Join Organized October: simplyconvivial.com/october - A planner only works if it fits real life. In this Simply Convivial episode, Mystie Winckler talks with Convivial Circle mentor member Rachael Younger about how she uses bullet journaling to keep a working weekly spread.

Rachael shares how she sets up her pages with lines, markers, and index cards, and why the freedom to modify each week makes the system sustainable. She shows how she:

Draws a simple weekly spread during her review in just 15–20 minutes

Uses daily cards and Post-its to stay focused

Keeps track of food spending, gardening, and routines in one place

Adds space for brain dumps, book lists, and meal plans

Experiments and iterates without pressure to be artistic

This episode is part of Organized October, focused on planning your week. Whether you use a bullet journal, a pre-printed planner, or a notebook, you can build a weekly dashboard that works for you.

Mystie Winckler encourages moms to organize their attitudes and get traction at home so we are no longer overwhelmed or frustrated with homemaking. We are a community of Christian women striving to be competent, cheerful homemakers so we are fruitful, faithful, and hospitable. Subscribe for regular encouragement!

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

simplyconvivial.com/october -- You don’t need the perfect planner—you just need one that works.
As a busy mom, any planner will do as long as it includes these three essential weekly sections.

In this Simply Convivial episode, Mystie Winckler breaks down the three parts every planner must have for a mom’s life to stay on track. You’ll learn how to set up your weekly spread—on paper or digitally—so it becomes a tool that helps you manage real life without overthinking it.

These simple planner tweaks will help you stop losing track of your days, keep your habits visible, and get the right things done with cheerful productivity.

What you’ll learn:
   The only three sections your planner truly needs
   Why your weekly view matters more than your daily pages
   How to track habits that actually stay visible
   Why a planner is worthless if you never look at it
   How to adapt any planner—paper or digital—to your mom life

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

Join the challenge: https://www.simplyconvivial.com/planner | A weekly spread isn’t about making pretty layouts—it’s about giving you perspective. When you only look at today, everything feels urgent and overwhelming. A weekly view shows you where your time is going, what truly matters, and how to keep your plans realistic.

In this 30-minute live episode, we’ll dig into why every mom needs a weekly planner page, what it helps you see that a daily list can’t, and how it keeps you from overcommitting. You’ll learn how to use a weekly spread to line up your responsibilities with your actual capacity so you can stay steady without burning out.

Grab your planner and join me live—let’s make your week work for you instead of against you.
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📖 Get my latest book: How to Use a Planner Without Wasting Time
https://amzn.to/3CcRzuy

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical life management mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.convivialcircle.com

Your calendar habits should grow and change as your season of motherhood does.
Whether you’re a mom of littles, juggling teenagers, or entering the empty-nest years, your calendar needs to match your current life—not your past one.

In this episode, Mystie Winckler explains how to identify your season, adjust your planning approach, and use your calendar to steward time wisely through every stage of motherhood.

Because faithful homemaking isn’t about having one perfect system—it’s about learning, adapting, and continuing with cheerful productivity in every season.

Continue your cheerful productivity journey:
📘 Homemaking 101 – Replace stress with peace in your daily routines → simplyconvivial.com/home101
💬 Join Convivial Circle – Find support and growth in every season → convivialcircle.com

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

Join Organize October: simplyconvivial.com/october -- You’ve got your calendar. You’re using it. You’re trying to make it work.
But if you still feel like things are slipping through the cracks, you might be making one of these three calendar mistakes.

In this Simply Convivial episode, Mystie Winckler breaks down the three habits that undermine your planner—and how to fix them so your calendar becomes a tool you can trust.

These aren’t fancy systems or time-management tricks. They’re practical habits that every homemaker needs to keep her days peaceful, productive, and purposeful.

 3 calendar mistakes every mom makes
Mistake 1: Not updating your calendar immediately
Mistake 2: Using shorthand you can’t understand later
Mistake 3: Writing things down and never looking at your calendar
How to fix your habits for good

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

Organize October happening now: simplyconvivial.com/october | Calendars only work if they’re kept accurate—and in real life, that takes iteration and flexibility. In this Simply Convivial podcast episode, Mystie Winckler talks with Convivial Circle mentor member Michelle Arencebia about how she keeps calendars updated in busy family life.

Michelle shares how linking calendars with her husband and adult children cut down on confusion, why she enters events right on her phone the moment she hears about them, and how she uses weekly dashboards and interval calendars to keep the bigger picture in view.

We also talk about:

What to do when other people don’t update the shared calendar
How vocation shapes what belongs on the calendar
Why iteration matters more than the “perfect” planner system
Using alignment cards as quick reminders when life doesn’t go to plan

Whether you use Google Calendar, a wall calendar, or a printable dashboard, the point is to keep it simple, stay cheerful, and keep adjusting.

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

Join Organize October: simplyconvivial.com/october -- Your calendar is the most important part of your planner.
If you’ve ever felt like your family is constantly scrambling, missing appointments, or double-booking activities, this episode will help you fix that.

Mystie Winckler shares the five simple calendar rules that make home life flow smoothly—without adding more to your plate. These habits will help you trust your calendar, stay coordinated with your husband, and actually use your planner to manage your real life effectively.

By following these five calendar rules, you’ll build peace, not pressure.

What you’ll learn:

How to stop overcomplicating your planner system
Why one master calendar simplifies everything
How to build habits that make your calendar reliable
How to coordinate your calendar with your husband
How to stay faithful to your plan without perfectionism

💜 Watch next: How to Build a Family Calendar That Works →coming tomorrow!

For more practical encouragement:
📘 Homemaking 101 – Learn how to love what must be done → https://www.simplyconvivial.com/home101/
💬 Join Convivial Circle – Our online community for Christian homemakers → convivialcircle.com

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

Join the challenge: https://www.simplyconvivial.com/october | A family calendar isn’t optional—it’s essential. Without one, everything feels scattered. With one, you can finally see the big picture and stop running behind.

In this 30-minute live episode, I’ll walk you through why every mom needs a working calendar, how to set it up so it actually helps, and the common mistakes that make calendars useless. You’ll learn how to use your calendar as a tool for clarity and peace, not as another burden on your to-do list.

Bring your questions and your planner—we’ll make this practical and personal. By the end, you’ll know how to make your calendar serve your family and support your vocation as a mom.

📖 Get my latest book: How to Use a Planner Without Wasting Time
https://amzn.to/3CcRzuy

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical life management mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.convivialcircle.com

Start Organize October: simplyconvivial.com/october - Choosing a planner doesn’t have to waste your time. Should you go digital, paper, or both? In this episode of Simply Convivial, I walk through the pros and cons of each option—digital planners, paper planners, and combo systems—so you can quickly choose what works best for you and move forward.

We’ll look at:

Why digital planners are convenient, searchable, and shareable—but also distracting.
Why paper planners engage your brain differently and help you remember more—but can get messy fast.
How a combo method works best for moms who just need a quick start.

I also share the four essential planner pieces—calendar, weekly dashboard, daily card, and interval plan—and the best way to start using them today.

Don’t overthink it. Your planner only works if you use it. Let’s make a simple choice and get going.

Start Organize October: simplyconvivial.com/october

📖 Get my latest book - Simplified Organization: Learn to Love What Must Be Done
https://www.simplifiedorganization.com

🏆 Enroll in Convivial Circle and get practical homemaking mentorship so you don't have to be overwhelmed anymore: 
https://www.simplyconvivial.com/stop-overwhelm

ConvivialCircle.com | Do you feel like planners never work for you? You’ve bought the pretty notebooks, filled in the spreads, maybe even added stickers—but by Thursday, the whole thing has fallen apart.

In this workshop, I share The Four Part Planner Method—a simple, realistic framework that helps moms use a planner without burnout or perfectionism. This isn’t about buying the “perfect” planner. It’s about learning the habits that make you effective, with your planner as a tool.

We’ll cover:
 ✅ Why planners often fail us (and why it’s not your fault)
 ✅ The 4 essential parts of a working planner: calendar, weekly dashboard, daily card, interval plan
 ✅ How to overcome perfectionism and wishful thinking in your planning
 ✅ Practical tips to make your planner actually serve your real life

If you’re a Christian homemaker or stay-at-home mom who wants clarity and calm instead of overwhelm, this workshop is for you.

💜 Learn more about Convivial Circle, my membership for cheerful, productive homemakers → convivialcircle.com