Although most of us are tucked away at home for the indefinite future, work and school is still ongoing. Life must go on, even in the midst of a pandemic. As I enter my last month of the semester, I need to stay on top of assignments and deadlines. Follow along as I plan out the month of April, spacing out time to stay both productive and inspired.
step one: the journal
At the start of every month, I like to start a fresh bullet journal spread. On one page, I copied out a quote to set the tone for the month. On the opposite side, I sketched (or attempted to sketch) a blooming bouquet of wisteria.
On the next spread, I draw out three categories and leave some space to fill them in as the month goes on. First, a playlist of my favorite songs. Second, a list of books I’m currently reading. Third, a page where I can jot down all my favorite memories of the month.
If you find it helpful, you can use this space to plant some intentions for the month ahead, map out your goals for the season of quarantine, or write a list of things you’re most looking forward to doing from home over the next few weeks.
step two: the planner
When it comes to planning the month, I started by pulling out all my class syllabi and my term page. I scribbled down any big upcoming projects or deadlines on the due date. I filled out my finals week deadlines, added a reading list on the top left corner, and added slots for the blog posts I want to schedule.
Color coding everything helps me stay organized at a glance: dark pink for academics, light pink for the blog, blue for creative writing, and orange for holidays.
On a weekly basis, here’s my system for keeping track of tasks. First, I copy over any hard and fast events—class sessions, livestreams, conference calls, deadlines—on the right side of the day. On the left side, I write on a post-it note any tasks I need to complete that day.
That’s it! My two-step planning process for the month. My journal keeps me inspired, motivated, and creative; my planner keeps me organized and accountable. It’s a simple method and it works well for me right now.
Wherever you are, I wish you a cozy season of social distancing,
<3 Olivia Grace
