

Best Laid Plans
Sarah Hart-Unger
Welcome to Best Laid Plans -- a podcast all about planning and the planning tools we love. From planning techniques and organizing philosophies to planners and notebooks, we cover it all. Host Sarah Hart-Unger is a mother of 3, physician, podcasting pro, and a lover of lists and all things paper! Listen in weekly for conversations about planning and productivity as well as product reviews and interviews with planning experts!
Episodes
Mentioned books

4 snips
Sep 4, 2023 • 21min
Top Work Tips (Planning-Adjacent!) EP 162
In this planning adjacent episode, Sarah shares her favorite work tips, including maximizing vacation time and creating an effective email strategy. They discuss the importance of daily planning, setting realistic goals, and taking breaks. The speakers also provide strategies for managing workload and recommend work-related products like good pens and planners.

Aug 28, 2023 • 27min
Hobonichi 2024 + Best Laid Plans Academy Round 3 EP 161
The podcast discusses the Hobonichi 2024 release, including new offerings and where to purchase. They also explore other planners similar to Hobonichi. Advertisements for Jenny Kane and Prep Dish are included. A comparison of planners in the market is discussed, and details about the upcoming Best Laid Plans Academy are shared, along with positive feedback from previous participants.

Aug 21, 2023 • 31min
Planning x Crafts: Planning to Enjoy the Hobbies You Love with Sherri McConnell of A Quilting Life EP 160
Sherri McConnell shares her patterns, techniques, and so much more at A Quilting Life -- and one of her passions is to help those who love quilting to find time to truly enjoy their hobby and craft! She chats with Sarah about her journey in crafting, the quilting planner she designed herself (!!)), and her suggestions for those looking to find more time to enjoy the things they love. Sherri is also a Best Laid Plans Academy member - she participated in the Spring 2023 cohort and some of her favorite things about the program!Note: Best Laid Plans Academy Round 3 will open for registration September 1, with first signup access via the newsletter! Subscribe at https://theshubox.com/newsletterWhere to Find Sherri: Website: https://www.aquiltinglife.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@AQuiltingLifeHer planner at Target: https://www.target.com/p/a-quilting-life-planner-and-workbook-by-sherri-l-mcconnell-spiral-bound/Episode Sponsors:Earth Breeze: Liquid-free laundry detergent! Go earthbreeze.com/plans to get started and receive 40% off your new subscription!PrepDish: Healthy and strategic meal planning! Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREEVivaia: Comfortable, beautiful, and sustainable shoes! Go to vivaia.com to get 15% off your purchase with the code PLANSJenni Kayne: Find your forever pieces at jennikayne.com. Listeners get 15% off the first order by using code PLANS at checkout!Email: sarah.hart.unger@gmail.com Voice questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/bestlaidplansSend me a text or voice memo - (305) 697-7189Do something IRL and learn about Best Laid Plans LIVE in South Florida: https://theshubox.com/courses Sign up for my newsletter: https://theshubox.com/newsletterLeave me a review if you can (Apple Podcasts Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-laid-plans/id1525311647) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 14, 2023 • 21min
Quintile 4: Guide to Planning and Thinking Through the Season EP 159
In this episode, Sarah provides a guide to planning + thinking through Quintile 4! She touches on all aspects of planning this back-to-school season which can be jarring and a lot of moving parts for many! Consider listening to this with your notebook or laptop and pausing to start your own planning process.Note: If you are interested in more in-depth seasonal planning sessions with Sarah in the future, Best Laid Plans: Planning Your Seasons will be launching in 2024, with registration opening in October. To be among the initial group notified be sure to join Sarah's newsletter (theshubox.com/newsletter).Episode Sponsors:Vivaia: Beautiful, comfortable, and sustainable footwear. Go to vivaia.com to get 15% off your purchase with the code PLANS Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Aug 7, 2023 • 31min
August Q&A: Planning in Challenging Life Phases, Planner Rec for 2 Teen Boys, Big Weekly Planners, Dangling Task Management, Planner-Shy, and More! EP 158
In this Q&A episode, Sarah provides her take on listener questions:Q1: Planning during challenging life phasesQ2: Back to school planner recs for a pair of teen brothersQ3: Planner matchmaking for a WFH mother seeking a BIG planner to manage both work, home tasks + homeschoolingQ4: Dangling tasksQ5: Planner recs for a listener who loves BUT is embarrassed by her planner!She also features several listener tips + follow ups from past episodes!Episode Sponsors:PrepDish: Healthy and strategic meal planning! Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.Vivaia: Comfortable, beautiful, and sustainable shoes! Go to vivaia.com to get 15% off your purchase with the code PLANSCONTACT INFO:Email: sarah.hart.unger@gmail.comVoice questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/bestlaidplansSend me a text or voice memo - (305) 697-7189Do something IRL and learn about Best Laid Plans LIVE in South Florida: https://theshubox.com/coursesSign up for my newsletter: https://theshubox.com/newsletterLeave me a review if you can (Apple Podcasts Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-laid-plans/id1525311647) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

8 snips
Jul 31, 2023 • 43min
Organize 365 x Best Laid Plans: Lisa Woodruff Interviews Sarah for the Back to School Blitz EP 157
Today's episode is a little bit of a departure from the regular format - Sarah shares an interview Lisa Woodruff did with her for the Organize 365 Back to School Blitz! She discusses some of her favorite basic tips for planning (quintiles, retreats, routines + more) and they delve into some planning basics for the back to school season - coming sooner than we think :)You can find Lisa (and sign up for her free Back to School Blitz!) at organize365.com.Episode Sponsors:VIVAIA: Comfortable, stylish, and sustainable footwear in styles that wlll take you everywhere! Go to vivaia.com to get 15% off your purchase with the code PLANSGreen Chef: The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to greenchef.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off plus free shipping!PrepDish: Healthy and strategic meal planning! Visit PrepDish.com/plans for your first 2 weeks, FREE.CONTACT + Info:Voice questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/bestlaidplansSend me a text or voice memo - (305) 697-7189Do something IRL and learn about Best Laid Plans LIVE in South Florida: https://theshubox.com/coursesSign up for my newsletter: https://theshubox.com/newsletterLeave me a review if you can (Apple Podcasts Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-laid-plans/id1525311647) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 24, 2023 • 27min
Daily Rituals + 3 Mini-Reviews: Passion Planner, Rad & Happy, and Performance Lab's Focus Planner EP 156
In part 1 of today's episode, Sarah presents 3 mini-reviews -- clearing out her to-be-reviewed stash!1) Rad & Happy undated weekly planner2) Passion Planner academic weekly + erasable pens3) Performance Lab's Focus Planner (Australia)Visit the show notes on theshubox.com if you are interested in winning one of these planners - just leave a comment in the show notes!In part 2, Sarah discusses daily rituals and how they help establish self-efficacy. She then inventories her own list of current daily tasks + rituals. Things to consider:- What do you currently do daily? What is on autopilot, and what is purposeful?- Anything to add / take out? When do you audit your own daily habits + rituals?- How do you handle it when you miss a day?EPISODE SPONSOR:Green Chef: The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to greenchef.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off plus free shipping!CONTACT INFO:Email: sarah.hart.unger@gmail.comVoice questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/bestlaidplansSend me a text or voice memo - (305) 697-7189Do something IRL and learn about Best Laid Plans LIVE in South Florida: https://theshubox.com/coursesSign up for my newsletter: https://theshubox.com/newsletterLeave me a review if you can (Apple Podcasts Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-laid-plans/id1525311647) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 17, 2023 • 21min
Decluttering, Organizing, and Stuff: Past, Present, and Future EP 155
In today's episode, Sarah discusses the planning-adjacent topic of organizing and curating our spaces and stuff. She shares her history with organizing (being organized + clearing clutter has not always been a personal strength!) and prior influences, from Marie Kondo to Lisa Woodruff. Finally, she discusses her current challenges and plans to gradually work on further organizing and decluttering her home and spaces.Episode Sponsors:Green Chef: The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to greenchef.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off plus free shipping!Contact Info:Email: sarah.hart.unger@gmail.comVoice questions: https://www.speakpipe.com/bestlaidplansSend me a text or voice memo - (305) 697-7189Do something IRL and learn about Best Laid Plans LIVE in South Florida: https://theshubox.com/coursesSign up for my newsletter: https://theshubox.com/newsletterLeave me a review if you can (Apple Podcasts Link: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/best-laid-plans/id1525311647) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Jul 10, 2023 • 24min
July Q&A: Getting Started with Longer-Team Goal Setting, Paper 101, Planner for a Nontraditional Student, Erasable Pens & More EP 154
In this Q&A, Sarah answers questions about:1) Becoming more comfortable with setting longer term (monthly, seasonal, yearly) goalsInterested in setting your 2024 yearly goals with Sarah in FL? Visit: https://theshubox.com/courses2) Paper sizes, weights, and pen types! (Paper Planner 101!)Reference: https://goldspot.com/blogs/magazine/notebook-sizes-compared-and-explained3) Planner matchmaking: "I am about to start medical school in July. I am a non traditional student so I will have a per diem job, family, pets, and other life obligations going on. I am looking for a planner recommendation that can fit all aspects of life!"4) Erasable pen tip: Legami (and Passion Planner)Legami on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/market/legami_milano_erasable_pen5) Time OFF between jobs - thoughts on what to do!-------------------------------------Episode Sponsors:Green Chef: The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to greenchef.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off plus free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

6 snips
Jul 3, 2023 • 35min
Real-Life Planner Interview: Stacy Mellem and her Franklin-Covey Journey EP 153
In today's episode, Sarah interviews Stacy Mellem, a devoted Franklin-Covey user for over 30 years! Stacy shares how she's made the system work for her over the years, and why she believes planning is still important in retirement (or what she refers to as her "jubilacion" (the Spanish word for retirement, which really does sound better!).Franklin-Covey Planners: https://store.franklinplanner.com (this podcast is not affiliated, just including as reference!)Episode Sponsors:Green Chef: The #1 Meal Kit for Eating Well. Go to greenchef.com/plans50 and use code plans50 to get 50% off plus free shipping! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices