Do you have teens or tweens in your life (children, students, extended family…) who could use some support getting organized? Eric and I recently sat down with our three youngest children and helped them to learn about Current Projects, Routines, Calendars, and Next Actions.
We’ve summarized the 5-part process below, but if you’d like to get all the details, just click the player button on the audio player above. We also made printable versions of all the tools we used so you don’t have to reinvent the wheel!
“Let’s Get Organized” Family Training Event
Here are the five parts we included in our training with our kids:
Part 1: Vision paper (10 min) – Who do you want to become? What do you want to achieve? Where do you want to go? What would you like to do for others? What would you like to have?
Part 2: Define the STEP Support Resources (5-6 min) – Click here or on the picture below to print out the worksheet we used!
Part 3: Practice categorizing tasks and projects (5 min) – Use a list of examples to practice sorting into projects, routines, and calendar items.
Here’s the list of examples we used:
Part 4: Identify Next Actions for projects from Part 3 (5 min) – What is the next specific, visible activity that you could do in 10 minutes or less that would move each project forward?
Part 5: Create a calendar, Projects List, Routines List, and Next Actions List (15 minutes with each child)
I sat down with each child individually to help them get these set up.
A calendar can be kept on paper or digitally. Projects can be brainstormed on a piece a paper, then narrowed down to 2-5 Current Projects, with the rest on a “Next in Line” list. Keep routines on a sheet of paper, organized by daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly and yearly.
Next Actions could be kept on a sheet of paper, Post-it inside a planner, or digitally. Contexts for our kids include:
- Home: Independent work
- Home: Talking with mom/dad
- School
- Computer
Discuss how to use this list, checking things off throughout the week so that it can be completed by the end of the week.
My daughter, Grace, really took this to heart. She has a beautiful planner set up that holds her schedule, homework due dates, and her Next Actions List. Her Current Projects list is on a Post-it inside her planner. And then she keeps appointments in a digital calendar in her phone.
Looking for some ways to overcome resistance?
Often, when we try to do something new or something “bigger” that leads us toward our true purpose, we feel a substantial amount of resistance.
At minute 26:00 in the podcast, I share the kinds of thoughts that make up my own resistance as I am working to help 25,000 of you build STEP Command Centrals this year. I’m hopeful that by hearing my story, you’ll realize you are totally not alone! Just click the player button at the top of this page and scroll to whichever part(s) of the podcast will serve you best!
Related Resources
If you want to learn more about creating a Command Central, we’d love to have you come join our free training. We will teach you four simple steps to clear your mind and get rid of the piles–excited to see you there!
Our oldest daughter, Alia, loves the Steps for Everyday Productivity (STEP) program. She has created a STEP for Students program, totally geared towards teenagers and students. Check it out here!
If you love Grace’s planner by Ruth Soukup of Living Well Spending Less, you can get $5 off your own planner by using *this affiliate link.
*The Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle
*Feeling Good by David Burns
In her interview with Brené Brown, Oprah Winfrey talks about how you cannot live a brave life without disappointing some people. Watch the full interview here!
Your Children Want YOU! at our sister website, Power of Moms
***This page includes affiliate links. Please read our disclosure for more info.
Wow! Very highly impressed! I did an exercise just before I read your email. I put four quadrants on a large piece of paper and titled each one as: Home, Bills, Maintenance, Stuff. Then I made a list under each and as I tackled items on each I got a visual view if my energy and time spent. That helped me to see I was making progress. So systems do work and make a difference! Love your sorting one!
That is fantastic, Julie!! Having a visual is awesome. So glad you are here with us!
April, like in Anne of Green Gables, we are kindred spirits. I have my franklin planner started using in 1991. Love LWSL. Julie Morganstern. I am a displaced mom. Not able to have kids. I am a 24/7 caregiver for 93 year old Mother-in-law. RN. And resent widow after 41 years of marriage. I heard your heart on studying to show yourself approved. Lately I am hearing more about the donkey that spoke to Balaam in the Old Testament. If you can use anything Lord use me. Thank you for your God given passion. Day one on starting piles. 13531 emails down to 12897.
Karen, you are so, so sweet! I’m thrilled that we’re kindred spirits. 🙂 Way to go on your emails! You are moving forward, and that is amazing. Thank you for your encouragement, as well. It means so much!!! xoxo
Thank you thank you!!
I’m slowly but surely organizing one step at a time and now that taxes are done, am setting up command central and Sharon this with my daughter and grandchildren!! Hooray! I’ll send pictures! Lynda Adamson
So, so happy to hear this! Yes–can’t WAIT to see photos. It makes my day to see this coming to life for you and your family. Go Lynda!!
Thank you for being so honest! I have felt very overwhelmed and as I pray for help, God keeps urging me to finish the STEP program and then you keep creating these podcasts that feel like you are making them just for me and my personal struggles. You are quickly becoming a voice of friendship for me. Thank you for following the promptings and for your example of bravery!
Nisha, your comment totally brought tears to my eyes! I know 100% that your overwhelm will substantially diminish as you get your system in place. It doesn’t solve “everything,” but it solves a LOT. So, so happy you are here and that we are friends! Sending a huge hug!!
Dear April,
I want to thank you for answering God’s call on your life. Tonight I stood here browning my taco meat, while listening to your Podcast and was completely brought to tears. You were sharing how God asked you if you would face your fears and answer your call and help his people stop feeling overwhelmed. In that moment, I knew God had heard my prayer and led me to you. I know that there are things in my heart that I am called to do. They feel way bigger than I feel capable to carry out. I have felt overwhelmed by all the responsibilities, the e-mails, the piles. I have cried out to the Lord wondering how in the world I can get through all of this stuff to get what is really at my heart to do. Step-by-step He has helped me to organize space, emails, projects, and piles with the help of the LearnDoBecome program. It still feels a little ways off, but I can see the vision is actually doable and in sight. Thank you for answering the call. Your faithfulness to move forward has empowered me to do the same. Grace and blessings from the Lord be multiplied to you. Thanks again…
Angela, thank you for your heartfelt message! We are so grateful to have you as part of our community. You are destined for great things! We look forward to supporting you through our STEP Program!
Angela, your beautiful comment is still replaying in my head. It means so, so much to hear how you have been feeling and to know you are here with us. Sending a HUGE hug! So excited for you!
Thank you.
What planner is your daughter using on the picture and do you sell one for adults?
Diana, she is using a planner created by Ruth Soukup. You can find them here: https://livingwellshop.co/collections/planner.
April, I love you so much! Thank you for being vulnerable and sharing more of your heart. I just wanted to say, you don’t have to be perfect to be perfect for your mission. And you have such a beautiful mission! You have helped me be a better person for the past 3 years+. Because of STEP, I’m not overloaded with mental stress anymore and I enjoy higher quality interactions with my friends, family, colleagues and every single person I meet during my day (my cat Mia says she’s noticed too). And even if I fall off the STEP wagon (newsflash, I’m not perfect either) I know it and YOU and the whole STEP family are there for me when I’m ready to get back on track. Thank you for creating this movement. Our minds are clearer and our hearts are fuller because of you. You are wonderful!
You are the best supporter, Fiona! I am so proud of you and how you have taken this program and run with it. Soooo happy to know you!! Thank you!!
I LOVE this episode! I can’t wait to do this when I go home in 5 days with my husband and kids (I probably won’t do it on day 1 but it will be within the first week). 😉
It would have been helpful if you could have attached your list of examples so we don’t have to type it all out ourselves. (Thank You!) Just a plain text document without any decoration is fine. I don’t mind making my own signs for “Routines”, etc.
A couple things that popped into my mind as I was listening to your struggle at the end of the podcast:
1. If someone chooses to feel their time was wasted, they chose how to spend it (not you) and they’ll find what they “need” elsewhere.
2. Hurting people hurt people.
Lastly, I probably wouldn’t’ve copied the info & downloaded the form to do this at home with my family, even though I really want to do it, if I didn’t feel the need to write this comment before going to bed (ps. it’s now after midnight)
Oh, one more thing, when you say “25,000 STEP Command Centrals” it makes me automatically thing that it’s going to take 25,000 steps to complete my Command Central (even though I know better since I have the STEP program)!
I saw that you typed “I am working to help 25,000 of you build STEP Command Centrals this year.” I think that might be a better way to state it in the podcasts, especially for those who don’t have the STEP program or are listening for the first time (which I plan on playing a couple of episodes for my mom since I’m trying to help my parents in this area).
Thank you for all of your hard work and I loved how you showed how you reworded the phrases your mind was saying. It helps me to think of alternate creative ways to tell myself the actual truth not my mind’s overprotective “truth”.
May “the peace of God that surpasses all understanding…guard your heart…and mind…in Jesus Christ.” Phil 4:7 (BTW my favorite scripture is Philippians 4:6-8 although I think you could tack on verse 9 😉 )
Oh yeah, forgot to say “God doesn’t call the qualified. He qualifies the called.” (I can’t remember where I heard that but it’s true) You become qualified and ready by going thru this, or better said, by GROWING thru this.