How to Get Started with Passion Planner Daily

There are days where you’re checking off all the boxes, and days where you simply want to be. That’s what Passion Planner Daily is all about: meeting you where you’re at. Whether you’re a long time #PashFam member looking to make a change, or just started using a planner, the Passion Planner Daily can help you set a new routine. In this article, we’ll explore how to use the Passion Planner Daily to start aligning your days with your dreams.

First thing’s first: grab your Passion Planner Daily. If you don’t have one, you can always download the layout for free to check it out. The Daily is designed to meet you where you are, with just enough structure to get you started and plenty of blank space to take you where you want to go. 

How to Plan with the Daily Undated Passion Planner

Passion Planner Daily is undated, meaning you can start today, and if you skip a few days here and there, you can pick right up where you left off. Each page is carefully crafted to suit whatever kind of day you’re having, whether it’s a full schedule or ample free time to rest and recharge. Here’s a quick guide on the structure of the Daily Undated Passion Planner.

1. Set Clear Goals with your Planner: The Passion Roadmap

Just like in the Passion Planner Weekly, your Daily planner starts with a classic #PashFam feature: the Passion Roadmap. Here you’ll transform your lifelong dreams into long-term and short-term goals.

The Passion Roadmap is broken into smaller sections including lifetime, 3 years, one year, and 3 months. Once you have your wish list, start divvying up your goals across these sections. This may take another five minutes or so while you reflect on what your timeline looks like for each goal. For example, running a 5k might be a three-month goal, and finishing your degree might take three years or longer. Don’t worry about coming up with dreams that sound cool or impressive to others — this is just for you. If you need a few ideas to get you started, check out our list of 60 New Years Resolutions for your Passion Roadmap.

Next up: the GameChanger. Here, choose one of your Roadmap goals to expand on. Break that goal down into smaller tasks, and set a deadline for each task, as well as the GameChanger itself. If we break down the goal of running a 5k, you might want to start running shorter distances a few times per week or alternate sprints of running and walking. You could create separate tasks like “run 15 minutes without stopping” or “run 1 mile” and assigning them a due date. It could be helpful to use a program like Couch to 5k, a free app that provides a structured program of guided audio to help users run longer distances, to plan out your tasks before setting the deadlines yourself.

2. See the Bigger Picture: The Annual Calendar and Monthly Layout

At the start of your planner, you’ll find the Yearly Overview section. Think of this as a snapshot of your year to come: pencil in all of your plans, deadlines, and special occasions ahead of time and look back on it to see what’s up next. You can record birthdays, holidays, vacation plans, and upcoming appointments in the Yearly Overview, then copy them into your Daily pages when you’re ready. The Daily also includes three monthly layouts to give you a month-at-a-glance when you need it.

3. Monthly Self Check-in

At the end of each month, the Passion Planner Daily includes a short monthly reflection. First, think about what stands out this month. Did anything special or significant happen? Make sure to take note of any accomplishments of your own, too, no matter how big or small. This is a good space to give yourself some props for working towards your goals. You can also jot down a few thoughts on what you’ve learned along the way.

Next, it’s time to choose your GameChanger goal for the month. You might be continuing to work towards the same goal, or choosing a new one from your Passion Roadmap. Set a timer for five minutes and sketch out a mini-mindmap of your new GameChanger. Once your time is up, the Daily Planner prompts will guide you through making your goal more reachable by planning out the specifics, including what (and who!) you can call on for support. Use this reflection space to celebrate the small wins and build towards the bigger ones.

4. Fill in the Blanks, Plan Out Your Life: Daily Layouts

When you open to a new daily page, the left side is set up with structure for you. Just fill in the blanks to get your day started and your creative juices flowing. The left hand pages are designed as a ready-to-go resource for you to brainstorm your day — just fill in the blanks. On the right side, there is an extra-large Space of Infinite Possibilities page. You can journal about your day, doodle, brainstorm, collage with stickers, make a to-do list, or whatever else you need space for. You do you, and make your planner your own.

Dual To-Do Lists

The Passion Planner Daily has separate lists for your work and personal tasks to make sure that they are both prioritized throughout the day. When you open your planner to check in for the day, start by choosing your Game Changer goal to focus on. You can brain dump all of the tasks you have on the dual work and personal to-do lists next. Then, fill in your daily schedule on the hourly calendar, and see if you can fit in these tasks around your scheduled obligations.

Daily Self-Care Practice

When you are busy with work or school, self-care tends to be the first thing to go. Use this section of your planner to incorporate a healthy habit into your daily life, or take note of the small moments that recharge you throughout the day.

Space of Infinite Possibility

The right side of your planner’s daily pages has the Space of Infinite Possibility, where you can write, draw, doodle, brainstorm or do whatever your heart desires. It can be a useful spot to expand your to-do lists, jot down a journal entry, add stickers, or glue in mementos from your day. When it comes to ways to use this space, the limit does not exist.

Feeling stuck on how to use the Space of Infinite Possibility in your Daily planner? On page 6 there is a list of ideas to get you started. Here are a few examples:

• Start a gratitude journal to focus on the good things that happened each day.
• Record memories by scrapbooking, pasting in ticket stubs or photos, and jotting down memories you never want to forget.
• Use the free Weekly Overview PDF to plan out the next 7 days.
• Create a vision board for your dreams and goals.
• Track your fitness goals by planning your daily workouts.
• The possibilities are endless! Check out this list of more unique planner ideas inspired by our #PashFam

5. Define the routine that will work for you

Now that you have filled out your roadmap and set your goals, it’s time to think about your daily routine. Ask yourself, am I someone who does their best work in the morning? Would I benefit from a little more preparation the night before? Or am I OK with filling things in on the fly throughout the day?

Choose a time to commit to checking in with your planner every day. It might be helpful to pair this with an activity you already do, or something you look forward to every day. For example, you could sit down with your Passion Planner Daily and a cup of coffee every morning, or pull it out at your desk at lunch time to prep for the next day.

Using your Passion Roadmap, note what your goal will be your focus for the day. It may be helpful to do this before you fill in your daily schedule, to see where you can fit in time to focus on this goal. Alternately, you may need to sketch out your day before taking stock of what your focus will be. You can revisit your Roadmap and GameChanger goals frequently to make sure you’re on track to meet them.

During your check-in time, take a few minutes to reflect and fill out the Self-Maintenance sections on the left page of your planner. If you haven’t taken time for self-care yet today, make a plan for something you will do later on, like going to the library to check out a new book or taking a walk outside. Ask yourself, what is the best thing that happened today? And what have I learned today? This is part of cultivating a daily gratitude practice, which can improve mental health and promote mindfulness.

6. Celebrate the Journey

Our #PashFam knows that we are committed to celebrating the wins, both big and small. And completing your first Passion Planner Daily is definitely a win! At the end of the Daily planner, there is space for both your self check-in and a final reflection page about how your life has changed since you started using this planner. 

Whether you’ve been using your planner daily for three months or off and on for longer, think about what has happened in that time. What has been the most challenging? And what has brought you the most joy? Going forward, what do you want to dedicate more time to? This can be a helpful jumping-off point for setting up your next Daily planner, and a good reminder of your priorities to keep in mind. Wherever your path takes you next, remember to find joy in the journey and take your goals one day at a time.

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.