Made with LOVE - a DIY Creative Planner

(FYI - I’ve recorded a voice over for those of you who would rather listen while you work)

We are well into 2026 now and I gave myself a generous amount of time to ease into it. Personally, I really wish New Years was in February or March instead of right after Christmas. There is just a lot to process in December and then we get plunged into brand new hopes and dreams. :)

I hope you enjoyed your holidays and that by now you’ve stopped writing 2025 on everything. So much has happened recently, that holiday festivities feel like a foggy dream to me now. My sister and her sweet family were in town and I so cherished all of us being together again. I returned back to my kitchen studio ready to plan for the year and get my calendar organized, but instead there were lots of distractions – not only in my own little bubble, but also in the United States and the world in general. My heart is heavy. There is a lot to think and worry about. I believe now more than ever artists need to harness their creative power and positive energy! My main goal in life is to always spread light and be kind. I hope that you feel warmth from my Substacks and encouragement in anything that I share with you. We are in this crazy thing called life together and I hope I can bring a little sunshine to your inbox or Newsletter reading.

It can be really hard to focus when I am feeling a thousand emotions and there isn’t a clear resolution. I have trouble jumping right into the next art project. Awhile back, I had the idea to do a 30 Day Art Warm-Up. Nothing fancy…just me and some simple art supplies making marks and getting energized for the day. Like a stretch before you go for a long run. I’m looking for something I can do before I start a bigger project or maybe when I can’t bring myself to do anything else but scribble. You never know! Sometimes, it’s my smaller sketches and textures that turn into a bigger, unexpected project.

I knew I wanted to start this idea in January, but then things seemed to get a bit emotional. The news is hard to watch and in general life seems like a lot. However, it’s even more important now than ever to just make something…anything. So, I invite you to join me over at Youtube @onthecreativeroad. Same name as my Substack. I just started this channel to link it with my Substack so you’ll notice there’s not a lot there yet (but there will be). I’ll be sharing a short art video for 30 days starting in February. Nothing fancy, nothing crazy, just easy and fun.

I hope you join me!

I’ve been slowly working through the 6 Step Creative Kickstart Series. In case you missed the first 3 steps, here is a reminder with links:

https://brendaharris.substack.com/p/the-6-step-creative-kickstart-part

https://brendaharris.substack.com/p/the-creative-kickstar

t-part-2

https://brendaharris.substack.com/p/the-dream-machine-building-a-portfolio

Without further ado, step 4 is:

One of the most important pieces of ANY journey is the map!

The map is perhaps the most critical part of your trip and for most people it comes in the form of a planner or to-do list. However, it’s much more than just a collection of dates and tasks. Where are you headed and how are you headed there?

Are you keeping your safety and mental health in mind? Are you powered by love?

If you were on a road trip ( a real road trip), consider how you would get to your final destination or next destination. You would NOT just teleport there. (Although, I wish we could!) What is your main purpose? What are your side quests? What are you traveling in? Are you traveling with like minded adventurers?

When you first embark on your trip, you take the tiny neighborhood streets from your home to the wider road that leads out of your neighborhood onto a few more busier roads that finally land you on the main highway. Hopefully, you’ll spend a good chunk of time steadily cruising and making good time, but what are the side streets and small stops you’ll make along the way? You might need more gas, lunch, or sleep at some point. These stops are just as important to the whole trip as cruising on the main highway. The idea is that it takes smaller baby steps, not just the bigger ones. Even then, you need lots of breaks before you reach your final destination and you’ll find unexpected friends along the way too. And as you reach your destination, you might find major road blocks. Do you have the power to push through or do you NEED a map in case you get lost!

How can you make your creative work more manageable, inspired, focused, and totally fun!? We’ve all heard the familiar phrase that it’s about the process/journey not the destination.

1. What are your main destinations (Goals) this year and why?

2. Is your current map (planner, calendar, to-do list) working for you? Are you excited or comfortable using it or do you need a new map/process?

3. Be honest, are you overbooked or unmotivated (even if it’s personal projects)? Saying “no” can be just as important as saying “yes”.

4. How can you break your tasks into bite size chunks? Give yourself lots of breathing room for deadlines.

5. Can you break your bite size chunks into even more manageable nibbles? I’m infamous for saying I’ve broken my tasks down, but really there are even smaller tasks inside of my so called “smaller tasks”. It’s so much easier to do the baby steps then trying to do the bigger chunks all at once.

6. Have you planned intentional short breaks to fill your inspiration fuel tank, charge your personal battery levels, and check the overall condition of your dream machine from time to time? Like a weekly or biweekly check-in?

7. What plan do you have if you break down or get lost? Do you have accountability partners, community, or support?

8. Have you including ALL your side quests on the map or do you have hidden tasks taking up a lot of your time? Having a clear picture of the FULL journey can help you decide if you can take on more adventures without experiencing burnout. I like to use a method where I write down my top priorities, side quests, time permitting tasks, and then rogue ideas (in that order). There are always items that sneak in and find their way to the priority list when the should just be treated as a side quest or rogue idea.

9. Have you planned at least one “holiday”? Time away from your work or creative journey. Not just a short break, but time that allows you to really stretch your legs, explore, maybe make new friends, see new landscapes, and invite new perspectives. For example go on a long hike, visit a museum for the day, travel to a new city, or take a class (even if it’s online) to learn something new and fresh.

10. Are you still powered by your heart? Is your creative journey meaningful? Is it helping your family or your community? Does your journey have purpose? It’s very important for artists in creative jobs to feel like you’re spreading something good, useful, and beautiful in the world. Even if it’s tough love imagery or messaging for the world. Whatever it is that you feel led to share by your heart, it’s worth asking yourself this question.

I’ve tried out many different types of “maps”. Bullet journals, digital calendars, family chalkboard calendar (we still do this), many different physical planners (I really like Laurel Denise Planners), and recently one that I make myself.

I took a really great Domestika class called: Time Management Techniques for Creators and Creatives by Mònica Rodríguez Limia

I learned so many things from this class, but most of all that I should respect the way my creative brain works! I must to do what works for me and my artsy brain! My way! It doesn’t have to look like anyone’s else’s way. It was a relief to search for what works for me. I feel comfortable and happy finding my unique path and I do not have to question if my map should look like someone else’s map.

I’m showing how I made my planner not so that you can feel like your map needs to be this way, but it might spark something for you to try.

It works for me because:

1. I find so much joy in making it by hand and personalizing it for MYSELF

2. I can track both my family’s schedule in it and track my work related projects while not getting too overwhelmed. I use a vellum sheet over my calendar so that way I can flip it and have my personal schedule and work schedule together or separated if I want.

3. It also doubles as a sketchbook and it’s a “catch all” for ideas.

4. It’s imperfect so I don’t mind doodling and scribbling in it…which in a way…makes it perfect.

5. I can add stickers, staple notes, glue drawings, and whatever I want in it and not feel like I’m ruining something precious.

6. The fact that it’s a physical planner vs. digital keeps me off my phone a bit more, helps me be more playful with my “map” (it literally feels like a scrapbook of my daily adventures), and it’s easy for my “old school” brain to process.

I hope you have a “map” and a process that works for you. If you do, I’d love to hear about it in the comments! I’d love to your tips and tricks because I think we can all learn from each other.

Next time, I’ll share Step 5 and 6 of the Creative Kickstart.

The above is playful art practice from Art Gym with Adam Ming and Katie Stack.

The below image is a prompt drawing I did for The Foundry: Illustrate a sound (I chose whisper)

That’s all I have for you today! This Substack is free. If you read all the way down or listened, THANK YOU! I’m so happy you are here! I hope you found a little gem that you can use.

Stay safe and love one another! See you next time!