Supportive planning sessions for anyone who has a lot going on
Planning Club is self care
I don’t know about you, but sometimes I feel like I’ve got so much going on that I want to press ‘pause’ on everything for a while… I just want some quiet time to work out exactly where I am with all the things that I’m juggling! Planning Club is my attempt to do that – not just for me, but for others too.
In fact, I’m on a mission to get more people to appreciate the power of planning as a self-care tool – ‘cos I think it can be just as good for our wellbeing as a yoga class, meditation app or gym session...
Planning Club gives you time
Some time spent planning can really help things to go more smoothly, making us feel calmer and more in control – and yet we're often so busy actually doing everything that we feel like we don't have time for it… so Planning Club is here to give you that time!
In the sessions, there’ll be a few prompts from me – but the majority of the time will be yours to focus on your own plans, whether that’s the nitty gritty of daily timings and/or stepping back to take a bigger picture look at what’s going on (see the FAQs for more on how the sessions work)
Whatever you want to do with your time, Planning Club is here to support you – helping you to feel more on top of things and that you’re prioritising whatever it is that matters to you most…
Try a free session to see if it’s right for you
Use promo code TRIAL on Eventbrite to get your first weekly session for FREE
Weekly Session Times
Fridays
1.30-2.30pm (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 3pm)
3.30-4.30pm (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 5pm)
5.30-6.30pm (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 7pm
Sundays
7-8pm (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 8.30pm)
Mondays
7.15-8.15am (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 8.45am)
9.15-10.15am (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 10.45am)
11.15am-12.15pm (with ‘power half-hour’ ‘til 12.45pm)
About Me
Hi, I’m Karen!
…and maybe the most important thing to say is that I’m no planning guru! Juggling lots of things that I want/need to do and feeling that I’ve not got enough time to do them has been a constant theme in my life - and I’ve spent a lot of time searching for ‘the one’ planner or app that would get things under control.
But I finally realised that no system was ever really going to work unless I committed some time to updating it regularly - and so the idea for Planning Club was born…
And weekly planning doesn’t solve everything, but it does help! It gives me time to review all that’s going on and helps me be more intentional. It makes it easier to keep up with commitments and make sure I’m doing things that I enjoy - plus it’s a space to think about my longer term goals and focus on my overall wellbeing.
However, I’m still figuring it out too and things definitely don’t always go to plan - which is why the idea of ‘progress not perfection’ is so central to the ethos of Planning Club!
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I’m based in the UK - I was born in Sheffield, grew up in Manchester, went to uni in Birmingham and currently live in London. I have a little flat that I love - with the river on one side and a park on the other. I enjoy living by myself - and don’t have kids or pets, as just being responsible for myself is enough to deal with! But a lot of my friends are parents (and many are in the ‘sandwich stage’, i.e. caring for older relatives too) so I appreciate all the time challenges that can bring.
In terms of ‘things I’ve done’ – I’ve got an English/Drama degree, spent time at the Edinburgh Fringe, worked in arts marketing, done a TEFL course, been helicoptered off a mountain whilst trying to do a ski season, worked in Paris for a few years, got a Masters in Applied Drama, worked as a PA in all kinds of places – from a tiny charity to the trading floor of an investment bank, trained to be a primary school teacher (though didn’t last long), worked in TV, volunteered as a Samaritan, trained as a Mental Health First Aider, cycled around Cuba for charity… and probably lots of other things too that I’ve forgotten about!
After ‘job-hopping’ for years, I realised that I was never going to want to stick to one thing - and might as well make the most of that… so I went freelance back in 2019 and started to create my own ‘jigsaw’ life of things that I wanted to do.
Currently I mainly work as a professional organiser & productivity coach, as well as volunteering for Action for Happiness - but I’m also juggling various other different hats (training, tutoring, writing, other volunteering etc.) plus making sure there’s time for fun, relaxation & rest too. Meanwhile, my busy brain is always thinking of new ideas to add to my never-ending lists of ‘things I’d like to do’…
I realise I’m very lucky to be doing so much stuff that I enjoy, but it can still be a lot - and of course there’s also the not-so-fun ‘life admin’, as well as dealing with the inevitable ups & downs that we all face. Sometimes it can feel a bit much - which is why I find regular planning so beneficial… and I’m sure I can’t be the only one?! That’s why I’m hoping that Planning Club can bring together a supportive community of people who appreciate the power of planning to make our lives happier ✨✨
Weekly ‘Ponderings’
Each week I share a ‘Planning Club Pondering’ on my blog which is a thought about some aspect of planning. I call these ‘ponderings’ rather than ‘tips’ as the word ‘tip’ suggests that it will work – whereas nothing actually works for everyone ‘cos we’re all different.
These are ‘ponderings’ ‘cos they’re just something to think about – some will resonate with you and others won’t. If you think something might work, give it a try – but if it doesn’t then don’t worry, it’s just not the right strategy for you. Maybe try tweaking it to make it your own – or just move onto another idea… and when you find something that works, enjoy it!
Want to feel calmer and more in control?
Take the first step by downloading your FREE weekly planning template
Everyone’s weekly planning will be slightly different, depending on what’s going on in your life and what’s important to you – but this template has lots of ideas for tasks that you might like to include (and it’s editable, so you can go through it and delete / move / add things until you’ve got a checklist that feels right for you)
Frequently Asked Questions
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The basic format is always the same – a brief check-in, a planning idea to ponder, the main bulk of the session is for you to plan (however you'd like, but with a few prompts from me in case useful) then a check-out, followed by the optional 30 mins afterwards. If you click ‘read more’ on any of the sessions on Eventbrite then there’s a video with a bit more detail.
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You'll need to be logged into Eventbrite to access the Zoom link for the meeting, so if you don't already have an Eventbrite account then make sure you've created one beforehand (using the same email address that you used to sign up for Planning Club) and have your log-in details handy
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Just whatever you're going to use to plan (that can be whatever you prefer - e.g. a planner, notebook, list, app, calendar or something else) and also access to wherever you note down any appointments / commitments / deadlines / things to do etc.
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No… although the benefits of planning will increase the more that you do it, as you’ll start to be more intentional with your time and feel more in control. Members who attend regularly will hopefully get to know each other a bit and feel more supported – but occasional members are very welcome too!
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This is how each session begins/ends and hopefully helps each group feel more connected. In the check-in we'll share something positive from the last week and maybe a 'lesson learnt' - the check-out will be something that you're looking forward to and/or something you want to get done in the next week.
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If possible then cameras should be on for the check-in and check-out – my wish is for Planning Club to be a safe & supportive space and it can be disconcerting to share with someone that you can’t see. If you prefer to have your camera off for planning then that’s no problem.
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The planning part is basically silent while everyone works on their individual plans. We'll all be muted, so if you want to play music while you plan then you can without disturbing anyone. If you've got any questions then please do ask – but if possible ask them before or after the planning time.
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No. The 'check-out' will ask you to share something that you're looking forward to and/or something that you want to get done in the next week - but it's up to what you share... and you definitely don't need to share any specifics of what you've planned.
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No. The sessions are everyone's personal time to plan and share, so it wouldn't feel appropriate to record them (especially as a lot of it would just be everyone silently doing their own thing!)
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No, please don't record the sessions or use transcription apps. Planning Club is intended to be a safe & supportive space where people feel comfortable to share, so recording isn't appropriate. You can download the Weekly Planning Template which has the planning prompts to refer back to if needed.
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At the end of the session, there's an extra 30 mins - a 'power half hour'! This is just some co-working time, so you can use it however you want (e.g. continue your planning, get some quick 'to-do' items done, work towards a long term goal) - but there's no need to stay for this unless you'd like to
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No, this isn't a 'class' on planning - it's just to give you the space to plan however works best for you. I'll give some things to think about while you're doing it, so if you don't have a planning method yet then you can use those to get started (and I might create more of a course at some point!)
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The session is your time to plan in whatever way you want - whether you like paper, digital or something else, you can do it... and if you want to use the time to work on a goal (or do something completely different!) then that's fine too. This is your time to use however feels most helpful to you.
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If you already have a planning routine then you might not need Planning Club! And you can definitely do it on your own - you can download the Weekly Planning Template and adapt it to use yourself. But doing it with others gives some extra support - and having a set time to plan each week can help it to actually happen.
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I think planning is an under-rated tool to help with wellbeing. Many of us feel overwhelmed with all we have to do and some planning ahead can help us to feel calmer and more in control - plus helping us spot and deal with issues in advance. It can also help with working towards longer-term goals.
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For me, planning isn't about being 'productive' all the time – it's about helping us to be happier with our lives. Exactly what that means will be different for everyone, but Action for Happiness have identified 10 ‘keys’ that could help – find out more here: https://actionforhappiness.org/10-keys
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No worries! Please just send me an email at karen@planning-club.co.uk and I'll do my best to help...