can be things that cannot be planned. There will be sudden things, an upcoming surprise party, a quick run to the med store anything small and big. It’s fine. Do not beat yourself up for not following your perfect routine.
- Build systems and just not goals
Don’t just meet goals but also create a system. Plan systematically and build good habits.
Happy planning. I hope your 2022 becomes prosperous.
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Let’s meet
Bookish Veenita 
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