Episode 14: New year, new planner?

00:00 Before we get going, I have an invitation for you. If you're ready to find out how much easier it becomes to get things done when you have Make It Happen Club in your life? The doors are open to new members right now and i would love for you to join us! So Make It Happen club is a calm quiet sanctuary where you get the clarity focus and motivation you need Hello and welcome to Unfrazzle with me Louise Miller. If you're a solo business owner and you have a big exciting vision and loads of ideas that you want to get out in the world but without drowning in a sea of overwhelm, then this is the podcast for you. Each week I'll be sharing bite-sized insights to help you stop faffing and stay focused so you can make your brilliant ideas happen and make a bigger impact in the world It's time to step away from the hustle and find a kinder more sustainable approach to productivity So grab yourself a cuppa and let's get started

01:28 Any moment now there's going to be a skirmish of well-intentioned folks waxing lyrical about all the things you need to do to make 2024 your best year ever. Don't get me wrong, for many including me January 1st carries a clean slate feeling that can be great for forming new habits and doing things differently and I love reflecting on the last 12 months and setting intentions for the year ahead But one of the things I don't like about this time of year is so many planners everywhere you look. I mean, I love stationary as much as the next person but the idea that there's a perfect planner out there that will solve all of your problems? I just don't buy it because i've seen it too often. People launching into a new year with really great intentions being seduced by all of the marketing and buying a beautiful new planner and deciding that this is the year they're going to get everything under control

02:24 But by February that shiny new system that they thought would work for them has fallen by the wayside. So how do I know this? Because, I've been there myself and some of you will have heard me talking about my attempts to implement David Allen's Getting Things Done System back in 2006 and many of my clients have been there too You know, we've gone all in on someone else's idea of what successful planning an organization looks like and then ended up feeling less than when it didn't work out. And here is the thing right? Successful planning is about finding what works for you over time It doesn't come from a big surge of New Year energy that makes you feel like Superwoman for about 5 minutes until the rush wears off and reality kicks in

03:12 Successful planning that helps you focus all year round and not just during the first few weeks of January is about getting curious, it's about finding what works and what doesn't work for you. And I do have a tool that can help you with that, that will help you to stop wasting time on things that don't work. So i will share a link to that in the show notes if your interested but just to say y'know im not here to shame anyone who enjoys using planners If they make you feel good, if you've found one that works for you then thats absolutely great But if you spent years bouncing from planner to planner In a desperate search to find the right one perhaps its time to try something different

03:51 So please be mindful of all the hype that's everywhere at this time of year and instead of getting swept up in the tide of New Year, new you messaging take it gently. Remember that you don't need fixing and give yourself a gift of space over the weeks ahead even if that means just carving out five minutes here and there because even those tiny macro moments can make all the difference when things feel busy Alright sending your lots of love I hope this helps and i'll see you again soon Thank you for listening to Unfrazzle. Sharing is caring so if you loved this episode please share it on your socials or head over to Spotify, iTunes or wherever you get your podcasts and leave me a review not only will I be hugely grateful your ratings and reviews will help others to find this podcast so that even more people can make their ideas happen thanks so much and see you next time