“When we declare, we do. When we think, we dabble.” -Mia Moran

If you are anything like me, you have a bookshelf of productivity books, a recycle bin of half used calendars and planners, an too many days where your bag is filled with ideas and reminders on sticky notes and envelopes.

I know I’m not alone, because over the years of helping families plan healthier meals, I realized that while some people needed recipes or to learn how to cook (just like I had), most people really needed more time. I kept hearing it again and again. We just can’t get together for family dinner. I’m too busy for selfcare. I don’t have time to cook the meals I really want to eat.

We are all busy. As entrepreneurs and loving parents, as passionate people who want to explore our interests and live healthy life, we struggle to find the time, make the time. I know because I keep searching for the ultimate planning method to make it all fit. Nothing is perfect, but I learned not to separate my healthy lifestyle goals, my family, and my spirituality and self-care from my work planning. Once I get it all on one page and look not for balance, but for FLOW between the different parts of my life, it starts to make sense.

This isn’t a quick fix solution, nothing that really works is. Instead you focus breaking down your goals and continually flowing forward. And when you get off track, you have your system to come back into FLOW.

I created the FLOW Planning method, because it was what I needed, and as I shared what I was doing, other moms got interested. I want you to keep moving toward the life you want toward a life where you reach your big business goals—and have time for family and health and spirituality too.

So grab a notebook and a pen and the calendar on your phone. I’ll walk you through my process (and share my daily planning pages). At the end I will share the easiest way to put this process into action.

What the FLOW Planning Method Is All About

The FLOW Planning Method is a mix between journaling and calendaring. It is a way to keep moving towards what you want, one season and one day at a time.

It’s about knowing where to focus and making sure you aren’t spending too much time in any one part of your life. It’s about knowing what little things you can do in all areas of your life that will have a big impact.

Here’s how it works.

1. Commit to the 4 categories.

The FLOW Planning Method is based around four categories:

• Food & wellness
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• Lifestyle & family
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• Om (aka spirituality and self-care)
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• Work.
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We usually commit to our work or parenting for a phase of our life, and ditch the rest (at least in our planning), but when you get really intentional in all 4 areas, magic starts to happen.

2. Get everything out of your head and onto paper.

We hold so much in our heads and it holds us back. Just the act of getting everything down on paper can greatly affect your productivity, your creativity, and decrease your stress level.

In the FLOW Planning Method, we call this transfer from head to paper the master list. This process also shows you if you are out of flow and too focused on one part of your life so you can adjust.

3. Trust your gut and plan for the next 90 days.

Life changes, and while you may have big, long-term goals, it’s really productive to focus on just the next 90 days. So in this