The Two-Plan Method I use to get more done ✅

Summary

This video script discusses the productivity benefits of 'planning twice and doing once.' The speaker shares two methods for duplicating plans to boost productivity: first, creating a messy paper draft and then transferring it to a digital system, which helps in reformatting the information in the brain; second, taking digital plans and writing them down on paper for a clearer mental model. The video also highlights the importance of a strong 'closing the loop' system to ensure tasks are completed and not left hanging across different planning systems.

Takeaways

• 📝 The speaker advocates for a dual planning method that involves both digital and paper systems to enhance productivity.
• 🔄 The concept of 'planning twice and doing once' is introduced as a way to solidify plans and tasks in one's mind.
• 📈 Writing plans on paper first allows for a creative and flexible drafting process, which can then be refined in a digital system.
• 🤖 The act of transferring plans from paper to a digital platform helps in reformatting the information in one's brain, leading to a better understanding.
• 🎨 Creative projects benefit from this method as it allows for a messy first draft on paper and a structured final draft in a digital format.
• 🗓 For goal setting and planning, a loose timeline is sketched on paper and then implemented in a digital system like a task manager or calendar.
• 📱 The speaker uses a specific digital planning system called 'Asana' and 'Aif flow' to manage tasks and timelines effectively.
• 📚 Aif flow is highlighted as a tool that integrates various planning apps into one, allowing for a comprehensive view of tasks and calendars.
• 📝 The importance of writing down daily tasks and events in a physical planner is emphasized for a focused and less distracting approach to productivity.
• ✅ A strong 'closing the loop' system is crucial to ensure that tasks are updated and completed consistently across all planning platforms.
• 🧘‍♂️ The process of transferring digital plans to paper is described as relaxing and comforting, providing a break from digital distractions.

Q & A

What is the main idea behind the 'plan twice and do once' productivity system mentioned in the script?

The main idea is to write down plans more than once to enhance productivity. This involves initially planning in a messy, free-form manner on paper and then transferring it to a digital or more permanent system, which helps in reformatting the information in one's brain and gaining a better understanding of the plan.

Why is writing on paper suggested as the first step in planning?

Writing on paper is suggested as the first step because it activates the whole brain, including motor skills, creative thinking, and both long-term and short-term memory. This physical act of writing helps in processing and cementing the information being worked on.

What are the two major ways in which planning twice and doing once can be beneficial according to the script?

The two major ways are: 1) Planning messily on paper and then duplicating it into a digital or more permanent system, and 2) Taking plans made in a digital environment and moving them offline by writing them out on a paper planner for a clearer mental model and reduced distractions.

How does the act of translating a plan from one context to another help in understanding?

Translating a plan from one context to another, such as from paper to digital, helps reformat the information in the brain, leading to a better understanding and smoother problem-solving as it forces the brain to work around the kinks and ripples in the plan.

What is an example of a creative project that benefits from the 'plan twice and do once' method?

An example given is the creation of a video script. The speaker drafts the script on paper, including ideas, concepts, and talking points, and then translates this messy draft into a structured Google doc with sections and bullet points.

How does the speaker use the 'plan twice and do once' method for setting goals and plans?

The speaker sketches out a loose timeline on paper for goals and plans, such as a transition plan for a job promotion, and then puts this timeline into a digital system like a to-do list manager or calendar to make the timeline a reality.

What is the name of the digital planning system used by the speaker in the script?

The speaker uses a digital planning system called 'Asana', which is also the sponsor of the video.

How does the speaker integrate tasks into their calendar using Asana?

The speaker creates tasks in Asana and then drags and drops them onto their calendar. Asana automatically schedules these tasks into the day, allowing the speaker to visualize and organize their week effectively.

What is the benefit of writing out tasks and events from a digital calendar onto paper?

Writing out tasks and events on paper helps to activate the brain's memory centers, providing a clearer and less distracting view of one's schedule, and allowing for a more relaxed and focused approach to task completion.

Why is it important to have a strong 'closing the loop' system when using the 'plan twice and do once' method?

A strong 'closing the loop' system is important to ensure that any incomplete tasks are immediately addressed across all planning systems, preventing discombobulation and maintaining consistency, which is key to accomplishing goals.

How does the speaker suggest using the 'plan twice and do once' method for daily to-do lists?

The speaker suggests writing out daily tasks and events from a digital task manager onto paper, which allows for a focused and relaxed approach to productivity, away from digital distractions.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Embracing Duplication for Enhanced Productivity

This paragraph introduces the concept of 'planning twice and doing once' as a productivity method. The speaker shares their personal productivity system that involves both digital and paper planning, contrary to the common advice of avoiding duplication. They explain that writing plans down more than once can actually boost productivity and offer two methods for successful duplication. The first method involves planning messily on paper and then transferring it to a digital system, which is beneficial for creative projects. The act of writing and then translating to a digital format helps in better understanding and solidifying the plan.

05:01

📆 Digital to Paper Transition for Concrete Planning

The speaker discusses their second method of productivity, which is to take digital plans and translate them onto paper. They use aif flow, a task management system, as an example to demonstrate how they organize and schedule tasks and timelines digitally. The speaker then moves these digital plans to a paper format, which helps in visualizing and cementing the plan in their mind. They emphasize the importance of having a strong system for closing open loops to avoid feeling disoriented and ensure consistency across planning methods.

10:03

🗓️ Utilizing Monthly and Weekly Spreads for Visual Planning

In this paragraph, the speaker elaborates on how they use monthly and weekly spreads in their planner to visualize their plans, especially when feeling scattered or having many events and travel. They explain that by transferring their digital calendar appointments and to-do lists onto paper, they can better understand and remember their upcoming commitments. This process of writing down tasks and events on paper is seen as a way to declutter the mind and focus on the immediate priorities without digital distractions.

15:03

🔄 The Importance of Closing Loops in Productivity

The final paragraph wraps up the video script by emphasizing the importance of having a system to close open loops in one's productivity routine. The speaker shares their personal experience of using both digital and paper planning methods and how crucial it is to address any incomplete tasks across all planning platforms. They suggest that it's not the act of writing things down twice that causes disorientation, but rather the inconsistencies and open loops in various systems that lead to a lack of accomplishment. The speaker invites viewers to share their thoughts on the duplication method and hints at a related video on how handwriting can improve productivity.

Keywords

💡Productivity

Productivity refers to the efficiency of an individual or system in converting input into desirable output. In the video, the theme revolves around enhancing personal productivity through a dual system of planning both digitally and on paper. The script discusses how duplicating plans across these platforms can solidify understanding and execution of tasks, exemplified by the creator's use of both paper and digital systems to draft and refine plans.

💡Digital Planning

Digital planning involves the use of electronic devices or software to organize and manage tasks, schedules, and goals. The video highlights the role of digital planning tools like Google Docs and Asana in structuring and formalizing initial ideas drafted on paper, allowing for better organization and accessibility of plans.

💡Paper Planning

Paper planning is the traditional method of organizing thoughts, tasks, and schedules using physical mediums like notebooks and planners. The script emphasizes the benefits of initial drafting on paper for its tactile nature and the cognitive engagement it offers, as seen in the creator's approach to sketching out ideas before transferring them to digital platforms.

💡Duplicating Plans

Duplicating plans in this context means creating a plan in one format and then recreating it in another, such as from paper to digital. The video suggests that this process can reinforce the planning in one's mind, as the act of transferring information helps in better understanding and executing the plan, as illustrated by the transition from paper drafts to digital task managers.

💡Creative Projects

Creative projects are endeavors that require originality and imaginative thinking. The script uses the example of scriptwriting for a video, where the initial draft is messy and free-flowing on paper, and then refined and structured in a digital document, showcasing the synergy between creative brainstorming and organized planning.

💡Goals and Plans

Goals and plans are objectives and the strategies to achieve them. The video discusses setting goals and creating plans, initially on paper with a loose timeline, which are then detailed and scheduled in digital systems. This approach helps in visualizing and realizing the timeline of achieving goals, as demonstrated by the creator's transition plan after a promotion.

💡Task Management System

A task management system is a tool or set of tools used to track and manage tasks and workflows. The video mentions using such systems like Asana and aif flow to organize tasks, set deadlines, and collaborate with teams, which is crucial for executing plans efficiently.

💡Timeline

A timeline is a graphical representation of events in chronological order. The script describes creating a loose timeline on paper for planning purposes, which is then translated into a more structured format in digital systems to track progress and set deadlines, as seen in the creator's month-long and week-long planning examples.

💡Offline Planning

Offline planning refers to organizing and managing tasks and schedules without the use of digital devices. The video emphasizes the importance of transferring digital plans to a physical format, like writing tasks and events in a planner, to provide a distraction-free and more tangible planning experience.

💡Closing the Loop

Closing the loop is the process of completing a task or cycle and ensuring that all related actions are addressed. The video stresses the importance of having a system to manage incomplete tasks or open loops across both paper and digital platforms, ensuring that tasks are not forgotten or left incomplete.

Highlights

The speaker uses a combination of digital and paper planning methods, which has proven to be beneficial for productivity.

The concept of 'planning twice and doing once' is introduced as a method to enhance productivity.

Writing plans on paper first allows for a messy first draft that engages the whole brain in creative problem-solving.

Translating plans from paper to a digital system helps reinforce understanding and solidify plans.

Handwriting plans and ideas can activate motor skills, creative thinking, and memory.

Creative projects benefit from starting with a paper draft and then transferring to a structured digital format.

Goals and plans are sketched loosely on paper before being implemented in a digital system for concrete action.

The use of aif flow as a digital planning system is highlighted for its integration of calendars and to-do list apps.

Creating a timeline on paper before transferring it to a digital system helps in visualizing and scheduling tasks effectively.

The speaker demonstrates how to use aif flow for project planning and task scheduling.

The importance of having a strong system for closing loops in productivity methods is emphasized.

Translating digital plans to paper helps in de-cluttering the mind and focusing on immediate tasks.

Writing daily tasks in a notebook provides a relaxing and focused way to plan the day ahead.

The speaker shares personal examples of using both paper and digital methods for various types of planning.

The video includes a practical demonstration of how to use aif flow for a transition plan in a new job role.

The benefits of visualizing monthly, weekly, and daily plans on paper are discussed for better mental clarity.

The importance of maintaining consistency across planning systems to avoid feeling overwhelmed is highlighted.

The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to share their thoughts on the effectiveness of the discussed methods.

Transcripts

do not under any circumstances duplicate

your information except when you need

to for the longest time I've been saying

it only write things down in one place

but realistically that's not how I do it

in my productivity system I use both

digital and paper planning methods which

means a lot of my plans notes and tasks

are duplicated across two different

systems but I've realized this is

actually what is helping me be so

productive I plan twice and do once in

this video I want to show you how

writing down your plans more than once

can actually help you be more productive

and I want to give you two of my tried

and true methods for duplicating to

success so there are two major ways that

I find planning twice and doing once

really helps me so version one is

planning very messily on paper and then

duplicating it into a digital or more

permanent system I use a digital system

to duplicate my information to create a

more permanent home for it but you might

use a archive binder as a paper solution

or some other sort of like archive

planner that happens on paper but for

the purposes of this video planning

messy on paper and then duplicating it

into a digital system is version one so

in this method you want to use paper to

give yourself permission to be really

messy to scratch things out mess things

up cross things out see this as a first

draft writing things out on paper

actually does have a lot of benefits I

made a whole video about it I will leave

that link up in the cards but the main

thing is that when we are creating

letters so when we are writing the like

a b c doing this like motion with our

hand where we're following the curves of

the letter this activates our whole

brain the act of writing of creating

letters and words activates your motor

skills your creative brain your

long-term and short-term memory so

writing things out is a really fun full

brain creative act that can help you

process and cement what you're working

on so you draft on paper first you plan

it all out on paper first and then when

you're done you have a mostly fully

functional plan that you can put into a

more long-term system but here's what

separates this out from oh just think of

this as a first draft the reason I'm

calling this plan twice do once is

because the sheer Act of planning on

paper first and then translating it from

one context to another context to that

digital or other long-term solution that

I was talking about earlier the sheer

Act of translating it from one context

to another helps you reformat it in your

brain and get you a better understanding

of what you're actually working with so

obviously I just mentioned writing I

love writing on paper as that First Act

for planning because it really helps

your whole brain participate in the

activity but that act of translating it

from one system to another system also

is going to help your brain work around

the Kinks in the problem smooth out the

ripples in the plan basically just make

something nice and stable for yourself

and whatever your long-term solution is

is so two examples this page that I have

been on is one example and this is what

I'm calling the creative project example

so creative projects are really really

good for this method this is the first

draft of the script that I am literally

reading right now what ends up happening

for me is I create a an on-paper draft

of the scripts just writing down every

single thing I can think of sometimes

that includes thumbnail ideas sometimes

that includes title ideas Concepts

sometimes directly like things that I

want to say are on here you can see that

I'm pretty wild there's sketches

everywhere there's like random arrows

pointing one way or the other and then

what I do is I translate this into a

Google doc and make it more formal and

structured I have sections for where the

hook is what the title and thumbnail

concepts are the intro the outline I

have a bulleted list of often my

favorite talking points that I

definitely want to hit so it gets pretty

detailed and it gets pretty long form

and it's definitely a different format

than what you see here but it is is

really my preferred way to do creative

projects because then I get that

handwriting on paper and also

translating it to a different system

wrapping my brain around it more fully

the other way I like to do this is with

goals and plans so we're going to be

focusing on just this half of the page

for now this is just like my to-do lists

and regular ramblings but you can see

right here I have a loose timeline set

out so when I create goals or plans I

really like to sketch out a loose

timeline on paper and then put that into

a digital system like a to-do list

manager or calendar to make that

timeline a reality so for example I just

got promoted and I needed to come up

with a transition plan for moving out of

my old Ro and into my new one so I

created a whole timeline on paper this

is like Loosely all of August and it's

just a very loose structure of the main

things I need to be hitting by week one

week two week three and then week four

is still yet to be determined because

I'm not quite there yet but once I have

a loose idea of where this is going I

will then put it into my longer term

planning apps so for example in this one

I put it into my current digital

planning system of choice which is aif

flow I'm going to go over to the screen

view right now to show you guys how that

works so another example of this is when

I create goals and plans I really like

to sketch them out on paper first and

then I put them into a more permanent

task management system so that I can

really get detailed and schedule

everything out for example I just got

promoted and I needed to come up with a

transition plan to go from my old job to

my new job and I have a loose timeline

of it sketched out on paper but I really

want to get these things that I have for

the first week into my task management

system as soon as possible so as you can

see I'm putting it all into aif flow and

I have this project called transitions

in aif flow who is the kind sponsor of

this video also check them out in the

description box below if you want to

learn more aif flow basically integrates

all of your various calendars and to-do

list apps and systems that you use into

one convenient app that shows you your

task list on the left and your calendar

on the right so I'm using this as a way

to really firm up this transition plan

that I sketched out on paper and put it

into a digital environment aaow is

really great for this sort of like

timeline based project planning because

their core philosophy is that tasks

should be bound to time so I'm going to

do that right now I'm going to take the

things I have in my transition plan so

as you can see I started by creating a

new project called transition and this

has at least the first week's worth of

tasks that I need to do that I had

written down on that timeline in the

project already and this right here on

the right is my first week on the job so

I need to get all these things done in

the first week to help set myself up for

a successful transition and this is

where the magic happens I'm going to go

ahead and drag and drop these onto my

calendar and it's going to automatically

schedule them into my day so the first

thing I need to do above anything else

is I want to schedule my one-on ones

with my directs so I'm going to give a

nice half hour so that I can contact my

all my directs and get one-on-one

scheduled with them for the upcoming

week and then I'm going to leave some

time open on my calendar for that to

happen then of course I do have regular

meetings throughout the week that I'm

not doing as part of this transition

plan so to accommodate for that I want

to fit these tasks in between those

meetings so I'm going to go ahead and

put get access to work socials in below

my meeting block here I can update my

title let's say at the end of the first

day that's going to take me like a few

minutes I'm not really worried about it

and then I want to onboard my directs

into AA so I'm thinking that is going to

be a Monday task I really want to spend

the first few days of this transition

just getting right into the meat of it I

think that's going to take quite a long

time because our Asana is a really

complicated beast and so I want to make

sure that they are all set up in there

ready to go another thing that I want to

do with in Asana is actually start

creating task templates but I'm going to

do that in the next day so I'm going to

put my creating task templates for Asana

on Tuesday and just have those two

things up in the morning just in case

they go long I'm going to leave this

half hour open and then you can see

everything I had in my week one

transition plan is already scheduled in

the first two days of that first week I

know a lot of stuff is going to come up

for me so I'm leaving a lot of space

open one thing I will do is I definitely

want to hold time on my calendar for

when I want to meet with them and have

one-on ones with them and I usually like

to do that after lunch when we're all

fed and happy so I'm going to go ahead

and put a block here and I'm just going

to hold for meetings putting it in my

work calendar and then I'm going to also

do that on Thursday and then this one

onboarding directs into a sauna I have

as a task but if I want to push it to my

calendar I can do that by locking it to

my calendar by pushing this little lock

in calendar button I'm going to go ahead

and click that and then when I check my

calendar which is my Google Calendar

that's hooked up to this for work it's

going to appear on that calendar so if

I'm referencing ACU flow great if I'm

referencing the Calendar app that I use

for work that's also awesome I will

definitely have that meeting time put on

my calendar even if I'm checking it off

as a task in aif flow if any of this

seems confusing by the way ACF flow also

has oneon-one user onboarding which is

very helpful because you are integrating

a bunch of different apps into one

product so the one-on-one user

onboarding really really helps make sure

everything is smooth and where you want

it to be so you can hit the ground

running using active flow like a pro and

actually I'm also noticing that these

two create task templates are pretty

similar so I'm going to actually move

them off of my calendar and instead of

scheduling them

as two separate blocks I'm going to go

ahead and just create what's called a

time slot so I'm going to build a time

slot from 9:30 to 11: click on slot and

then I want to title it task template

creation and here I can just add new

tasks so I can add create T task

template for social post or I can also

just drag and drop a task in there and

then it automatically appears as well so

then I have this slot that basically

just sort of encompasses a number of

different tasks that are all related to

the same general thing that I'm working

on which is template creation and this

is looking pretty good I have lots of

extra space into my calendar to get all

of the things that will inevitably come

up in my first week done and I'm

onboarding really fast really hitting

the ground running having it all in this

digital environment means that I can

reference it whenever I need to I can

easily move stuff around if I need to

move things around but I'm still using

that sort of mental model of the

timeline that I had out on paper to make

sure I get everything done and aaow is a

great partner for that so if you want to

learn more about them check them out in

the description box below there's

literally an earthquake while I'm

filming right now living in California

is so fun so the second way that I like

to plan twice and do once to help me be

super productive is I like to take the

plans that I made in a digital

environment and move them offline I'll

show you this in a monthly weekly and

daily context because depending on my

need I will do them both but I have

talked a lot about this method in other

videos essentially what I do is I look

at my schedule and my task list and then

I just write it out on a blank monthly

spread or weekly spread in my planner

and like I said I do this on an as

needed basis so my months are deeply not

consistent you can see June is blank and

then it's August now and I haven't done

August yet but for July I was feeling

really really scattered and I had a lot

of travel coming up and a lot of events

coming up so I just needed to sketch out

the whole month on paper which I did by

referencing the digital calendar that I

keep in aif flow and then just writing

out handwriting out the big events on

this monthly spread so that I could see

them coming and just get that muscle

memory of how my month was taking shape

it's the same thing with my weeks this

is an example of a week that I did where

I just needed to sort of visualize all

especially the after workor and weekend

stuff that I was going to get done but

it's on a very as needed BAS basis I

didn't do it for this week I did it for

this week I didn't do it for this week

so it just depends on how I'm feeling

but the reason I do this is because

sometimes you need to plan things out in

a digital environment because things

like calendar appointments or to-do

lists or notes are often things we have

to share with other people like all of

these calendar appointments are

appointments in my work calendar that

were moving and shifting constantly

throughout the month and then I get to

the beginning of the week and I'm like

okay all of that was moving around on

the calendar app it's basically soup in

my brain right now I need to put it down

on paper so that I actually know what's

coming up when and again handwriting it

out helps activate all the centers in my

brain that make me understand and sort

of like help me cement in my mind what's

coming up when so first this is planned

out in a digital environment and then it

is put into paper so that I have it in

an offline context I especially like

this for daily to-do lists so this is a

typical page in my notebook you can see

on the leftand column I have tasks and

events written out and then on the right

hand column I just have like loose notes

of things that I'm thinking of or ideas

that I've had or content I'm consuming

if I want to take a note on that but the

leftand column is what we're going to be

focusing on for this video so all these

events that you see here and tasks that

you see here are essentially things that

were already planned out in my calendar

or in a digital task manager especially

for work I share all my task tasks with

my team so it's all planned out and

accessible to everyone who needs to

access it on my team but when I actually

want to be productive I need to come out

of the task manager I need to write it

down and remove it from the distracting

environment that is a phone or a

computer so it's very relaxing to be

able to just write a few priorities for

a given day and not be bombarded with

everything else I've ever had to do in

my life in my task manager or at risk of

opening Instagram or YouTube or some

other distracting app so it's super

relaxing and super comforting to be able

to plan it in that environment and then

replan it in this environment and this

is how I actually get things done I

actually come in here and I'm actually

able to say like okay I did that cross

it off I did that cross it off and once

I'm done with things here so if I cross

something off in my planner then I can

go back to my digital system and I check

it off at the end of the day so that way

I'm not constantly in a digital

environment I have some breaks with the

paper planning if you are using any

duplic ation method the most important

thing is that you have a strong closethe

loop system for example at the end of a

day if I don't get XYZ task done I need

to be able to address that immediately

in every place I have it written down or

typed out sometimes that's manually

rewriting something in my planner or

rescheduling it with aif flow either way

I need to make sure I have good habits

around closing my open Loops because at

the end of the day it's not writing

things down twice that makes us feel

discombobulated it's having open loops

and in consistencies in our various

systems that makes us feel like we never

quite accomplished what we wanted to get

done so what do you think is this too

much upkeep or does it actually help you

get clear on your plans I would love to

know let me know down in the comments

below if you want to keep hanging out

with me I will leave a video right here

on the screen next to my head about how

handwriting can actually improve your

productivity otherwise thank you so much

for being here for being subscribed for

being awesome I love you so much and I

will see you in the next video bye