Fun fact: The Nine to Kind Possibility Planner was not originally designed to be an undated planner! In its initial stages, the assumption was that having the dates would be helpful because it was one less thing to write. As the planner evolved and some life circumstances, we had to pivot to an undated planner. In that process, a common refrain was expressed and it sounded a little like this…

“I need an undated planner because I always miss a few weeks”

“I throw away my dated planners because I mess them up”

“There are weeks I don’t use my planner, so it feels like a waste”

These insights caused me to see that planners created even more perfectionism! The empty weeks, incomplete pages, and such caused even more shame…leading the planners not even being used at all.

In using the Nine to Kind Possibility Planner the past few months, I have realized how the undated format helped my perfectionistic tendencies, but it also helped me use more of the tools throughout the planner! I’ve grown to love using my planner and no longer hold a grudge against it. Finally a planner that made me feel good! Here are more of my thoughts about switching to a undated planner.

Using More Tools in the Planner Created Checks and Balances

In dated planners I would mainly use the weekly or daily section and nothing more. Moving to undated planner caused me to use the monthly and year at a glance sections even more! I’ve been able to develop a system to where all major dates are in the year at a glance, then written on my month to month layout, and then to my weekly layout when it’s time. It gave me a system that works like this…

• When I get an invitation, season schedule, class schedule, etc I put it in the year at a glance section. They are no longer scattered in various areas of my home or office. If it’s an email, I put the info on a post it and leave it in the section. From there it goes on the year at a glance under its designated month.
• When it’s time to create the monthly layout, I refer to the year at a glance and the prompts in the monthly section to prioritize and label.
• Week to week, I check both sections to make sure major events like soccer games, weddings, and birthdays are labeled.

It feels like a lot but it is a lot less stressful than scanning the various invites or notes on my fridge door. Keeping everything in one place has been a great accommodation to my busy brain.

The Pressure to Be “On” Decreases

There are weeks (think the time between Christmas and New Years) where the detail of my weekly planner isn’t needed. Rather than use the pages, I can use other parts of my planner for extra notes or reminders. My planner might last longer than a year when I take that approach! Also in those down times, not using the planner eases some pressure that I need to be doing something. It gives me flexibility to not be in listing mode or checking off all the boxes.

If I Mess Up, There is Always Another Week

Note: I also use erasable pens now to help with this. If for some reason I start writing in the wrong week, that’s okay! I just earmark the pages that might have been skipped to use another time. No need to beat myself up or get the white out. This accommodation reduces the need to get things exactly right.

I’m Actually More Present

Writing out the days helps me gain a sense of awareness of just how many days are between major events. Having that extra awareness pulls me back to the present moment to deal with what’s right in front of me. If I am looking ahead, only having the monthly or year at a glance section to review reduces my urges for compulsive planning or going down the rabbit hole.

The Planner Can Be More than a Planner

The undated layouts leave room for possibilities! Maybe I use sections for writing gratitude lists or note taking. Maybe the planner serves more as a journal during a specific time (like school, engagement, a specific project, new puppy etc). It expands my thinking from to do lists to life as a whole.

The Nine to Kind Possibility Planner‘s undated and open-ended layout offers parameters without pigeon-holing. There’s enough structure to gain a sense of priorities without feeling confined to one way of thinking. Want a look inside? Check it out here!