How to plan your way to a stress-free day

The world feels like a lot right now and it's easy to feel overwhelmed with everything that's going on, not to mention trying to keep on top of day-to-day life. Planning your time is a great way to find calm in the chaos. So, grab a pen and make note of these simple ways to stress-free days.

Think ahead

Remember the feeling of waking up knowing you hadn’t done your homework? Ugh. Get ahead of any early morning stress by making a rough plan for your day the night before. Just a quick list of what you’d like to get done is all it takes. It’s also a great way to brain dump all those sleep-stealing thoughts before going to bed.

Change your morning routine

Working healthy habits into your morning routine can really help set you up for a good day. Simple changes such as drinking a glass of water as soon as you wake up (yes, even before you check your phone!) or getting few minutes of fresh air or exercise before work can have a big impact on your mood. It might be hard at first but stick to it, and it’ll soon become second nature.

Break it down

Looking at the whole day in one big chunk can be overwhelming - divide what you want to do with your day into more manageable chunks and smaller to-do lists. Dividing jobs into work/life categories can also help you find balance.

Set boundaries

Give yourself realistic times to get things done in the day, and when that time comes to an end, make sure you stop and take a rest. If the time wasn’t as productive as you’d hoped, don’t worry, learn from it for next time and think how you could do things differently.

Don’t forget about your biggest priority - you!

It’s easy to push your personal needs to the bottom of the list when you’ve got a lot to do but prioritising your emotional and physical wellbeing is the foundation of a successful day. So, make sure you include moments for yourself in your plans.

Why not try the Mindful Motivation Weekly Planner

Celebrate the little wins

Focus on what you have achieved, rather than what you haven't. Planning your time is great, but it doesn't mean you've failed if you didn't tick off everything on your list. Remember, there’s always tomorrow.