How to Stay Organized: A Weekly Planning System Inspired by Stephen Covey
Since it’s back-to-school season and we are all looking for a way to stay organized, I thought I would share my weekly planning system. For years, I’ve struggled to organize my tasks in a way that makes sense to me. I bought planners, but they never seemed to fit my needs perfectly. I tried plain notebooks, which I felt gave me too much freedom. Then I tried the other extreme, downloading complicated Notion templates and spending hours trying to figure them out. I realized that I was spending more time organizing my tasks than actually doing them.
Discovering Stephen Covey’s Weekly Planning Method
Finally, I came across Stephen Covey’s weekly planning method while reading his book “The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People” (see my review of the book here). It was perfect for me. For starters, the week-by-week approach helped me visualize my week and focus on what’s in front of me. But what really makes this planning method superior to anything I’ve tried before is the “Roles and Goals” section.
The Power of Roles and Goals
To plan the week ahead, Stephen Covey starts by identifying his roles. His roles, for example, include being a father, a manager, his role in developing himself, etc. For each role, he sets goals to accomplish that week. Then he sets a date and time to achieve these goals. This structure of identifying your roles and then the tasks you need to accomplish for each role was truly life-changing for me. It gave me a way to look at all my tasks without feeling overwhelmed.
Modifying the Weekly Planning System to Fit My Life
Over the years, I’ve modified Covey’s planning method to make it a better fit for my life. First, I added a section to track my daily habits. These are habits like staying hydrated and reading that I don’t want to specify a time for; I just want to get them done every day. Another modification I’ve made is, instead of having each day planned out hour-by-hour, which is a little too intense for me, I divide the day into three sections: morning, afternoon, and evening. This gives me more freedom throughout my day, allowing for some spontaneity.
How I Use This Weekly Planning System
I use this planner on my tablet. At the beginning of each week, I take some time to sit down and plan. I start by looking over last week’s plan. I look at the tasks that didn’t get done and ask myself why. Did I overbook myself that day? Did I underestimate the time and energy that task would take? I also review all the things that did get done and see if there was a better way to do them. Finally, I think about the highs and lows of the past week and ask myself what I could’ve done better.
Reflecting on the week prior before you plan the upcoming week will help set realistic expectations and focus on what really matters. Next, I set up my habits for the week. These habits are usually the same every week and the include Jun’s 4 Wins (a daily habit system I talked about in this post). Finally, I write down my roles and goals. I number each goal to make it easier to track when I assign it to a day. I try to distribute the tasks evenly without overloading any of the days to avoid burnout.
By using this weekly planning system inspired by Stephen Covey, I’ve found a way to stay organized and focused without feeling overwhelmed. Modifying the system to suit my lifestyle has made it even more effective. Whether you’re a student, a professional, or just someone looking to bring more structure to your life, this approach can help you stay on top of your tasks and achieve your goals.
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