Table of Contents
Why does traditional productivity advice fail women and what should they do instead?
Stop striving for perfection and start living with intention using The PLAN by Kendra Adachi. Learn how to align your schedule with your energy, manage tasks through the “Prepare, Live, Adjust, Notice” framework, and embrace a compassionate approach to time management. Read the full summary below to discover how to ditch rigid productivity rules and build a flexible schedule that actually fits your life.
Genres
Productivity, Personal Development
Introduction: Transform your approach to time management with the PLAN!
The PLAN (2024) offers a refreshing and compassionate perspective on time management, emphasizing integration and intentionality over mindless optimization and productivity. Using the PLAN – Prepare, Live, Adjust, and Notice – approach, readers are equipped to accomplish what matters most in each season of life.
Raise your hand if you’ve struggled with conventional time management advice. If your hand is in the air, you’re not alone, and your unsuccessful attempts likely aren’t your fault.
Most popular productivity systems emphasize “achievement at all costs” with a one-size-fits-all mentality, often ignoring that these methods aren’t realistic – or even desirable – for everyone. This is especially true for women and those from historically marginalized groups, who can be left feeling inadequate or disconnected by the prevailing “wisdom.”
In today’s nonstop, around the clock world, the pressure to keep up leaves professionals, parents, and students alike overworked and burned out. The need for a balanced, adaptable approach to time management has never been greater. That’s where the four-part PLAN framework – Prepare, Live, Adjust, and Notice – comes in. It’s designed to help you build a life that balances productivity with well-being.
In this summary, you’ll discover how to align your time with your energy and priorities, factoring in natural rhythms like hormonal or energy cycles. You’ll gain tactical methods for managing tasks, along with practical strategies for handling setbacks when exhaustion or chaos strike. The PLAN isn’t about squeezing every last second out of your day, but about creating a life rooted in intention, integration, and what truly matters.
So, if you’re ready to embrace a time management system that works for your unique needs and season of life – rather than conform to rigid productivity standards – then buckle up. Your journey to compassionate time management starts now!
The PLAN 101
Most traditional productivity systems emphasize relentless achievement, prioritizing control and constant output. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with striving for success – and these methods may work well for some – they aren’t universally effective or fulfilling for everyone.
If you find yourself feeling out of sync with these traditional approaches, here’s some good news: the PLAN might be exactly what you’ve been searching for. Unlike the rigid, one-size-fits-all methods, this framework offers a flexible way to manage your time and energy in alignment with what truly matters to you. It emphasizes personal well-being and cultivates a holistic, balanced approach to life, allowing you to thrive in every stage.
The PLAN is designed to be flexible, with each stage – Prepare, Live, Adjust, Notice – working together to form a pragmatic and resilient structure. It’s less a set-and-forget act of optimization, and more an ongoing and iterative process of integration.
The first step, Prepare, focuses on thoughtful, intentional planning starting from where you are right now. This stage underscores the importance of focusing on what most matters in the present, while recognizing that no plan should be set in stone. By clarifying priorities and trusting your ability to handle each successive step – a challenge many women and marginalized individuals face – you can prepare for what lies ahead with intention and confidence.
Next comes Live, which emphasizes fully embracing your current season of life. Instead of judging each day against your best day, you can fully embrace the moment, recognizing that it’s okay to simply “be” where you are – even if you intend to soon be elsewhere. Embracing contentment as a mindset, rather than constantly striving for more, will foster peace and groundedness.
The third stage, Adjust, is essential to staying responsive to life’s shifting sands. Rather than making sweeping changes, taking small, thoughtful steps will allow you to align your plans with your energy and priorities. Adjusting gradually means you’re not stuck on a rigid path – you’re free to make changes as needed, keeping you adaptable and aligned with the reality of the moment.
Finally, Notice invites you to observe your life with compassion. Instead of reacting quickly to every thought or emotion, give yourself space to pause and reflect. Observing with kindness rather than judgment can create a sense of inner spaciousness, letting you focus on the positive aspects of each day and allowing for intentional responses to challenges.
Together, the PLAN framework transforms time management into a practice of self-regard and self-respect. By preparing mindfully, living in the present, adjusting with intention, and noticing with kindness, you can achieve and feel productive, all the while remaining centered and connected to what truly and uniquely matters to you.
A quick word on menstrual cycles
Before moving on, it’s critical to address a nuance overlooked by most traditional – often male-created – productivity advice: women’s energy is inextricably intertwined with their menstrual cycle.
Unlike men, who operate on a relatively consistent 24-hour cycle, women’s energy and focus are influenced by an approximately 28-day cycle, marked by distinct hormonal fluctuations. These shifts significantly impact how women feel and perform week to week, yet they often go unrecognized, leaving many women to feel out of sync with conventional time-management approaches.
The female cycle can be divided into four distinct phases, neatly aligning with the PLAN framework we explored in the last section. Each phase offers a unique strength, so it can be hugely empowering for women to learn to work with their natural cycle instead of against it.
As estrogen rises in the Follicular Phase, it aligns with Prepare. Energy and creativity begin to bloom, making this phase ideal for brainstorming, planning, and tackling new challenges. The clarity and optimism that accompany this phase make it ideal for strategic thinking, organizing projects, and problem-solving. Spring is the season that most captures this phase.
Ovulation is the phase of Live, where confidence and energy peak. This phase is perfect for social activities, public speaking, and high-energy tasks. Whether it’s networking, giving presentations, or attending events, this is when women feel most open and capable, thriving in collaborative and outward-facing activities. Matched with a season, ovulation would be summer.
The Luteal Phase, which aligns with Adjust, brings a natural winding down. During this phase, attention to detail sharpens, and it’s an ideal time to complete tasks requiring focus and precision. This phase is excellent for refining plans, reviewing progress, and adjusting systems at work or home before energy levels dip again. Fall is the season that best represents this phase.
Finally, the Menstrual Phase corresponds to Notice. Energy is lower during this time, making it the perfect opportunity to slow down, focus on routine tasks, and embrace rest. Activities like sorting paperwork or paying bills make sense here, as it’s more about maintenance and reflection than productivity. If this phase of the cycle were a season, it would be winter.
By aligning productivity with these phases, women can work with their natural rhythms rather than against them. This approach not only enhances efficiency and effectiveness but also fosters long-term well-being, ensuring productivity doesn’t come at the cost of health or balance.
The PLAN in action
Now to the tactical practical!
Let’s start with a good ol’ to-do list. Standard to-do lists often feel overwhelming and disjointed, making them exhausting to manage. A more effective approach is to “Lighten the Load.” To do this, start by brain-dumping everything on your mind – from the big, daunting tasks to the smaller ones you’re excited to tackle. Then, assign importance to each item to clarify why each matters. Feel free to discard any items you feel you “should” do but aren’t actually essential or personally meaningful. Next, categorize tasks based on urgency or the energy required. This way, you can pick your daily tasks accordingly, ensuring you work efficiently without burning out.
A similar methodical approach can simplify weekly planning as well. The key difference is the slightly broader time frame. Begin by identifying your top priorities for the week ahead. Then, eliminate any foreseeable distractions and ensure you have the essentials to focus on these priorities. Next, organize tasks by deadlines. Some tasks – such as paying a bill – will have a concrete deadline that’s important to adhere to. For others, feel free to base your scheduling on your energy and how you feel throughout the week. Allowing yourself to do so means you can stay flexible and responsive while remaining effective.
Monthly planning takes things a step further by offering a chance for deeper reflection. Each new month brings fresh challenges and rhythms, so start by reviewing the previous month. What went well? What drained your energy? What insights can you take forward? Again, identify what’s most important for the upcoming month, considering areas like work, relationships, and self-care. Prioritize essential recurring tasks – such as paying those pesky bills – while carving out time for personal goals you may have been putting off, like finally signing up for that art class. Structured this way, a monthly plan can help you stay focused on both the must-dos and the hope-tos, encouraging enjoyment just as much as efficiency.
Widening the window of time further, seasonal planning connects your time management to the bigger picture of your life. Life is lived in seasons, and recognizing where you are right now can shape your focus. Acknowledge the current phase of your life and select your goals accordingly. As with weekly and monthly plans, keep your seasonal plans flexible, knowing that as seasons change, so will your priorities, needs, and energy. This approach will keep you present as you navigate life’s inevitable twists and turns.
Managing time effectively and compassionately requires a system that adapts to your needs and energy levels. By aligning your tasks, plans, and projects with your current season in life, you can create a more integrated and intentional method of time management that fosters both productivity and well-being.
The PLAN pep talks
Even the most carefully organized plans can feel overwhelming, fall apart unexpectedly, or catch us when we’re already completely exhausted. In these moments, shifting your perspective and practicing self-compassion becomes essential. Staying centered and grounded doesn’t mean tackling everything at once – sometimes, it’s about taking even the smallest steps forward. These three mini pep talks can help guide you through those challenging times.
When your to-do list feels endless, start with a simple deep breath. Often, you really do have too much to do, and likely, everything feels equally urgent. Instead of expecting yourself to somehow fit it all in, consider sorting your tasks by urgency with a “Now, Soon, Later, Never Mind” list. Let go of any items that aren’t immediately critical, and approach the remainder with an appropriate and manageable sense of urgency.
If your plan implodes before your eyes, it’s absolutely valid to feel disappointed or frustrated – or both simultaneously! Gently remind yourself that plans are intentions, not requirements. Further, failed plans don’t necessarily reflect failures on your part. Sometimes, life just happens. So, when things don’t go as expected, remember that your worth isn’t tied to everything going perfectly, and celebrate your ability to adapt with kindness when plans inevitably unravel or implode.
Finally, when exhaustion sets in, and you have very little left in the tank, prioritize rest without guilt. Rest isn’t something you “earn”; it’s an essential. Even a short 17-minute nap or a few moments of stillness away from others and devices can make a significant difference. Daily rest helps keep your energy and mood balanced, so consider assessing what may be draining you and adjust your workload as needed. Yes, some days, a late night will be required or desired. On others, an early bedtime will serve you best. The key is listening to your body and honoring what it needs in this season of life.
Return to these pep talks whenever you need a gentle reminder to treat yourself with patience and compassion. Adapt when necessary, let go of what’s unnecessary, and remember that rest and flexibility are vital to both productivity and personal well-being. You’ve got this!
Conclusion
In this summary to The PLAN by Kendra Adachi, you’ve learned that a fulfilling and balanced life transcends merely getting stuff done. A fulfilling and balanced life demands aligning your time and energy with who you are, where you are, and what truly matters most.
By following the PLAN and focusing on its four essential actions – Preparing, Living, Adjusting, and Noticing – you can create a flexible and resilient approach to life that simultaneously supports your goals and well-being. This framework encourages you to adapt your plans to your unique needs, allowing room for rest, reflection, and the reality of life’s changing seasons.
When you prioritize intention, integration, and self-compassion, time management becomes less about relentless achievement and more about living in alignment with most matters. As such, embracing the PLAN can transform how you approach each day, enabling you to feel both productive and empowered.