If your schedule changes constantly, you already know most planners don’t work. You are likely feeling overwhelmed with no clue how to feel in control again.

Take a breath and read on because I’ve got a system that will help you take back control no matter what your daily life looks like.

Traditional systems like time blocking are built for people with rigid schedules and predictable routines…. With no interruptions.

For moms, that just isn’t real life.

One phone call, a toddler tantrum, or an unexpected farm emergency can flip a whole day upside down. And instead of feeling in control, you end up feeling like a failure. The problem isn’t you, it’s the system you’re trying to follow.

That’s why I created a flexible weekly planning system. It helps me move the right pieces around without guilt so I can still make progress on my goals while handling the unpredictability of family life.

If you want to skip the read, you can watch the YouTube video here.

There are two parts to this, so hang with me if you have a job or somewhere you have to be on a regular basis.

Step 1: Brain Dump Priorities

Don’t roll your eyes at me. This is so needed.

Take the time to get rid of everything in your mind and get it out on paper.

Getting everything out of your head and into one place clears the mental clutter.

For me, the only things that go straight into my calendar are events I can’t control, like church, doctor’s appointments, or commitments where other people rely on me. Everything else starts as a to-do list item in my brain dump.

Step 1b. You Need to Know: Where Are You Going?

Before you start filling in to-do lists or moving tasks around, you need to know where you’re going. If you don’t have a bigger vision, every week will just feel like putting out fires. If you are happy with where you are then, Great! You do you.

But I believe we were created to have a vision and something we are striving for even if that is more organization or mental peace in our life.

Your flexible planning system should be anchored to your long-term goals, whether that’s building a business, creating more family margin, or paying down debt.

When you know the destination, even a week that feels “messy” can still move you a step closer to what matters most.

Get the free focus filter below and start building your endgame plan.

Step 2: Sort Into Two Lists

From that brain dump, I sort my tasks into two categories:

1. Goals To-Do List. These are the big rocks that move me closer to my dreams.
2. Must-dos. Bills, meals, and other life maintenance tasks that simply have to get done.

Here’s the key: I pull 2–3 tasks from the goal list and schedule them first BEFORE maintenance tasks. If you don’t give your dreams priority, you’ll stay stuck in maintenance mode and never reach them.

Also, only fill 75% of my available time. That space protects you when the unexpected happens (and it always does).

If you’ve got more time. Great! Pull more to-dos from one of two lists and knock out something else. OR you don’t have to. You can rest and have fun without guilt.

Step 3: Build Around The Half Tos

I want you to be VERY careful with this. A lot of things we THINK are “have to’s” when really we might have control over the timing.

If you can have any affect on the timing of something. Use it!

If you can change the time of a get-together with friends or a doctor’s appointment in order to respect your time to make progress on your goals, DO IT. They don’t need an explanation of why.

Action: Take your calendar and block off the big rocks like work, Church, school pickups, and drop-offs. Anything you can’t change. Put those into your digital calendar that you have access to on your phone.

These are the time chunks you now build your objective outcomes around. (Your goals.)

The Core Concept: Objectives vs. Deadlines

I learned this idea from Myron Golden, a faith-based business coach. The truth is:

• Deadlines create guilt and pressure. They put you in a pressure cooker that only gets heavier when plans change.
• Objectives create peace with action. They give you room to pivot without shame, while still keeping your eye on the goal.

When we built our deck, we thought it would be done in one weekend. Even with our son staying with grandparents, it ended up taking two full weeks. Because the objective was “finish the deck,” progress kept happening—even if the timeline stretched.

Objectives give you freedom, confidence, and peace of mind. They remind you that even if the day looks nothing like what you expected, forward motion is still happening.

Step 4: Make Daily Progress

Even on the hardest days, I choose one thing that moves a big rock forward. Even if its only a 10-minute task it still moves you just a little bit closer.

Sometimes that’s sending one email to my email list. Or its drafting the script for a YouTube video that I will record another day.

It doesn’t have to be huge. Small, consistent steps build big results. My businesses are my big goals and dreams, outside of being available for my family. But the same principle applies to anything that matters most to you.

Step 4b. What Can You Simplify?

Every week comes with a flood of options, but not all of them serve your family or your bigger goals. Ask yourself: what can I simplify or let go of? Maybe it’s skipping the elaborate meal plan and rotating a few simple dinners.

Maybe it’s saying no to commitments that don’t fit this season. Simplifying isn’t about lowering your standards — it’s about freeing up your energy so you can pour it into what matters most. A flexible planning system only works if you give yourself permission to let go of the rigid plans and make room for flexibility.

Step 5: Hold Space for The Half Tos

The system I’ve shared so far is just the first layer of my Flexible Weekly Planning System. The next step is creating what I call anchor blocks—the 3–5 non-negotiable time anchors that everything else flows into and around.

This is the structure that keeps me on track and focused week after week, even when I am the only one I am showing up for each week.

Final Thoughts

Life will always be unpredictable. But with a flexible weekly planning system, you can keep making progress without the guilt and overwhelm that come with rigid schedules.

If you want to dive deeper into this approach, I’ve put together notes and key action steps you can download for free. Join my email list to get them, along with access to my entire notes library with other resources to help you balance family life and your goals with confidence.