In this Q&A episode, Sarah discusses some listener tips for what to do to make returning from vacation feel more manageable. Then, there are questions about difficulty finding planner peace, planning for the holiday season (quite early!), cookbook recommendations for planning meals, getting back on track when you've fallen out of the planning routine, and finally about her 9 year old's current planner preferences :)
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Q&A: Tips for returning from vacation, Thoughts on Planner Peace, and More EP 56

Welcome to Best Laid Plans -- a podcast all about planning and the planning tools we love. From planning techniques and organizing philosophies to planners and notebooks, we cover it all. Host Sarah Hart-Unger is a mother of 3, physician, podcasting pro, and a lover of lists and all things paper! Listen in weekly for conversations about planning and productivity as well as product reviews and interviews with planning experts!

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In today's episode, Sarah answers questions + shares some listener tips sent during the month of May! Topics include:
- Laurel Denise Planners (question from a mom/healthcare provider with a lot going on!). Link to prior mini review: https://theshubox.com/2022/12/blp-ep-123-4-2023-planner-mini-reviews.html
- Travel -- packing list tips, Wanderlog app, and the resources Sarah uses most for travel planning
- Advice for a listener struggling with capturing and feeling like she is missing things
- Thoughts on brining margin into the day
Sarah mentions the 5/31 newsletter, which will contain her marathon recap + some summer planning tools! Subscribe at theshubox.com/newsletter
Episode Sponsors:
Earth Breeze: Effective liquidless laundry detergent! Listeners can receive 40% off Earth Breeze by visiting earthbreeze.com/plans
Crunch Labs: Camp CrunchLabs is 12 weeks of awesome build-it-yourself fun! Go to crunchlabs.com/PLANS to sign your kids up for Camp CrunchLabs today!
PrepDish: Check out PrepDish.com/plans for two weeks of meal plans FREE!!
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May Q&A: Margins, Travel, Laurel Denise Planners, and Avoiding That "Am I Missing Something?" Feeling EP 200

In today's episode, Sarah shares a few Top 5s, in honor of her birthday! She opens with her top 5 reasons for planning, followed by the top 5 essential elements of a funcitonal system. Finally, she gets personal and shares her top 5 hopes + dreams for the next year of life!
If you'd like to celebrate with Sarah, she would love:
- a review
- a tip on a product to review or awesome person to have on the show (just email sarah.hart.unger at gmail!)
- if you shared this episode with a friend or in a group!
The next newsletter will release May 31st - make sure you are subscribed! Visit theshubox.com/newsletter - they are always free and (hopefully) useful!!
Sponsors
Factor: Convenient, healthy and delicious meals for your busiest seasons! Head to factormeals.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next box.
Jenni Kayne: Find perfect spring pieces at at jennikayne.com. Use code PLANS at checkout to get 15% off your first order and support the show!
PrepDish: Super convenient and delicious meal plans straight to your inbox! Check out PrepDish.com/plans for your first two weeks, FREE!
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Top 5 Things Episode (in honor of my birthday!) EP 199

In today's episode, Sarah shares some unexpected recent planning pivots, and then business and production coach Jade Boyd joins her to talk all things ClickUp -- in her opinion, one digital platform that can be used to organize it all. Jade also shares her love of paper as daily planning tool, the intimidation factor with digital organizing solutions, and the value of organizing work and life in one system.
More from Jade can be found at https://jadeboyd.co
Show notes: Detailed show notes + more are at theshubox.com
Newsletter: Sign up for Sarah's newsletter at theshubox.com/newsletter

Episode Sponsors:
Jenni Kayne: Find perfect transitional spring pieces at at jennikayne.com. Use code PLANS at checkout to get 15% off your first order and support the show!
PrepDish: Super convenient and delicious meal plans straight to your inbox! Check out PrepDish.com/plans for your first two weeks, FREE!
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Using ClickUp to Organize it All with Jade Boyd EP 198

Do you ever have a project that seems to pop up on your annual goals list year after year, but never gets done? This episode is an exploration of how to tackle these projects and goals. Sarah gets personal, sharing her own Big Daunting Projects and some questions that might be worth asking about things that show up again and again (and again) on yearly lists.
Questions to ask yourself when it comes to these big (and possibly scary, or emotionally difficulty) goals:
1. DO YOU REALLY WANT TO DO IT?
2. DO YOU HAVE TIME for said project? If so, specifically where? If you can’t come up with calendar space to work on it . . . you probably don’t have time. (Weekly template can also help with this when it comes to habits!)
a) HOW MUCH TIME would you need to work on it, estimated, to make SOMETHING happen?
b) If that's more than you have, DOES IT BELONG in someday maybe?
5. IS THERE A WAY of BRINGING IN DEADLINES even if not naturally there?
6. IS THERE A NATURAL WAY TO BREAK IT UP into less scary pieces?
7. CAN YOU MAKE IT LESS SCARY from an emotional standpoint?
8. CAN YOU GET HELP WITH IT? (Maybe even just a little bit of help?)
9. CAN YOU FIND ACCOUNTABILITY?
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Jenni Kayne: Find perfect transitional spring pieces at at jennikayne.com. Use code PLANS at checkout to get 15% off your first order and support the show!
Factor: Delicious and fresh already-prepared meals delivered to your door. Head to factormeals.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off your first box plus 20% off your next box!
PrepDish: Super convenient and delicious meal plans straight to your inbox! Check out PrepDish.com/plans for your first two weeks, FREE!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Those Projects That Just Won't Go Away EP 197

Today's episode is a planning-adjacent topic! Sarah opens with a bit about her own decorating and organizing challenges and then interviews author Myquillyn Smith, an expert on decorating and creating functional spaces within the home.
They chat about many planning-related aspects of big home projects, including how to get started when it all seems daunting, tools for tracking home projects, and an incredibly useful framework for order of operations. Myquillyn prizes functional decorating and creating a home that truly works for then ways you use it.
Her beautiful new book, House Rules: How to Decorate for Every Home, Style, and Budget can be found wherever books are sold.
Find Myquillyn at thenester.com and @thenester on IG.
Episode Sponsors:
Factor: Visit factormeals.com/plans50 and use plans50 to get 50% off your first box, plus 20% off your next month!
Jenni Kayne: Find perfect transitional spring pieces at at jennikayne.com. Use code PLANS at checkout to get 15% off your first order and support the show!
PrepDish: Super convenient and delicious meal plans straight to your inbox! Check out PrepDish.com/plans for your first two weeks, FREE!
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Q&A: Tips for returning from vacation, Thoughts on Planner Peace, and More EP 56

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