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As a full-time worker with a passion for homesteading, I find myself juggling a lot of different tasks every single day. From tending to my garden, raising chickens, cooking and household tasks, plus meeting deadlines at work, it can feel overwhelming. One thing I’ve learned along the way is that procrastination and lack of focus (squirrel brain), especially when it feels like there’s just too much to do and not enough hours in the day.
I’ve tried a lot of planners over the years—some simple, some complex. Nothing seemed to work quite right. I often found myself filling out a planner, only to completely forget about it or forget half of what I had written down until it was too late. That’s when I decided to take matters into my own hands and create something truly tailored to my lifestyle.
I came up with a one-page “planner” that has helped me finally stay on track and stop “forgetting” important tasks, appointments or the chaos of too many tasks without a plan of attack. And today, I want to share it with you!
The Issue with Traditional Planners
We’ve all been there: you sit down with your beautiful new planner, ready to take on the world, only to forget about in a few weeks. Then you come back to it, forget it again, and eventually just give up. The problem is, life isn’t always that straightforward, especially when you’re balancing a full-time job and a homesteading dream.
Sometimes, you just need a little bit of space to process everything swirling in your head, without loosing it when it gets put on top of a doom pile. And when that doesn’t work, procrastination creeps in because you feel stuck and overwhelmed.
Introducing My Simple One-Page Planner
This isn’t a traditional planner. It’s a flexible tool designed to help you brain dump, organize, and time-block your day or week, without feeling overwhelmed. Here’s what makes it different:
1. Brain Dump Section
Sometimes, the first step to overcoming procrastination is simply getting everything out of your head. My planner includes space where you can jot down anything and everything you need to remember. Whether it’s a random task like “buy more compost” or “schedule dentist appointment,” or a more complicated thought like “finish the garden design” or “review homesteading budget,” this space allows you to quickly write down all the things floating in your mind.
2. Categories for Focus
After your brain dump, it’s time to make sense of everything. The planner includes different categories to help you organize your tasks. You can sort your brain dump into different sections, such as:
- Call
- Status Check
- Create
- Clean
- Remember
- Tasks
This helps you categorize areas of your life so you can batch tasks and not get distracted (so much) while .
3. Clock Face for Time-Blocking
This is one of the most useful elements of the planner: a clock face where you can block out time for different tasks. I’m a big believer in time-blocking, and having a visual clock right on my planner helps me focus and stay on track. Whether you’re blocking out an hour for work tasks, a chunk of time for homesteading, or setting aside some relaxation, you can easily plan out your priorities. This also helps prevent procrastination because it turns your intentions into actual timeframes.
4. Visible and Prominent
I designed this planner to be something you can hang up and see throughout the day. There’s nothing worse than filling out a planner and then burying it in a drawer where you’ll forget about it. By keeping your planner in plain sight—whether it’s on the fridge, on a bulletin board, or right above your desk—it serves as a constant reminder to keep you focused.
Why This Works
The beauty of this planner is its simplicity. It’s not overly complicated or rigid, which means it’s easy to customize and adapt to your own needs. It combines the benefits of a brain dump, a to-do list, time-blocking, and prioritization—all on one sheet of paper.
Instead of having a million notebooks or apps to track your tasks and update constantly, this one-page planner keeps it all in one place, ensuring that you have a clear vision for the day or week ahead. Plus, by visually seeing your schedule and tasks, you’re far less likely to procrastinate. It’s simple, effective, and totally stress-free.
The other thing I do is hang the page up at work where I can see it at any time. I hang, using a document hanger on my computer monitor. That way it’s always in eye sight, so I don’t forget and doesn’t get piled under other papers. Grab one here!
Get Your Free Planner
I’m so excited to share this with you, and I truly hope it helps you as much as it’s helped me. It’s a game-changer when it comes to staying focused and overcoming procrastination—whether you’re working a full-time job, running a homestead, or just trying to keep your life organized.
If you’d like to try it out, I’ve created a free downloadable version of the planner that you can print and start using right away.
Click here to download your free one-page planner!
I’d love to hear how this planner works for you! Let me know if it helps you stay focused and tackle your to-do list. Feel free to reach out with any suggestions or ways you’ve customized it for your own life.
Remember, it’s all about finding what works for you—and sometimes, that means breaking away from traditional methods and creating something that fits your unique rhythm.
Happy planning and stay focused!
