Managing Your Life During a Pandemic
Life has been very different since New York closed down. We all have so much extra time in hand now, picking up new hobbies, yet grocery shopping is no longer a casual task. How do you manage everything and use your time well? I find myself utilizing these planners I made more than ever. They make my quarantine life productive and keep my anxiety level low.
For many years, I was always hesitant to share these planners because I felt it would be difficult for other people to find them useful, since they're designed so specifically according to my needs. But then this pandemic has got me thinking, mayyybe there's someone out there who is looking for something like these to keep them sane, especially now? So here they are!
👇 DOWNLOAD HERE! 👇
There are three different planners in the basic Quarantine Packet. If you also happen to be a performer with a passion in handmade crafts, you'll find the two extra ones in the bonus Artist Add-ons handy as well. Click the buttons below to download! Each has a brief manual that you can jump to.
Quarantine Packet
Artist Add-Ons
A Few Tips Before You Start
Printing
Print on letter size paper at 100%, double-sided. Do not shrink or enlarge.
Binding
Cut the letter size paper in half and bind the pages with your preferable method. I simply use a three-ring binder (covered with fabric to make it cute!). I'll share the step-by-step in a separate post!
Pens!
I strongly recommend using a pencil for planning (or anything erasable)! Otherwise you might find yourself feeling dizzy with all the white-out fumes. I also use color pens/pencils and fun page markers because I'm a nerd.
Planner Manuals
Weekly Planner
- Fill out week, month, and dates
- Pick five mini daily goals that are simple and can be easily reached
- Shopping list... self-explanatory
- List 1-3 people you want to connect with this week (super important during this pandemic time!)
- To-dos are based on their priority. If something has been on the to-do list for weeks for no good reason, it moves to the procrastination list - and just do it!
- Plan out each day with your Happy Things in mind
- Color the water intake chart and record bedtime
My Weekly Planner's format is heavily inspired by the Passion Planner, but with a personal touch. Each week I pick five mini daily goals for myself - something I'm working on that's simple and can be easily reached. For example, I tend to work continuously without taking a break and end up burning myself out, so this week that's one of my five "Happy Things". I set a timer and make myself take breaks, and I check that box off when I do! Little things like that make me happy because I feel I'm making an effort to take care of myself. Other two major things are water intake and bedtime - something I've been bad at my whole life. Don't judge me.
Meal Planner
This one is pretty straightforward. I usually jot down any potential meals in "Experiments & Ideas" first and then use them to fill the whole week.
Kitchen Lab Notebook
- Fill out the name of the dish, ingredients, and instructions (abbreviate, illustrate - whatever works the best for you)
- Take notes (e.g., less sugar, bake for longer, more salt)
- Rate the difficulty and time for future reference (yes, those are mahjong, a game EVERYONE should learn to play)
- Take a picture! I mean, if there's no picture, did you really make it?
Working in the kitchen has always reminded me of my good ol' lab days. I mean, they're essentially the same thing - you mix stuff together and change the temperature and voilà ! Except I'm using baking soda and chicken instead of enzymes and fruit flies.
Because of that, I find writing a "pre-lab report" helps me cook/bake the most efficiently, just like how it did my experiments. I love reading a recipe and writing it down in my own words, with illustrations. That way I don't have to keep scrolling on my phone with my hands covered in flour and grease. After I make the dish, I write down anything I end up tweaking in Notes so I know what to do when I make it again.
Project Manager
- Fill out the project name and materials/tools needed
- Lay out details (dimensions, variations, etc.)
- Break down the steps into 5 (or 8) parts
- Color the heart (and in my case, also stamp the date because I love my date stamp) when you finish a step
- Take notes during the process for future reference
One of my biggest struggles is that I tend to get ambitious and give myself too many projects at a time. I'd be researching for one project and end up with ideas for eight more. And I keep running them in my head until I get overwhelmed and exhausted.
Physically laying out these potential projects helps me visualize them in reality. That way I don't start 10 things simultaneously and bury myself in all the supplies. I mostly use the Small Project Manager, unless it's something like, you know, that ice cream cart I made from scratch for my wedding. (Separate post coming... at some point 😬)
#HoneYourCraft Journal
- Before class/audition, fill out the details and set two goals for yourself - what do you want to focus on?
- Afterwards, write down three things you liked and enjoyed, three things you'd like to do differently next time.
That's it, my friends! Leave comments if you need any personalization of these. I'll try my best to accommodate. So much love! xo
