Why I’m Only Planning 3 Months Ahead – Plus a free Printable Calendar!

*UPDATED FOR 2023*!

I’ll be honest, even thinking 3 months ahead is asking a lot for me! But this year I’ve made it a point to work smarter and not harder. That means I’m learning new things, testing new things, and removing some things in my business.

I’m not sure about you, but I can create a new business idea or product in a heartbeat..but the part of staying accountable and getting it done is my BIG struggle. So, I created a free printable calendar (for you and me) and will now ONLY be planning 3 months ahead.

Why I’m Only Planning 3 Months Ahead..

ONE: For My Accountability

I need to focus on creating a plan and sticking with it. Planning 3 months ahead is much more doable for me than trying to plan out my entire year. Not only that, but printing out the calendar and hanging it on my wall for the next 3 months it will allow me to get a glimpse at what is to come. Something I’ll look at every single day.

TWO: For My Mental Health

I’m a last-minute creator…and that shit cannot keep happening! To be honest, I definitely tend to get my best ideas and creativity when I’m rushed and under pressure. But, that is not sustainable, nor is it great for my overall mentality..am I right?!

Tips For Planning Ahead

01 : Create Your Goals

I like to use my Goal Planners that are within my Complete Planner HERE and simply write out all of my many ideas, thoughts, goals, etc. I then break it down into quarters (aka: which ones I want to tackle first). I definitely try to do one big goal and a couple of micro-goals (that are easier to attain). Try not to add too much, that will simply make it much more overwhelming!

02 : Know Your Intentions

Seems obvious, but you need to know why exactly this is a goal/plan for you. What is your emotion behind it, what will it bring for you (and your business) and how will it make your life and business better?

03 : Incorporate Creativity & Curiosity

This is huge, don’t just plan out all the business stuff (sales, promos, new products, launches, etc), but incorporate some play too. One of my biggest business mottos is to constantly be curious and stay creative..and I truly believe that. Don’t forget to do something that isn’t for profit or income, even if it’s reading a new self-help style book, scheduling in a creative workshop, or creating a blog post just for fun.

04 : Set Actionable Steps

Because I am such a paper person, I have all my steps written out for each goal, within my binder (using my complete planner bundle). We all feel productive when checking off items on a list, so by having those written out will feel less daunting and confusing when trying to complete a goal.

05 : See it Daily

When I have something in front of my face every day, it definitely helps me stick with it. I do this with client project post-its, my to-do list, and my cute little monthly calendar hanging up my wall (as seen below). For me, I start to feel guilty if I know I’m putting it off, so the more I have to look at it, the more likely I’ll actually get it done!

Get the Free Printable Calendar

Because I quickly made this for myself, I thought I would share it with you. Note: It’s just April-December and does not have the days of the week on it. But it’s free, and you just might like it! – P.S. The frames are from michaels!

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Or you can save it for later and pin it to your Pinterest board so you remember the update for next year!