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Planning Meaningful Connections

Planning Meaningful Connections

February is a time when love and relationships take center stage, but meaningful connections aren’t limited to romantic relationships. Whether it’s with family, friends, colleagues, or your community, investing time and effort into maintaining and deepening these connections is one of the most rewarding things you can do. With the competing demands on our time, …

Bouncing Back From Goal-Setting Setbacks

Bouncing back from goal setting setbacks

Every year, millions of people start January with the best of intentions, setting ambitious New Year’s resolutions to improve their lives. Yet research shows that around 64% of these resolutions are abandoned by the end of the month. It’s no surprise—overly ambitious goals combined with life’s inevitable obstacles can make setbacks feel like failures. But …

What is a Personal Mission Statement? (pg. 142-151)

What is a personal mission statement?

A personal mission statement is more than just a collection of words; it’s a declaration of who you are and what you aspire to become. Stephen Covey describes it as your “personal constitution,” a solid expression of your vision and values that serves as a foundation for all your decisions and actions.  “It forces you …

Building Goals Into Your Routine

Building Goals Into Your Routine

Achieving your goals doesn’t require monumental effort every single day. Instead, it’s about making steady progress by building habits that move you closer to your aspirations. Whether you’re aiming to improve your fitness, enhance your career, or learn something new, the key to success lies in breaking your goals down into smaller, manageable tasks and …

The Value of Accountability

The Value of Accountability

Accountability is the foundation of personal growth, productivity, and success. While routines help us maintain wellness and readiness, accountability is what propels us forward toward our goals. Without it, even the best-laid plans can falter. Self-accountability is the driving force behind all successful personal development. It’s the commitment to owning your actions, decisions, and outcomes. …

The Franklin Five: December 2024

December 2024 The Franklin Five

December brings the closure of another year, encouraging reflection as well as excitement for the future. Engage in holiday celebrations, provide service, and foster peace. Then, hope and prepare for an amazing 2025. December Checklist Pocket Size: Franklin Five Checklist – Pocket December Checklist Compact Size: Franklin Five Checklist – Compact December Checklist Classic Size: Franklin Five Checklist- …

A Proactive Mindset (pg. 74 – 88)

A Proactive Mindset

In The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey emphasizes the power of a proactive mindset, explaining how our ability to choose our responses to life’s challenges sets us apart from the reactive tendencies that often govern human behavior. This section, spanning pages 74-88, serves as a transformative guide to understanding personal responsibility and …

Book Club: Why Continue Reading? (pg. 59-70)

Book Club: Why Continue Reading?

At this point in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey invites readers to pause and reflect on the journey ahead. As you’ve followed along with our book club, you may have found yourself wondering: Why should I continue reading? Covey answers this question by emphasizing the profound and lasting changes these habits …

Book Club: The Golden Goose (pg. 53-59)

The Golden Goose

In these pages of The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey introduces us to the powerful parable of the Golden Goose, which he uses to illustrate a crucial principle of personal and professional effectiveness. This story offers timeless wisdom about the balance between producing results (what Covey calls “P”) and maintaining the capacity …

October Purposeful Planning

This October, engage in Purposeful Planning with weekly action items that will help you challenge yourself to greater productivity. Pocket Size – Purposeful Planning Checklist PO Compact Size – Purposeful Planning Checklist CO Classic Size – Purposeful Planning Checklist CL Monarch Size – Purposeful Planning Checklist MO

Book Club: Habits and The Maturity Continuum (pg 46-53)

Book Club: Habits & The Maturity Continuum

As we delve further into The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, in pages 46-53 Stephen Covey explores the power of habits and how they shape our journey from dependence to independence, and ultimately, to interdependence. Understanding this maturity continuum is key to achieving not only personal success but also fulfilling relationships and collaborative endeavors. …

Book Club: A New Level of Thinking (pg 35-45)

Book Club: A New Level Of Thinking

Continuing through The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, in pages 35-45 Covey discusses the concept of “A New Level of Thinking”. These pages challenge us to rethink how we approach personal and interpersonal effectiveness, urging us to adopt a principle-centered, character-based method he describes as the “inside-out” approach. Covey begins by addressing a common …

Finding Your Purpose

Finding Your Purpose

Purpose can be defined as an overarching intention that is both personally meaningful to you and significant to the world beyond yourself. Living with purpose transforms the mundane into the magical, turning ordinary experiences into extraordinary ones. It’s the key to unlocking true happiness and profound, lasting satisfaction. Finding your purpose is a deeply individual …

Book Club: Principles and Paradigms (pg. 23-35)

Book Club: Principles and Paradigms

In our ongoing exploration of Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, pages 23-35 introduce us to the profound concepts of Principles and Paradigms. These ideas form the bedrock of Covey’s teachings and offer a powerful framework for understanding how we perceive the world and how we can achieve lasting, meaningful change. Understanding …

Building Trust

Building Trust

Trust is the cornerstone of any meaningful relationship, whether personal or professional. It’s what gives us a sense of security and confidence when dealing with others, allowing us to predict their actions and depend on them. Trust is built over time, earned through consistent and reliable behavior. Here’s how to cultivate and sustain trust in …

Book Club: Personality vs Character Ethics (pg 15-22)

Personality vs Character Ethics

For over 150 years, literature on success emphasized what Covey terms the Character Ethic. This philosophy focuses on foundational principles like integrity, humility, fidelity, temperance, courage, justice, patience, industry, simplicity, modesty, and the Golden Rule. The Character Ethic teaches that true success and lasting happiness stem from integrating these principles into our very being. Covey …

Intro To The 7 Habits – Why Read This Book?

Intro to the 7 Habits

Welcome to the inaugural post of our 7 Habits Book Club! We’re thrilled to embark on this journey through Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, particularly the 30th anniversary edition, which includes enriching insights from Jim Collins and Sean Covey. Join us every other Monday as we dive deeper into the life …

A Good Friend

A Good Friend

International Friendship Day, celebrated on July 30th, is a wonderful reminder of the importance of the friendships we treasure. Our feelings for these individuals usually run deep, and becoming a good friend ourselves is a worthy endeavor that requires thought and effort. Here are some key principles to help you be the best friend you …

Execute Your Ideas

Execute Your Goals

Most great ideas remain dormant because people don’t have the courage, resources, time, or money to take action. For those who do take action, many find themselves unprepared, often spending valuable time and money on a dream that simply goes astray. Turning an idea into practice can seem overwhelming. Even small ideas can appear laden …

Practice Law 7 – You Satisfy Needs When Your Beliefs Are In Line With Reality

Practice Law 7

In Hyrum W. Smith’s “The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management,” Law 7 emphasizes the crucial link between our beliefs and the fulfillment of our needs. Understanding this connection can profoundly impact our personal and professional lives. But how can we determine whether a belief, attitude, or opinion is accurate? The key …

Summer Traditions

Summer Traditions

July is a month that embodies the spirit of freedom and celebration. As the heart of summer, it brings long, sun-soaked days and warm, starry nights perfect for creating lasting memories with family and friends. Central to July’s charm is the 4th of July, a day that resonates with the essence of independence and the …

Practice Law 6: Your Behavior is a Reflection of What You Truly Believe

-practicelaw

In our journey towards effective time and life management, understanding the connection between our beliefs and our behavior is paramount. Hyrum W. Smith’s book, ‘The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management,’ introduces Law 6, which delves into the Franklin Reality Model—a powerful tool that sheds light on why we behave the way …

Get Outdoors!

Get Out Doors

June is Great Outdoors Month, a celebration of the natural beauty that surrounds us. This month offers the perfect opportunity to immerse yourself in nature: enjoy picnics and barbecues, visit the beach or the lake, spend time gardening or relaxing in a hammock, explore local, state, and national parks, take road trips, and share quality …

Effective Communication

Effective Communication

June is Effective Communication Month, a time to reflect on the essential skill of connecting with others. Effective communication may seem instinctive, but it’s common to experience misunderstandings, frustration, and conflict; all a direct result of miscommunication that can impact relationships in every aspect of life. By honing our communication skills, we can deepen connections, …

Practice Law 5: Daily Planning Leverages Time Through Increased Focus

Practice Law 5

Practice Law 5: Daily Planning Leverages Time Through Increased Focus In our fast-paced lives, finding time for formal planning may seem like a luxury. However, as we delve into Law 5 from Hyrum W. Smith’s book The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, we discover that investing a few minutes in daily …

Appreciating Mom

Appreciating Mom

Yesterday was Mother’s Day – and it’s always a great idea to spend some time showing mom how much you care. But let’s not let it end there! Moms and maternal influencers in our lives, are there for us EVERY day.  Consider ways you can extend the love, and show your appreciation all week, and …

Get Giggling for World Laughter Day

Get Giggling for World Laughter Day

“Laughter is the tonic, the relief, the surcease for pain,” remarked Charlie Chaplin, and indeed, the power of laughter to uplift, heal, and connect is unparalleled. As we celebrate World Laughter Day, it’s a timely reminder of the profound benefits that laughter brings to our lives. Research suggests that our propensity to laugh peaks around …

Earth Day and Responsible Paper-ing

Earth Day and Responsible Paper-ing

As we commemorate Earth Day, it’s an ideal opportunity to shed light on the sustainable attributes of paper, particularly in the context of our planners. While many natural resources are finite, paper stands out as a renewable and recyclable material that embodies sustainability from its very core. Paper, derived from wood fiber, boasts inherent renewability …

Practice Practice Law 4: To reach any significant goal, you must leave your comfort zone.

Practice Law 4

In Hyrum W. Smith’s book The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, Law 4 stands as a cornerstone principle: “To reach any significant goal, you must leave your comfort zone”. This law challenges us to break free from the familiar, safe confines of our comfort zones and venture into uncharted territories of …

The Science of Luck

The Science Of Luck

Cross your fingers, hold your breath, knock on wood… Superstitions surrounding luck have captivated human imagination for centuries. From leprechauns to four-leaf clovers, the allure of luck persists in our collective consciousness. But is luck a mystical force beyond our control, or is there a scientific explanation behind it? Recent studies suggest that luck is …

Practice Law 3: When Your Daily Practices Reflect Your Governing Values, You Experience Inner Peace

Practice Law 3

Inner peace is not merely a lofty aspiration; it’s a tangible state of being that arises when we align our actions with our deepest values and beliefs. In Hyrum Smith’s book, The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, Law 3 underscores the importance of building a Productivity Pyramid – a framework that …

Persistence in Leadership

Persistence in Leadership

Since President’s Day last week, and while reflecting on the qualities that have defined exceptional leaders, it’s natural to include persistence, a cornerstone of effective leadership. Persistence in leadership demands unwavering dedication and hard work, recognizing that positive outcomes are unattainable without sustained effort. In essence, persistence embodies the commitment to continuous improvement and active …

Practice Law 2: Your Governing Values Are The Foundation of Personal Fulfillment

Practice Law 2: Your Governing Values Are The Foundation of Personal Fulfillment

In the journey of life, understanding and aligning with our governing values becomes a profound exploration. Much like Benjamin Franklin’s pursuit of moral perfection, we all harbor a unique set of governing values that shape the core of our identity. These values, intrinsic to our being, encompass traits, beliefs, and aspirations that serve as the …

Embrace Budgeting

Embrace Budgeting

In a world where three out of five U.S. consumers find themselves tethered to their paychecks, living paycheck to paycheck has become an unfortunate norm. The notion of spending less money than you earn may seem like an unattainable dream, but with a well-crafted budget, a dash of determination, and strategic planning, it’s entirely within …

Set Up To Succeed

Set up to Succeed

Achieving success is a universal aspiration, and the exciting truth is that it’s within reach for virtually anyone. However, the journey is not without its challenges—internal, circumstantial, or relational obstacles that can appear insurmountable. It’s a common misconception that our heroes and success stories faced fewer challenges, were luckier, or had a different fate. In …

Practice Law 1: You Control Your Life By Controlling Your Time

Practice Law 1

In the relentless pursuit of productivity and personal fulfillment, mastering the art of time management becomes a crucial endeavor. Hyrum W. Smith’s groundbreaking work, The 10 Natural Laws of Successful Time and Life Management, offers profound insights into harnessing time as a powerful ally in achieving life’s most significant goals. The quest for inner peace …

The Secrets of Making and Keeping Goals

The Secrets of Making and Keeping Goals

The Franklin Planner System provides an unparalleled organizational framework for setting, tracking, and achieving goals with precision and clarity. With its systematic approach, you can break down your aspirations into manageable tasks, ensuring a focused and achievable path to success. The comprehensive set of tools, including goal planning forms, check registers, and yearly foldout calendars, …

Get Worked Up – 5 Tricks to Instantly Boost Your Energy

Get Worked Up - 5 Says to Instantly Boost Your Energy

December’s whirlwind of planning and busyness can swiftly drain your energy, but staying mentally sharp is crucial for making the most of these demanding weeks. Here are five quick techniques to improve and increase your energy—ensuring you’re not left on the sidelines, but are fully engaged in getting things done. 1.  Drink Water Dehydration can …

The Gift of Time

The Gift of Time

In the hustle and bustle of life, why is it crucial to make time for what truly matters? How can your presence be the most cherished present? As the year draws to a close, the common practice is to tightly book every available minute with school programs, sporting events, entertainment activities, travel, and holiday festivities …

Personal Affirmations

Personal Affirmations

Science has shown that the words we say to ourselves wield immense power in shaping our outcomes. As Stephen R. Covey put it, “Next to physical survival, the greatest need of human beings is psychological survival—to be understood, affirmed, validated, and appreciated.” And those positive psychological experiences don’t have to solely come from external sources. …

The Franklin Five: December 2023

December 2023 Franklin Five

December winds down the year, encouraging reflection as well as excitement for the future. Engage in celebrations, lighten someone’s load, give the gift of time, foster peace. Then, hope and prepare for an amazing 2024. December Checklist Pocket Size: PDF December Checklist Compact Size: PDF December Checklist Classic Size: PDF December Checklist Monarch Size: PDF

Lessons In Thankfulness

Lessons in Thankfulness

In a world where many of us enjoy abundance and prosperity, a peculiar paradox persists—so many individuals live in a constant state of dissatisfaction. Despite the ‘plenty’ that surrounds us, we often find ourselves yearning for something more, believing that a particular status, an ideal relationship, the trappings of success, or an absence of conflict, …

Mission Statements – Business, Family, and Personal

Mission Statements

Successful businesses often have a clear and concise mission statement that guides their actions and defines their purpose. These statements serve as a compass, helping business leaders make decisions that align with their core values and goals. But why should the power of mission statements be limited to the business world? When you aim to …

Ode To a Checklist (National Checklist Day)

Ode to a Checklist

Life is incredibly busy. Between work, school, family, friends, and personal endeavors, you are constantly multi-tasking and dealing with all sorts of distractions. This can make it easy to forget to do certain tasks and create a feeling of sprinting from task to task and hoping you don’t miss an important step in the process. …

Make The Cut: Optimizing Your Life Through Removal

Make the Cut - optimizing through removal

In our quest to optimize our lives, we often focus on adding more – more tasks, more commitments, more possessions. However, true optimization usually involves subtraction rather than addition. To optimize something means to make it as perfect, functional, or effective as possible, and this process requires us to step back and focus on smaller, …

Holiday Planning: From Procrastinator to PRO

Holiday Planning: From Procrastinator to Pro

It’s early October, and for many that feels unfathomable. How did time fly so fast? It feels like the overwhelming jobs of planning costumes, work parties, travel, hosting relatives, and more… are starting to lurk from the shadows. It’s tempting to wait until at least after Halloween to begin thinking about the many things you …

The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (A Review)

The 7 Habits - A Review

As we embark on Optimized October, let’s take a few minutes to review The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People that we’ve been sharing over the past 7 months. Whatever habit you’re hoping to focus on this month, check out these links and apply the content to optimize your life! Habit 1: Be Proactive Habit …

Mind Games: Strengthening Mental Muscles to Prepare for Q4

Mind Games : Strengthening Mental Muscles

One of the best ways to prepare for success and mental clarity as you move into the busy fourth quarter, is to make sure your mind is sharp. Incorporating trivia and memory games into your routine can have a profound impact on brain performance across various aspects of life. These games challenge your cognitive abilities, …

Sharpen the Saw (Habit 7) – Take Time for Renewal

Sharpen the Saw (Habit 7) - Take Time for Renewal

As the Autumnal Equinox arrives on September 23rd, signaling the transition to shorter days and longer evenings, it’s a fitting time to reflect on the balance in our lives. Just as the sun’s crossing above Earth’s equator prompts us to ponder equilibrium, we can also turn our attention to Habit 7 from The 7 Habits …

Patriot Day

Patriot Day

Every year on September 11th, we observe Patriot Day to remember the tragic events that unfolded in 2001 and pay tribute to the lives lost. On this solemn day, we commemorate the lives of the nearly 3,000 innocent victims who perished during the terrorist attacks in New York City, Washington D.C., and Pennsylvania. We also …

Celebrating Labor Day As An Entrepreneur

Celebrating Labor Day as an Entrepreneur

The origins of Labor Day in the late nineteenth century were steeped in recognition of the invaluable contributions made by workers to America’s growth, prosperity, and overall well-being. Traditionally, Labor Day has been marked by street parades and festivities celebrating the strength and unity of trade and labor organizations. Today, with the landscape of labor …

The Franklin Five: September 2023

September 2023 Franklin Five Checklist

Welcome September! Soon you’ll be bringing us cooler weather, the beginning of Autumn, new opportunities, and new experiences. September Checklist Pocket Size: PDF September Checklist Compact Size: PDF September Checklist Classic Size: PDF September Checklist Monarch Size: PDF

Synergize (Habit 6) – The Habit of Creative Cooperation

Synergize - Habit 6

In the journey towards personal and professional effectiveness, one habit stands out as a catalyst for growth and innovation – Synergize. This sixth habit from The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People is all about the power of creative cooperation, where working closely with others and capitalizing on cumulative strengths can lead to outcomes that …

The Value of a Good Plan

The Value of a Good Plan

When it comes to navigating the complexities of life and achieving our goals, having a solid plan is crucial. Whether we’re students, entrepreneurs, community leaders, or individuals managing busy households, a good plan sets the foundation for success. Planning ahead allows us to anticipate challenges, identify resources, and make informed decisions. It provides a roadmap …

Respecting Oneself and Personal Kindness

Respecting Oneself and Personal Kindness

For many of us, being kind to ourselves doesn’t come naturally. We tend to downplay our achievements and criticize ourselves for not doing better. In a world where self-respect and personal kindness are often misunderstood and feared, it’s important to recognize that treating ourselves with compassion and respect is not an act of conceit or …

The Value of Striving and Overcoming

The Value of Striving and Overcoming

In a rapidly changing world, filled with both new challenges and overwhelming amounts of shallow distractions, it is easier than ever to avoid harsh or difficult realities and disappear into digital virtual spaces. However, by doing so, we miss out on the invaluable lessons and personal growth that come from striving and overcoming obstacles. Hard …

Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood (Habit 5)

Seek First to Understand (Habit 5)

Communication is an essential skill in life. We invest years in learning how to read, write, and speak, but what about listening? How much training have we received to truly understand another human being? The truth is, most of us have had little to no training in the art of listening deeply. We often prioritize …

Honoring Sacrifice

Honoring Sacrifice - Memorial Day

In the wake of the United States Civil War’s deadliest battle, Abraham Lincoln framed the Gettysburg Address by saying: “We here highly resolved that these dead shall not have died in vain; that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom; and that government of the people, by the people, for the …

May Day

May Day 2023

In many cultures, May 1st is a holiday called May Day. This celebration marks the halfway point between the spring equinox and the summer solstice. As with many early holidays, May Day was rooted in agriculture. Springtime festivities filled with song and dance celebrated the sown fields starting to sprout. Cattle were driven to pasture …

Why PAPER Works

Why Paper Works

Earth Day is on April 22nd, which often brings up questions and misconceptions about our reliance on paper and what we can each do to be the most environmentally-friendly as possible. Paper has run the full gambit – from being the best, to vilified, and back again. There’s a lot of misunderstanding and false info …

Inspiring Others

Inspiring Others

To inspire others is a transcendent goal that many would like to accomplish. History is full of inspirational people that have helped change the world, and whose impact continues to send ripples through the ages. When we see someone else achieve great things, it often ignites a fire within us to do something great as …

Failing Forward

Failing Forward

Winston Churchill once said, “Success is stumbling from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” This quote perfectly encapsulates the idea of failing forward, which is a concept championed by John Maxwell in his book Failing Forward. This concept recognizes that all progress is through failure, learning, and adjusting. Failing forward means that a …

Making Goals Fun & Gamifying The Process

Making Goals Fun and Gamifying the Process

Statistics tell us that by now, most people have completely abandoned their new year’s resolutions. Why is that? The answer is likely a simple one: We’re not truly engaged in our goals. Just as teenagers and kids will describe their least favorite or most difficult subject in school as “boring”, what they’re really saying is …

Love Your Life

Love Your Life

When our day-to-day routine starts feeling more like a never-ending chore, it can be all too easy to forget that fresh and exciting lives require our active participation in order to become and stay that way. For the times when you’re feeling disenamored with your everyday routine, here are some simple methods for falling in …

From Big Plans to the Big Game – An Interview with Britain Covey

An Interview with Britain Covey

(Note: This interview has been edited for length and clarity.) Wide receiver and return specialist Britain Covey, after going unselected in the 2022 draft, was signed by Philadelphia’s football team as an undrafted free agent. After working hard to prove himself during practice, he was elevated to the active roster for their Week 1 game …

Believe In Yourself!

Believe in Yourself!

Many say it’s resources, luck, background, or connections that create successful people. While these all have some influence, the strongest contributing factor to achieving something significant is self-belief. Studies have proven that when you experience positive emotions such as love, joy, or contentment, you’ll see more possibilities in your life. If you believe in yourself, …

Decisions, Planning, & Commitment

Decisions, Planning & Commitment

It’s the second week of January, which means you’ve likely hit a few roadblocks to fulfilling your resolutions and beginning making changes. When you hit these roadblocks, what do you do to get over them? Many try “muscling through” difficulties and “just forcing it”, but this approach isn’t sustainable. Instead, let’s review the dangers of …

Slow It Down

Slow it Down

The holiday season is both a time of celebration and, for many, significant stress. With meals to prepare, presents to buy, and family dynamics to navigate, the holidays can find you caught in a balance between focusing on what matters most and checking off that lengthy to-do list. This overload of stress during an otherwise …

Embracing The Unconventional

Embracing the Unconventional

These winter months are filled with activities, tastes, sights, and sounds. Some of them are traditions that have been passed down and cherished – while others have perhaps been dreaded or discarded. For some, the long-held traditions are what make this season special–providing memories to recreate and nostalgia to share. Things like visiting light shows, …

Taking Control of Your Holidays

Taking Control of Your Holidays

Every year we imagine that the holidays will be a swirl of joyful parties, decorations, surprising loved ones with the perfect gift, cooking flawless meals, indulging in family vacations, and generally spending blissful time against a magical winter backdrop. We long for the magic and excitement of our youth and imagination, while dreading the worry, …

Belief Windows

Belief Windows

In his book, What Matters Most, Hyrum W. Smith explains why so many people feel something is missing from their lives: conflicts between actions and personal values. Like many people, you may not have heard of a Belief Window before, but it affects many of the decisions you make every day and how you behave …

Practice Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw

Practice Habit 7: Sharpen the Saw To “Sharpen the Saw” means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have—you. It means having a balanced program for self-renewal. This may sound intimidating, but it’s actually much simpler than it sounds. It could include taking care of your body by eating right, exercising, and getting the right …

The Franklin Five: October 2022

The Franklin Five: October 2022

October embraces the excitement of autumn, tastes like pumpkin spice, provides a thrilling sense of the unknown, and fills us with hope for unlimited opportunities. October Checklist Pocket Size: PDF October Checklist Compact Size: PDF October Checklist Classic Size: PDF October Checklist Monarch Size: PDF  

Get Outdoors

Get Outdoors

Autumn is officially here, bringing with it cooler weather, wondrous colors, and a slower pace. These factors can make it tempting to start spending your days indoors, but this is actually the perfect season to get outdoors and enjoy nature with your family. Now that the hectic days of summer are over, it can feel …

Lifelong Learning – Curating Your Reading List

Lifelong Learning - Curating Your Reading List

Before the electronic era, everyday reading was a ritual that those who wanted to gain knowledge adapted to. Now that we have the internet, we’ve become so bombarded by information that it can almost seem unnecessary to read an actual book. However, there are many benefits to reading, including: stress reduction, memory improvement, stronger analytical …

Summer Sunset – How To End The Summer Well

Summer Sunset - How to End the Summer Well

September is almost here, bringing with it cooler weather, a stricter schedule, and the end of summer. Despite this ending looming in the near future, there’s no reason to stop crossing things off your summer bucket list. There’s still time to squeeze in last minute summer activities and make the most of every minute. Here …

Calming Back-To-School Mayhem

Calming Back-To-School Mayhem

Back-to-school anxiety is normal and understandable. Both kids and adults may worry about the upcoming school year and everything that comes with it. Unfortunately, this can lead to procrastinating until the last moment, causing an incredibly hectic first morning—starting the school year on a stressful, chaotic note. Instead, use these tips to prepare for back-to-school …

Finding YOUR Planner

Finding Your Planner

Picking the correct planner can make all the difference in keeping you organized and ensuring you use your planning system regularly. Franklin Planners are especially great for those that are new to planning, like youth and college students, because they teach you to define your values and priorities, and schedule your time wisely, so you …

Practice Habit 5: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood

Practice Habit 5

A common default of humans is to listen with the intent of responding. We like to have something to say, something to add. We each filter everything we hear through our life experiences, our frame of reference. We then check what we hear against our autobiography and see how it measures up. Consequently, we decide …

Celebrate Mom

Celebrate Mom

Mother’s Day arrives every May, which means it’s time to celebrate the moms in your life. Moms are incredibly busy. They’re volunteers, teachers, doctors, managers, business owners, bus drivers, leaders, and so much more.  Even so, ‘Mothering’ is the job title they wear all the time, and there’s no clocking out. Regardless of their daily …

The Franklin Five: May 2022

The Franklin Five May 2022

With some focused planning in May, you can truly put first things first!  So… make some new memories, improve your health, and plan for more time spent with loved ones. May Checklist Pocket Size: PDF May Checklist Compact Size: PDF May Checklist Classic Size: PDF May Checklist Monarch Size: PDF

Paper, With Purpose

Paper, With Purpose

Our planet’s resources are varied and precious. Few are more important and significant in our human lives than paper. We utilize it in nearly every aspect of our many daily activities – from various sundries to product fulfillment, construction, fashion, food preparation, and beyond. Earth Day is on April 22nd, which often brings up questions …

Franklin Planner Training – How to Use Our Time-Proven System

Franklin Planner Training - How to Use Our Time-Proven System

Planning is about far more than managing your schedule; it’s about creating the life you want to lead. Your Franklin Planner is meant to be more than just a planner. They’re designed to help you become who you hope to be. That includes your hopes, dreams, and aspirations. What makes us truly unique is our …

Onward & Upward: Continuing and Completing Your Goals

Onward & Upward: Continuing and Completing Your Goals

Virtually every study tells us that around 80% of New Year’s resolutions will get abandoned this month. That is a sad statistic. Accomplishing goals leads to satisfaction and further motivation, while not accomplishing goals leads to the opposite. Making progress on and completing goals we set for ourselves increases our confidence and can help us …

Our Founding Fathers

Our Founding Fathers

Presidents’ Day was originally celebrated to honor George Washington on his birthday, February 22nd. The Founding Fathers have traditionally been granted great respect, and their achievements were indeed immense. They created the first modern country based on liberal principles, as laid out in the Declaration of Independence. The country they built was also the first …

The Health Benefits of Feeling & Expressing Love

The Health Benefits of Love

Humans are wired for connection, and when we cultivate good relationships, the rewards are immense. This isn’t just related to romantic love. Any kind of calm, stable forms of love yield clear health benefits. This could include love in a marriage, partnership, parent/child relationship, or a friendship. The key is to feel connected to other …

Focus on Health and Vitality

Focus on Health and Vitality

Vitality is your personal empowerment, productivity, creativity, health, and well-being. To be vital is to feel energetic and confident. The best way to cultivate this is by working on your relationship with yourself. Just like any other relationship, it requires commitment, time, and effort… and you can’t neglect it. Show some love to you! Self-care …

The Dangers of Relying on Willpower

The Dangers of Relying on Willpower

It’s the second week of January, which means you’ve likely begun making changes in your life to fulfill resolutions, and have already hit some roadblocks. When you hit these roadblocks, what do you do to get over them? Many try “muscling through” difficulties and “ just forcing it”, but this approach isn’t sustainable. Instead, it’s …

Organized October – First Steps: How to Plan / Where to Begin

First Steps: How to Plan/Where to Begin

The purpose of planning is to complete goals in every aspect of your life. Planning allows you to prioritize the events and tasks throughout your day so you can do the things that matter most first. However, in order for you to understand what matters most, you must first have a goal in mind. The …

Creating Your Reading List

Creating Your Reading List

There are many benefits of reading in your adult life. Reading slows the progress of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease, reduces stress and relaxes you, improves focus and concentration, can reduce depressive thoughts, make you more empathetic, improves your general knowledge, boosts sleep quality, and more! There are so many books to choose from, it can …

The Franklin Five: October 2021

The Franklin Five: October 2021

October arrives, offering cooler weather, richer colors, tempting flavors, and an opportunity to breath, plan and reflect before the holiday season kicks in. October Checklist Pocket Size: PDF October Checklist Compact Size: PDF October Checklist Classic Size: PDF October Checklist Monarch Size: PDF  

The Franklin Five: September 2021

The Franklin Five Checklist - September 2021

September, for many, begins a new routine. Print, punch, and include this checklist in your planner to help you stay ahead of events, activities and the new season. September Checklist Pocket Size:   PDF September Checklist Compact Size: PDF September Checklist Classic Size: PDF September Checklist Monarch Size: PDF  

Back to Busy – How to Continue Sharpening the Saw

Back to Busy: How to Continue Sharpening the Saw

In his book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Stephen Covey discusses the importance of scheduling time to relax. Just like you can’t cut down a tree with a dull saw, you can’t perform to your greatest extent without taking time to rejuvenate yourself physically, spiritually, mentally, and socially/emotionally. But with September comes a …

Becoming Independent

Becoming Independent

Every 4th of July, Americans celebrate the independence of our country. This independence was hard fought for, and something we must continue to support and promote constantly in order to maintain it. But how many of us can say that we are personally independent? Learning to take care of yourself fully, allows for more confidence, …

The Franklin Five: July 2021

Franklin Five Checklist - July 2021

July brings sunshine, ball games, barbecues, fireworks and traditional family celebrations.  Taking a few minutes daily and weekly to plan for summertime success will make all the difference. Print, punch, and include each Franklin Five Checklist as an extra help in your planning sessions. July Checklist Pocket Size:   PDF July Checklist Compact Size: PDF July …

Appreciating Dads

Appreciating Dads

“My father gave me the greatest gift anyone could give another person, he believed in me.”  -Jim Valvano Fathers don’t always get the recognition they deserve. Their roles can often get overlooked as they’re traditionally not home as often as mothers and tend to be a bit more distant emotionally. However, the amount of time …

Flag Day

Flag Day

A flag can represent a club, team, state, or country that you’re a part of. By respecting and honoring it, you’re saying that you stand behind that community and the people who are part of it. You may disagree with some aspect of the group, but you’re willing to set that aside to show support …

Why We Remember

Why We Remember

Memorial Day is typically a day for spending time with family and enjoying the warm weather. However, with all of these festivities, it can be easy to forget why we’re really celebrating. Here’s a quick history about the holiday: The day was first celebrated in 1868, originally called “Decoration Day”, a day to decorate the …

The Mighty Pen

The Mighty Pen

We’ve all heard that the pen is mightier than the sword, but how does it compare to the keyboard? Research shows that not only does it hold its own, but there are many benefits to this old school practice. Here are a few reasons to break out your notebook and pen. Boosts Creativity A blank …

The Franklin Five: May 2021

Franklin Five Checklist May 2021

Print, punch, and include each Franklin Five Checklist as an extra help in your planning sessions. May Checklist Pocket Size:   PDF May Checklist Compact Size: PDF May Checklist Classic Size: PDF May Checklist Monarch Size: PDF  

Tired of Failed New Year’s Resolutions? Try It This Way Instead

Failing? Try This Instead - New Year's Resolutions

It’s that time of year when most people start thinking about goals and resolutions for the new year.  You know what I’m talking about  – those things we think we should do but we don’t really want to do.  Somehow, though, with the start of a new year, we have fresh motivation and think this …

3 Ways to Use Your Planner for Holiday Budgeting

You Holiday Budget - How your planner can help

Here are three ways your Franklin Planner can help keep your budget healthy during the holidays: Individualized Gift Budget Tracker Take a moment today and write out a list of everyone you plan on giving gifts to this holiday season. You can include your family members, extended family members, neighbors, coworkers, teachers, caregivers, and others …

The Franklin Five: December 2020

The Franklin Five for December

December is here! Time to prepare for the upcoming holidays and more family time.  Here are a few things to add to your list: December Checklist Pocket Size: PDF December Checklist Compact Size: PDF December Checklist Classic Size: PDF December Checklist Monarch Size: PDF

The Franklin Five: November 2020

The Franklin Five for November

Welcome November! The month of gratitude is here! As the holidays approach, take time to safely plan family time and what matters most to you. Here are some more things to add to your list: November Checklist Pocket Size: PDF November Checklist Compact Size: PDF November Checklist Classic Size: PDF November Checklist Monarch Size: PDF

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