5 Mistakes People Make When Using a Planner (and How to Avoid Them)

If you’ve ever bought a planner, filled in the first few pages, and then abandoned it, you’re not alone. Most people don’t stop because they’re lazy or unmotivated; they stop because planners often set them up to fail.

Here are five common mistakes people make when using a planner, and how the Live Well Life Planner helps you avoid them:

Mistake 1: Treating it like a diary

Many people use their planner to just jot down appointments, deadlines, or meetings — and while that’s useful and keeps you organised, it won’t create real change. A diary helps you track where you’ve been; a planner should help you design where you’re going.

The Live Well Life Planner goes beyond dates and times. It prompts you to think about your whole life — what matters, what you want more of, and how you’ll take aligned action to get there. That’s when planning becomes powerful.

Mistake 2: Overloading every page

It’s easy to treat a new planner like a place to put every task on your mind. But when every page is crammed, you’ll feel overwhelmed, and before long, you’ll stop opening it.

The Live Well Life Planner guides you to choose what’s most important, not everything at once. By helping you prioritise, it stops the endless lists from taking over and instead helps you focus on what is right for you.

Mistake 3: Forgetting to check in

A lot of planners focus on setting goals, but never remind you to check back in. Without regular reflection, you lose sight of what’s working, what’s not, and where you need to adjust. That’s why so many planners end up abandoned.

The Live Well Life Planner builds in quarterly, monthly, and weekly reviews so you can pause, reset, and keep momentum. It’s the check-in process that keeps you accountable and motivated.

Mistake 4: Thinking it has to be perfect

Many people stop using their planner the first time they miss a week or “mess up” a page. The truth is, planning doesn’t have to be perfect to be effective. A good planner gives you room to pick up where you left off without guilt or pressure.

The Live Well Life Planner is designed to be flexible and forgiving. Miss a week? No problem, just reset and carry on. It’s about progress, not perfection. (and BTW - every year, I have some blank pages or spaces in my planner too.)

Mistake 5: Using it only for tasks, not dreams

Your planner should be a space where dreams live, too. It’s not just about listing tasks, because ticking off errands and appointments doesn’t necessarily move you closer to the life you want. If you only ever use your planner as a to-do list, you risk staying busy without ever feeling fulfilled.

The Live Well Life Planner encourages you to dream bigger, set meaningful goals, pinpoint your priorities, and track progress that matters to you. And it provides space for reflection, celebration, and re-imagining what’s possible.

“It’s an easy-to-use, flexible tool that can help you achieve your dreams.” — Tania

Ready to leave these mistakes behind and plan with confidence? The Live Well Life Planner gives you the prompts and check-ins to stay on track. Order your 2026 Live Well Life Planner here.