Why Linear Planners Fail Real Families (and What to Use Instead)
I’ve tried all the planners. The cute floral ones. The sleek black leather ones. The “as seen on Instagram” ones with gold spirals and inspirational quotes on every page.
And guess what? They all failed me.
Not because I didn’t try hard enough (I did). Not because I’m not “organized” (I am… in my own way).
They failed because they were built for a life I don’t actually live.
Real Life Doesn’t Happen in Perfect Boxes
Those planners wanted me to:
Wake up at the same time every day (hilarious)
Have the same routine Monday–Friday (sure… if we ignore co-op days, sick kids, and surprise trips to the children’s museum)
Fit my entire life into their pre-labeled boxes
Have the same amount of mental energy everyday.
It’s like they were made for someone with a perfectly controlled environment. No kids, no unpredictable schedules, no “oh crap, we’re out of printer ink and I have to redo the whole day” moments.
The Problem with Linear Planners
Most traditional planners are linear.
They assume your day will go A → B → C → D in a straight, predictable line.
But my days? They’re more like A → C → B → Whoops forgot D → Start over.
If you’ve ever had a Monday morning that felt like three Mondays rolled into one, you know exactly what I mean.
What You Actually Need
You need a system that works with the chaos, not against it.
One that:
Lets you move things around without feeling like you’ve “ruined” your planner
Gives you space for the real priorities (not just what the layout told you was important)
Can flex when life throws you curveballs (because it will!)
Lets you adjust’s your planning needs according to your where your life's at and how much energy you’ve got to give it. Are we at a “bare minimum I feel drained and need to recoup, let’s survive this week” or “ I’ve rested and feel refreshed. Let’s do some Pinterest projects kind of week?”
Why I Created the Life in Rhythm Planner System
I built my planners for real-life families. The kind where the dishwasher breaks in the middle of math lessons and someone’s always outgrowing their shoes.
The Life in Rhythm System isn’t about doing more. It’s about finding your natural rhythm so you can get the important things done without burning out.
It’s flexible, forgiving, and totally customizable. You can plug it into whatever your life looks like right now… and change it next week when life changes again.
Want to See It in Action?
Check out the Life in Rhythm Planner System here or grab the full planner bundle (and get the Lite Planner for basically $1).
If you print at home, I swear by this printer and paper — they make my pages look crisp, feels great to write on and the ink last f o r e v e r.)
