Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

It’s no secret I love to travel the world in books since I’ve been sharing my reading journey here since 2014! I also love to plan and color so I teamed up with my talented husband to create this Around the World Reading Challenge journal with plenty of space to color and track the books you read as you complete your Around the World Reading Challenge. It combines my love of coloring and reading and I hope it inspires you to read more and destress as you color and reflect on the books.

A Unique World Reading Challenge Coloring Journal

One thing I love is seeing beautiful and artistic reading bullet journal spreads on YouTube and Instagram. I always want an amazing keepsake of the books I read but I don’t make the time to learn how to draw, doodle or hand letter. And I don’t make the time to color massive coloring book pages either. It just doesn’t work for my current lifestyle but I don’t want to miss out on the relaxing and de-stressing benefits that being creative and coloring provides.

So when we were designing this Around the World Reading Challenge Journal, I told my husband, the owner of Freed Dreams Publishing, that I wanted more simple spaces to color. That’s why the titles on the inside pages are all hollow so you can color them in you like and add pops of color to any or every page you like.

The Around the World Reading Challenge Journal is the first of our coloring journals and I can’t wait to color it in and see how you color yours also. Be sure to tag me on Instagram with #aroundtheworldreadingchallenge or share your pages in the Around the World Reading Challenge Facebook group.

Undated for Flexibility

This Around the World Reading Challenge Journal is undated on purpose so you don’t feel pressured to read. Reading should be joyful and relaxing, and even thought it’s called a “challenge”, it’s not meant to add more stress. The inside cover has a box where you can write your name and/or when you start your reading around the world journey, Just remember to save some space for when you finish it too!

Larger Print and Wide Spaces

We made sure to use easy to read fonts with larger print and wide lined spaces so it’s easy to read and fun to fill out.

Bookshelf Trackers for 100 Books!

We had so much fun designing the 4 bookshelf tracker pages in the Around the World Reading Challenge Journal! There are spaces to color in 100 books as you read. They are wide books so you have plenty of space to write in the book titles.

Around the World 100 Book Challenge Goal Setting and Tracker

The 100 book challenge tracker page is where you can set your around the world reading challenge goals. Break down your goal into milestones and write in the rewards you’re going to give yourself along the way for meeting your goals to keep you motivated to continue. How will you reward yourself for a job well read?

Color in a box each time you read a book to track your progress on this worthwhile reading challenge.

Yearly Reading Habit Tracker

The Around the World Reading Challenge Journal has a Year in Pixels-inspired bullet journal spread shown above, where you can track a daily reading habit. You set what daily reading habit you want to track. Again, it’s undated so you can start it whenever you get your journal. There is a legend and 3 boxes at the bottom so you can color code your tracker if you like. Here are some ideas for reading habits to track:

• whether you read that day
• format read (audiobook, physical book, e-reader)
• genre read (fiction vs. nonfiction)
• pages read (for ex. <20 pages, 20-49 pages, 50+ pages)
• minutes read (for ex. <15 minutes, 15-30 minutes, 30+ minutes)

Link the tracker to your goal so you can see the progress you make towards it. For example, I tend to listen to a lot of audiobooks since I listen on my commute to work. As a result, there are a ton of books on my bookshelves that are unread.

One of my goals with this challenge is to shop my shelves and read more of the physical books I own. So I’m going to break down my color coding by format read. If I read more than one format, i’ll just divide the box up into 2 or 3 sections and color it in. Each time you color in a box is a small victory and this tracker helps you visualize your reading in a year.

Tip: If you think this challenge will take you more than a year, make a copy of this page before you start so you can tip in extra yearly trackers in the back. 

Around the World Reading Challenge Journal Continent Book Maps to Color

The continent book maps have countries outlined so you can color the country in as you read a book set in that country or by an author from that country. If you want, you could put a mini stamp or sticker over each once completed after you color it in. Plenty of white space around the map if you want to write in titles or print up and tape in book covers of favorites. Just another fun way to visualize your reading adventures in the journal.

Book Travel Itinerary Book Log Pages

We called them “book travel itinerary” pages because this is where you log the books of the trip you plan to take in books. Spaces to log 110 book with their title & author, country and rating.

100 Book Review Pages

We have a generous 100 book review pages in the Around the World Reading Challenge Journal. We have “Book Review” in an outlined font that you can color in. I plan to color it to match the book cover. There’s a big box where you could draw or tape in the book cover, a highlight or a favorite quote.

Book review pages has spaces to write the title and author, country and thoughts. and spaces to color in format of book read and star rating.

Extra Pages for Favorites and Notes

After the book reviews are a few extra pages for favorite quotes, books or notes. Some ideas for your notes pages:

• wish list
• recommended by others lists
• other reading challenges you want to participate in
• places you are inspired to visit in real life!

Paper and Printing by Amazon

We designed the covers and inside pages but our journals are printed on demand by Amazon. We use the regular quality paper to keep the price down which Amazon says is 50-61 lb./74-90 gsm paper. We just want people to have fun with our planners and journals without spending a fortune.

I’ve done a pen and marker test on one of our journals so I could see how the paper performs. My favorite Frixion pens and Frixion highlighters work well and even when I erase, the lines don’t erase (it can be a problem in other notebooks I’ve tried). Papermate Flair pens seem to work well too.

It’s designed to be a coloring journal – I love using colored pencils to color so the paper works wonderfully for that (these Verithin colored pencils are on my wish list!). If you want to use markers, I suggest doing a test page first. Real inky markers and pens might bleed through or ghost.

Around the World Reading Challenge Journal Flip Through Video

Here’s a quick video of our Around the World Reading Challenge Journal so you can see the pages up close and personal. Enjoy!

Well I hope that shows you all the fun features of our Around the World Reading Challenge Journal that you can get on Amazon. Join our Around the World Reading Challenge here for all the details.

The post Around the World Reading Challenge Journal: Color and Track Your Reading Adventure appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

I’ve already read 96 books set in 35 different countries so far since I started this endeavor in 2014. As much as I want to expand my cultural and reading horizons, I’ve noticed I still tend to read lots in India (where my family is from), Japan, China, France, England and Australia. In 2023, I was happy that made a bit of a dent in some African countries, including one of my all time favorites (Cutting for Stone set in Ethiopia) but then I started working full time again and somehow even my reading took a hit.

My Around the World in Books Reading Challenge Goals for 2025

1. Read 25 Books from Around the World
2. Read 15 Books from Around the World I already own
3. Read books from 15 countries i haven’t read about yet
4. Review every book I read in my Around the World Reading Challenge Coloring Journal (it’s so cute!)

In 2023, I had this huge goal to read a book a week set in a different country. I didn’t quite make it as far as I liked so I still have this great list of books I wanted to read. here’s what I have left to read by continent, even Antarctica, that last book looks so cute!

I’m also hosting and doing the Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge for 2025 since I’ve been collecting books for this challenge for years . I’ve marked the ones i own with SMS so I remember to count them for my Shop My Shelves challenge too.

Books Set in Africa

• Books set in Ethiopia ideas
• South Africa – Born a Crime – Trevor Noah (SMS)
• Nigeria – Half of a Yellow Sun – Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie (SMS)
• Sudan – A Long Walk to Water – Linda Sue Park
• Rwanda – Baking Cakes in Kigali – Gaile Parkin
• Malawi – The Boy who Harnessed the Wind – William Kamkwamba
• Morocco – The Alchemist – Paolo Coelho (SMS)
• Madagascar –

Books Set in South America

• Trinidad and Tobago – The White Woman in the Green Bicycle – Monique Roffey (SMS)
• Colombia – Love in the Time of Cholera – Gabriel Garcia Marquez (SMS)
• Brazil – the Seven Sisters – Lucinda Riley (SMS)
• Argentina – On a Night of a Thousand Stars – Andrea Yaryura Clark
• Ecuador – the Inheritance of Orquidea Dovina – Zoraida Cordova
• Guyana – Of Marriageable Age – Sharon Maas
• Peru
• Chile-
• Venezuela –
• Aruba

Books set in Australia and Oceania

• Australia –What Alice Forgot (SMS)or Nine Perfect Strangers (SMS) – Liane Moriarity
• Fiji – The Trouble with Paradise – Jill Shavis
• New Zealand – the Colour – Rose Tremain
• Various – South Sea Tales – Jack London
• Tahiti – Breadfruit – Celestine Hitiura Vaite
• Various oceania islands – The Happy Isles of Oceania: Paddling the Pacific – Paul Theroux
• Cook Islands – An Afternoon in Summer: my year on a South Sea Island, Doing Nothing, Gaining Everything and Finally Falling in Love by Kathy Giuffre

Book set in Europe

• Balkan Peninsula – Tiger’s Wife – Tea Obrecht (SMS)
• France – the Painted Girls – Cathy Marie Buchanan (SMS)
• Ireland – Brida – Paulo Coelho (SMS)
• England – The House at Riverton – Kate Morton (SMS)
• Italy – Beautiful Ruins – Jess Walter (SMS)
• Scotland – Island of Wings – Karin Altenberg (SMS)
• Spain – the Nautical Chart – Arturo Perez Reverte (SMS)
• Norway – the Storm Sister – Lucinda Riley (SMS)
• Cyprus – the Island of Missing Trees – Elif Shafak
• Greece – the Song of Achilles – Madeline Miller

Books set in Asia

• India – The Space Between Us – Thrity Umrigar (SMS)
• Cambodia – In the Shadow of the Banyan – Vaddey Ratner (SMS)
• Philippines – The Mango Bride – Marivi Soliven (SMS)
• China – Peony in Love – Lisa See (SMS)
• Tibet – Ethics for the New Millenium – Dalai Lama XIV (SMS)
• Syria – the Sandcastle Girls – Chris Bohjalian (SMS)
• Malaysia – the Night Tiger – Yangsze Choo (SMS)
• Iran – the Stationery Shop – Marjan Kamali
• Singapore – Rich People Problems – Kevin Kwan

Books Set in North America

• Canada – A Trick of the Light – Louise Penny (SMS)
• Mexico – Margarita Wednesdays: Making a New Life by the Mexican Sea – Deborah Rodriguez (SMS)
• Panama – The World in Half – Cristina Henriquez
• Belize – the Layover – Lacie Waldon
• United States – the Secret Life of Bees – Sue Monk Kidd (SMS)

Books Set in Antarctica

• Away with the Penguins – Hazel Prior

Support indie bookstores and buy the Around the World Reading challenge books here

Buy these books on Amazon – see my Around the World Reading Challenge 2025 shopping list

Join the Around the World Reading Challenge 2025

I would love if you’d join the Around the World Reading Challenge with me. The challenge is super simple. There are a few ways to join in the fun, do one, do them all, it’s up to you. I just love talking about great books so I’ve given you plenty of options on how to join in the fun! My goal is simply to encourage you to read more books from all over the world.

1. Leave a comment below telling me you’re in!
2. Sign up for my weeklyish reading newsletter and get challenge updates, what we’re reading, the free bingo boards I’ll be using throughout the year, and all the other bookish printables I offer for free.
3. Check out our Around the World Reading Challenge Journal to encourage you and track your global reading journey.
4. Join the free Around the World Reading Challenge Facebook group so we can chat about our reading adventures and have book club events.
5. Find me on instagram where I’ll be sharing my books, thoughts and reading journal pages as I complete and color them in! Use the hashtag #aroundtheworldreadingchallenge to connect to the challenge!

More Reading Challenge Ideas You Might Like

• Fun Reading Challenges and Bookish Games to Encourage Reluctant and Unmotivated Readers
• Fall Reading Challenge Ideas to Read More and Cozy up with Good Books
• 10 Big Books Worth Reading to Travel the World in Books
• 25 Reading Challenge Ideas To Inspire You to Read More + FREE Workbook to Create Your Own Challenge
• A Huge Roundup of 2025 Year Long Reading Challenges

What recommendations do you have for me to add to the list? I would love this challenge to be a resource for the world’s best books! Join me in the challenge and let’s read around the world together!

The post My Around the World Reading Challenge Goals for 2025 appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

366!!?! Every January 1st, I count the number of unread books crammed into my shelves. It doesn’t look like a lot when they are spread out and double stacked into every nook and cranny. But in reality, there are 366 books on my 2 bookshelves and my dresser that I have not read yet!

It’s overwhelming how many books I have that I have not yet enjoyed. That’s a whole lot of money spent that I don’t want to waste (the majority I bought used at library book sales and used bookstores, but still!). Every year as I set my reading challenges, I want to shop my shelves and read what I own. So this year, I’m taking things into my own hands and holding myself accountable by running a new Shop My Shelves TBR reading challenge challenge!

If you’re a book lover, I bet that bookstores are your happy place too. You’ve probably accumulated a pile (or dare I say, whole shelves) of unread novels, memoirs, and thrillers that you’ve been meaning to get to but haven’t found the time. Too many books, too little time! I love bookstores so much that it’s my life goal to create a little bookstore in my house that I call “My Happy Place” complete with little shelf tags of reviews and recommendations so I can lend out books!

This year, instead of adding more books to our ever-growing to be read (TBR) pile, let’s focus on reading the ones you already own! Take on the TBR reading challenge, declutter your bookshelf, and finally dive into those stories you’ve been eagerly waiting to read. Keep reading to learn how you can join the 2025 challenge and make it your most successful and productive reading year yet!

Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge

It’s time to face the truth—as much as we love to buy new books, we’ve already spent a small fortune on books to stock our shelves. From bestsellers to hidden gems, I know you’ve got a literary treasure trove right at home, yet you keep adding more books to your TBR (To Be Read) pile. This year, let’s flip the script and focus on the books we’ve already invested our hard earned money on. That’s where the Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge comes in!

This challenge is all about rediscovering the joy of reading the books you own. Instead of buying more new titles, why not turn your attention to the unread books on your shelves? Whether it’s a novel you’ve been meaning to read for years, recent impulse purchase or a Book of the Month subscription, the Shop My Shelves challenge encourages you to take that book off the shelf and finally dive in.

Why You Should Shop Your Shelves

Let’s face it: We all have a towering TBR pile that seems to grow faster than we can read. And yet, we can’t help ourselves when we discover great deals, a pretty new cover, or a new release from our must read authors. It’s effortless to pick up more books without ever fully enjoying the ones already on our shelves. But what if you could change that? The Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge is the perfect way to focus on what you already have, rather than adding more to your list.

Here are some reasons why it’s a good idea to shop your own shelves in 2025:

• Save money: Stop buying books you don’t have time to read and make use of the ones you already own.
• Declutter your space: Free up some space by reading through your existing collection.
• Make room for new books: Unhaul the books that don’t bring you joy
• Satisfy your curiosity: Explore books you’ve forgotten about or never had the chance to read.
• Don’t waste your money: If you read it, you won’t have felt like you wasted your money.
• Challenge yourself: Push your reading boundaries and finally finish those books you’ve been putting off.

In 2025, you can make a real dent in that TBR list with the Shop My Shelves Reading challenge—let’s cheer each other on and do this!

Shop My Shelves Reading Challenge Journal

My husband has always had a passion for creating art and in 2024, he started Freed Dreams Publishing on Amazon to inspire creativity, imagination and unlocking your dreams with the journals he creates. We combined his passion for art with my passion for reading and journaling to create the Shop My Shelves Reading Challenge Journal that is available exclusively on Amazon now! We designed it and Amazon prints and ships it to you!

I told him bookstores were my happy place so he designed the My Happy Place bookstore on the beach, combining my 2 happy places in one journal. It’s so vibrant and colorful and I hope you love it as much as I do.

Shop My Shelves Details and How to Sign Up

Are you ready to take on the TBR reading challenge and clear some of those unread books off your shelf? Here’s how you can get started with the Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge 2025. There are several ways you can join in, do one or do them all! I’d love to encourage you to read what you own!

1. To join the challenge, simply leave a comment below.
2. Determine how many books you’d like to read from your shelves in 2025.
3. Sign up for my weeklyish reading newsletter and get challenge updates, what we’re reading, the free bingo boards I’ll be using throughout the year, and all the other bookish printables I offer for free.
4. Check out our Shop My Shelves Reading Challenge Journal to encourage you and track your progress as you whittle down your TBR and enjoy the books you own to the fullest!
5. Find me on instagram where I’ll be sharing my books, thoughts and reading journal pages.and use the hashtag #shopmyshelvesreadingchallenge to connect with others doing the challenge too!

More Reading Inspiration Posts You Might Like

• Around the World Reading Challenge
• 25 Reading Challenges to Unleash Your Inner Bookworm
• The Best Books for Book Clubs
• A Book Bucket List Free Printable and the 50 things on my book bucket list

Who’s Ready to Get Started?

Sign up now and for the 2025 Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge. Don’t let another year go by without reading the books that are waiting patiently on your shelves. Whether it’s a genre you love or a new author you’ve been wanting to explore, this challenge will help you make the most of your collection—and make 2025 your best reading year yet!

If you’re excited about this new way to focus on the books you already own, don’t forget to share this challenge with your fellow book lovers. Happy reading, and happy shelf-shopping!

The post Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge: Save Money and Rediscover the Books You Already Own appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

I started the  Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge in 2014 and had teamed up with Fictional 100 and Guiltless Reading. It was a no-stress, no-worries, kind of challenge that helps you expand your reading and cultural horizons. I’m doing it on my own now but still it’s a goal to read around the world in books!

I think it’s important to learn about different cultures and countries so that we can develop an empathy and understanding for others, what they experience and how it shapes their life perspective. I wish I could travel the world in person but with a family of 5 and a chronic illness, it’s just not possible in this season of life. So what better way to travel the world than through the pages of a book? I can get lost in new places and adventures I may not be able to see otherwise.

Traveling the world in books has also been great learning opportunity for my kids to learn about other cultures too. I am often bringing home library books so they can learn about the world around them. We talk about what it must be like to live in another place, maybe in one that is different in climate, or one that is different politically or economically. It helps them understand what others go through and gives them a sense of appreciation for the life they have.  

Whether you travel the world in books on your own or with your kids, won’t you join me to travel the world in books?

Note: This post contains affiliate links as indicated by an asterisk. Purchases from these links provides a small commission to me at no extra cost to you. 

My Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Goals

Read 50 books in 5 years (7/1/2014 – 6/30/2019) that take place in countries other than the US (where I reside), both fiction and nonfiction. I will track the books I read on this page and on my Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Google Map. I completed the first phase of this challenge in 2018!

 Now I’ve extended the challenge for another 50 books. First, my goal is to read the books I’ve already bought for the challenge and then I want to diversify my reading so that I tackle new countries/cultures I haven’t read about before.

Books Read:

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

Challenge extended! 50 more books, first off my TBR bookshelf of books I’ve already bought and then to diversify so I read from more countries I haven’t read about yet.

2019

2020

2021

2022

2023

• 86. Cutting for Stone by Abraham Verghese – 5* – set in Ethiopia, FAVORITE!
• 87. The Guest List by Lucy Foley – 5* – set in Ireland, FAVORITE!
• 88. The No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency by Alexander McCall-Smith – 3* – set in Botswana
• 89. Nefertiti by Michelle Moran – 5* – set in Egypt – FAVORITE! – 1st book in Eyptian Royals series, i want to read the others!
• 90. First Comes Scandal by Julia Quinn- 4* – set in England
• 91. Mastering the Art of French Murder by Colleen Cambridge – 4* – set in France
• 92. Spare by Prince Harry – 4* – set in England – though I really like his stories in Botswana!
• 93. The Painted Girls by Cathy Marie Buchanan – 3* – set in France

2024

• 94. The Tiger’s Wife by Tea Obrecht – 2* – set in a Balkan country
• 95. The American Heiress by Daisy Goodwin – 3* – set in England
• 96. The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning by Margareta Magnusson – 4* – set in Sweden/Swedish author

Only 4 more to get to 100!

Total Different Countries Visited in Books: 35

Have you read any of these? Any suggestions to add to my reading list to help me visit more countries in books?

Around the World Reading Challenge for 2025

Head to my Around the World Reading Challenge for 2025 post here to get all the details and goodies and to sign up! This year, I’ll be using this new Around the World Reading Challenge Journal to track my reading progress. The best part? My husband and I designed it and it’s printed and fulfilled by Amazon so you can get it fast!

I haven’t done so well lately with reading books from different countries, i seem to spend a lot of time in England, India and France. So for 2025, I really want to work on visiting new countries in books that I haven’t read about before. Maybe my goal will be to read books from 15 countries I haven’t read about yet, that will get me past 50 different countries visited in books.

I”ll be setting my goals and picking some books soon so stay tuned! I also want to work on the books i already own as I shop my shelves to save some money this year and possibly unhaul books I won’t read again to make room for new books!

Suggestions Needed for my Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge

Here are some of the countries/regions/continents I need book recommendations for! If you have a recommendation, please share!

• Ukraine – I would love to support Ukranian authors!
• Peru
• Argentina
• Brazil
• Galapagos Islands
• Portugal
• Eastern European countries
• Middle East besides Afghanistan
• Korea
• Indonesia
• Malaysia
• Fiji
• most of Africa!
• Greek islands

Other Reading Posts Like This You Might Enjoy

25 Reading Challenges to Unleash Your Inner Bookworm

Reading Activities for the Whole Family by The Orthodox Mama

25 Reading Challenge Ideas to Inspire You to Read More

35 Best Books Set on an Island

Subscribe to my Newsletter and get free Bookish printables and Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge with me! 

I hope you will join me on a reading adventure to travel the world in books! My Around the World Reading Challenge is designed to be no stress and all fun so you can choose your own adventure as you explore new countries and cultures in the world’s best books! 

The post My Travel the World in Books Reading Challenge Goals and Books Read appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

Do you ever feel like your reading habits have become too predictable? Maybe it’s time to take your book choices on an adventure. What could be better than letting your imagination travel to different parts of the world from the comfort of your home?

The Around the World Reading Challenge is designed to push you out of your comfort zone and expand your literary horizons. In 2025, join me as we explore books from around the world and dive into stories set in faraway places, broadening our understanding of different cultures and histories.

This challenge is perfect for book lovers looking to diversify their reading lists and gain global perspectives. Whether you’re interested in contemporary fiction, historical narratives, or memoirs, the Around the World Reading Challenge encourages you to read books from authors or set in countries other than the one you live in. Ready to start your global reading journey? Keep reading to learn how to get involved!

I have collected lots of books over the years with stories from all over the world and it’s really time I sat down and read/listened to them all. So I’m determined to do that for 2025 and I encourage you to join me. You can read along with me and join the Around the World Reading Challenge Facebook group so we can discuss what and where we’re reading!

Why You Should Join the Around the World Reading Challenge in 2025

The Around the World Reading Challenge isn’t just about reading books—it’s about gaining new perspectives and learning about the world through literature. Here’s why you should us:

• Cultural Exploration: Each book you read will give you a glimpse into a different culture, its traditions, and its way of life. Imagine traveling the world without leaving your home!
• Broaden Your Worldview: Reading authors from different countries allows you to see the world through various lenses—whether that’s understanding social issues, history, or diverse storytelling techniques.
• Discover New Authors: The challenge introduces you to writers you might not have heard of otherwise. From literary legends to emerging voices, you’ll discover fresh perspectives and new favorites.
• Escape Your Comfort Zone: Sometimes, we get stuck in reading the same genres or themes. The Around the World Reading Challenge helps you step outside your usual preferences and explore unfamiliar territories in literature.
• Grow as a Reader: The challenge encourages you to engage with books that deepen your understanding of global literature and broadening your reading horizons. It helps cultivate your empathy and compassion as you read about the experiences of others that contribute to who they are.

Around the World Reading Book Recommendations

My passion for reading started later in life as a way to cope with my Rheumatoid Arthritis. Because of my physical and medical limitations, I couldn’t actually travel the world as I hoped. So I turned to traveling the world in books in 2014 and I’ve done it every year since. I even have a bookshelf dedicated to my Around the World reading journey.

It’s fun to create your own reading challenges, and this is one I created for myself that I am very passionate about and love sharing it with you too! I never cease to wonder at the knowledge and compassion that can be gained from immersing ourselves in others’ experiences.

You can see all the 82 books I’ve read from 29 different countries so far on my journey around the world in books here. I marked my favorites for you!

I highly recommend trying audible or other audiobooks as hearing narrators that can speak the language definitely enhances the experience and makes you feel like you’re there.

Around the World Reading Challenge Journal

My husband has always had a passion for creating art and in 2024, he started Freed Dreams Publishing on Amazon to inspire creativity, imagination and unlocking your dreams with the journals he creates. We combined his passion for art with my passion for reading and journaling to create the Around the World Reading Challenge Journal that is available now! We designed it and Amazon prints and ships it to you! I’m so thrilled with how it turned out.

The front and back cover is so colorful and vibrant as you track the little paper planes symbolize your reading voyage around the globe!

The Around the World Reading Challenge Coloring Journal is a fun and relaxing way to document global literature by reading 100 books from different countries. With features like customizable cover pages, progress trackers, continent coloring pages, and 100 book review pages, this journal will help you stay motivated while documenting your literary journey.

I love that the black and white interior and outlined font in the headings gives you plenty of opportunity to use your favorite colored pencils to color in the page headings, star ratings, bookshelf and reading habit trackers to truly make your journal one of a kind and relax and reflect as you color. It’s the perfect companion for anyone looking to diversify their bookshelf and create a lasting keepsake of their reading adventures.

You can check out a super detailed post about all the features of the our journal or you can get it on amazon here: Around the World Reading Challenge Journal. We hope it encourages you on your global reading journey!

How to Sign Up for the Around the World Reading Challenge 2025

The challenge is simple and laid back. There are a few ways to join in the fun, do one, do them all, it’s up to you. I just love talking about great books so I’ve given you plenty of options on how to join in the fun! My goal is simply to encourage you to read more books from all over the world.

1. Leave a comment below telling me you’re in!
2. Sign up for my weeklyish reading newsletter and get challenge updates, what we’re reading, the free bingo boards I’ll be using throughout the year, and all the other bookish printables I offer for free.
3. Check out our Around the World Reading Challenge Journal to encourage you and track your global reading journey.
4. Join the free Around the World Reading Challenge Facebook group and/or aroundtheworldreadingchallenge workspace on Slack so we can chat about our reading adventures and have book club events.
5. Find me on instagram where I’ll be sharing my books, thoughts and reading journal pages.

More Around the World Reading Posts You Might Like

• The 35 Best Books Set on an Island
• Books Set in Different Countries I Want to Visit
• 11 Books About Ethiopia to Learn about Their Culture In Case You Never Get to Visit
• Shop My Shelves TBR Reading Challenge: Save Money and Rediscover the Books You Already Own

Can you tell? I’m sooo excited about dedicating 2025 to this around the world reading challenge so I can travel the world in books and shop my shelves that have so many adventures waiting for me! I hope you’ll join me so we can talk about the best stories from around the world!

The post Around the World Reading Challenge 2025: Expand Your Horizons and Read Globally appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This post contains affiliate links. Purchases from these links may  provide a small commission to me at no extra cost to you. In addition, I am not a medical professional and this does not constitute medical advice. I am only sharing my personal experience as an RA patient with you. See my full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here. The journal featured here was created by my spouse and is a project close to our hearts.

As many of you know, this blog has always been a space to celebrate small victories, especially for those of us living with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) or other chronic illnesses. Whether it’s finding a recipe that’s both delicious and easy to make on low-energy days, finding a planner to help manage your time and energy or finishing a captivating book that lifts our spirits, these small wins add up to something big – a life we love despite our physical and emotional challenges.

It’s been a while since I last posted, as life has gotten busier since I returned to full time work outside our home. But today, I’m thrilled to share something special with you: a small victories journal created by my amazing husband that’s deeply inspired by this blog and the journey it represents.

Why We Need to “Take the Helm”

The small victories journal my husband created, titled “Vintage Adventures: Take the Helm,” celebrates the idea that we all have the power to steer our own ship, even when the waters are rough. The ship may not go in the direction we intend, but it’s important to take the helm and put our energy into the things we CAN control. My husband was inspired by one of my favorite messages: find joy in your small victories (no matter how small) and take charge of your beautiful life (no matter the challenges you face).

The cover features a creative reinterpretation of a public domain version of Minnie Mouse, depicted as navigating the ship. Why Minnie instead of Steamboat Willie? Because sometimes, we need to reimagine old stories and put ourselves in the captain’s seat—just like this journal encourages you to do.

How a Small Victories Journal Can Change Your Life

You can read the long story about what I’ve been through living with RA here. But I started this blog in 2012 as a way to document my small victories. On bad days, a small victory could be “simple” self care of taking a shower, cutting my nails, tying my shoes or getting dressed in clothes with zippers or buttons. Whether I post it on Instagram or not, documenting my small victories everyday is still part of my daily planning routine.

Here’s how daily documentation of small victories has changed my life over the years and what I hope it helps you achieve too: 

• Increased gratitude for the days when you feel good
• A mindset shift of celebrating progress made over perfection
• More empathy and compassion for others and the struggles they might face, visible and invisible
• Less stress and worrying about what you can’t control
• Greater awareness of how food, exercise makes you feel so you can adjust accordingly to have more great days 
• Greater awareness of energy levels throughout the day so you can get more done on good days
• Guilt free rest and recovery on bad days
• Greater joy in seeing your accomplishments and happy memories all in one place – just flip through your completed pages when you feel down
• Greater recognition of what makes you feel good, brings you joy and fires you up
• Greater pride in yourself for keeping a positive attitude through your daily challenges

Where to Find the Small Victories Journal

This small victories journal is printed on demand just for you exclusively on Amazon. We select the standard paper quality for the inside pages which Amazon says is “50-61 pound (74-90 GSM) white paper” to keep the cost down for you. Since Amazon prints and fulfills your order, we don’t control the paper or shipping quality or return policy. We’ve ordered a few of my husband’s journals, and there are some minor imperfections on this one but nothing that inhibits my use of it.

We hope you’ll check out our small victories journal here for all the details and unlock the power of small victory journaling!

Journals are the Perfect Holiday Gift Idea

Looking for a thoughtful holiday gift for someone special? Our Small Victories Journal is perfect for anyone who loves journaling, vintage designs, Disney fans, or simply wants to focus on positivity and creativity. It’s a meaningful and affordable gift for:

• Writers and dreamers.
• Family or friends navigating challenges with grace.
• Stocking stuffers, Secret Santa gifts, or personal self-care treats.

Pair it with one of my favorite pens or my recommended planners for a complete gift package that’s sure to inspire joy this holiday season!

How I Use the Small Victories Journal

I like to keep my Small Victories Journal on my nightstand, next to the rocking chair that started my journey with small victories and the inspiration for this blog. I love to cozy up with my favorite fuzzy blanket, a cup of warm tea and write in at night so I can sleep well. If I can’t I make sure to catch up on Sundays as part of my weekly review of the week. This journal definitely helps me stay positive through this crazy life.

• Gratitude Journaling: Writing three things I’m thankful for each day, no matter how small.
• Meal Planning: Jotting down meals these boys loved or meal ideas for the week.
• Small Wins Tracker: Listing tiny victories, like getting out for a walk or finishing a book.
• How to Make Things Easier: Usually documenting my small victories inspires an idea of how to make things easier next week.

This journal has been a gentle reminder to focus on what I can do, rather than dwelling on what I can’t and I hope it does the same for you! I’ll be sure to share more photos of my completed small victories journal pages soon over on Instagram, so be sure to follow me over there.

A Family Affair and Freed Dreams!

This journal is more than just a product—it’s a labor of love. It’s a tribute to the strength and resilience of those who refuse to let chronic illness define them. I’m so proud of my husband for creating this, and I know it will inspire many of you, too.

If you’d like to check it out, you can find his Take the Helm: Small Victories Journal on Amazon here.

My husband is a very talented artist and he’s always dreamed of publishing his art. So he started Freed Dreams Publishing on Amazon which combines his love for art (he draws, colors and designs all the covers) and my love for all things planners and journals (I design the inside pages). It’s been fun working on this creative venture together and combining both our passions into products we hope brings joy and encouragement to others.

In addition to the small victories journal, my husband has also created journals with Steamboat Mickey and Christian themes, perfect for those celebrating spiritual victories or wanting to grow their relationship with God or their faith life. These include:

• In His Light: A Journal Featuring Jesus Christ (dot grid journal)
• A Savior Is Born: Nativity Scene Journal! (lined journal with a Star of Bethlehem on each page)
• Believe: A Journey with Jesus Christ Faith Based Journal (dot grid)

If you’re interested in seeing more of his work, follow his Freed Dreams Publishing page for all his fun and creative designs. We have lots of ideas in store that we’ll be cranking out for 2025 and we hope you’ll follow along!

I hope you’ll find our Take the Helm: Small Victories Journal as inspiring, empowering and encouraging tool as you face the challenges of daily life, whether you have a chronic illness or not. Whether you use it to track your own small victories, gift it to a loved one, or add it to your own holiday wish list, it’s a beautiful reminder that we can all steer our own ship—even in stormy seas.

Let’s keep celebrating those small victories together!

The post Take the Helm: A Small Victories Journal featuring Steamboat Minnie appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This post contains affiliate links as indicated by an asterisk. Purchases from these links provides a small commission to me at no extra cost to you.

I never thought I’d say it but…I’m a Soccer Mom and I LOVE IT! I always played sports as a kid and I was always playing outside. I was definitely more tomboy and sports girl and not at all a girlie girl.

Fast forward years later, and each time I brought a baby home, the doc had announced …IT’S A BOY…IT’S A BOY…And IT’S ANOTHER BOY! I was excited and ready for a life of lugging kids to practice and watching them play sports. My oldest son showed an interest in soccer and even though I knew nothing about it, my soccer mom career had begun. As he was joined by two little brothers, it was just easier to keep all 3 boys in the same sport, they had fun playing together and more importantly, I could handle it. Now I’m firmly cemented in the soccer mom club and I can be found at the soccer field in the fall and spring.

With soccer season in full swing and Mother’s Day around the corner, I thought it would be fun to come up with some soccer mom gift ideas and a free soccer mom survival guide especially to get you through long days at the field. Things I’ve found useful and fun in my 15+ years as a soccer mom, wait a minute…don’t I deserve a trophy too?!?

20+ Soccer Mom Gift Ideas

First, we’ll go for the practical gifts …I’m all about getting people gifts they will use and love. Here are some of my favorites and can be found in my car during soccer season. Don’t worry the fun gifts are at the bottom and the thing I ALWAYS get laughs and compliments on (that I stole the idea from another soccer mom). 

Soccer Mom Gear

Practical soccer mom gifts…AKA the Soccer Mom’s Game Day Survival Guide (and be sure to grab the free checklist and guide to download at the bottom of this post).

Folding Cane Chair

I’ve sung the praises about this folding cane chair* in my Gift Guide for Rheumatoid Arthritis patients too because this device can be used as a chair or as a cane when my feet are killing me. Let’s face it, as a soccer mom, sometimes I have to park on one end of the fields and “hike” clear across the complex lugging gear so I need some extra support. 

This little chair has saved me at soccer games, Black Friday shopping and amusement parks alike when I need a place to sit. It’s the size of a golf umbrella and unfolds in a snap. Instant relief from aching feet, this little guy is always in my car trunk. Now we have one for each car and it’s come in handy more times than I can count.

Stadium Seats and Cushions

It’s great having these on hand in case your practice/game is in a stadium and the stadium cushion is a must when you’re sitting there for an hour or more! This isn’t the one I have, I think I paid more and it doesn’t have back support. So if I had to do it again, I would get totally get this Coleman stadium seat*! 

They roll up so it’s easy to carry multiple seats and water resistant, because inevitably it only rains when he has soccer (and he plays on turf so they don’t get rained out). 

If your bleachers don’t have a back support, then these cushions* without the back look great too. It says they don’t absorb moisture in the rain, how is that possible? I’m going to have to try it out! 

Pop Up Tent

This may seem like overkill to some soccer families, but when you’re in rain or 100 degree F heat/humidity and have at least 3 games a weekend, this pop up tent* is this soccer mom’s lifesaver. We make sure to have a cooler full of food and water too, because inevitably we’ll have other people sneaking some shade in our tent. That’s ok, we just have a party! 

Now the description says “pop up” but really it requires some assembly. My Superhubby makes sure to bring a rubber mallet too just to make sure the stakes are in the ground well. Also be sure to get some weights for the legs or water bottles or sand bags to tie to attach to the canopy legs and weigh it down some….

Warning: the tent may not help you if your soccer game is during a tornado watch. True story. It could become more like a parasail or a kite than a tent. Had to take it down in that case before Superhubby went sailing off with it. Take it from me, happened to us a couple years ago. That’s when we learned we needed weights for the legs too.  #soccermomlife

So as long as you don’t have tornado or hurricane force winds, you’re good.

Best Soccer Mom Chair – Folding Chair with Canopy

My Superhubby snagged these folding chairs* during an Amazon Lightning Deal a few years ago and they are great! It protects you from the sun, rain and the occasional errant soccer ball sailing above your head. Last weekend, our seats were with our back to another game in progress and no choice but to sit to the side of their goal. Yep, canopy saved us on more than one occasion from getting blindsided by a missed shot on the other field. 

Depending on the time of day, the canopy won’t keep you completely in the shade, so that’s when the tent comes in handy to ensure you’re protected and as cool as can be on hot or rainy days. 

Folding Wagon

Now, we don’t have a folding wagon* YET but we saw a ton of people with them at a kids’ football game we went to…where EVERYONE had the tent, chair and wagon combo. Superhubby carries all our equipment on a rolling luggage carrier but it’s eventually going to break, and then I’m getting one of these babies to carry all the gear. It doubles as a gardening cart too so it’s great for moms who like to play in the dirt too.  

Folding Table

Notice the theme here? Everything folds and is portable. When all 3 of my boys having games every weekend, we were at the soccer fields for hours at a time. Sometimes we don’t get home for lunch so we pack a picnic. We love spending time outside as a family so the boys are bound to get hungry and I’m going to need to feed them. Inevitably, even if I feed them before we leave home, someones is hungry as soon as we get to the fields. Another Superhubby deal discovery, the table* isn’t a necessity but it sure is nice to have when I’m trying to make sandwiches. Great for tailgating too! 

Rolling Cooler

We pack lots of water for during the game an Gatorade or chocolate milk for a post-game treat and enough lunch meat, cheese and fruit to feed the hungry little superstars/beasts. No telling how far it is between the parking lot and the field so this rolling cooler* we have is easy enough for one of the kids can pull

Blankets

Yep, we prepare for extreme weather because it is also inevitable that it will be freezing cold or rainy or both so we keep some blankets in the car just in case.

This waterproof blanket with a hood is genius, I saw another mom wearing one and I need it! This waterproof and windproof fleece blanket folds up into it’s own little bag real nice.

With an autoimmune joint disease, my body and cold do not work well together. I have been known to wear thermals, boots, a full winter hooded jacket and a snuggie type blanket with sleeves* to stay warm enough! But if my kid is out there, then I try to be too. This is a soccer lover’s warm blanket too.

Fun Soccer Mom Gift Ideas

Flaunt your soccer mom status loud and proud with these fun soccer mom gift ideas!

Clothing

I saw another mom on another field putting up a tent with her 3 boy soccer players running around while wearing the I Can’t Keep Calm, I’m a Soccer Mom shirt and I knew I found my people. I asked her where she got it and promptly got back to the field and ordered one from Amazon for myself. I have a red one because my kids wear either red or navy but this black I Can’t Keep Calm, I’m a Soccer Mom shirt* goes with all! And I get compliments, laughs and exclamations of “I need that” whenever I wear it! Comes in lots of colors to match your little superstars’ jerseys (they have one for goalkeeper’s moms too).

Here are some other soccer mom shirts I loved:

Weekends, Coffee and Soccer Shirt

No Chance of Housecleaning Shirt

My Heart is On the Field Shirt

If your spouse/significant other/partner is the coach:

Dibs on the coach shirt

Soccer Tote

Carry your gear in style with this soccer tote:

Soccer Mom Accessories

Just a little extra soccer mom accessories to complete your soccer mom “uniform” on game day.

Soccer mom cup

Soccer Mom Hats

Soccer mom hat with a ball in the shape of a heart for the O

Soccer Mom Keychains

I Raised my favorite player keychain

Soccer Mom Charm Keychain

Soccer Mom Charm Bracelet

Soccer Mom Makeup Bag

Soccer Dangle Earrings

Soccer ball stud earrings

Books

Fun and helpful books for soccer moms 

Soccer mom coloring book

Soccer Parenting: A Step by Step Guide to Build Your Child’s Confidence, Work with Your Coach and Help Your Player Succeed

Don’t Make Me Use My Soccer Mom Voice Journal

Soccer for Dummies

Soccer Mugs for Moms

I love coffee as much as I love watching my kids play soccer, these soccer mom mugs* are awesome! I think the kids would love the soccer goal mugs for hot chocolate on snow days! 

Soccer Goal mug

Heat Sensitive Color Changing Soccer Mug

I hope this gives you some practical and unique gift ideas for the soccer mom in your life. Be sure to grab the free Getting Ready for Game Day Survival Checklist with tips to help you get organized for game day.

Subscribe to my Newsletter and Grab Your Free Getting Ready for Game Day Checklist

Subscribe to my newsletter where I’ll send you tips for managing your time and mom life so you can get more done and have more fun with your family. Plus you’ll get my Getting Reading for Game Day Survival Checklist and access to my Exclusive Subscriber Library where you can download all the free planners and printables I offer on my blog to help you achieve your dream life. Register here for the newsletter. 

Other Posts Like this You Might Enjoy: 

Free Christmas Planning Simplified Workbook

Free Craft Your Ideal Routine Workbook and Tracker

Inspiring and Motivating Gift Ideas for Work from Home Moms

Gift Guide for Rheumatoid Arthritis and Chronic Illness Patients

I hope you found some great suggestions for things to make game day run smoothly or a great soccer mom gift idea for yourself or someone you know that loves being a soccer mom.

Pin for Later

The post 20 Perfect Soccer Mom Gift Ideas for Passionate (or Crazy) Soccer Moms appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

Do you struggle with productivity, especially when you’re feeling low on energy or motivation?

Do you feel chained to your unfulfilling to do list?

Do you want to do all the things but your mind and body just won’t cooperate?

Do you feel like a lethargic hamster in a wheel or have a brain with squirrels running through it?

If so, don’t worry, you are not alone. That’s me too and that’s why I created this post for you! I’m a productivity book and app junkie so I’ve done all the research and testing to compile the 31 best, super easy, actionable tasks that will transform your productivity and help you get more done, even when you’re not feeling your best.

In this post, you’ll learn:

• How to set yourself up for success by understanding your values, time, body and energy
• How to create an effective to-do list
• Strategies for managing distractions and staying focused
• Tips for staying motivated and avoiding burnout, and
• Tricks for maximizing your time and getting more done in less time (so you can have more FUN!)

Whether you’re a busy professional, student, or stay-at-home parent, these are the best productivity tips and tricks to help you achieve your goals and be more productive in all areas of your life. So what are you waiting for? Start reading now and take the first step towards a more productive life and have more time for fun!

How to Be More Productive in Life: The List of 31 Best Productivity Tips

Before we start, let me say that this list isn’t designed to overwhelm you even more. I’ve learned that the key for how to be more productive in life (especially with a chronic illness) is:

Do the best you can, when you can, to move forward on what matters to you and your family. Give yourself rest, grace and compassion to do the bare minimum on the bad days. Rejuvenate yourself so you can give your best to others.

And this is just a quick list to not overwhelm you further but to help brainstorm ideas. I’ll be talking more about how exactly to accomplish each of these in future blog posts and email newsletters, so be sure to stay tuned.

Alright, here we go…

Set yourself up for Success by Understanding Your Values, Time, Body and Energy

There may be times you lack mental energy or motivation because what you need to do doesn’t align with your values. Your to do list can feel draining or you procrastinate on something you just don’t want to do.

To set yourself up for success and be more productive in life, we’ll be focusing on analyzing your values, time, body and energy so you can reframe your to do list and align them so you’re motivated and energized to get things done.

1. Write down your core values: Your core values are what drives you. Think about what really fires you up and what really gets under your skin mentally and physically. Reframe your to do list in how they relate to your values.

2. Track your time: Spend a few days tracking your time to see how you actually spend it. Be brutally honest about the breaks you take so you can find the time wasters so you can find ways to be more efficient with the things you must do.

3. Understand your body: Whether you have a chronic illness or just don’t feel like your normal self physically, it’s important to understand how your food, sleep, medicines affect your symptoms, mental and physical health. Spend a few days tracking your food and symptoms. I recommend tracking this for a month to really see patterns evolve.

4. Understand your energy: I think the key for how to be more productive in life is to think about when you do your best work, what energizes, and what drains you. Track your energy levels in order to budget the energy you have so you can be the most productive you can on any given day.

5. Understand your rest and sleep: Think about when you need rest and what activities genuinely make you feel rested. Think about and track how much sleep you truly need to have your most productive and energized day.

6. Understand your motivations and rewards: Brainstorm what motivates you, your love language and how you like to be rewarded for your hard work.

Create an Effective To-Do List

One of the biggest challenges in how to be more productive in life is knowing what to do and how to prioritize your tasks so that you stay within your energy budget for the day. Creating an effective to-do list is one of the most important tools for staying productive, especially when you’re feeling overwhelmed or unmotivated. Here are some tips for creating an effective to-do list:

7. Create a master task list: Before you start prioritizing your tasks, write down everything that needs to get done. This will help ensure that you don’t forget anything important.

8. Categorize your tasks: Categorize your tasks in the way that makes sense to you such as by life area (health, finances, home), by energy needed (mental clarity needed, physical health needed), by time needed (a quick win, 30 minutes, 1 hour, etc) or a combination. This will help ensure you know even the little things that can be done to move forward even when you don’t feel like it.

9. Prioritize your tasks: Once you’ve written down everything that needs to get done, prioritize your tasks. Start with the most urgent and important tasks, and work your way down the list. Since our finances is one of my primary goals, I also like to prioritize my task list based on what brings us income or saves us the most money.

10. Break larger tasks or projects into smaller ones: If you have a large task that’s overwhelming, break it down into smaller, more manageable tasks. Make tasks as small as you need to feel like you are making progress even if something isn’t completely done. This will help you stay focused and motivated.

11. Use a digital productivity app or tool: Consider using a digital productivity tool, such as Notion, To Doist, Things, Asana or Trello, to create and manage your to-do list. Download the app to your phone so you can stay organized, track your progress, write down any new tasks or ideas quickly before you forget it and it can even tell you the next best task to work on given the time you have and energy.

By following these tips, you can create an effective to-do list that will help you stay on track and get more done, even when you’re feeling low on energy or motivation.

Strategies for Managing Distractions and Staying Focused

Distractions can be a major productivity killer, especially when you’re working from home, have kids at home or in a busy office environment. Here are some strategies for managing distractions and staying focused:

12. Declutter the area you spend the most time: clutter weighs on your mind whether you know it or not. Declutter the top area where you and your family spend the most time and make sure to keep it tidied up (everything where it belongs) before bed each night.

13. Eliminate distractions. It’s amazing how much time and temptation you’ll save by deleting social media off your phone and having to login to those from your computer.

14. Set boundaries: Communicate with your coworkers, family members, or roommates about your work schedule and set boundaries. Let them know when you need to be left alone to focus. If you’re a mom, then this is a topic to discuss in #25.

15. Use the Pomodoro technique: The Pomodoro technique involves working for a set amount of time, usually 25 minutes, and then taking a short break. This can help you stay focused and avoid burnout. Do as many Pomodoros of “deep work” as you can do. This Pomodoro timer can help you stay on track and provide a visual cue of how long you need to focus.

16. Find a quiet workspace or wear noise-canceling headphones: If possible, find a quiet workspace where you can work without distractions. This could be a separate room in your home, a quiet café, or a coworking space. The headphones do work well if you work at home with a noisy neighbor with a hyperactive and loud leaf blower (true story).

17. Keep the most important priority visible: If it’s out of sight, it’s out of mind. Keep whatever your priority for the month, week or day is visible and in a place where you will see it multiple times a day so you can remember to get back to it.

By implementing these strategies, you can manage distractions and stay focused on your work, even when you’re feeling low on energy or motivation.

Tips for Staying Motivated and Avoiding Burnout

Staying motivated can be challenging, especially when you’re working on a long-term project or something you’ve been dreading for awhile. Here are some tips for staying motivated and avoiding burnout:

18. Set clear goals: Having clear goals can help you stay motivated and focused on your work. Make sure your goals are aligned with your values, small enough to be achievable and can be broken down into steps or milestones so you can see your progress.

19. Celebrate small victories: Celebrating small victories, such as completing a task or reaching a milestone, can help you stay motivated and avoid burnout. Write them down in a journal or planner every day or keep them in Notion so you can look back on them when you need a pick me up.

20. Game-ify your progress: turn your goal or task completion into a game. Put a larger than life goal or savings tracker on a bulletin board, or a don’t break the chain for a habit you want to cultivate or use Habitica, a fun app to uplevel your avatar as you complete your habits and goals.

21. Schedule breaks and take them!: Taking regular breaks can help you recharge and avoid burnout. Make sure to take short breaks throughout the day, and take longer breaks or vacations when needed. Schedule time with friends as a reward and be as productive as you can until you see them.

22. Stay organized: Staying organized can help you stay motivated and avoid burnout. Make sure to keep your workspace clean and organized, and use tools like calendars and to-do lists to stay on track.

23. Surround yourself with positivity: Being around positive people and things can help you stay motivated and energized. Surround yourself with people who inspire you and things that make you happy. Conversely, let go of toxic people or situations go that bring you down.

24. Pair a task you dread with something you love or enjoy: Find a way to make a task you dread more enjoyable such as listening to energetic music, audiobooks or podcasts or coloring in goals or savings trackers (see #20)

25. Have a family meeting: Get your family on board with what’s going on, how they can support you and how you can support them. Make it a fun and regular event on your calendar to have their input as you plan your week ahead.

By following these tips, you can stay motivated and avoid burnout, even when you’re working on a long-term project with little energy or motivation.

Tricks for Maximizing Your Time and Getting Things Done in Less Time

If you’re feeling low on energy or motivation, it’s important to make the most of the time you do have. Here are some tricks for maximizing your time and getting things done in less time:

26. Delegate tasks: If possible, delegate tasks to others who are better suited to complete them. Assign age appropriate chores to your kids, acknowledge that done is better than perfect. This will help you free up time and focus on the tasks that you are best suited to do.

27. Use time-saving tools: Use tools like online grocery order pickup, done for you menu plans, automation software, keyboard shortcuts, and templates to save time and streamline your workflow. It’s amazing how even a few minutes saved here and there really adds up to a more productive life. See how I use Notion as a free personal assistant!

28. Eliminate distractions: Eliminate distractions like social media, email, and unnecessary meetings to help you stay focused and get things done in less time. Be very intentional about what goes on your calendar and spends your time and energy.

29. Automate recurring tasks into effective routines: setting effective routines makes recurring tasks easier because you don’t have to worry about when it needs to be done. Also, doing the task regularly allows you to find ways to make it easier and more efficient.

30. Create an ideal week Think about what your ideal week would look and feel like. Put those time blocks in your digital calendar or productivity planner. Do your ideal week quarterly or as your family schedule changes with school, sports and activities.

31. Review and reflect on how your time is spent: make time for monthly, weekly and/or daily review and reflections so you can celebrate what went well, learn from what didn’t go as planned and brainstorm ideas to make your next month, week or day easier or even better!

By implementing these tricks, you can make the most of the time you have and get things done, even when you’re feeling low on energy or motivation.

Subscribe to my Newsletter and Get a Free How to Be More Productive in Life Checklist and Tracker!

I had lots of fun putting together this How to Be More Productive in Life Checklist & Tracker. It includes:

• a checklist of prompts shown above
• a bingo style 31 day productivity challenge tracker, and
• a productivity challenge review with reflection prompts so you can document what worked and what didn’t.

I couldn’t decide which piece to give you, so I’m giving you the whole workbook so you can get down to what truly helps you take action and be more productive even on days you don’t want to. You’ll get the guide for free when you subscribe to my weeklyish newsletter where I’ll send you more of the planning, productivity and life stuff that works to make life easier and better. It’s a weekly resource to encourage you in a world of chaos and unending to do lists. Sign up here:

Tools and Resources to Be More Productive In Life

• The 8 Best Productivity Books to Read to Achieve What Matters to You Even When You Have Low Energy
• Books to Reread for Fun, Productivity and Decluttering
• The Best Productivity Tips for Moms So You Can Get More Done and Have More Fun
• My 2023 Planner In Notion to Be More Productive in Life Despite Little Energy
• Develop Your Finishing Instinct
• 7 Ways a Cleaning Schedule Will Help You Be More Productive
• How to Make a Vision Board

Conclusion

Do them one a day or dedicate a block of time to get through all of these tasks. I’ve given you 31 easy, actionable tasks of how to be more productive in life so you can achieve your goals, even when you’re feeling low on energy or motivation. Whether you’re a busy professional, student, or stay-at-home parent, these tips and tricks will help you be more productive in all areas of your life. So what are you waiting for? Start implementing these simple tasks today and take the first step towards a more productive life!

The post How to Be More Productive in Life: 31 Simple Tasks to Improve Your Productivity Even When You Have No Energy or Motivation appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

Note: This blog contains affiliate links or referral links. Purchases from these links provides a small commission or discounts towards future purchases to me at no extra cost to you. Medical and health information and these recommendations are from my personal experience and do not constitute medical advice. Please seek professional medical advice for your health. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here.

My current 2023 planner calendar and life organizer is all in Notion, a very powerful digital database and information storage tool. My Notion 2023 planner contains:

• my life planner,
• my energy tracker,
• my content planner and management system
• my second brain,
• my journaling
• my values, mission statement and goal setting
• my project management, and
• my memory keeper

and I know it can do even more. I need everything in one place or I won’t remember where stuff is or I won’t be able to find it when I need it.

So my life planner and organizer for 2023 is all in Notion…here’s how it happened and why…

Best Planners to organize and be more productive in life

My 2023 planner in Notion setup is based on the productivity books i’ve read and the planners I’ve reviewed and successfully used in the past to be most productive despite having little energy, chronic pain, brain fog and struggling with motivation because of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

As you can see from this list, this is also why I can’t stick with just one planner, there are so many valuable components in each of these planners that have become the core of my system and I can’t do without any of them.

Thankfully, because Notion is flexible and digital, I can create what I need and am able to incorporate everything into one solution for my 2023 planner.

Here’s what my main dashboard page looks like. Each colored section has a drop down caret next to it and opens up to reveal the pages inside. I love the way it looks because it’s clean and minimalist but opens up to reveal all my ideas, tasks and important content inside. Let’s take a peek inside…

1. Franklin Covey Planner to Start with My Values and Stay Motivated

In 2021, I used the goal planning inserts and Franklin Planner free training to identify my core values and rewrote my goals based on my values. I found this process pivotal to keep me motivated and want to achieve them. Reframing my goals statements to include my values, such as:

• “declutter and clean the house” turns into “Declutter and maintain our home so it’s the fun playspace and peaceful sanctuary we dream of”, and
• “sticking to a budget” turns into “Make our money work for us so that we can achieve the life we want”
• “make $X from my blog biz” turns into “Make $x from my blog so I can contribute to our financial goals”

How My Core Values Look in my 2023 Planner in Notion

2. Makse Life for my Life Vision

I’ve used the Powersheets for years, but this year I wanted to try out the MakseLife goal setting system for their more objective and extensive work in life areas. I like the MakseLife’s prompts for the compass assessment that help you determine your satisfaction score in each of 8 life areas and their intentions journaling. This section also includes my vision board which you’ll see a little later.

3. The 12 Week Year to Break My Goals Down to Stay Focused

Truth be told, last year, I struggled with annual goals. I don’t know if it’s my brain fog from Rheumatoid Arthritis, or if i have undiagnosed ADHD but I STRUGGLE to stay consistent or focused on one thing all year.

I love the thrill and fresh start energy from new goals, new years, new months, and even new days (yes, even Mondays!). But if i have to do the same thing over and over, I get bored and give up before finishing.

That’s why this year my word of the year is “FINISH”! I am most effective with shorter term goals and working on a specific project until it’s done. Also the sense of urgency with a faster deadline means I have less or no time to procrastinate on my goal.

I feel like the 12 week year provides a good framework so I can:

• identify the tasks I need to complete to work towards my goal
• hold myself accountably by finding a tribe to report to
• focus on the TASKS i need to do to achieve the goal. I can control completing the tasks (i cannot control whether that specific goal # is achieved per se but I will still see the progress)
• scoring and keeping stats on how many of the tasks I completed to work towards each goal – this helps me objectively see how I’m working towards my goals, and
• that the 13th week is dedicated to a review of what worked/what didn’t so I can adjust and plan better for the next 12 week goals. This is my fave – a whole week to plan, rest and recharge for the next 12 week year!

How My Life Vision and 12 Week Year Goals Looks in my 2023 Planner in Notion

My 12 Week Year Goals are broken down into smaller projects. I love that I can put little progress rings under each project overview to see how close it is to completion. Some projects are ongoing (like sticking to our financial routine and cooking simple meals at home) but others have a definite end (like finishing taxes!).

4. Getting Things Done Waiting For List

In Getting Things Done, David Allen gives us different lists to use to organize our info. There are 4 main lists to his Getting Things Done (GTD) system, he suggests:

• projects (any action that takes more than 2 steps),
• a next actions list (which i call my Master Task List),
• a waiting for list, and
• a someday/maybe list (i include those in my Master Task List too).

I use the GTD system components in my own way but I do love the waiting for list. Those open tasks or things we are waiting for to finish. Since my word of the year is FINISH, it’s my goal to stay on top of these tasks I either did not get done when I wanted or I’m waiting for someone else to do or an order or response to come in.

How my Finish/Waiting For List Looks in my 2023 Planner in Notion

As you can see each one is associated with it’s relevant goal and project if applicable so I know those are priority. this is real life folks, actual tasks i need to do.

5. Google Calendar for Agenda Appointments

Currently, Google calendar tracks all our appointments so my whole family can see it. I use this free google calendar viewer to see a snapshot of my Google calendar in Notion. I don’t pay for the integration at this time so it only works one way. I can see what I’ve added to my Google calendar, but I cannot add/edit those appointments from Notion. That’s ok, I like to see the agenda view so I can see exactly who has what going on where.

How my Calendar Looks in my 2023 Planner in Notion

I’ve blocked out the actual event names for the sake of privacy, but here’s what this week’s agenda looks like

6. This Week’s Plan and Ideal Week

This is where I have another view of the Master Task List, this time showing the tasks that need to get done each day this week, the status of the task and how much energy I think it will take for me to complete it. I’ll talk more about energy budgeting in my daily plan section.

This section also includes the weekly accountability meeting tasks I need to do for the 12 week year and my ideal week.

How I Plan My Week in 2023 Notion Planner

When I’m entering tasks in my master task list, I enter the deadline. Each week i can filter my Master Task List for the current week. If something doesn’t get done, I can drag it to another day or open the task and clear the date. It makes it super easy to manage my tasks and ever growing to do list so I don’t get too overwhelmed.

7. My Daily Journal in Notion

My daily journal really includes my morning journal, tasks, routines, energy budgeting and daily review. It’s where i live each day so i can stay focused on what I need to do that day. I also do a review daily because I won’t remember my wins, what worked, what didn’t , lessons learned and gratitude at the end of the week.

Budgeting My Energy

in February, I created a paper energy tracker to help me be productive in life because my body and energy struggle to keep up with all the things. I was pretty diligent about time tracking for years because it really helped me boost my productivity.

But lately I’ve felt that some tasks might take 30 minutes (for ex, a walk) but it drains me of energy faster on some days than others. Or some days, the clock says I spent an hour on the budget, but when I get up it feel like I’ve been working on it all day and i have no capacity for anything else.

So I can’t base my productivity on time spent, I have to factor in how much energy it takes. I still use 30 minute energy blocks but if a task feels like it drained me more than it usually then I adjust how much energy it took me. Once my energy is spent for the day it’s gone and I can’t push myself any further.

I’ve included an energy budget column in my master task list and I know how many energy blocks I can use each day because I’ve done lots of work to understand my chronic illness. I’ll go more in depth on energy budgeting and how to plan effectively in a separate post cause it’s quite a process to write out but super simple to implement.

8. Reviews

I love the Free to Focus method by Michael Hyatt and the Full Focus planner for the extensive weekly review which I think is gold. So i incorporated it into my 2023 planner in Notion.

As I mentioned above, I like to do my review daily so I don’t lose track of anything. This section has another view of my reviews databases. I like that you can filter, sort and group data in Notion so you can see just what you need. These are the elements of my reviews and each are on a separate tab:

• wins
• what worked
• what didn’t work
• lessons learned
• how can i make it easier
• gratitude, and
• happy memories

9. Building a Second Brain to Document All the Other Stuff You Need or Want to Remember to Achieve

I read Building a Second Brain in 2022 and it was my favorite nonfiction of the year. It goes in detail on why you need a “second brain” to remember and organize all the info coming at you so your future self can find it when and where it best serves you.

I see my “second brain” as my free personal assistance that knows all the answers when I ask. Can’t we all use a personal assistant like that?

Really everything I’ve mentioned so far is part of my second brain. But there are a few more sections in the PARA Method. We’ve looked at projects already, so now there is the Areas of Responsibility, Resources for Info we are interested in or want to find later and the Archive for info we need to keep for reference but we’re done with for now. This section includes a lot of random things like book notes and wish lists but also important home maintenance documents and emails from home reno contractors. Thankfully, Notion has an excellent search feature so I can find anything I need when I need it!

I’ve also included my routine checklists in these screenshots because they are essentially my ideal week and month written out. I love a good checklist and I am ok with not checking off every box every week but it’s nice to see it all laid out.

Well that my 2023 planner calendar in Notion and a glimpse at how I’m able to be productive in life with Rheumatoid Arthritis and low energy and brain fog. Living with Rheumatoid Arthritis has taught me a lot about myself and I’ve learned to adjust my expectations, goals and energy so I can make the best use of my time and still achieve what we want. I hope this 2023 Notion planner tour gave you some helpful resources to add to your planning system and gave you a glimpse at how powerful a tool like Notion can be to serve as an all in one digital planner.

Leave me a comment if you’d like to see a video walkthrough of my 2023 notion planner or have any questions!

The post My 2023 Planner In Notion to Be More Productive in Life Despite Little Energy appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.

 Note: Erin Condren sent me some of the goods shown for review consideration, some items I have purchased myself. No other compensation was received. All opinions are my own. This post may contain affiliate links. Purchases from these links may provide a small commission to me at no extra cost to you. Refer to my Full Privacy Policy and Disclaimers here. 

I have been an Erin Condren planner fan since 2015 when I purchased my first one. At that time, there were only a few options to choose from and it was the most I’d ever spent on a planner. But I loved how it truly helped me organize the things I had to do and balance it with the things I wanted to do with and for my family. It changed my life and made me obsessed with planners and really using them to design the life I wanted.

Since then, the Erin Condren planner line has exploded in growth and they now offer so many different types of planners and accessories that it can be overwhelming and difficult to figure out which one is right for you. I’ve spent a lot of time and/or money researching and analyzing different planner companies so I can help you decide which one is best for you in this season of life. 

I have put together this Erin Condren Planner buying guide for you so you can decide for yourself if the Erin Condren planner is worth the money. Each section will lead you to the different posts I’ve written about Erin Condren products for very detailed information on my research and analysis. 

Erin Condren Planner Reviews 

Erin Condren has a wide selection of planners so I have individual reviews for each one so you can make an informed decision. I use the same criteria for all of the planner reviews on my site. Each review address whether I think a specific Erin Condren planner is worth the money. In addition, I present the following information in each planner review:

• Planner specifications
• Tons of pictures walking you through the planner
• Examples of how I used the planner
• How I color code and time track in the planner (if applicable)
• How I use the planner to achieve my goals
• How the planner compares to its competition
• Best pens to use in the planner / favorite supplies used
• Free printables that the planner company offers (if applicable)
• Sales and coupon code info (when possible)
• Where to buy the planner
• The bottom line review (Is the planner worth it, who the planner is good for, what makes it unique, what I like, what I don’t like, whether I recommend it)

Find all my Erin Condren Planner Reviews here, the page will be updated as I post new planner reviews and will give you an overview of what is offered. 

My Thoughts on If Planners are Worth it

In general, I absolutely believe that any planner that you use to the best of your ability is worth the money. If a planner helps you move one step closer to living the life, home, work and/or family you want, then it’s worth it. I’m not saying that any planner will work for any person. And I think the same planner will work for us differently depending on the season of life we are in. It may work today but not tomorrow. That’s a risk I’m willing to take to cope with life’s ups and downs.

Even when a planner does not work for you, it will teach you what does/might work for you instead so you can continue to grow. If you want a specific recommendation from me, leave me a comment or send me an email at tanya{at}momssmallvictories{dot}com and I’d be happy to give you some options for what might work for you. I don’t want you to spin your wheels or buy a planner that doesn’t work for you.

Are Erin Condren Planners Worth It?

Erin Condren has tons of sales and deals. So it’s obviously great to snag it on a deal. And being an EC Insider (which is free to sign up) definitely has it’s perks like early access to sales, free gifts with purchase and earning rewards for each purchase. Like I said in the beginning, I think planners are worth the money if you use them for what you NEED it for. I think with the huge selection they have, you’re sure to find something that will work for you.

In addition, I think the Erin Condren planner is right for you if:  

• You plan to keep the planner for years then invest in the Erin Condren planner for it’s paper quality. 
• Pretty planners and quotes bring you joy, inspiration and motivation to get things done and achieve the life you want. What could be more worth it than that?
• Like to change out covers to make it feel like a new planner
• You like to personalize the cover and choose the interior layout theme

Erin Condren Planner 2023: What’s new? 

Every year Erin Condren planners change the theme with a signature cover and different interiors. Erin Condren sent me a sample of each of the three themes to show you.

The three Erin Condren planner themes for 2023 are:

1. Harmony in colorful and neutral 

The Harmony theme is a collage of geometric shapes and it is designed to inspire you by “finding peace in the perfectly imperfect.” I love the color palette of greens, purples, pinks and blues in the colorful version. While the neutral is more muted pastel versions. Both are lovely and I really can’t decide which colors I like better. In years past, I’m team neutral all the way because the colorful version had some oranges and greens I didn’t care for. But this Harmony colorful palette is great!

The Harmony colorful theme is available in the following sizes/layouts: 

• Coiled 7”x9” Weekly LifePlanner (vertical, horizontal and hourly layouts)
• Coiled 7”x9” Daily Duo 
• Coiled A5 weekly planner – vertical compact (new layout!) and horizontal
• Coiled A5 Daily Duo 
• Ring Agenda A5 in vertical compact weekly, horizontal weekly and daily layouts
• Binder 7”x9” with daily layouts

Harmony colorful sample

The Harmony neutral theme is available in the following sizes/layouts: 

• Coiled 7”x9” Weekly LifePlanner (vertical, horizontal and hourly layouts)
• Coiled 7”x9” Daily Duo 
• Coiled A5 weekly planner – vertical compact (new layout!) and horizontal
• Coiled A5 Daily Duo 
• Ring Agenda A5 in vertical compact weekly, horizontal weekly and daily layouts

The Harmony neutral has the same geometric patterns shown above just in pastel colors.

2. In Bloom (neutral)

The In Bloom theme is for floral lovers. Pastel blooms adorn each page with pops of muted color. Last year’s Flora design is an absolute favorite of mine and In Bloom brings similar hand drawn florals with a bit more color to the pages. Classic and elegant script fonts for the headers make this a stunning planner. A variety of cover options featuring different colors/flowers/quotes.

The In Bloom theme is available in the following sizes/layouts: 

• Coiled 7”x9” Weekly LifePlanner (vertical, horizontal and hourly layouts)
• Coiled 7”x9” Daily Duo 
• Coiled A5 weekly planner – vertical compact (new layout!) and horizontal
• Coiled A5 Daily Duo 
• Ring Agenda A5 in vertical compact weekly, horizontal weekly and daily layouts
• Wedding Planner
• Coiled 7”x9” notebooks

In Bloom sample

3. Colorblends

The Colorblends theme reminds me of a tropical paradise. Bright and bold colors that meld into each other like a tropical sunset along the ocean. It makes you happy just to look at its bright smiling color palette. 

The Colorblends theme is available in the following sizes/layouts: 

• Coiled 7”x9” Weekly LifePlanner (vertical, horizontal and hourly layouts)
• Coiled 7”x9” Daily Duo 
• Coiled A5 weekly planner – vertical compact (new layout!) and horizontal
• Coiled A5 Daily Duo 
• Ring Agenda A5 in vertical compact weekly, horizontal weekly and daily layouts

I really can’t pick which is my favorite. Each one has something I love about it. The In Bloom makes for a beautiful keepsake while the Colorblends is fun and playful and makes me happy just to look at. If you love neutrals, I prefer the In Bloom over Harmony Neutral. If you love colors, I prefer Colorblends over Harmony Colorful. Just my two cents.

Erin Condren Planner 2023 Changes

• New! The new A5 vertical compact layout is great for list lovers with a block of lines for each day. Available in both the A5 coiled planners and the A5 ring agenda planners. I love the A5 size and coil bound planners so this would be the one I would get if I needed a weekly planner. 

• The Daily Duo planners now (both coiled and ring agenda) have a lined page after the Sunday planning page!!! For someone who likes to do weekly reviews and reflections and never has enough notes pages, this extra notes page is a beautiful sight! 

• The clear bookmarks in the planners are shorter so they can fit interchangeably in the A5 or 7”x9” planners and notebooks. This is great for people like me who switch planners during the year depending on need or need a bookmark in a notebook.

I’ll make other updates here as I find them.

Erin Condren Accessories 

The thing about Erin Condren is they have a huge assortment of coordinating accessories. Many of the accessories come in the three new themes like washi tape sets, sticker books, pencil cases, planner pouches and more. Each planner comes with some stickers so besides those my favorite products are functional ones.

These are my essentials pictured above: 

• the snap in sticky notes (gimme all the sticky notes and these stick well without curling up), 
• the snap in mini bookmarks (I like to keep them on the bottom of the coil so I can flip easily to the page I need), 
• the note pads (the same great Erin Condren paper in a note pad), and
• pens (see the best pens down below) 

I also love the new interchangeable covers. They just snap in and off the coiled life planners and coiled notebooks (except for the vegan leather planners which are not removable). That blue is my favorite color and a quote I need to remember and the rainbow stripe makes me happy These are the 7″ x 9″ covers but there are also A5 interchangeable covers available. They go on a good BOGO sale every once in awhile but it’s a fun and budget friendly way to change up your planner so you have fun using it. Lots of people change up their covers by months/seasons which is really fun too.

What is the Best Erin Condren Planner for You? 

Head to this post of the Best Erin Condren Planner for Your Needs where I cover: 

• The best Erin Condren planner for stay at home moms….
• The best Erin Condren planner for work from home moms…
• The best Erin Condren planner for work outside the home moms…
• The best Erin Condren planner for students…
• The best Erin Condren planner for teachers and homeschooling moms…
• The best Erin Condren planner if you want an all in one planner…
• The best Erin Condren planner for memory keeping…
• The best Erin Condren planner for a reading journal…
• The best Erin Condren planner for meal planning…
• The best Erin Condren planner for budgeting…
• The best Erin Condren planner for goal setting…
• The best Erin Condren planner for bible journaling….
• The best Erin Condren planner for daily journaling…
• and more!

What are the best pens to use in the Erin Condren planner? 

Erin Condren planners have 80# paper with a bit of texture/tooth to it. As a result, I’ve never had pens smear on the EC paper.

These are my favorite Erin Condren pens to use in the Erin Condren planners:

• For writing (ballpoint): Ballpoint Click pens 3 pack.(bottom left in picture above). I like the wide barrel and it writes very smoothly. You can see it on my Instagram here and how it writes. It doesn’t leave indentation on the other side of the EC paper. 
• For writing (fine tip gel) and highlighting: Pastel and Black Dual Ink Dual Tip Highlighter Pens 6 pack. (top right in picture above). I usually only use one pen and one colored marker/highlighter per month so this pen/highlighter combo in one pen is perfect for me. The black fine tip writes really smoothly and I love it. You can see it on display on my Instagram photo here. I also love the new Dual Tip/Dual Ink Markers with a colored pen and coordinating highlighter in one marker (top left in picture above). They are great for making headings and sectioning out important pieces in your planner.
• For colors: I have a huge assortment of the Dual Tip Markers (bottom right in picture above). I love using them to bring pops of color to my pages. I prefer the fine tip side for writing and the broader side for dots/headlines. My youngest son and I use them for our grown up coloring books too. So they get some good use and the colors are vibrant. See?

You can find my other favorite pens for planning in my Amazon shop. 

Does Staples carry Erin Condren planner?

They used to carry Erin Condren planners at Staples. I have not been to the physical store in awhile (last time I was a year or so ago, the Erin Condren planners were on clearance) but the Staples website does not show any Erin Condren planners for sale. So it makes me think Staples no longer carries Erin Condren. 

Where to Buy Erin Condren Planners

• ErinCondren.com
• Erin Condren has 4 physical stores in Hawthorne, CA, Irvine, CA, Fairfax, VA and Austin, TX. 
• Amazon
• Target in stores or target.com

Should I buy the Erin Condren planner at their website or Amazon? 

Erin Condren planners and accessories are available on Amazon. Selection is limited but more than you will find at Target. The advantage is you get free 2 day shipping if you have Amazon prime.

The advantage of ordering directly from Erincondren.com is you can get personalized planners and interchangeable covers. You get the little EC freebies (usually a few tag stickers, and a 20% off coupon your next purchase for you and a friend). If you sign up to be an EC insider, you can also get $10 off your first purchase and rewards for your purchases which add up quickly especially if you refer your friends. Erin Condren is good about having sales too, something is usually on sale. Also, if something is wrong with your product, then Erin Condren customer service is good about making it right whereas Amazon may not accept returns.

I recommend checking erincondren.com first to see if what you want is on sale first before heading to Amazon.

What are Erin Condren planner alternatives? What planners are like Erin Condren?

I give you some planners similar to Erin Condren in this awesome planners like Erin Condren post. 

Which planners are better than Erin Condren?

Head to my ultimate planner comparison post to judge for yourself. You can grab a free side by side comparison chart and figure out which planner is best for YOU!

Erin Condren vs Happy Planner

I get a lot of questions on the Erin Condren vs Happy Planner, which one is better? They both have colorful, happy layouts as well as neutrals. And both have tons of fun accessories, stickers and gizmos to coordinate and make planning your dream life fun. Where they really differ is in price and quality. I feel like the Erin Condren products are higher quality and thus the higher price.

If you can afford it, and it brings you joy and you use it, then go with Erin Condren. If you’re on a budget or want to be able to hop into a store to grab your planning supplies, then Happy Planner is the way to go.

Personally, I’ve tried the Happy Planner a few times and I just am not a fan of discs even though theoretically they would be my ideal planner system so i could add pages and fold the planner back on itself. But alas, it’s not for me.

I hope you’ve found this post helpful and whether the Erin Condren planner is worth it for you.

Want the latest Planning and Productivity Tips, Freebies and Sale Info? Subscribe to my newsletter here and I’ll keep you posted so you can achieve your best life! 

Any other questions? Be sure to leave a comment and I’ll be glad to answer. I hope this has given you all the info you need to determine if the Erin Condren planner is worth your money. It’s definitely been a staple in my planning routine for years now and you’re sure to have a planner you can look back through on with happy memories.  

The post Erin Condren Planner: Is it Really Worth the Money? And More FAQ answered appeared first on Mom's Small Victories.