Setting Goals That Bend Pt 2.
How I use trackers and journals to keep my business plans on track.
With book events, holiday commitments, and two manuscripts I need to finish, I am already deep into planning for the final three months of 2026. That is so crazy to write, but it is proof that time flies, and if I don’t have a plan in place time will get away from me and nothing will get done.
However, while I need a structured plan to keep me focused, I also need to build in flexibility that allows for life’s inevitable interruptions. I have been able to do that for my personal life, but creating a bendable plan for business can be a bit trickier. Because many of the events are fixed dates but life’s interruptions are not, I have to build in wiggle room where I can.
My first priority is making sure I take time to focus on my personal health, spiritual growth, and my relationships with family and friends. To protect those priorities I need to carefully consider what tasks and events I say yes to for my business.
That means I need to clearly define what I need to accomplish in the last quarter of the year, starting with finishing my next two manuscripts. Because I have been focused on pre and post publication for Not My Hero, I haven’t had much time to write, but now I need to turn my afternoons from promotion and marketing into writing time.
I also have multiple events in various locations, some that will require travel or a full day away from the office. It’s also the time of year when applications open for 2027 events. Without one central log to keep track of the dates and locations of the events, I can quickly overbook myself.
The exciting part of all this planning ahead is that through my stories and art work God is using my talents to share His hope with others. Being able to creatively share my testimony, what He is teaching me in the moment, or a verse that encouraged me makes all the work worth it if one person comes to know God in a more intimate way.
That is the heart behind everything I do. But I know that if I simply chase every whim of my heart, no matter how good the idea is, I will very quickly burn out. So I’ve developed a few simple systems to keep me focused and on track.
If you find yourself wanting to do all the good things but end up overwhelmed, here are some practical ways I’ve learned to craft a plan that keeps me on track without eliminating the flexibility I need. This three part system allows me a place to process my thoughts and feelings, a couple useful trackers, and a digital system to handle the complex needs of my projects.
Years ago, I discovered that Bullet Journaling enables me to tap into not only my need to plan, but my desire to use my creativity in the process. There are thousands of tutorials out there for how to create, set up, and decorate a Bullet Journal. I won’t go into any of the how-tos, but I will list a few of the pages or spreads that I use most consitently.
Because the very first thing I do everyday is open my Bible, I keep a journal close by. I have to start there or my day goes sideways before it even starts. I have a handwritten journal section where I write down what I’m reading, take notes or ask questions, or copy a verse that stood out to me. I also use it to make note of my prayers or quick task list. These pages are sometimes decorated with doodles or stickers, but most of the time it’s a messy brain dump. The pages are a place for me to process what is in my head so I can focus on what God has called me to do.
Because I love having a visual representation of my progress on things, I have a fairly large collection of trackers. I used to create a tracker for everything from water consumption to my sleep habits. For work, I would track hours worked, words written, social media numbers, and more. As I’ve used the trackers for many years, I’ve realized I don’t use most of them consistently.
Now, I’ve narrowed it down to words written, self-care, a social media posting schedule, and an events tracker. By tracking the number of words written in a day or that I’ve added to a project over time, it gives me a visual of my progress on the days when I feel unproductive. This tracker is motivation in colored squares!
The self-care tracker reminds me to drink water or go for a walk. If I start to feel tired or overwhelmed, those are usually the days I didn’t leave my chair to take care of myself.
The social media tracker shows me what content I have already scheduled and what still needs to be created. I don’t track numbers as that can very quickly become discouraging. I’m not doing what I’m doing to gain numbers, but rather to provide consistent, quality posts that are valuable and engaging for my audience. If I do that, the numbers will take care of themselves.
Having all my events, including the dates, locations, and times, in one place makes it easier to ensure I leave margin in my schedule. My event tracker keeps all of that information in one place so I can spot conflicts before I commit. As I mentioned, the fourth quarter of the year fills up quickly and if I am not paying attention, I will overcommit myself. I currently have a running list of all the events I’ve applied to all the way through the middle of 2027. Once I’ve been accepted, I add them to the calendar for the month in which they occur.
While the Bullet Journal helps with my daily focus, I created a digital project management system in Notion that includes all the major tasks that are required to accomplish my larger projects like publishing a book or updating my website. This planning is more complex and layered than I can keep in my Bullet Journal.
All this planning doesn’t prevent unexpected disruptions, but it does help me steward the resource of time and responsibility God has given me and gets me back on track quickly.
I’ve developed my own system over years, but you don’t need an entire system to get started. Start with one priority and build a tracker system to help you stay focused on it then let your system grow with you.
I’d love to hear from you! Do you use a Bullet Journal or a standard planner to keep track of all the things?
Phoenix logo, Always Hope, Michelle Bolanger
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