How to Make Functional Planning EASY!

[@AmandasFavorites]

This video is sponsored by BetterHelp - go to betterhelp.com/amandasfavorites to get 10% off your first month!

[@pamhall2003]

I am 81 years old and have had a planner ever since I was a little girl.(my mother always had one also.) I could not live one day without it! Loved your video. Thank you.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Aw! I love knowing this Pam. How wonderful! I probably will be the same when I am your age;)

[@staceymeldrum4476]

Letting go of the need to have a picture perfect planner was the best thing I ever did. Actually used my planner properly instead of being too worried about writing with the wrong colour pen or making a mistake.

[@vanessasmith9646]

Totally!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Oh, good! I am so glad you feel the freedom to use your planners the way they best serve you!

[@haircandykina]

Same!

[@polyglotmona]

I like the tip “put 3 and do them and then pick 3 more”. Thank you 🙏

[@AmandasFavorites]

You're so welcome!

[@trnigyul]

I love this video Amanda, I love messy planning theres nothing more satisfying than flipping thru a completed planner and watching messy "life" on paper with all the scratches and random beauty documented with washi tape and stickers.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you:) I feel like it is satisfying too!

[@AsilEroom1]

Same! There is something beautiful to me when I flip back and see the cross offs, the highlights, the scribbles etc. It was me actually living my life.

[@Sarahbear2000]

This is probably my favorite video you’ve ever done! I just said in Patreon yesterday that I need to become a messy planner!!😂 I’m setting up a notebook right now!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Awwwww! That's high praise Sarah:) I am so glad this video resonated with you. I loved hearing about what you have been trying and where you are in your process last night on the Patreon Zoom call. You will find your groove. xxx

[@Dreblueskies]

I’m having a planner crisis and the first place I thought to go was your channel!! You have been such a great resource and inspiration for many years.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Aw, thank you so much for letting me know. Just give it time and trial...you will find what will work best this season:) xxx

[@Dreblueskies]

@ Thank you for the encouragement 🥰

[@janablanco3946]

I loved the little story about Rosie at the beginning, and the editing was fantastic! 😄 Watching this reminded me about your Golden Coil. My goals are spread all over the place at the moment, so I am going to grab a notebook I have lying around. and set up my goals for the second half of the year, then take it into next year if it is working for me. The thing that has been the most game changing for me is having a LD showing my monthly calendar and then my weekly list where I can see them at all times. And yes, as we’ve talked about, I am with you 100% on the function over beauty! Great video, Amanda! I am especially enjoying these where you share planning tips. I always get great ideas from them! 💕💖

[@AmandasFavorites]

I will love hearing how a "goals notebook" works for you Jana;) So far it's still working great for me. I love thinking each year I can consult and look back on the year before.

[@deborahsmith6782]

One of your best videos yet and I’ve watched almost all of them this year. I love your suggestions! Thanks for sharing how you use these planners and showing us how you use planners to improve your quality of life.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Wow, thank you! I am so glad this video was helpful & enjoyable:)

[@torijohnston8540]

I’ve been using planners for years but my thoughts are always scattered so I was thinking I needed to get multiple planners to keep me focused on one thing at a time. I appreciate this video.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Glad it was helpful!

[@kimfields1000]

Love how you ended this video with -you can make whatever planner you have right now work for you! The steps you gave help us do that 💛

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you Kim:) I do believe most of us can make whatever we have on our shelves work for us! Have a good weekend!

[@DMass942]

Excellent video. I love how you aren't trying to force all the things into one planner. I now give myself permission to break it down into 3 for the season I am in. Last year I tried to do Franklin Covey because I remembered how much I liked it 20 years ago. Big mistake. I am in a totally different season. Thanks for the video.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I hear ya on our seasons changing and what worked years ago just might not work now;) I am glad this video was helpful!

[@DMass942]

​@@AmandasFavoritesvery much so! TY!

[@momplans]

Amanda I love seeing your planning! I also tell everyone to have a Master Calendar - especially if you planner hop!!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Yes! I've heard you say that too! Honestly, I don't know what I would do without one!

[@leahmckee3906]

For number one, instead you can also get friction highlighters or just use pencil. Removable stickers also really work for functional planning for me. It doesn't have to be over the top, just some labels I can move around. Thank you, Amanda (and Pierce)!

[@Sarahbear2000]

I tend to use stickers or post it’s too. I can’t stand the frixion pens.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Great tips:) Thanks for sharing Leah:)

[@AmandasFavorites]

Gotcha Sarah- I know the frixion pens aren't for everyone!

[@emerydurow6076]

Your videos made me realize that passion planner weekly fits the season I’m in. I’ll be starting an EC academic planner in august to help me keep track of school stuff specifically. But I’ve done passion planner daily’s several times and they’re lovely but I need to see a full week right now. I got the same cover as you in B5 size and it’s helping so much.

[@marybaker8061]

❤❤ I remember helping with their Kickstarter and I love them! Good thoughts. .

[@AmandasFavorites]

Oh, good! I am glad that helped you:)

[@TanyaMord]

Love the passion planner!

[@AmandasFavorites]

I have enjoyed it a lot myself;) It's a great one!

[@kirivioletlynn9138]

This video is so helpful!! Thank you!

[@AmandasFavorites]

You are so welcome!

[@natalierainey6260]

Always love your videos but recently you have taken it even further. Really useful and relevant information. So nice to see your beautiful face as well 😁 thank you for your time and effort. Much appreciated.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you for those compliments Natalie:) xxx

[@RPBSpeaks]

This is one of the best videos on planners I’ve seen. Thank you so much for this 🎉 I no longer feel overwhelmed with the process. Also Ive been a list maker in a notebook 📓 for years and have tried to conform to whatever is trending. Now, I see I was just fine😂 Thanks 🎉

[@AmandasFavorites]

I am so happy to hear this was helpful! And I am glad you realize that the way you plan is perfect just the way it is!

[@ktdaum]

When your frixion pen erases in the heat, you can bring the writing back by putting your book in the freezer for an hour or so.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I have heard that. I should have shared that here. But I have never tested making that happen myself;)

[@nikoletahanakova8573]

Really? I have to try that, thanks for the tip.

[@Jollygood-br5pd]

I would have never considered passion planner but now I see it in a different light. You’re absolutely right about choosing something practical.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I am glad this video was helpful:)

[@YazWhyNY]

I've always liked the thought of a daily planner but haven't been able to find one without the time schedule. Why didn't I think of a notebook? Thanks for the idea! I loved it.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Glad it was helpful! I have a full video of my favorite notebooks to use as a daily planner here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/iXOopZSDnsdlrNE

[@rheldawilkinson3790]

Great video. I’ll be setting up a goal-setting book soon!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Awesome! Have fun with the process!

[@robinjulch3766]

I needed this video. I see the plan with me videos and feel like a loser because my planners are lined through and marked up. I am using an ECLP, but in January I am thinking about trying a Plum Paper. I am someone who only needs a weekly planner and occasionally need a daily list. Thank you for inspiring us. I am going to check out the goals video.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I am so glad to hear this was helpful:) Please never feel bad for your planner being used and looking functional! You are using it the way it serves you best:) And maybe you want to stay away from those videos that make you feel any negative feelings about your planning. xxx

[@wendykluge5286]

SUCH a helpful video Amanda! 😘

[@AmandasFavorites]

I'm so glad:) Thank you Wendy:)

[@spmamabear]

I use a monthly wall calendar as the "master planner" for stuff everyone has to be aware of, color coded to family members. Works much better with highlighters and gel ink pens with good saturation, than with stickers, I've found, too. Room for notes on the bottom. The one I bought this year for July 2024-December 2025 does not have the little month view for the previous and next month on the bottom, and I find myself missing it already. I keep a weekly layout planner in my bag wherever I go, synced with the family's master calendar, and used for planning homeschooling, farm stuff (goat due dates, planting and harvest dates etc), and volunteer fire/EMT activities, but any appointments off my farm also get entered into my phone calendar, which alert me at least an hour before the start of my drive time. We live very rural. It's a 40 minute drive to my chiropractor, a 70 minute drive to our dentist, 55 to the veterinarian. I need to be ready to go on time, because sometimes appointments need to be made 2 months in advance.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I love your alert an hour before drive time! Thanks for sharing:)

[@bitrudder3792]

Such practical tips! I definitely like to see the month at a glance. Lately I’ve been hybridizing Messi versus pretty by using posts and pencil more, and then entering what actually happened after the fact because so many things change at the last minute!

[@AmandasFavorites]

So true about things changing last minute!

[@Mamadriggs]

This is all SO helpful!

[@AmandasFavorites]

I'm so glad! Thank you:)

[@junaikendrick2486]

New Subbie and I'm a beginner and ready to learn how I can get my life in order with your tips of a planner. Glad to be a part of the channel.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Welcome on in! Thanks for taking time to introduce yourself;) Enjoy all my recent videos and let me know if you have questions;)

[@bitrudder3792]

For organizing projects, I’m a little bit addicted to OneNote 2010. I don’t have full functionality because I use it off-line these days, but it’s such a great place to organize your life in Digital notebooks with sections and subsections. So easy to move the pages and the sections around. I don’t know about you, but I always feel like there are tons of projects crying out for attention. And in the middle of that, you spring a leak somewhere in the house, or a bunch of angry wasps, make a nest over your front door, or the air conditioning in your car goes out and it’s 99° outside every day. Or you have a hurricane. And houseguests. And all the other things that need to be done still need to be done. OneNote shines for me because I can print my lists, and I can ask it to print out just my next actions. And it can be a little bit pretty, because it does come with a certain number of design templates if you want a little color or visual interest on your page. I can drag projects to a notebook of what I need to focus on right now, and just print that set of projects with as many of the steps as I want to look at, either all of them, or I can put check boxes by the ones that are the next actions. I can really focus my attention on the very next steps available to me. And print it. AND have it private on my own computer or not out in the cloud. I didn’t appreciate how everything to do with my digital to do list fell apart when I lost cell service as well as power at home and all Wi-Fi during and after the recent hurricane in my area. I have been too busy to keep up with my paper planning, and I felt so rattled and disorganized, and some important things fell through the cracks. Only the things that were printed out, already kept things a little bit sane: because on top of everything, I now had to deal with houseguests and hauling away what turned out to be 76 bags of tree fall debris (and we still have two large tree trunks to dispose of). Life happens. Organizing the steps of my projects, and printing them out Is a very good idea. (And then I follow the advice of not worrying about it being pretty. Because projects don’t always go smoothly, and I can write down changes on the pretty typed pages… And when it’s messy enough, I retype it and re-print it as needed.) Because some projects are huge with lots of overlapping tasks, as well as sequential ones that need to be dealt with.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you for taking the time to explain how you use Onenote and why you love it;) You had me laughing at many points and nodding and saying "yes" at others! Life does throw all that at us and more! I am glad all the yard debris is cleaned up and you are all safe!

[@301jules]

Love the sesame street 'animal' functional planning

[@marybaker8061]

❤❤ bravo! Nice to see this!

[@marybaker8061]

❤❤ this is so so good and I am so grateful!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you! 😃

[@AmandasFavorites]

You are welcome!

[@susannek4546]

Great video! I am in a planner paralysis mode lately so my current thing I am doing is listing out (with dates) which planner I think might fit me for '25. I have changed my mind a million times already since 7/2. Lol. I figure whichever one pops up the most by the end of September is the one I should just go ahead and get.

[@AmandasFavorites]

That sounds like a really good way to choose Susanne! I understand that with so many good choices it can be overwhelming! xxx

[@SimpliShelli]

Really great ideas! Thank you!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Glad you like them! Thanks for watching:)

[@Sarah_the_signing_stitcher]

Exactly what I needed to hear!!!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Oh, good! Have a great weekend!

[@vickiemendoza9252]

This was so good! probably because its the way I plan! lol

[@AmandasFavorites]

Yay for functional planning!

[@veggielovinaccountant]

Always love you girl! I’m currently experiencing planner regret as I am not liking my new EC compact vertical layout. 🤦🏼‍♀️ After all that expense, I am just not liking the layout like I thought I would. Yikes! I know! Might just go back to the EC monthly. 🤦🏼‍♀️

[@AmandasFavorites]

I understand. I think we all have experienced that at some point. Sometimes we just have to give it a try before we know. xxx

[@polishedandpoisedplanner]

When I decided that functionality was more important than pretty it helped free me to learn to be both. Great tips

[@AmandasFavorites]

100% !!

[@kimikobuford]

Amanda, I watch all your videos, but July is a crazy month for me for birthdays. August will be full of milestones as well. So I stopped to say I appreciate all videos❤❤ you’re always putting great content that we need to hear.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Awwww, thank you so much for this kind compliment Kim:) I hope you have a good rest of your summer with these busy celebrations!

[@hockeymomWA]

What a great video!!!! Well done. Great editing and filming😊. I love looking back at a messy and filled up planner.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thanks so much! 😊

[@MommaOsoIrish67]

The top 3vwas something I was introduced to in therapy! The master to do list is separate at the back. Only 3 to do's are allowed on a day... If i get those done, i can choose another from master list.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Oh, perfect! It does reduce a lot of stress and overwhelm!

[@MommaOsoIrish67]

@@AmandasFavorites absolutely. When she saw my planner, she exclaimed, "Good Lord! Just looking at this makes me feel overwhelmed! This is a recipe for paralysis! Your brain immediately convinced you that there's no way you can get this done! Stop it!*

[@bitrudder3792]

I don’t think there’s a planner out there that actually fits my life. That led me to disc binders, And making sure I had the punches for it. I could use free printable’s with ease, take notes in different size, planners and gather them in one bigger planner as needed. And I can make my own pages. Planner Annie did a tutorial on making a planner in one note that inspired me to make my own pages. On her planner, you could do everything digitally, but I wanted paper, and I was amazed that I could create such professional looking calendars, etc. on the current version of OneNote (which is free!). It’s a really cool way to organize the different places online that you need to visit regularly, just by inserting links on a checklist. Getting your online work done can be smooth and seamless like that, as well.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you for sharing your functional system! Sounds wonderful:)

[@heathersheartco]

Oh that’s interesting. So thst gold coil planner just looks like a type of blank sketchbook which you’re using as a planner? Love thst ❤️❤️❤️😊

[@AmandasFavorites]

You can build a Golden Coil Planner or notebook:) I just built a notebook with the pages I want in it. I have a full video talking about it here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jl7Wo5iGqZ6onZI

[@bitrudder3792]

Sometimes my “daily planner” is a piece of scratch paper that has some thing defunct on the other side of it… I write down the most important things, and I can stick it in my pocket or my purse when I’m on the go. And I can jot things down on the go. My dream is that I will be faithful to transcribe anything that needs transcribing on the day that I write it. And then shred it, so I never am tempted to keep it… I do suffer a little bit from paper/info hoarding.😂 There are just too many interesting things in the world to learn about!

[@AmandasFavorites]

I love hearing your very functional system;)

[@natashasteinmacher8627]

Does it bother you having so many books? Is there an advantage to that rather than a more personalized planner that serves more functions? Thanks for the video!

[@AmandasFavorites]

I have learned that I don't love flipping. I don't need my planner to be portable and I like to see my month/ week / & day all in front of me at the same time. But I understand how for others that wold be overwhelming! I have a video called 3 views about why I need to see them all at once: kzbin.info/www/bejne/gmqxZninYqyDaNU

[@CorinneClassic]

One planner. Don’t complicate your life.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I know that works great for many people!

[@CorinneClassic]

I love how you give permission for people to be messy in their planners. So important!

[@bekayezme]

Hahah, it's this the truth?? I didn't think of it as a honeymoon stage but it is.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Right?! LOL!

[@BSSmith4]

What is the little silver clip that you use to mark your Ashley Shelly monthly?

[@AmandasFavorites]

That is an Oli Clip. You can get them many places if you google online. One place is the Oli Block Etsy store. They have all sizes and designs there;) This small one was in a pack at my local Container Store;)

[@BSSmith4]

@@AmandasFavorites Thank you!

[@lindsayebenhack659]

I use Frixon erasable pens but yours look different. Which ones are they?

[@AmandasFavorites]

These are my Passion Planner Erasable pens. I like them bc they are very inky:) I do have a 10% OFF Passion Planner Link: passionplanner.rfrl.co/rjv2y

[@annettefertitta6868]

I live in south MS- I’ve only had a friction pen’s writing disappear- it was written on a sticky note that was left in the sun. If my planner is in the car, it is in a bag… that must help. Of course we are in high humidity

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thanks for sharing your experience with that;)

[@TimHuitt-vw8vk]

I love planners however, I get nervous about the company no longer offering a certain format! I can also get anxiety if the tab color doesn't make sense with the month (Plum Paper Planner)! I make my own layouts in a spreadsheet program. I had a daily one but I found that there was a lot of wasted space! I then tried a two page weekly however it didn't work flipping one sided pages (library only lets you print one sided because of shared printer) so I haved designed a one page weekly planner with a special event column!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thanks for sharing about your planning-sounds like you’ve made the perfect system for yourself!

[@thinktank8286]

Silly question: You mention that you allow yourself to be flexible between working in weekly or daily. That you just pull one off the shelf. Are those dated daily books? Are those undated daily books? Are they out-of-date dated daily books where you somehow edit/hack/modify so its useful to you and doesnt cause confusion looking at a page dated October 21, 2015? Thank you for your work!

[@AmandasFavorites]

I am flexible in what Daily I use....I always keep my dated weekly planner as my guide. Since my daily planner is just my daily list I can siwtch them in and out as my mood, and season of life changes;) Also it's just good for me to try the planners out for a period as it helps me do better reviews. I usually use a plain notebook, an undated daily or a dated daily. There really is no rhyme or reason. I use what flows with my days best at the time and I could use it for months or if it's not working abandon it after a week:)

[@dedestaggs5093]

I'm not seeing a link for your printables 🤷‍♀️

[@AmandasFavorites]

It’s just right under the sponsorship disclosure: www.patreon.com/amandasfavorites/shop haha my video descriptions are pretty long, it’s easy to miss!

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

I’m currently trying to do a list in a notebook. Don’t care about it being petty, but I need a pretty pen

[@AmandasFavorites]

Oh, love that! A pretty pen sounds like a simple request:)

[@That.Lady.withtheYarn]

@@AmandasFavorites I bought a set for 9$ lol

[@bad_anima]

I like the method generally, but having so many different planners would stress me out lol I'm better off just keeping everything in one

[@AmandasFavorites]

So many people need just one planner! And I used to only have one years ago too:) Definitely nothing wrong with one book!

[@daniellemoody8608]

I got some TUL mechanical pencils and LOVE them. I was not a fan of the way Frixon wrote and these write amazing and smooth

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you for the Tip! I didn't even know TUL made pencils!

[@rouseyournicholls]

Nice info.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thank you!

[@tommym4167]

thanks for the video. but if im being honest your planner gave me chest pains lol. oH the ANXIETY. I use 2 planner by Erin Condren the A5 Compact vertical in that planner I use pen and sticker icons this is my brain dump what I plan to do my doodles while on the phone BUT it still has to look neat and fresh I cant handle chicken scratch and all pen it just looks like one blob and my plans dont register in my brain. then I use my ECLP 7X9 Verticle I love using sticker kits adding pictures and I write down what I actually got done lol. I use the 7x9 not just as a planner but memory keeper and creative outlet that I love I use my planner every night while bingeing KZbin or a podcast so A5 for forward planning and 7x9 as back planning.

[@AmandasFavorites]

Thanks for sharing what you use;) I totally understand that many people need their plans neat:)

[@pandora881]

Bring back Frixion ink “lost” to heat by putting the planner in the freezer.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I have heard that;) I've just never tried it myself.

[@veronicaschnitker207]

Why don’t you use the monthly page that planners have instead of a separate book?

[@AmandasFavorites]

Short answer: my monthly is like a wall calendar except can be taken down and put back in the easel so fast...east to flip and plan and then always see the month right in front of my face;) I do have longer explanations in my personal planning videos where I give quarterly planning updates;)

[@vanessasmith9646]

I use white out and I don’t find it at all

[@viviharris2131]

Buying a cheap planner helped me to feel okay having a messy planner.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I LOVE this! Thanks for sharing how that helped you:)

[@LoveMeClutterFreeCoaching]

We are twins in all the things we like and why....so wild!

[@AmandasFavorites]

Aw, I love knowing that!

[@HelDC]

If your friction pen disappears cos of hot weather, if you put the paper in the freezer it'll come back.

[@AmandasFavorites]

I have heard that before- just never tried it myself:) Thanks for reminding me!

[@KM-nq7hz]

Better help is being sued by multiple therapy associations. Congratulations on the sponsorship but please do your research before accepting.