How to Effectively Use a Daily and Weekly Planner Together

There are days when you’re checking off all the boxes, and days where you simply want to be. But what about days when you have too many boxes to keep your head on straight? In this article, we’ll explore the benefits of using both a daily and weekly planner together.

Signs You Might Benefit From Using Two Planners

How do you know if using two planners is the right move for you? Here are a few signs that this could be the right fit for you.

1. You feel like your planner is a mix of too many things.
   
   Work, school, social life, exercise, self-care, memory-keeping… it’s a lot to keep all of these things in one place! Sometimes your pages are overflowing with all of the things that are important to you. If you’re noticing that filling out your planner is starting to overwhelm you, reflect on why that is. Are you busier than usual? Have you recently added more to your plate, like a new hobby or project? If so, you might benefit from dedicating separate time and space to keep your focus on these things.
   
   
2. You aren’t clear on your focus in your current planner.
   
   When your priorities are aligned with your daily life, your planner can feel like a well-oiled machine. And when they’re not… well… it’s not quite so smooth. If you feel like it’s hard to identify a daily focus, you’re not sure how to prioritize, or you just have too many threads to keep track of on the daily, you might benefit from using two planners.
   
   
3. You feel the pressure to add everything to your planner.
   
   While all of our planners are highly customizable, there is a limit to how much space you can use per page. If your pages feel cluttered or disorganized, or if you have a hard time fitting in all of the things that are important to you, stop and reflect. Do you feel pressure to cram it all into just a few boxes? Your planner shouldn’t be a source of stress — it’s a tool to help you create the life you want. If this is the case for you, consider expanding to using a second planner.
   
   
4. You end up not using your planner, because you feel guilty for not meeting the expectations associated with it.
   
   We’ll say it again in case you missed it: your planner shouldn’t be a source of stress! If it’s hard for you to even turn the page because you feel too much guilt, it’s definitely time to get to the bottom of that feeling. If it’s become too difficult to fit in everything you need, or if you feel like your planner space could be better used with a little more breathing room, you might want to split things up for your own peace of mind.

How to Use a Daily and Weekly Planner Together

So you’ve identified the problem… now what? There are a few things to think about when you’re starting to use both a Daily and Weekly planner together.

1. Take stock of everything you want to write down or track in your planner.
   
   Make a quick list of everything that you currently track in your planner. This might include things like meal planning, self-care, hobbies, or healthy habits like sleep and exercise. Do you enjoy adding all of these things to your planner? If not, cross them off the list. Remember, your planner should reflect your priorities, not the other way around. Now that you’ve done some editing, is there anything missing from your list? When you look at your current planner setup, do you feel like you are prioritizing what matters the most to you?
   
   
2. Review the Daily and Weekly planner setups.
   
   Take a look at both the Daily and Weekly setups together. You can do this by perusing our website, checking out a friend’s planner, or even going on Instagram to see other spreads our #Pashfam has created. What resonates with you in each of these setups? In your current planner, what parts do you enjoy filling out the most? Are there any that you sometimes skip completely?
   
   
3. Understand the difference between Passion Planner Weekly and Daily.
   
   If you’re still stuck on the differences between the Daily and Weekly planner, check out this blog comparing the two. The Weekly planner provides a broader overview of the week and your long-term goals. The Daily is more in tune with the details of each day, and provides focus for the steps you take each day. Both planners can work well together if you’re the kind of person who likes to plan for the future, but wants to create a roadmap of how to start on that path today. You’re still a dreamer, even if you’re dreaming one day at a time.
   
   
4. Decide what goes where.

After reviewing your goals (this is where a check-in with your Passion Roadmap can be helpful!) and understanding how both planners work, it’s time to decide. Does using two planners benefit your current needs? If so, what intention do you want to set for each space? Once you’ve made the choice to proceed using both the Daily and Weekly, you can define what you want out of each type of planner.

Different Ways to Use a Daily and Weekly Planner Together

Whether you’re using the Weekly, the Daily, or both planners together, Passion Planner is infinitely customizable to your needs. Here are a few different ways you can use the Daily and Weekly planners together.

Manage multiple projects. Sometimes you might need to devote a little more space to one area of your life, and separating your projects between two planners can be a great way to make that space for yourself. For example, you can use the Daily planner to track exercise or meal planning and nutrition, while tracking your long-term progress towards a GameChanger goal in your Weekly planner. No matter which planner you choose to dedicate to what project, ultimately the Daily will provide you with a more detailed view of the day, while the weekly gives a broader overview of the week.

Keep track of multiple schedules.
If your schedule is a mix of your career, your family, and your personal life, having one planner might start to feel too cramped, or like you aren’t able to get as detailed as you need. This lack of space can make it feel overwhelming to look at all of the words crowding your page. In a two-planner setup, utilize the Daily to break down the part of your schedule that you think might benefit from having its own space. For example, moving your personal schedule to your Daily planner, while keeping your academic schedule in your Weekly planner can create an even balance of your priorities. Another way to think of this might be that your Weekly is what you expect to happen in the week, whereas the Daily is what actually happens every day. 

Create balance between your personal and professional life. A final way of using two planners together is to implement more balance between the different areas of your life. Try utilizing one planner for your work schedule and professional goals, and use the other as a memory keeper or journal. This might work well with the Weekly as your journal and the Daily functioning as a high-level project planner. Doing this will allow you to have room for both your overall schedule and storing your memories and reflections, while also organizing your goals and tracking progress.

There are definite benefits to using two planners at once. If you feel like your current setup is not giving you what you need, remember — every day is (literally) a new page to start over! Check out our Passion Planner Daily and Weekly planners here.

Author Bio

Madeline Hodgman is a clinical social worker living in the Midwest with her husband and pets. In her free time, you can find her doing yoga, baking, reading, or exploring the national parks.