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My SIMPLE (super productive) step-by-step MONTHLY PLANNING ROUTINE ✨ - Plan the month with me thumbnail

My SIMPLE (super productive) step-by-step MONTHLY PLANNING ROUTINE ✨ - Plan the month with me

Dr. Tiffany Shelton·
5 min read

Based on Dr. Tiffany Shelton's video on YouTube. If you like this content, support the original creators by watching, liking and subscribing to their content.

TL;DR

Use a monthly reset that starts with reflection on wins and challenges, then converts lessons into specific May priorities.

Briefing

A monthly reset routine built around the 12WBT (12-week) planning system is being used to turn “getting back on track” into a repeatable process—then translate that clarity into measurable weekly tasks. For May, the core focus is making progress without overcomplicating life: simplify the plan, keep momentum, and protect the emotional bandwidth needed to follow through.

The reset begins with practical housekeeping and personal catch-up, not just goal-setting. April’s disruptions—family events, illness, snow days, and a husband traveling—pushed the routine off course, so May starts with reflection and re-alignment. The routine includes weekly home resets (like changing flowers and resetting upstairs spaces), starting tomato seedlings for the season, and catching up on budgeting and content production at month-end. That “reset” mindset extends into business operations: April’s catch-up time was also used to bulk short-form content.

Reflection then drives the planning. April’s wins include a family milestone—her son turning three with extended family visiting—and business growth. Revenue rose after she finally tackled delayed initiatives: adding her planner to TikTok Shop and improving website performance through SEO. Productivity also improved through an accountability group, which helped her commit to consistency (posting six videos instead of four) and show up despite disruptions.

Challenges are treated as planning inputs, not personal failures. Parenting toddler dynamics—frequent “no” moments and the difficulty of balancing safety, structure, and appropriate discipline—are flagged as a May target. On the professional side, her work as a neuropsychologist involves testing and hearing complex client histories, including childhood trauma. Some stories trigger vicarious trauma and worsen her own OCD symptoms, so she plans for buffers and more scheduling space to reduce mental strain.

With those lessons, May’s planning connects to larger goals. She’s in month two of a new 12-week cycle, with only two months left in the quarter, so the emphasis is on solidifying intentions rather than starting over. Yearly priorities are framed as Total Wellness, nurturing family, and expanding the business. Quarterly goals include financial wellness (a clear picture of finances and revenue growth by Q3), business growth targets (6,400 subscribers or equivalent average views per month by Q3), and body wellness (improved gut health evidenced by fewer GI issues).

May’s intention is “make things simple and fun,” a direct counter to perfectionism and procrastination. The emotional targets are momentum, joy, and connection—especially feeling more connected to children and partner rather than defaulting to a disciplinarian role.

Monthly goals then become measurable priorities. Wellness and parenting include increasing movement, doing Pilates weekly, and choosing one novel weekend activity (from sensory play to baking) while staying consistent with rules. Business goals include reaching 5,000 YouTube subscribers, posting weekly, going live bi-weekly, organizing b-roll for content production, and running three revenue projects with one task per week: listing her planner on Amazon, building an email series, and developing a new product. The plan is designed so each week advances at least one piece of each revenue stream—turning intention into trackable momentum.

Cornell Notes

May’s monthly reset is built on reflection plus a 12-week planning structure that turns intentions into weekly, trackable actions. After April’s disruptions, the routine re-centers on simplifying work, protecting mental health, and reconnecting with family. May’s emotional targets—momentum, joy, and connection—drive goals across wellness, parenting, and business. Revenue growth is pursued through three weekly task streams: listing the planner on Amazon, building an email series, and developing a new product. YouTube growth is supported by weekly posting, bi-weekly lives, and organizing b-roll so content production stays consistent.

How does April’s reflection shape what gets prioritized in May?

April’s wins (family celebration for her son’s third birthday; increased revenue via TikTok Shop and SEO; productivity gains through an accountability group) are used to double down on what worked. April’s challenges—toddler parenting friction, and professional triggers that lead to vicarious trauma and OCD flare-ups—become concrete planning inputs. May responds by emphasizing buffers in scheduling, aiming for more positive parenting interactions, and choosing a “simple and fun” approach to reduce perfectionism-driven procrastination.

What does “make things simple and fun” change about her goal-setting behavior?

The mantra is used to prevent perfectionism and overbuilding. Instead of spending excessive time refining tasks, she frames execution as “good enough” in a productive way—e.g., keeping video filming and reporting simple rather than elaborate. That mindset also supports consistency: she commits to weekly progress tasks across projects rather than waiting for ideal conditions.

What are the emotional goals for May, and how do they connect to parenting decisions?

She wants to feel momentum, joy, and connection. Connection is specifically tied to parenting: she’s aiming to feel more bonded with her children and less like a constant disciplinarian. That shows up in a goal to increase positive parenting interactions (inspired by positive parenting therapy principles) and in weekend planning that includes intentional bonding activities rather than only routine management.

How is revenue growth operationalized into weekly lead goals?

Revenue work is split into three projects, with one task per week for each project during May (about four weeks). The projects are: (1) listing her planner on Amazon, (2) building an email series, and (3) developing a new product. This structure ensures steady progress across multiple income streams instead of concentrating effort in one area.

What specific actions support the YouTube subscriber goal for May?

To reach 5,000 subscribers, she plans to post weekly on YouTube and go live bi-weekly (every other Friday) for accountability. She also prioritizes operational readiness by organizing b-roll in her Drive so editing and content creation don’t stall later.

How does her professional work influence her scheduling and wellness goals?

As a neuropsychologist, she hears complex client histories, including childhood trauma, which can trigger vicarious trauma and worsen her OCD symptoms. Rather than pushing through without adjustment, she plans for more buffers and additional scheduling space because these triggers can be forecasted and recur periodically. Wellness goals also include movement (and Pilates weekly) to support recovery and stability.

Review Questions

  1. What are the three May revenue projects, and how does the “one task per week per project” rule affect consistency?
  2. How do the emotional targets (momentum, joy, connection) translate into specific parenting and weekend activity choices?
  3. Which April challenges most directly influence May’s scheduling and buffers, and why?

Key Points

  1. 1

    Use a monthly reset that starts with reflection on wins and challenges, then converts lessons into specific May priorities.

  2. 2

    Treat disruptions (illness, travel, family events) as planning variables, not reasons to abandon routines.

  3. 3

    Adopt a “simple and fun” execution mantra to reduce perfectionism and keep weekly progress moving.

  4. 4

    Translate emotional goals like connection into concrete parenting behaviors, including intentional positive interactions and consistent rules.

  5. 5

    Plan for mental health impact from emotionally triggering work by adding buffers and scheduling space.

  6. 6

    Operationalize business growth by splitting revenue into multiple projects and assigning one weekly task to each.

  7. 7

    Support audience growth with a consistent publishing cadence (weekly posts and bi-weekly lives) plus production logistics like b-roll organization.

Highlights

May’s plan is anchored in an intention to “make things simple and fun,” aimed at beating perfectionism and procrastination.
April’s revenue gains came from concrete business actions: adding the planner to TikTok Shop and improving website performance through SEO.
Parenting and professional stress are handled as inputs to scheduling—buffers are planned because vicarious trauma and OCD symptoms can recur.
Revenue growth is structured as three parallel weekly streams: Amazon listing, an email series, and a new product development task.
YouTube growth targets are supported by weekly posting, bi-weekly lives, and organized b-roll to keep production consistent.

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