One of the areas in the Personal Development Quarterly Planner that changes weekly for me is the "Daily Habits to Foster." This is the area where you can track daily activities that you want to make habits.

Here are some ideas of what you could track here:

• Personal development
• Business development
• Exercise
• Water consumption goals
• Take vitamins
• Being a product of your products
• Financial snapshot
• Share your business
• Follow-up with team members
• Connect with powerbase
• Study aviation
• Study for GRE
• Read for 10 minutes
• Call a friend
• Send a thank-you note
• Social media posts
• Write a blog post
• Practice Italian
• Cook a meal
• Eat healthy

​
The list could go on and on and on. The real idea is to improve week over week until the items you list here become habits. "Success is the sum of small efforts repeated day in and day out." -Robert Collier

How do you use this area? Are you seeing an improvement in your daily activities?

I love paper. Paper books. Magazines. Fancy pens to write on paper. Post it notes. Spiral bound notebooks. Legal pads. All things paper! I wrote this blog post out on paper before I typed it out for the blog.

​When I was a kid I would practice my handwriting for hours. As an adult now my handwriting often gets mistaken for typed fonts in my planner. You have heard the saying "Practice makes perfect," and practice has certainly helped my handwriting. However, I am not a perfectionist; as I believe done is better than perfect.

​We took our kids to the book store yesterday and I absolutely love taking in all the new and exciting things found there. I love showing Livia all the information that is at her fingertips. Sure, YouTube is great, there is so much information there... BUT nothing beats the information you can find in paper books. Paper makes things so real for me.

​At the bookstore I actually found a magazine on paper. It was all about the love of paper, textures, cutouts, and activities; so I know I'm not the only person who loves paper!

​My printer for the planners email signature reads "P.S - It is okay to print this email. Paper is a biodegradable, renewable, sustainable product made from trees. Growing and harvesting trees provides jobs for millions of men and women, and working forests are good for the environment, providing clean air, clean water, wildlife habitat and carbon storage."

​I love the feel of paper. I love having all my thoughts out of my head and onto the paper. I understand digital has its place. After all, our new sister company is Websites Managed and we sell our paper planners online. However, I don't think we will ever fully replace paper with digital.

​What are your thoughts on paper? 

This week is the official week of planning (according to me)! You are the project manager of your life!

Taking the time between Christmas Day and New Year 's Eve to plan for the year is a great use of time. Many people take this time off to recoup from the holiday season. I think taking the time to play project manager of your own life is really important. 

Here are some steps you can take to set up an awesome 2018:

1. Get a notebook - I prefer a planner with lots of notes pages - and get your thoughts out of your head.
2. Create clear, defined, and attainable goals for the year, the quarter, the next month. 
3. Break down goals into action steps you can take.
   
4. Create reminders (I use sticky notes) so you look at your goals daily.

Here are some examples of clarifying your goals:
A - Goal: Buy an RV 
      Defined Goal: Buy a 2000 or newer 24ft bumper pull RV with lots of room for storage and 1 popout before May 1st

B - Goal: Get out of unsecured debt
      Defined Goal: Pay off x credit card with x balance with tax return. Pay off x medical bill with x balance with bonus in July. Pay off x with x balance by paying x monthly.

C - Goal: Get down to pre-baby weight
      Defined Goal: Eat ketogenic diet with one cheat day per week until back to 155# (Lose 1# per week until June)

Erasable pens and highlighters! I love to write in pen and these save me having to carry white out too! Friction is how they erase. Give them a try... you will not be disappointed.

Transparent sticky notes are awesome because you can still see what is underneath in your planner... just give you some extra room for temporary notes.

Magnetic bookmarks so you can easily flip to the current month or week view.

It is time to start taking your schedule seriously. I don't believe the tiny calendar on your phone is taking your schedule seriously. You can only see one day at a time. If you are on the phone trying to set an appointment it is awkward at best. Most people are not tech savvy enough to use the calendar on their phone 1/10th as effective as our basic quarterly planner.

The principles used in developing the Time Managed planner are based on personal development practices that have been in use by highly effective people for ages. We take project management principles and give you a blueprint to help you reach your full potential.

Here is what makes Time Managed different:

• Daily focus: use this area to group your tasks, create focus or a theme for your day, or simply inspire yourself
• Top six tasks: break down your projects into practical pieces you can accomplish (ex// put time limits on large projects: one hour bookeeping, two hours personal development) AND keep your to-do list short (otherwise it can be overwhelming)
• Time slots: block out time for EVERYTHING (we love color coding so we can look back at the week and see where our time was spent)
• See other features based on specific planners.

Believe it or not... people buy planners year round. The busier times of year are back to school and at the beginning of the year. The other times that we are busy are at the beginning of each quarter (we sell quarterly planners) and whenever one of our network marketing companies has a conference (people are excited about their goals/dreams). 

So why should you buy a planner in May? Are you on track to reach your goals this month, quarter, or year? A planner is a great way to help you stay on track; daily. It is the daily action that you take that gets you closer to your goals and if you are not focused on your goals then you are standing in your own way. 

One of our quarterly planners is a great way to stay focused on your goals. Another great tool to help you focus on your goals is our top three goals sticky notes.

All of our planners have an inspiring quote with each week view and are fill-in-the-date (unless otherwise stated) so you can start anytime. Look at planner details for other features like notes between the weeks. 

If you want to accomplish your wildest dreams write your goals down and look at them every day.

There is not business (at least that I can come up with) that does not require time management. All businesses whether service related, products based, or in technology have some element of time management. The attorney has to keep track of time so they can bill their clients. The retailer has hours they are open. The software developer has timelines and the stock broker can make many trades in the seconds between your trades. 

How do you currently manage your appointment book? Task list? Time Managed can help you streamline your life and grow your business.

What are your goals for this quarter? Next 6 months? We want you to think on a shorter term (quarterly) basis in order to accomplish those lofty long term goals.

Leverage your time and get more done!

In order to be more present in life, it is important to clear your mind! We encourage people all the time to "Get it out of your head." You should not be having the same thought twice! The act of writing things down helps your brain to process information as well as frees your mind to have creative thoughts. It is proven that when you write things down that you remember more!

It is one thing to write everything down on post it notes, or to have three different notebooks in various locations. We want you to have one place to put EVERYTHING! Our planners have TONS of room for notes so that you can have it all in one place. The quarterly planners have the most room for notes (4 pages between each week) but our Ultimate Annual also has two pages for notes between each week.

Have a system for recording your thoughts, feelings, ideas, activities, conversations, etc and USE IT! You will find yourself being more productive!

Jenny Cerda is a Gold Premier consultant with Perfectly Posh. We interviewed her to get her story and learn how she got to be so successful with Perfectly Posh. This lady has her Time Managed! She says she is always trying to be more efficient. 

She has been her own boss since 2012 when her son was a year old (he is 5 1/2 now). She worked in higher education for 20 years but when she had her son she know she wanted to do something different. Network Marketing was the perfect social selling tool that she was looking for. She says she loves being her own boss and helping women more than she ever thought she would!

Her passion for her business shined through our conversation. Her mantra "we simply pamper" is really how she grows her business. 

What does a typical day look like for Jenny?
5:30am Rise & Shine (Brain is sharper in the AM) She admitted to using her alarm snooze button; but uses those 10 minutes to look at phone and check into the "electronic world." Once she is up her morning consists of checking in with her business:

• Sales Volume (Team, Company, Personal)- to know whether they will reach goals set
• Shout outs to teammates after statistics (encourage)
• Priority List 1-3-5 *we've created a modified version of this as a 1-3-6 that you can download

​to be continued...

In this book Grant Cordone suggests that the reason that some people have ten times the success is they have ten times the results. They may also have 100x the activity in order to get ten times the results. He encourages you to change the way you think about competition and encourages the reader to take massive action. Here are some of our favorite points he makes:

• Seek not balance but abundance.
• Write down your goals twice a day! (see our journal we created just for that purpose here: timemanaged.com/10x)
• Dominate your industry - do not try to compete.
• Read 60+ books per year and attend 6+ conferences (this is what the most successful do).
• Get out of the middle class! (he explains why)
• Don't think "either or" but demand "all or everything."
• You are in control of your life!

And our favorite: JOURNAL YOUR TIME TO IMPROVE! He suggests you log everything in order to improve you have to know where you are spending your time in the first place.

This book is available on Audible and we highly recommend giving it a listen!

Planning: noun

1. the process of making plans for something.
   synonyms:preparation(s), organization, arrangement, design

Strategy: noun

1. a plan of action or policy designed to achieve a major or overall aim.
   "time to develop a coherent economic strategy"
   synonyms: master plan, grand design, game plan, plan (of action), action plan, policy, program.

I am often referred to as a "planner" and people tend to think that when something doesn't go as planned that I will crumble. I am changing my personal paradigm to being a strategist. I know that plans change and that I have to be able to accommodate anything that life throws my way. A business plan is really a strategy; full of how to do things the best way. It has to have contingencies because things don't always go as planned. So, I want to ask you: Do you have a plan or a strategy? 

-Sara Jane

While watching YouTube videos on motivational speeches an advertisement from Tia Lopez sparked my interest. It brought me to his website where he outlined what his mentors taught him. He talked about us all striving for health, wealth, love, and happiness. He also said something else that struck me "The common enemy is the ignorance of our upbringing." Here are the points he shared:
K Knowledge
S Strategy
E Execution
He emphasized that they need to be in that order. To accomplish anything you want you need to love knowledge, create strategies, and then execute.

I suggest starting with loving knowledge. You can read a book or find on the internet anything that you want to know to develop the strategies you need to accomplish great things. KSE

-Sara Jane

This blog post is all resources for you to set and attain your goals! Please enjoy the downloads for your personal use and leave comments about what has worked for you!

Structural Tension
Mind Mapping
Best Practices/SMART Goal Setting

Main things to remember about goal setting:

1. Have goals...
2. Write them down (be clear)
3. Take action to achieve them!

Our mind, body, and soul are how we get through life. What steps can you take to get things done, be insanely productive, and keep healthy? You have to address at least those three aspects of mind, body, and soul. We have come up with five steps to help you on your journey:

1. Prepare & reflect
2. Take breaks (of all kinds)
3. Be conscious of your nutrition
4. Take time to exercise
5. Practice stress management

Focus: 
   1. the center of interest or activity
   2. the state or quality of having or producing clear visual definition
Freedom:
   -the power or right to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint

We define these two terms because it is what we believe Time Managed planners can do for you. We offer focus and freedom. We put what you need to focus on in one place and you can use it to gain the freedom that you want. 

"Time is life. It is irreversible and irreplaceable. To waste your time is to waste your life, but to master your time is to master your life and make the most of it." -Alan Lakein

There is so much to do! Life can be overwhelming! Many people struggle with how to get everything done. Then there is this idea that we need work/life balance (in our opinion there is no such thing). We have goals and aspirations; then the daily grind gets in the way. 

Here is where we introduce the ideal week exercise... designed to make you feel good about your schedule and time management. It is an exercise to make you realize that it is all possible (and if it's not then you need to delegate). I use one week out of each quarterly planner in order to perform this exercise; but at the end here I have provided a blank set of pages for you to use.

Here are the steps:

1. On a blank sheet write down everything that you would typically need to accomplish in a week. Write down everything that you want to spend your time doing. For example, don't just write down what you need to get done at work but date night, laundry, cooking dinner, exercise, helping kids with homework, finances, etc.
2. Pick a color for each of your primary activities (group them); we also call this your four vital functions. For example, day job, network marketing, family/personal, and whatever else. Maybe you just have your business and your colors could be for marketing, finances, operations, and personal. The idea is that the colors show you where you are spending your time.
3. Write the each of the activities you came up with in step one into the time slots. Use the highlighters to block out time for things that last longer than 30 minutes.
4. If everything you need and want does not fit in the schedule then figure out what you need to delegate and make it happen! Don't leave things to chance.

Here is my sample of an ideal week:

Here is the handout for you to create your own Ideal Schedule:

Here is a short video explaining the process:

The right amount of sleep will help you be more productive. Entrepreneurs often think that if they are sleeping, that they are wasting precious time. Successful entrepreneurs know that sleep is what helps keep them successful. Sleep is your body's time to recharge. Here are our five steps to better sleep:

1. Journal: How do you feel? Record your sleep patterns and how you feel in order to determine what the right amount of sleep is for you. This varies greatly from person to person. The old 8-hour rule does not hold true. Some people thrive on just 5 hours (say midnight to 5am); while others do best sleeping 10 hours (say 11pm-9am). Find out the right sleeping amount and timing for you (sun cycles, and circadian rhythm also play a part). Many people require more sleep in the Winter than they do in the Summer. Listen to your body and adjust accordingly.
2. Create a routine or sequence. Having a bedtime ritual will help your body know when it needs to start shutting down for sleep. Taking a walk after dinner helps your body to digest your food properly. Some people may opt for some evening yoga to relax. Taking a hot bath raises your body temperature; in the action of falling asleep your body temperature is dropping, so by raising it then going to lay down your initiating falling asleep. You can also relax by reading a "real" book; like a paper one. Things to avoid at bedtime include: electronics like TV, computers, personal devices (blue light stimulates the brain), intense cardio (for at least 3 hours before bedtime), and greasy/high-fat foods that will delay your stomach emptying.
3. STOP Stressing. If only it were that simple, right? "A man who suffers before it is necessary suffers more than necessary." -Seneca Try stress management techniques like yoga or deep breathing. We are also huge fans of visualization; and writing down your thoughts (so they don't keep repeating in your head).
4. Sleep Supportive Foods: Maybe you remember your Mom giving you warm milk before bed. Maybe Chamomile tea does the trick. Who has ever eaten a bowl of cereal before bed? Fortified cereals, fish, chickpeas (think hummus), and bananas are high in B6. Vitamin B6 is important in your body's production of Melatonin. Melatonin regulates your sleep cycles; so it helps you fall asleep and stay asleep. Tart cherry juice is high in Melatonin so can be a great addition to your night time routine. Research suggests that a lack of Calcium  makes it difficult to fall asleep. Milk, yogurt, kale, and collard greens are high in Calcium and may also be sleep supportive.
5. Sleep Supportive Supplements: A few of our favorites are Melatonin, Magnesium, Theanine, 5-HTP, and various blends. Melatonin can be found in doses ranging from .5mg to 10mg (try a small dose and slowly increase to see what amount it right for you; this varies greatly from person to person). Magnesium promotes nervous system relaxation; when your nervous system is relaxed you will find it much easier to fall asleep. We like Magnesium Glycinate as it is easiest on the digestive system (poorly absorbed forms can cause loose stools); or Natural Balance CALM which is a powder magnesium citrate you can make a tasty warm drink out of. Theanine and 5-HTP are precursors to Serotonin which is a precursor to Melatonin. Our favorite blend is called Tranquil Sleep by Natural Factors; it contains Melatonin, 5-HTP, and SunTheanine in a delicious chewable (so it acts fast).

What are your tips and tricks for getting a good nights rest? Please share them with us by commenting.

How often does someone have to do something over because they didn't listen the first time? If you have kids then the number of times that comes to mind is greater than the average. There is an under-appreciated value in listening skills. When you listen to someone at a party and ask relevant questions you will likely be viewed as a great conversationalist. When you do most of the talking you will likely view the other person as a great conversationalist. 

Why is such value placed on listening skills? We think listening is valued not only because people want to be heard, but because when you listen, time is saved. You save the person from having to repeat themselves. You save yourself the time of researching something. If you listen with intent to understand you gain valuable knowledge about the person you are interacting with. The customer that you listen to with intent to understand; you are better able to help solve their need.. The employee you listen to to understand; you are better able to lead because you know where they are coming from. The spouse you listen to with intent to understand; you are more able to communicate with. Take time to hone your listening skills... Listening is a crucial part of good relationships.

In a digital age it is easy to neglect the pen and paper for a keyboard or stylus and a computer. However, it is important to recognize the importance of writing things down. Here are 5 reasons you should write things down:

1. If you write it down you can't forget it. Granted you have to have a system to keep track of all the notes you make; but at least you don't have to try and remember anymore.  
2. It keeps you accountable. If you write down a short task list it helps you to stay focused. 
3. Helps you think more clearly. Writing it down keeps you from having to remember it constantly which opens up your brain to new ideas.
4. Boosts memory. Writing things down helps you store the idea or task in a different part of your brain. It frees your brain up to do other processes. Writing takes focus; have you ever tried to write something down while thinking about something else? It doesn't work.
5. Helps you organize your P.R.I.O.R.I.T.I.E.S. Once you have everything out of your head it is easier to see what your next action should be.

These are all reasons why we utilize a paper planner system. Time Managed isn't just a planner; our quarterly planners are a notebook and planner combined (with plenty of room for notes and mind mapping).