The Weekly Spread

After hearing Kari talk about her weekly spread, I knew I wanted to add this practice to my journaling.  Previously, I’ve just used a monthly spread, task lists on post it notes, and the occasional project page.  But Kari showed a peek of tiny sketches of different ways to plan a week, I was totally intrigued!  So, the first thing I did was look for other people’s weekly spreads for inspiration.  I hit the motherlode when I stumbled upon Tiny Ray of Sunshine.  Kim lists over 30 ways to organize your week on the page.  I didn’t need any more inspiration than that!

I’ve got large squares along the top for each day where I list what’s for dinner and what chore I’m tackling.  I also use that space for notes from my evening review–trying to remember what went right.  There’s a large grid for our homeschool checklists, and then open space for lists that come up organically through the week.  There’s also room for errands or work planning.  I’ve got a dedicated color of washi tape to make a tab at the top of the page.  Then, I can see all my weekly spreads at a glance.

One essential list is my Friday Plan.  That’s when our mother’s helper comes for a few hours in the morning.  We don’t do school work that day, and I’ve found that if I want to feel like our time is well-spent, I need to plan for it.  Still trying to get the hang of using that time wisely…I think in my mind, anything is possible when in fact there are real limits.  I am also making lists for my Sabbath keeping.  I’ve been making (slightly!) more complicated, celebratory dinners on Sunday night, using most of the afternoon to rest and the make dinner at a leisurely pace.  Even though the time isn’t rushed, journaling helps me to “belong to the moment” and to my family.