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A Little Background
Tis the season… for setting up the new yearโs planner! Every December it seems like I am over the current year earlier and earlier. 2020 was definitely no exception. With coronavirus still running rampant and keeping us home, I could not wait to turn the page in my nearly empty planner and start anew in my 2021 annual Passion Planner.
2020 has not been a complete waste, however. I learned all about going hybrid, both in my work as a teacher and in my personal life with planning. I started the year in a paper annual planner, mapping out all of my meetings, appointments, and life on the go. That planner took a backseat in March when ‘Rona came to town.
With nowhere to go and no one to see, my paper planner sat on the shelf neglected for most of the 2020 calendar year. Spending more and more time on the computer remote teaching and in countless Zoom meetings, it only seemed logical to transition to a digital planner.
I then purchased the Passion Planner Daily in digital format to keep track of the little things that were keeping me sane and feeling productive throughout quarantine, as well as documenting the ever-changing news and emotional journey.
So what have I chosen for 2021? A little of both. I think hybrid is here to stay! I will continue using the digital Passion Planner Daily as my daily to-do checklist and measure of productivity. I have also purchased a paper Weekly Annual so that I can pencil in appointments and see my week at a glance.
Recommended Supplies
Though unnecessary to some, color coded stickers and seasonal washi tape are essentials for my optimized organization. Here are the staples I keep closeby when planning or bullet journaling:
- Pencil for sketching and a really good eraser
- Washi tape, in a variety of colors and thickness
- Stickers, preferably themed sets. Michaels, Hobby Lobby, and other craft stores often carry sticker packs. Dollar Tree and other bargain stores will carry individual sheets for cheap.
Setting Up Your Back Pages
The Passion Planner Annual has 52 weekly spreads covering January 2021 to December 2021 with an additional 20 blank pages and 20 dotted pages in the back for lists, bullet journaling, note-taking, and more. You’ll notice in the photos below that some of my pages are done, while others are still in sketch mode. Here’s what I’ve got so far:
- Monthly Bucket List – Every month, I will write 4 places I want to go, people I want to see, things I want to do, etc. and work them into my weekly plans to make it happen! Stickers came from the “New Year, New Goals” book.
- Bills and Expenses – Running a business means you have yearly, quarterly bills: memberships, subscriptions, fees, registrations… you get the idea. I’ll record my recurring bills here, as well as gross monthly income and expenses. Detailed expenses will be tracked on the following page to make tax time a little easier. I’ve separated both home and business debts with stickers that came from the “Save It!” book.
- Goal Setting and Actionable Steps – My Passion Planner Annual is strictly for business. I’ve got big plans for this year and having my goals written in my own handwriting in one central location keeps me accountable and focused. Stickers came from the “New Year, New Goals” book and are perfection! They have a spot for the goal, 5 lines for action steps, and a progress tracker at the bottom for you to fill in as you go.
- Savings Tracker – Each gumball has a different dollar amount on it. Each dollar amount is a different color. When I save that amount, I’ll color the gumball and be on my way to saving 3k! Stickers came from the “Save It!” book.
Other Back Page Ideas
Passion Planner has a lot of FREE downloads on its website for back page inserts. You can also search “bullet journaling” or “planner trackers” for inspiration. Here’s a few more ideas I’m incorporating this year:
- Daily Mood Tracker – I use the “Year in Pixels” insert from Passion Planner and decorate with Inside Out stickers. Every day, I color in one square with my overall mood. It’s really cool to see at the end of the year. You might even notice patterns. I, for one, am definitely affected by our Northeast winters.
- Gratitude Log – I usually track this in my Digital Daily, but I do enjoy making a one-page log in my annual I can look back on when I need a quick pick-me-up and humble reminder that I might be having a bad day, but it’s not a bad life.
- Vision Board – I am a crafty witch. I LOVE cutting up magazines, quotes, pictures, and more for work/home/travel/outfit inspiration.
- When Did I Last? Tracker – I’m trying to be a better teacher/mom/boss, but adulting is hard, y’all. I need help remembering when I last changed the sheets, when I last replaced the air filter, when I last… well, you get the idea.
- Books Read – I draw myself a bookshelf with some empty book spines. As I read throughout the year, I add the titles. You could also write down all the titles upfront and then color the spines as you complete your booklist.
ACTIONABLE STEPS: For more ideas, follow my Passion Planner | Journal Life board on Pinterest!
