The Weekly Draft
- Candice Suarez
- 4 days ago
- 4 min read
My ever-planning brain is constantly on overdrive, planning out my next meal, conversation, driving route, my outfit for the day, vacations, etc. So the fact that I don’t like my days fully scheduled has always puzzled me. I have attempted time blocking and many other productivity hacks. I have had little success with them. Not that there is anything wrong with them. I guide many of you towards a planning system that works for you–and often that's time blocking. Everyone is wired differently.
I seem to operate better with a loose but planned schedule.
That’s why I have developed my life drafting approach to planning—and my coaching strategy—because very little of the outside world is within our control. Even less is predictable. When planning too rigidly, you run the risk of being caught off guard by a plot twist in your day. When your perfect schedule gets derailed, it’s too easy to give up or become frustrated by the interruption. Then you might find yourself scattered and scrambling to get everything done. It snowballs.
For those of you who have joined me on Sunday evening, you have already been introduced to my system. I credit my business coach for getting me started on this process, but I have made it my own over the years. I also need to give credit to the Sol Planner. It’s not only beautiful but laid out in a way that’s conducive to how I prioritize.
So here’s the process for my Weekly Draft (including pictures for reference). I open my zoom at 7pm n Sundays for anyone who wants to join me:
Value of the week. Every year I do an activity to identify the values I want to embody for the year. This year I have a set of twelve that I rotate through every week. I have them written on notecards, so the first thing I do is pick the value for this coming week. It sits on my desk as a reminder.
Review my previous week. In my planner there is a reflection page. I first do a free-write of my wins from this past week and tweak anything that might not have gone as well as it could have.
Review quarterly and monthly goals. The planner has a section to layout first your quarterly goals, and then to translate those into monthly tasks. I go back to the monthly goals/tasks section on Sunday and pull tasks into this week.
Braindump the coming week’s tasks. In addition to the monthly tasks referenced above, next comes my to-do list of tasks. These get listed then numbered by priority. Top 3 priorities for the week are listed on the top of the calendar page.
Transfer from electronic calendar. I keep my schedule of appointments in my Google calendar and access on my phone and laptop. But every Sunday, I transfer them into my paper planner.
Distribute tasks throughout the week. Looking at my appointments throughout the week, I then distribute my tasks to the lines at the top of each day. If a day is full of travel and client appointments, I might put less tasks on that day, as well as put more time/attention tasks on days that are lighter in appointments.
Habit tracker. I believe what is measured increases, and a great reinforcement of behavior is to track it. There is something satisfying about putting a checkmark in a box each day. I track my morning routine, exercise and writing. My goal is daily-ish! That allows for some grace, but I try not to miss 2 days in a row.
That seems like a lot, but it truly helps me to mentally prepare for my week. And it doesn’t usually take me more than 30 minutes to complete. A new quarter or the beginning of the month might take a little longer, but I love this system I have curated. It allows for routine, organization, as well as flexibility.
Journal Prompts:
When do I feel most grounded in my schedule, and when do I feel most boxed in?
What messages do I tell myself about what it means to “be productive”?
What worked well for me this past week—and why?
What value will guide me this week, and how can I embody it in small moments?
Where might I need a pencil instead of a pen?
How can I plan in a way that supports flow, creativity, and resilience?
What’s one “non-negotiable” for this week that supports my wellbeing?
Affirmations:
I am allowed to create structure that supports me without stifling me.
Planning is an act of love, not control.
I honor my need for clarity and spaciousness.
My schedule is a draft, not a prison.
Interruptions do not erase my progress; they invite creativity.
Office Hours: Office Hours for this month are on July 17. This is for Basic Coaching Members as well as any Premier Coaching Members who would like to touch base between scheduled coaching appointments. HERE is the link to schedule a 30-minute slot
The Weekly Draft: happens every Sunday evening at 7pm at this link. Come prepared to reflect on this past week and plan for the coming week. It is meant to be a heads down, co-planning time, with me being available to share strategies and/or answer questions. Join me HERE
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