As I’m writing this, it’s about the end of Q1 of 2023.
At this point, maybe you feel discouraged that you set lots of goals in January but never really followed through.
If that’s you, believe me, you’re not alone. In fact, you’re probably similar to most people reading this.
Many of us get stuck because we set goals and tasks that feel too out of reach for us or we make things more complicated than they need to be.
You don’t need a complicated system, you just need a simple system that actually works for you.
Let’s talk about how you can simplify your planning system so that this will be the year that you really follow through.
Goals are useless if you don’t have the discipline to follow through with them
Before you set a million goals or plan out the next year, decide how you will become more disciplined.
Most people don’t have a problem setting goals, it’s the lack of discipline that keeps us stumped.
“Discipline is the path to freedom” -Anne Lamott
Consider your own life and think about whether a lack of discipline is preventing you from becoming the best version of yourself.
Find a planning system that works for you
You probably know that there are dozens if not hundreds of planning systems out there.
Maybe you’ve tried a few like Evernote, Trello, Asana, or Notion. To be honest, I’ve tried all of the above and they have their advantages and disadvantages.
Recently, I discovered an app called, xTiles and so far I’m really enjoying it as it’s truly an all-in-one app for organizing projects, notes, and other tasks.
I also like that xTiles is so user-friendly so it appeals to almost anyone whether you have a tech background or not.
If you’ve tried other notetaking systems and either find them to be too complicated, with xTiles you can easily get up and go within a few minutes.
How do you become a disciplined person?
It doesn’t take much to move in the right direction.
I usually prefer to start small just to build up my confidence and then move on to bigger areas of my life.
For instance, if you have lots of ideas floating around your mind, you first need a place for capturing them.
To keep track of weekly to-do’s, I recommend the xTiles weekly planner template. This way I can track my to-do’s for every single day of the week.
I find that having one long to-do list can be overwhelming and having a weekly setup like this allows you to spread things out in a way that is manageable and easy to follow.
Choose which areas of your life need more planning and organization
Instead of trying to plan out every single piece of your life, think about which areas would create the biggest impact.
Or, another way of thinking is to consider what areas currently cause the most frustration.
If you always get stressed around meal times and never know what to eat, a planning template for meal planning or meal ideas might be useful.
Take a moment and think about whether you could use help in any of these areas:
- Note-taking
- Project Management
- Habit Tracking
- Fitness Planning
There is something for every area of your life from your work to personal projects and hobbies.
Here are some things I love about using the xTiles app
- Easy to use app — Zero learning curve for tech and non-tech.
- Visual organization — Users can drag and drop elements onto the canvas and arrange them as they see fit.
- Combine different types of content — notes, tasks, images, media, tables, and files.
- Structured information — projects, collections, databases.
- Project-oriented app — manage your jobs done with project views.
A few recommended xTiles templates
If you’re not a design-savvy person, no worries! You’ll find dozens of beautiful templates that you’ll love. There are also great templates for freelancers, side hustlers, and 9–5 workers.
Some great templates to keep work your work life organized are:
As you can see, getting your work and personal life on track doesn’t have to be overwhelming or intimidating!
Don’t let another week, month, or year pass by wishing that things were different. Instead, take action now. Start with one xTiles template and see where it takes you.
And if you’re worried that you won’t follow through, find a friend, family member, or colleague to download a template and have them try it too!
Instead of having multiple apps and programs scattered across your phone and computer, now you can have a single app for all your needs.
