Life gets busy–whether you’re balancing school, work, social commitments, or personal projects, getting and staying organized can feel overwhelming. That’s where a solid weekly planning routine comes in! Having a structured approach to your week helps you stay focused, reduce stress, and ensure that you’re blocking out time for what truly matters.
At PlanWell, we believe that planning should be simple, flexible, and effective. We’ll walk you through how to create a weekly planning routine that actually works, using proven and helpful strategies like time blocking, prioritization techniques, and tips for adjusting your plans when life gets chaotic!! Plus we’ll show you how to integrate PlanWell’s Weekly Accountability Check-In to track progress and stay motivated 😉
Step 1: Choose Your Weekly Planning Day
We believe the first step in building a consistent planning routine is setting aside a dedicated time each week to review your upcoming schedule. Many people find Sunday evenings or Monday mornings work best, but the key is choosing a time that feels natural for you.
Use this time to
- Review upcoming deadlines, appointments, and personal commitments
- Identify top priorities for the week
- Reflect on what worked (or didn’t) in the previous week
This small habit helps you start each week with clarity and confidence rather than scrambling around trying to keep up and remember everything!
Step 2: Prioritize with the Eisenhower Matrix
Once you have an overview of your week, it’s time to decide what to give your attention to! The Eisenhower Matrix is a simple but effective tool that helps you prioritize tasks based on urgency and importance.
- Urgent & Important – Do these tasks first (e.g. assignments due tomorrow, work deadlines)
- Important but Not Urgent – Schedule these in your calendar (e.g. study time for a test next week, long-term projects)
- Urgent but Not Important – Delegate or minimize these (e.g. responding to non-essential emails)
- Not Urgent & Not Important – Consider eliminating (e.g. mindless scrolling on social media)
Sorting tasks this way prevents you from getting stuck in a “busy but unproductive” trap and ensures that you focus on what truly moves you forward.
Step 3: Plan Your Week Using the Ivy Lee Method
Now that you have prioritized your tasks, it’s time to break them down into a daily plan. The Ivy Lee Method helps you focus on what matters most each day.
- At the end of each day, write down the six most important tasks for the next day.
- Rank them in order of priority.
- Start the next day by focusing on the first task. Once that one is complete, move on to the next.
- If any tasks remain unfinished, move them to the next day’s list.
This strategy keeps you focused on progress over perfection and avoids an overwhelming endless to-do list!
(TIP: I like to keep things simple by using my phone’s Notes app to write down my list each night. It keeps everything organized and easy to access.)
Step 4: Time Block Your Schedule
To turn your priorities into action, use time blocking–a technique where you set specific time slots for tasks. Instead of going with the flow and reacting to your day, you take control of it. A recommended app is Structured, this tool allows you to see your daily schedule at a glance, break tasks into time blocks, and stay organized right on your phone!
Here’s how to time block effectively:
- Group similar tasks together (e.g. responding to emails from 10-10:30 & 4-4:30 instead of checking them all day)
- Schedule deep work sessions for important tasks (e.g. 90 minutes of uninterrupted study time)
- Include breaks and buffer time (life happens-leave space and time to adjust and react to your day)
- Use a digital or physical planner to visually map out your day
A great way to start is by blocking out the non-negotiables of your day first (classes, work shifts, meetings, homework deadlines), then filling in study time, self-care, and personal commitments.
Step 5: Adapt When Life Gets Chaotic
Even the best and most well-thought-out plans don’t always go smoothly. Unexpected things pop up that we can’t always account for, we face motivation dips, and some days just get so overwhelming. Instead of abandoning your weekly plan altogether, build in flexibility:
- Have a backup plan – if you miss a time block, shift it rather than skip it.
- Use a “Must-Do” list – if your full daily plan seems and feels impossible, focus on 1-2 key tasks.
- Reflect & Reset – if things don’t go as expected, adjust your plan for the next day instead of stressing.
Remember, the goal is PROGRESS, not perfection 🙂
Step 6: Track Progress with PlanWell’s Weekly Accountability Check-In
One of the biggest reasons people struggle with planning is the lack of follow-through. Setting goals is one thing and staying on track is another. That’s where PlanWell’s Weekly Accountability Check-In comes in!
At the end of each week, take 5-10 minutes to reflect with us:
- What was your top goal of the week?
- Did you accomplish it?
- What went well?
- What challenges did you face/biggest distraction?
- #1 goal of next week?
By doing this regularly, you’ll start to see patterns – what’s working, what’s not, and where you can make small changes for bigger results.
Make Planning Work for YOU!
The best planning routine is the one that fits your lifestyle. Start simple – choose a planning day, prioritize your tasks, time block your schedule, and stay flexible when things don’t go as planned. Most importantly use tools like PlanWell’s Weekly Accountability Check-In to track progress and make adjustments!
By taking control of your schedule, you’ll not only get more done – you’ll also create and find more space for things in your life that truly matter and bring you joy 🙂
Let’s Plan Smarter & Live Well, together <3
