Jemmy, Ruth and Rachel, founders of The Project Planner, saw a gap in the market while trying to find a planner that helped them stay organised and intentional with their lives.
We caught up with them to find out more about their business and the benefits of planning with purpose.
What was the inspiration behind the Project Planner and what brought you together to make it a reality?
Goal setting is really important to us as a collective. We want to live an intentional life and although we were doing this individually, we realised it was important for us to also do it in community.
The desire to live intentionally then led us to look for a planner that could meet our needs but we couldn’t find one. We decided to launch the Project Planner as we were three Christian women, working in full time jobs, working on several projects and businesses outside work, wanting to have Christ-led relationships. With all these activities going on, we needed a planner to assist us to achieve our goals.
What changes have you noticed in your own life since you started using the project planner?
Jemmy: Since using the planner my life has definitely become more organised and intentional. I am very busy with my job as a teacher, a newly wed wife, our Project Planner business, serving in church and keeping up with friends and family. It was all starting to get overwhelming and having the planner has really helped me to prioritise and give time to not just what I do, but who I am becoming.
Using the habit tracker helps me to keep track of the important things like spending time with God, keeping up my self-care and checking in with friends and family.
Ruth: It has built a sense of gratitude within me. I am so grateful to God for how far I have come! I use my Power Prayers page to note all the things I am committing to God and when I look back on those pages, it fills me with joy. The Praise Party pages make me very grateful for answered prayers, what God has done and areas that I am trusting God with for the future. It has also made me more emotionally aware of myself – how I feel and most importantly, why I am feeling a particular way.
Rachel : Cultivating intentionality. The planner really does prompt you to reflect on the past, and decide how you would like to move forward in various areas of your life. The weekly spread includes the habit tracker and to do list which allows me to not just say what I would like to work towards but to actually intentionally work towards my goals day by day, one step at a time. It’s a way to keep myself accountable and be a woman of my word, especially in managing and handling various aspects of my life and trying to be better as a whole.
I love the way that the planner has so many different elements, rather than just the traditional journal format. What page is your favourite and why?
Jemmy: It’s between the Project Pondering pages & Monthly Reviews for me! I love the Project Pondering page because it is a space for me to get my thoughts down. I get ideas, sermon notes, messages that speak to me, conversations with friends that inspire me and I have the space to make a note of it. I love the monthly review because it makes me reflect. Busyness can steal that time and having a prompt to reflect and take in your emotions and track your progress is really helpful for me.
Ruth: I definitely love the Quarterly Reflection questions as they challenge me to dig deep emotionally. It makes me reflect on key events that have happened in the year and helps me plan for the future. When I think about the proudest moment or wisest decision I feel empowered to what I am committing to in the next quarter.
Rachel: It’s the Weekly Spread for me! For the way life is, I genuinely need something that keeps me accountable and the Weekly Spread helps me with that. I start each week by planning ahead which enables me to get things done; both with day-to-day tasks and in cultivating a better me.
What are the benefits of getting into the habit of using a planner at a young age?
For young people, there are so many commitments to balance – navigating and growing your faith, school work, managing relationships with your parents, with different friendship groups and so much more. It can be easy to feel overwhelmed but a planner can help you track your emotions and make time for things that bring an individual joy.
Writing things down can help with the pressures of life and intentional planning and reflecting can help to relieve anxiety. It puts you in the best possible position to take advantage of every opportunity available to you. Starting early can help you think about the type of person you want to be and help you cultivate the habits to achieve that.
And finally, what do you love the most about running a business with your friends?
Rachel : The individuality that we each bring to the group is something I love. And the fact that we are cultivating each other’s talents. When we work together, we compliment each other because we are our target market so we know what our target audience wants.
Jemmy : The synergy between us is so strong. We are just in sync. I think that is because we are striving for the same thing. We inspire and challenge each other to do more and be our best selves.
Ruth: …and business meetings equals brunch!
To purchase a Project Planner of your own click here or follow @thepr_jectplanner on Instagram.
