Getting Organized: How I Brought Clarity, Structure, and Intention to My Life
TLDR: This is the tool I use to keep myself and my life organized. 👉 The Dashboard Deskpad 👈
Finding Tools To Support The Work
I am not going to make the claim that any one item can solve all of your problems. There is no magic pill or cheat code that will allow you to skip doing the work. What I will tell you is that there are all sorts of tools out there that can help you navigate changes in your life, move through the challenges that arise, lead you towards your goals, and help keep you on track.
Like learning how to prepare nourishing meals for you and your family. Or joining a gym to learn how to move your body in a way that feels good, and helps you develop strength both physically and mentally.
In my life, one of the tools that has had an exceptional impact on daily operations as a Mother, Partner, Health Coach, Farmer, Student, Community Leader, and Human Being is a seemingly unassuming organizer.
Yes, an organizer. One that sits right on my desk and comes on the road with me. No cords, screens, or bluetooth capabilities. But I’m telling you, this has helped transform the way I organize my life and work over the last year — and now I can’t imagine doing all of this without it.
If you are feeling a bit all over the place and are looking for a way to get yourself organized, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s one of my first recommendations when I’m working with a new client and they are looking for some assistance in getting started on this journey.
Here it is! 👉 The Dashboard Deskpad 👈 I go for the A4 size in black!
Here’s How I Use My Dashboard Deskpad
But of course it’s not just about buying the thing. You have to adapt your approach to getting organized. Here’s how I use it.
What makes this planner so effective is its design: each page has six columns (Focus Areas), letting you segment your tasks by project, role, or priority. When clients receive this planner, I always recommend starting with a “brain dump”. This means jotting down everything on your mind onto a piece of paper - I mean, everything! Once it’s all out, you can identify your main “categories” or focus areas. For me, these are Health Coaching, Farm, Life (family, home, appointments), Grad School, Roxbury Roots/Community, and Cooking (my weekly meal plan).
At the beginning of each week I fill out one of the sheets - I actually aim to do this on Fridays for the following Sunday-Saturday so my weekend is free of a whirling mind and my upcoming week is already organized. I simply fill in the planner’s prompts, starting with my intention(s) for the week, reflecting on how I want to feel, the energy I want to bring, and the goals I want to achieve. This practice shifts me out of the classic “to-do list” mindset of living in rigid discipline, and instead invites me to embrace my life with devotion. It’s about doing all that I do because I love it - even the dishes and laundry, if I flip my perspective!
At the top of each sheet, I write out all the days of the week and add my scheduled commitments (and driving time). This allows me to practice time-blocking and gives me a realistic view of my available hours. I then decide which 'category' I will spend all my open available hours in. For example this past Wednesday after a morning of clients I had an open block for the afternoon before the 6:30pm Group Program call. I was able to organize the week knowing I could spend 3 hours farming, and allow myself an hour to shower and make dinner before having a couple hours to rest and be with family before 6:30pm. If I didn't have this organization my head would spin with what I could do....and I would not feel as relaxed, grounded, present and be nearly as productive.
On the back of each page, I scribble notes, ideas, or details from phone calls, knowing I can always find them later in one place.
I especially love tracking my exercise at the bottom of the page with simple check marks - it’s a small thing, but it keeps me motivated and accountable.
One Step Further
In addition to my weekly Dashboard Deskpad planner, I also use a daily planning sheet called Productivity Sheets to prioritize my specific tasks for each day. I do this on days where I really need to break things down and focus. The Productivity Sheets are undated, so you can use them whenever you need. The sheets incorporate proven techniques like the “Most Important Task” approach and single-tasking, making it easy to focus on what matters most and manage your time effectively. No matter what …first priority is making that phone call that’s been procrastinated for days, then onto the next task, and so on.
The best part? This planner system is incredibly flexible — it can be whatever you need it to be. Whether you’re juggling multiple projects, managing a family, or simply want a better way to see your week at a glance, this can be a true game changer for bringing clarity, structure, and intention to your life. For under $20 a yearly planner it’s a win!
It certainly was for me!
P.S. Yes, I did step it up a notch this winter with gel pens. Who knew sparkly colors could make planning the week so fun! 😬
