Planning with Purpose: How to Align Your schedule with Your Core Values

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Have you ever looked at your to-d- list and wondered, Why am I even doing half of these things? If so, you’re not alone. It’s easy to fill our schedules with tasks, commitments, and obligations that keep us busy, but not necessarily fulfilled. The real question is: Are you spending time in a way that aligns with what truly matters to you?

The Disconnect Between Goals and Daily Life

Many of us have big dreams, clear values, and a vision of the life we want. But when we glance at our calendar, we see back-to-back meetings, endless errands, and activities we said yes to out of obligation rather than intention.

Living with purpose doesn’t happen by accident, it requires planning with purpose. The good news? You don’t need more hours in the day; you just need to use them differently.

Let’s break down how to align your schedule with your core values so that your daily life reflects what truly matters to you.

Step 1: Define Your Core Values

Before you can align your schedule, you need tog et clear on what’s most important to you. Your values serve as a personal compass, helping you make decisions and prioritize your time.

Grab a notebook (or better yet, you Chapters of Growth Reading Journal) and ask yourself:

• What do I want my life to be about?

• What areas bring me the most joy and fulfillment?

• If I could only focus on three things for the rest of my life, what would they be?

Your answers will reveal your core values, whether it’s faith, family, health, career growth, creativity, or making an impact. Oce you define them, you can start making changes that reflect them.

Step 2: Audit Your Current Schedule

Now, take an honest look at how you’re currently spending your time. For one week, track your activities and note whether they align with your core values or simply keep you “busy”.

For example:

• If family is a core value but your evenings are filled with work emails, that’s misalignment.

• If health is a priority but you never schedule workouts, something needs to change.

• If spirituality matters to you but prayer and reflection are an afterthought, it’s time to make room for them.

This step can feel eye-opening (and maybe a little uncomfortable), but it’s necessary for change.

Step 3: Design Your Days with Intention

Now that you know what matters and where you’re off track, it’s time to redesign your schedule to align with your values.

Here’s how:

1. Prioritize Non - Negotiables - Block off time for the things that fuel your soul first. prayer, journaling, workouts, or quality time with loved ones.

2. set Boundaries - Learn to say no to commitments that don’t aling with your purpose. If it’s not a heck yes, it’s a no.

3. Batch Your Tasks - Group similar tasks together to maximize efficiency (e.g., emails in one block, meeting in another).

4. Use a Planning System - Tools like God. Goals. Grind. Goal-Setting Planner help you set faith-driven goals, break them into actionable steps, and track your progress across all areas of life.

5. Create a Morning Routine that Sets the Tone - A purposeful day starts with a purposeful morning. I highly recommend The 5 AM Club by Robin Sharma, which explores how a structured morning routine can elevate your productivity, mindset, and focus.

Step 4: Make Reflection a Habit

Planning with purpose isn’t a one time task, it’s an ongoing process. One of the best ways to ensure you’re truly absorbing and applying new habits is by keeping track of what you learn and how it impacts your life. If you’re diving into The 5 AM Club and working on building a strong morning routine, Chapters of Growth Reading Journal is the perfect tool to help you bridge the gap between inspiration and action.

This journal allows you to:

• Absorb Key Insights from books like “The 5 AM Club” so you don’t just read, you retain.

• Turn those Insights into Actionable Steps so you’re not just motivated for a day but actually implementing real change.

• Reflect on Your Progress by tracking how these new habits impact your mindset, energy, and productivity.

At the end of each week, take time to review:

• Did my schedule aling with my core values?

• What morning routine changes worked best for me?

• How did these new habits influence my productivity and overall well-being?

Tracking your journey keeps you accountable and ensures that the effort you’re putting into personal growth actually pays off.

Step 5: Give Yourself Grace and Flexibility

Let’s be real, life happens. Unexpected events, busy seasons, and setbacks will come, and that’s okay. Aligning your schedule with your values isn’t about perfection; it’s about progress.

The goal isn’t to create a rigid, stress-inducing schedule. It’s to design a life that reflects what truly matters, so you wake up every day feeling intentional and fulfilled.

Owning Your Time & Making Intentional Choices

You don’t need to add more to your plate to feel more accomplished. You just need to make sure what’s on your plate aligns with your deepest values.

By defining what matters, auditing your time, and planning with purpose, you’ll find yourself moving toward the life you truly desire, one intentional step at a time.

So, are you ready to align your schedule with your core values? Start today with the God. Goals. Grind. Goal-Setting Planner and Chapters of Growth Reading Journal, your go-to tools for mapping out a like filled with purpose, faith, and progress.

Your time is your life. Spend it wisely.

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“Don’t get so busy making a living that you forget to make a life.”

- Dolly Parton