If you've ever struggled with buying planners over and over again, swearing this time you'll stick to planning out your week, you're not alone. Personally, I'm a sucker for a cute planner, but I always stick with it for a week or two before letting one week slide and never picking it up again.
And if you struggle with ADHD, anxiety, depression, or other challenges, it can be doubly hard to find a way to plan your weeks out and stick to it. You know that organizing your life would make tasks a little easier, but it is HARD to stick to the habit.
The creators behind the Monk Manual reject the idea of a traditional planner, saying that "We often confuse busyness with productivity."
In your mind, you probably picture your typical monk as someone meditating in an orange robe, eyes closed, and legs crossed for the entire day. How could monks know anything about being productive? Whether you're a 9-5 office employee stressing about where to fit in a workout during your day or a stay-at-home parent feeling frazzled at every turn, unable to fit in some self-care, your mind's focus every day is probably on productivity. Getting tasks done, making enough to survive, rewarding yourself with a sweet treat for getting through another boring day.
The Monk Manual is written around 8 monk principles: Gratitude, Simplicity, Intentionality, Order, Generosity, Relationships, Reflection, Presence, Balance, and Transcendence. If you want to stop organizing your days around productivity and survival, the Monk Manual can help you get started. The Monk Manual is the best planner for ADHD, anxiety, or simply trying to get a little more out of your day besides productivity.
While a traditional planner helps you plan basic tasks throughout the week, writing down appointments, meetings, and deadlines, the Monk Manual has a page to prepare for the week and a page to reflect on the week. Write down something you're grateful for and something you learned after every day. Go into every week with gratitude by writing down what you're looking forward to and reflect on how your relationships grew after the week is over.
If you want to dive deeper into every day, The Monk Manual provides a 90-day planner that you can buy at any time and fill in the month and date as you go. No more buying yearly planners halfway through the year and feeling like your money is wasted. If you struggle with ADHD or anxiety, worrying about wasting time and money is on the forefront of your mind. Both the weekly and 90-day planners let you fill in the dates as you go, so you never feel like you wasted money on another old planner.
The 90-day planner helps you set 3 priorities for your day, start the day with a gratitude list, and also reflect on how your day went after it's over. Manage time, build better habits, deepen relationships, and gain insight to make tomorrow better.
I think my favorite thing about the Monk Manual is that you can start your journey with a friend. The Monk Manual has a Starter Set for Two. With any new goal or habit that you're trying to build, everyone knows that it's easier to start with a friend.
The Monk Manual Starter Set and Starter Set for 2 comes with a weekly planner, an extension, a 12-month calendar, a goal planner and a pen for you and a friend, along with 3 stickers.
If you're interested in teaching your kids about mindfulness, the Monk Manual also has a Sprout Journal to help kids starting practicing gratitude and self-care every day.
The Monk Manual is the best planner for ADHD, anxiety, depression, and mindfulness because the planner extends beyond everyday tasks to help you embrace your whole self. Practice mindfulness, gratitude, reflect on what you look forward to and what you could do better every single day. As someone who keeps a gratitude journal, it really does make a huge difference.
The Monk Manual combines a traditional daily or weekly planner with a gratitude journal and self-improvement workbook, making it the best planner for ADHD and mindfulness!
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