Have you ever noticed high-level executives and officials are often carrying a paper planner? There’s a good reason for that. In-demand folks are too-often bombarded with notifications so prioritizing tasks by a matter of importance is a must. The use of a paper planner has become a game changer for many of my clients (and myself) and it is a mindfulness activity that can be easily adapted for those with kids. (Working moms–I’m looking at you!)

As a woman and working mom, it is important to manage my time to grow, scale my side hustle, and increase productivity! Once I touch my phone, I am immediately distracted by unread texts, emails, social media, or anything else that will derail my attention (and, ultimately, productivity). I have a finite amount of time and energy per day and I cannot waste any of it getting distracted by my electronics. If that sounds like something that you too are struggling with or can relate to, keep reading to find out how I recommend using a paper planner for time management.

Structure (Time blocking)

I remember as a young student, my teachers would give us the assignment each night to “review our planner” with our parents. Now I know why; they were teaching us discipline, and the power of organization. My son is now 3 years old, he will be starting preschool in the fall. I will be incorporating this into his family time ritual before bed.

Time blocking has been one of the most useful productivity tools I have utilized as a solopreneur. I suggest clients start with small time blocks, such as 30 min blocks (a 30-min time out if you will). This is not done for the entire day! It is just to get your feet wet if this is something foreign.

Discipline (Sticking to a Routine)

Each person’s daily routine will be different depending on their life circumstances. For example, I do my most productive work earlier in the day. I block my work day from 9a.m.-12p.m. for writing, admin, and other busy work. I see clients the second half of the day, from 1p.m.-5p.m. and finally, I block 5p.m.-8p.m. for family time. We eat dinner together, talk, walk, ride our bikes, bathe, and have story time before bed. It took time for me to get into a “groove” but by seeing what I need to get done every morning in my planner, it helps to keep me disciplined and on track.

Moderation (Limit electronics at night)

If you need something productive to do before bed, try writing in your planner instead of picking up the phone. Not only will this help you get ready for the days and weeks ahead, but the blue light that is emitted from screens is known to knock our circadian rhythms off, which can cause a whole host of problems beyond just bad sleep–and none of them are good for growing your business.