My planning process and tools
Mondays are my planning days. I review my Outlook and Google calendars, transfer appointments and deadlines into my Happy Planner, and brain-dump into Google Tasks. This weekly ritual keeps me from waking up at 4 a.m. in a panic because I forgot to prep for class or unlock a Canvas module. At least it does most of the time. I still forget things. Balancing two teaching jobs, coaching speech and debate (college this year, high school next), directing a student support program, and being a mom, Girl Scout leader, and semi-social human is… a lot. Without a system, it’s chaos.
I’ve tried going digital-only, but I always come back to paper. Electronic calendars are great for real-time alerts, but they feel like black holes when it comes to weekly planning. Writing things down helps me see the week ahead and mentally prepare.
My current planner setup:
- Outlook for work meetings
- Google Calendar for personal appointments
- Google Tasks for dumping to-dos
- Happy Planner for the day-to-day plan
This year, I’m using the 2025 Woodland Whispers Horizontal layout. It’s bulky (I use the Big size), but it gives me plenty of space to write and add a few cheerful stickers. I’m not a fancy planner person—it’s mostly functional—but a little decoration goes a long way in lifting my mood.
This week mapped out
I’m happy to have a lighter week than usual! My university job is officially on summer break, though I have three small tasks to wrap up. None require me to be in the office, but I’ll still have to make a quick trip to campus. At my community college, it’s finals week—so just two days of work instead of four. I’ll take it!
Today’s Memorial Day, so no school or grading—but my daughter and I are volunteering at the local fair from 6–9 p.m., working the stroller/wheelchair booth as a Girl Scout fundraiser. She had a friend sleep over and they were up until 7:30 a.m., so tonight might be…interesting. Luckily, last night’s shift was mostly reading and visiting with our friend who was face painting nearby.
Tuesday, I proctor my Public Speaking final in the morning and we might host some friends in the evening—depending on how things go, since my husband has to leave early Wednesday. He’s heading to his parents’ house to help with his mom’s third (and hopefully final) outpatient surgery in six weeks. She’s been in a lot of pain for a year now, so we’re really hoping this last one does the trick. I’m grateful he has a flexible job that lets him support them—it would be tough for them to manage these overnight trips with two-hour drives to and from the hospital without him.
Thursday, I have three Zoom sessions for my online Public Speaking class. Between sessions, my daughter and I will head to the Chico Community Debate year-end “bring-a-friend” gathering.
Friday, I’m wrapping up with two finals—mine from 10–12 and one I’m subbing for from 12–2. After that, I just need to finish grading, check off those last few university tasks, and I’ll officially be done… for a week. Then summer session begins! 🤪
At least I won’t have to go to work all summer—and that feels like a win.
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