Plans Matter Blog - Time management & diary writing 2016

How to write your personal vision - Free Template Again!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 07 Nov 2015 14:11:00 +0000

A strong start creates momentum and this lesson is intended to get you up and running right away on your first 12 Week Year.

The first step is to establish an emotionally compelling long-term vision. That is because when applying The 12 Week Year, there will be some days when you just won’t "feel like" taking action on your plan. To help you stay on track you need a powerful "why" – and that’s your vision. (*I'm using the book terminology, but it's more correct to use "mission" here instead of "vision", some people would consider it as a mistake, I know.)

The most powerful visions address and align your personal aspirations with your professional dreams. That’s because in the end, your professional vision often funds and enables your personal vision.

I didn't like much the idea of creating a blank sheet of paper with the headline "My Vision", that's why I'd like to give you a free page from Plans Matter Diary.

We start the new "year" from the 1st of December, 2015 (it will end at the 22nd of February, 2016). If you want to join, like Plans Matter page, so you can get prepared with additional materials I'm going to post here.

Allright, here is the link to download, print the page and fill the gaps in the paragraph, so you'd have your own vision to push you through The 12 Week Year. Isn't it great?

Writing Your 12 Week Plan + Free Template

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 06 Nov 2015 14:08:00 +0000

Now it ’s time to write your first 12 week plan. The plan is the roadmap needed to reach your 12 week goals. The best plans are focused on one or two things that you want to make progress on in the next 12 weeks. The fewer goals and weekly actions there are, the easier the plan will be to execute.

To get started, download Plans Matter free template, print it out, and write your first 12 week goal as Goal 1.

Write each additional goal separately. The template fits 3 Goals, it's the maximum to focus and not to be frustrated if something gets wrong. You may focus at only one Huge Goal; that’s fine.

Next, for each of your goals, define the highest-priority daily and weekly actions (tactics) that you must take to reach that goal.

In order to do this it might be helpful to brainstorm on a separate sheet of paper all the things you could do, and then select the ones that will have the greatest impact.

Good luck. smile emoticon

Link for downloading a free template for 12 Week Plan

12 Weeks Equals a Year - Make Your Goals Work

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Thu, 05 Nov 2015 13:56:00 +0000

Forget about a year. By now you can see the pitfalls associated with annualized thinking. Let ’s redefine a year: A year is no longer 12 months, it is now only 12 weeks. That’s right, a year is now a 12 week period. There are no longer four periods in a year; that’s old thinking. Now, there is just a 12 Week Year, followed by the next 12 Week Year, all the time. Each 12 week period is independent - it is your year.

Think about the real meaning of a 12 Week Year for your productivity. The excitement, energy, and focus that happen every December now happen continuously. The year-end push to hit your goals now happens not once every 12 months, but all the time.

If you got inspired, read the book "The 12 Week Year" and join us 1st of December, 2015. You may download the free sample of the book to get the basics. You may also check on their official website with videos and paid tools.

But I assure you, with Plans Matter page it'd be much more fun. We are going to start the new "year" from the 1st of December, 2015 (it will end at the 22nd of February, 2016). If you want to join, like Plans Matter page, so you can get prepared with additional materials I'm going to post here.

Start New Year in December!

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Wed, 04 Nov 2015 13:51:00 +0000

Currently I'm amazed with the book "The 12 Week Year: Get More Done in 12 Weeks Than Others Do in 12 Months".

It's one of the greatest approaches in time management I've explored so far, and I like the idea to celebrate the New Year more often. kiki emoticon
So, me and a couple of my friends decided to start the new "year" from the 1st of December, 2015 (it will end at the 22nd of February, 2016). If you want to join, like Plans Matter page, so you can get prepared with additional materials I'm going to post here.

All paper sheets are compatible with A5 format organizer, I will publish them for free. If you want to get more, you can purchase Plans Matter Diary at Etsy store.

Time Management Cards - Week 30

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 15:12:00 +0000

Setting goals is easy, much harder part is to prioritise and accomplish on time. Here's a set of journaling cards for your time motivation. Stick them next to your office desk, or place to your paper planner. :)

Places I Want To See - Week 29

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 18 Jul 2015 18:38:00 +0000

Everyone has his own bucket list of places he'd like to travel. I have mine as well. Is there anything you like in mine?

Birthday journaling cards - Week 28

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 13:57:00 +0000

Tomorrow is my birthday, and I feel myself upset with a new date. Trying to convince myself I have plenty of time still, yet my self-eating beats me easily. Don't know why I live, can't figure out, I think I've seen enough. Hope I'll be able to put myself together.

Happy birthday cards to download for free.

Light Backgrounds - Week 27

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 04 Jul 2015 12:17:00 +0000

Sometimes you write and you need something to feel the gaps. Journaling cards with backgrounds I like are ready for downloading here. Hope you will enjoy them too.

Weight Loss Motivation - Week 26

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 27 Jun 2015 12:01:00 +0000

I'm sadly disappointed with my attempts to lose weight, because of mood changes and losing motivation, I can't find the power in myself to start exercising again. People don't like to confess about their failures. However, I can't feel any strength, or persuasive words, I begin shaking with any mention about physical exercises. :( Hope it'll be changed one day.

Anyway, I wish you to perform better than me, I still have to go through 21 Day Fix this year. Here are journaling cards to encourage you in your uneasy path to a perfect body.

Summer Diary Cards - Week 25

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 20 Jun 2015 13:13:00 +0000

“it's a smile, it's a kiss, it's a sip of wine ... it's summertime!”

Download summer journaling cards for free

Enjoy your summer days, they are not forever!

Red Journaling Cards - Week 24

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 13 Jun 2015 07:21:00 +0000

This week set is about the only one colour. Red is the color of fire and blood, so it is associated with energy, war, danger, strength, power, determination as well as passion, desire, and love. Red is a very emotionally intense color. Do you like it? Does it repel you?

Get the red cards for your diary, print and enjoy!

Bears Journaling Cards - Week 23

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 06 Jun 2015 10:36:00 +0000

This week I have some bears for you, hope you'll like them as much as I do.

Books Journaling Cards - Week 22

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 30 May 2015 10:25:00 +0000

Print these journaling card quotes about reading, go to the bookshop or to the library, leave them inside random books you love!

Worries Journaling Cards - Week 21

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 23 May 2015 09:42:00 +0000

Sometimes worries can be so annoying, so that you can not concentrate at anything. I wish you all to overcome this moments of anxiety and helplessness, and see your life from above, with a quiet state of mind. Here is a set of journaling cards, free to download as usual. Have a great day.

Goals Journaling Cards - Week 20

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 16 May 2015 11:28:00 +0000

How is your year going? Already 20 weeks of the year are gone, may be it's time to revise your New Year resolutions in your diary, or just start with a fresh list. Here's a great and quick exercise about planning: take 6 small pieces of paper (I'm using post-its, but you might find useful to write on A5 paper sheets for the first time), and write one area of your life where you want to concentrate on the top of each list. Then write 6 doable tasks that are related to each topic. I recommend to use separate sheets, so you can fill write your tasks not one by one, but whatever comes to your mind. After that you can put all topics and tasks together in one weekly to-do list. It's simple, takes 5-10min of your time only, and really works.
And here are your journaling cards about goals and achievements, to keep your mood at the right level.

Family Journaling Cards - Week 19

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 09 May 2015 09:18:00 +0000

Love to use journaling cards for quick occasions and my diary writing. Hope you're enjoying them too. Here's another batch, about family, I sincerely enjoying my quite home coziness.

Strength Workout Cards - Week 18

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 02 May 2015 08:00:00 +0000

I have some problems with my knees and lower back, that's why I had to be twice cautious while exercising in the gym. You can take these cards with you, and try for this easy workout yourself.

Favourite Quotes - Week 17

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 26 Apr 2015 14:01:00 +0000

What can you tell about a person when you read his favourite quotes? Does it help to understand him better? Do you like mine?

Insomnia - Week 16

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 17 Apr 2015 12:49:00 +0000

Sorry, but I suppose not all journaling cards should be happy, we all have bad days. In my case I had sleepless nights and gloomy office days. The only advantage in such periods - you can read a lot. If you experience the same, download my diary cards about insomnia.

Meditation - Week 15

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 11 Apr 2015 12:00:00 +0000

I advise everyone to meditate systematically, even you think it's rather odd and "too spiritual". Let's admit we have too many things in our plate, much more information than our grandparents had. And it doesn't make us feel special, or extremely productive, all we do is placing more unnecessary stuff to our memory, and getting more stress and fuss.

Meditate for half an hour every day unless you are too busy. In that case meditate for an hour.

And the best start for meditation is Today. With Headspace you'll get first 10 meditations for free and learn how to manage your brain in a better way (not an ad, I just love Headspace!), And download my journaling cards as reminders for your meditation pauses.

Easter - Week 14

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 05 Apr 2015 08:06:00 +0000

Happy Easter, everyone. As I was born and raised according to post-Soviet standards, my generation is "not inspired by religion". However, I accept religious holidays as a part of nature changes, combined with some Slavic beliefs, and I feel in harmony with myself. Do you like my Easter cards? :)

Military Diet for Plans Matter

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sun, 29 Mar 2015 17:28:00 +0000

The spring came, and so it's your best shot to lose weight and prepare yourself to lighter outfits. I highly recommend to check a MilitaryDiet. The Military Diet is a mix of low calorie, yet tasty foods created by smart people toburn fat, push your metabolism and lose weight quickly. This diet is one of the best natural diets known for rapid weight loss without a prescription. And because the diet is 3 days on and 4 days off, the diet doesn’t slow down your metabolism like other diets.

The average office woman burns about 1700 calories a day, before going to the gym or doing any other form of exercise. The Military Diet provides under 1000 calories a day, so you’re going to lose weight if you follow it. A pound of fat is made of 3500 calories. The maths is easy and cruel: to gain a pound of fat, you have to eat 3500 more calories than you burn. And to lose a pound of fat, you need to burn 3500 more calories than you eat. Sometimes we all need efforts to make. :)

Caffeine raises the metabolism slightly, helping the body burn fat and lose weight. Grapefruit kick starts the liver into fat burning mode. High protein foods like peanut butter, eggs, tuna and other meat require more energy from the body to process, so they burn more fat to digest. All goodness, and without starving - you don't have enough time to "starve", let's be honest.

So, for your start with Military Diet, I've created a free for downloading A5 page, compatible with Plans Matter organizer design. It contains the menu and a shopping list. As I'm a ovolactovegetarian, I'm going to replace meat with crab sticks/fish/tofu, and saltines with rice cakes (just not fond of saltines). If you are looking for fair substitutes, you can find them at the website as well. My modified Military diet page is here, and you can search even for more modifications

P.S. Yes, the dietitians do not recommend to go lower than 1200 calories a day, but let's consider it as a reviving, short-term cleansing. If you're exercising hard, and still want to try the diet, add a scoop of protein after each workout. And also check for menu options that they offer for the rest 4 days.

Yoga - Week 13

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 28 Mar 2015 08:43:00 +0000

A routine day in the office can make your neck stiff, your back sore, your shoulders feel jammed, and your brain be squeezed. I know people who were into jogging, martial arts, or climbing - however, for their improvement they all come to yoga. Everyone comes, sooner or later. :)

I describe it this way: yoga gives you inner strength. The biggest excitement for me is to see how I'm changing everyday: today I can reach more than it was one day ago, so my morning practice gives a sort of ecstatic happiness.

This week I went to a beautiful yoga charity event in Amman, actually it was my first group practice I've ever had. It's much harder to concentrate, but the presence of a yoga teacher gives you an outside look, and it's important, especially if you're not fully aware about human's anatomy, or need to correct postures. So, here are this week's yoga journaling cards and hope it'll make you think of giving it a try.

Happiness - Week 12

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Fri, 20 Mar 2015 15:00:00 +0000

This week has my lucky number and the most suitable day to publish journaling cards with things that make me happy. Are your happy images similar with mine?

Sea waves - Week 11

noreply@blogger.com (Anonymous) — Sat, 14 Mar 2015 14:57:00 +0000

First time I saw the sea when I was 15, it was the Sea of Japan in Vladivostok. Sand at those bays is white as bones, sparkling with platinum fire during the sunrise.

Years after I lived next to the Bosphorus, never tired of it. I've seen Black, Aegean, Mediterranean, Red and Dead Seas so far, hope it's not the end of the list. Big water has its special magic. This week the set of cards is about my love to the Sea.