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| This image includes a photo of my MIL and my boys when they were younger |
Travel has a way of knocking life sideways.
This past weekend, my husband and I made a quick trip for his mother’s memorial service. It was one of those trips where the calendar says “short,” but your body and heart know better. A ten-hour drive each way. A tight turnaround. A lot of emotions packed into very little space.
And yes — my planner came with me.
Your Planner Isn’t Just for Normal Weeks
It’s easy to think of a planner as something you use when life is tidy and predictable. Workdays. Appointments. Routines.
But real life doesn’t stay tidy.
Travel days, long drives, grief, exhaustion — those are the moments when your brain is already overloaded. That’s exactly when your planner earns its keep.
How I Actually Use My Planner While Traveling
I don’t try to “plan perfectly” when I’m on the road. I use my planner as a support system.
- Travel-day notes: Departure time, expected arrival, fuel stops, and anything that absolutely must happen that day.
- Parking lot planning: When we stop to stretch our legs, I take five minutes to jot down reminders or thoughts I don’t want rattling around in my head.
- Simple checklists: Not big goals. Just essentials — medications, chargers, documents, return-home tasks.
- Margin notes: This is where emotions land. A sentence. A prayer. A reminder to be gentle with myself.
Long Drives Are Mental Drainers
Ten hours in the car doesn’t just tire your body — it wears down your decision-making.
When everything is in your head, it feels urgent. When it’s written down, it feels manageable.
My planner becomes a place to unload:
- Things I’ll deal with after we’re home
- Follow-ups I don’t want to forget
- Tasks that can wait — and a reminder that they can wait
Give Yourself a “Travel Version” of Planning
This is important: travel planning is not normal planning.
You don’t need full schedules or packed task lists. You need clarity and grace.
I often label the day simply as:
Travel Day – Minimal Expectations
That one line changes everything.
Your Planner Can Hold Space for Hard Things
Memorial weekends aren’t about productivity. They’re about presence.
Your planner can quietly support that by:
- Holding reminders so you don’t have to
- Giving you a place to write instead of spiral
- Helping you re-enter normal life gently when you return home
Planning isn’t about control. It’s about care.
When You Get Home
One of the first things I do after a trip is a short planner reset:
- Review notes made on the road
- Migrate only what truly matters
- Cross off anything that’s no longer necessary
That small reset keeps travel from spilling chaos into the weeks that follow.
Final Thought
If you’re traveling — whether for celebration, obligation, or something heavy — bring your planner.
Not to do more.
But to carry less.
Grace counts as a plan.
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