How to Use a Planner for Mental Wellness (My Low-Energy Tips)
Happy Wellness Monday!
Yesterday for my ‘Sunday Reset,’ I shared that my non-negotiable task is sitting down with my planner. Today, I want to talk about why.
For a long time, my planner was a source of stress—a long list of things I ‘had’ to do that just made me feel overwhelmed. But now, it’s my single best tool for managing my mental wellness.
Especially on a week like this, where I’m recovering from being sick and the time change has me in a fog, I know my energy is low. My planner isn’t my boss; it’s my buffer. Here is how I use my planner for a low-stress, low-energy week.
1. The “Brain Dump” (To Clear the Mental Clutter)
First, ‘wellness’ means getting the chaos out of my head. I take a blank page and do a ‘brain dump’—everything I’m worried about, from ‘answer that email’ to ‘buy milk’ to ‘laundry.’ Getting it all onto paper is a 10-minute task that lowers my anxiety by 90%. It stops the ‘what am I forgetting?’ panic.
2. The “Rule of 3” (My Low-Energy Lifesaver)
This is my most important rule. I DO NOT fill every line in my planner. That’s a recipe for failure. Instead, I look at my ‘brain dump’ list and pick only THREE ‘Most Important Things’ (MITs) for the day. That’s it. Just three. If I’m feeling really low-energy, I’ll just pick one. This is how I avoid burnout. If I get those three things done, the day is a 100% win. The rest is a bonus.
3. I Schedule My Rest (And My ‘Grace Day’)
My ‘Wellness’ hack isn’t just about scheduling work; it’s about scheduling rest. I will literally block out ’30 Min: Read’ or ‘Couch Time’ just like a doctor’s appointment. The other key? The ‘Friday Catch-Up Day’ from the Clean Mama routine. This is my ‘Grace Clause.’ If I have a low-energy Tuesday and can’t get to ‘Dusting,’ I don’t panic. I just draw an arrow and move it to Friday. This gives me permission to be human, which is the ultimate mental wellness hack.
My planner has become my best tool for protecting my peace of mind.
How do you manage your weekly mental load? Do you have any planner hacks for low-energy days? Let me know in the comments! 👇