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If organizing your finances seems overwhelming —&nbsp;don't worry, it's simpler than it sounds. Whether you're saving up for a dream holiday, or just trying to have a little more money left at the end of the month, this guide is what you need to take control of your finances.Keep reading to find out how to reach financial stability, avoid debt, and start saving up for your dreams with our free money management templates.<h3>Three simple steps to financial freedom</h3>Follow these three essential steps and learn how to plan your budget, track your expenses, and reach your saving goals faster.<h2>1. Plan your budget with the 50/30/20 rule</h2>By planning your budget every month or quarter, you can calculate how much money you have coming in, what you're spending, and how much you could save.Whether your goal is building an emergency fund or saving up for a family holiday —&nbsp;creating a budget helps you refocus on your financial goals. This way you can plan your spending with your priorities in mind.With a good budget plan, you can also see how much you could save each month, making it easy to set big financial goals and create a realistic saving plan.<h3>How to build a budget with the 50/30/20 rule?</h3>To plan your budget, you first need to calculate how much money you've got coming in from all your sources of income. Other than your salary, is there any passive income you're receiving? Or maybe you know you'll be getting a bonus this month?Start with essential expenses like rent, utilities, insurance premiums, and debt repayments. According to the <a href="https://www.unfcu.org/guides/the-50-30-20-rule/">50/30/20 rule,</a> a budget planning method designed for better debt control and smarter spending, you should dedicate around 50% of your income to these essentials.The second step is to plan how much you want to save. You should aim for around 20% of your income. As Warren Buffet says: “Do not save what is left after spending, but spend what is left after saving". So, if saving is your priority, it's a good idea to decide how much you want to set aside before planning other expenses.Finally, decide how much you want to spend on non-essentials like eating out, subscriptions, or travel. These should be no more than 30% of your total budget.<h3>Free budget planner template</h3><img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/207501db0ee747230358d90fb49557d4.jpg" alt="budget-planner.jpg" srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/64b3de13d0b7652e7917368b7275afdc.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d366a7d152c12a834230f38de3f1752f.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/74d40572ecb19271ed6c0a1e3ec24e32.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/18ca65a8e0bc636d560182758c390a36.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">While building a budget may seem complicated, with the right tools, it becomes simple. This customizable budget planner comes with tables for three main spending categories — needs, wants, and savings —&nbsp;to help you get started.You can easily add or remove items to cover all your expense categories, creating a holistic overview of your financial situation and spending habits. This helps you make sure that your budget reflects your priorities and gets you closer to your financial goals.<span style="background-color:rgba(255,251,235,0.3);color:rgb(55,65,81);font-family:ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, &quot;Noto Sans&quot;, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/budget-planner">Get the budget planner template.</a><h2>2. Track your expenses to make sure you stick to your budget</h2>Planning how much you want to spend is not enough — you also need to make sure that you stick to your plans. That's why you should start tracking your expenses.By keeping tabs on what you're spending, you can identify and take control of your spending habits. For example, you might be subscribed to a streaming service you rarely use, or often buy expensive clothes you don't need.Having this knowledge helps you cut unnecessary expenses and identify opportunities for saving. By canceling subscriptions you don't need, or giving up expensive lattes, you can start setting money aside for what really matters to you.<h3>Track your expenses with the free budget planner</h3><img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/20520fceebde51478d1cf64f0dd08c57.jpg" alt="Budget planner template in Craft showing income and needs sections." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b55c013ab19002698207fdf90e3298bb.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d0919c7769d77a665a3268bd77d735fe.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ba927d00b7b140fda7d047a024112f74.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/25d58a289ab3d435acbb47eefba4fef5.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">With this free budget planner, you can both build a budget and keep tabs on it by tracking your expenses.All you need to do is add your purchases to the tables in the three essential categories, and you'll see the totals calculated for you. This way you can take control of your spending, and make sure you always stick to the budget.<span style="background-color:rgba(255,251,235,0.3);color:rgb(55,65,81);font-family:ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, &quot;Noto Sans&quot;, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/budget-planner">Try the budget planner template.</a><h2>3. Set realistic saving goals to reach them faster</h2>Once you've created your budget plan and decided what expenses you can cut — you're ready to set achievable financial goals and start saving up for your dreams.By learning how much you could save each month, you can set a realistic timeframe for your goals, and turn your aspirations into a plan of action. You should also make sure to keep tabs on your progress and track your deposits to stay motivated and focused on your goals.And, if the clock is ticking for any of them —&nbsp;you can figure out how much you need to save each month and adjust your budget accordingly.<h3>Free saving goals template</h3><img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/8e9db03388ed4637eb246e8d5d39b235.jpg" alt="Sections for six goals in the saving goals template in Craft." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/889df90e92da5d6347dc5b5be59d52ca.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/87809aa2c346f299c67da08cd7c73ec1.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1bc5187ee89289274ebf240cc261dfbe.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6fe2b222ec8453ef5fb387bf17d63600.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">With this customizable template, you can easily set realistic saving goals, create a plan of action, and track your progress to achieve them faster.Using a system of cards and pages, you can add all the items you need and keep them organized in one space. Having this holistic overview helps you build a budget that reflects your saving goals.You can also easily keep track of your progress with deposit log tables. All you need to do is put down your scheduled and actual deposit, and the difference or surplus will calculate automatically. This helps you plan how much more you need to find in your budget next month or quarter to make sure you stay on track.<a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/saving-goals-template"><span style="background-color:rgba(255,251,235,0.3);color:rgb(55,65,81);font-family:ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, &quot;Noto Sans&quot;, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;">↗️ <span style="background-color:rgba(255,251,235,0.3);color:#0D3B78;font-family:ui-sans-serif, system-ui, -apple-system, BlinkMacSystemFont, &quot;Segoe UI&quot;, Roboto, &quot;Helvetica Neue&quot;, Arial, &quot;Noto Sans&quot;, sans-serif, &quot;Apple Color Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Emoji&quot;, &quot;Segoe UI Symbol&quot;, &quot;Noto Color Emoji&quot;;">Give the saving goals template a go.</a>&nbsp;Follow these three essential steps and try our free money management templates to get started on your journey to financial freedom. Plan, track, and set realistic goals to make sure you always have money in the budget to pay all your bills and book your dream holiday.

Master your finances with our step-by-step guide. Learn to effortlessly plan your budget with the 50/30/20 rule, efficiently track your spending, and set achievable savings goals with our free money management templates. 

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Three-step guide to organizing your finances and saving up for your dreams

It's that time of year when the nights are getting longer and you need to dig your "big coat" out of the closet, so you're probably starting to look forward to some winter sun, or dreaming of a holiday in the new year.&nbsp;Whether you're planning a solo trip or a weekend away with friends, keep reading to discover useful tips and tools to help you plan your trip better, make the most of your travel experience, and preserve and share all those great memories.<h3>Build a travel itinerary in advance and make the most of your holidays</h3>Having a well-researched travel itinerary means that while you're away, you don't have to spend time thinking about planning your day, or searching for interesting sights in the area.Emma Sparks in her article for Lonely Planet explains <a href="https://www.lonelyplanet.com/articles/pros-of-planning-travel-in-advance">the benefits of planning a trip in advance</a>. She argues that with a travel itinerary, you can save money and book ahead, so you never miss out. Emma also points out that learning more about your destination enhances your travel experience.“Understanding the history, geography, and culture of a place you’ll soon be immersed in is never a bad thing. Being aware of local customs, taboos, and current affairs can only make you a more engaged, respectful, and responsible traveler,” she explains.But there are even more benefits to having an itinerary for your holidays. It frees up your time to relax, while still making sure you do as much sightseeing as you want to. It lets you decide how intense or relaxing your holidays should be, giving you total control over your travel experience. And with a travel plan, you'll never go home regretting that you missed out on some of the important sights.You can also enjoy a culinary experience by planning your food itinerary and making sure you have a booking for every cafe, bar, or restaurant you want to try.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-plans">travel itinerary template</a> helps you cover all the bases and create a great plan for your winter holidays. It has sections for your flights and hotels, a pre-travel checklist, and a day-by-day itinerary — so all you need to do is fill in your trip's details. It's also fully customizable so you can add or remove sections to create an itinerary that matches your travel plans.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/085ab475712faf5c78644d24220ba2be.jpg" alt="travel-itinerary-1.jpg" srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/058df5389b71f0d318022eb1cc8c7dc2.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e836636cc0c2b750d0b170e01930c2e0.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/6f3e2b953d7751f544a7d0f582d3d348.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3771f333617050801af357392aacb22c.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-plans">Take the travel itinerary template for a spin.</a><h3>Preserve your memories and enjoy a complete travel experience with a travel journal</h3>Once you're back from your holidays, the memories can fade fast, and it might almost feel like your amazing trip never happened. While you probably have a lot of photos on Instagram or in your camera roll, a great way to preserve your memories is to write a travel journal while you're still away.Anna Lee Beyer makes a great case for <a href="https://www.nationalgeographic.com/travel/article/dont-rely-on-social-media-heres-why-you-should-keep-a-travel-journal">writing a journal instead of relying on social media for your travel memories</a> in her National Geographic piece. “Posting on Instagram barely scratches the surface of the sensations of real travel: How being somewhere new makes you feel, the scent in the air, the taste of food, the laughter in the café, the echo in the canyon,“ she explains.Keeping a travel journal lets you reflect on the things that happened to you, how you felt about them, and what you learned. It helps you think about the details that make your memories complete — the taste of the food or how it felt to stand on top of the volcano. A journal helps you experience the journey in a whole other way, and build a chronicle of the culture, the food, and the amazing times with your family and friends. This way, when you look back at your travel memories in a few months' time, you can relive the amazing experiences all over again.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-journal">travel journal template</a> has all you need to get started. It's got cards for different days, and plenty of useful examples —&nbsp;so all you need to do is add your own details and memories to existing sections. You can also customize it any way you want to make it your own.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5c1b795c04f7a073de45dd33c110ff5d.jpg" alt="Travel journal template in Craft showing instructions, and card sections for the first two days." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fc714f9db80785d061f0ffba363e71b9.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/535530f4ccda8ebbe4cd2b2a85318de4.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d8afb6abd3d2ebc98df06b2b1a09eb0b.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0dc8b4ffedf9b5f42ced56bb0621c0ae.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-journal">Get the travel journal template.</a><h3>Create a travel wish list and plan your future trips</h3>When making travel plans you'll no doubt stumble upon plenty of new and exciting destinations you'd like to add to your travel list. A great way to bring those plans to life is to build itineraries for those future trips, helping you better understand the time and budget you'll need to make them happen.With this <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-wish-list">travel wish list template</a>, you can build an itinerary for each one of your dream trips, keeping them organized in one space. This will bring clarity and structure to your holiday dreams, and help you turn your bucket list into concrete travel plans.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/118ebf77a99762796afb61ebcd5ae725.jpg" alt="Travel wish list template in Craft showing travel itineraries for three destinations." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/038efe013097d3c77adabd9f258b85a8.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a7050c28e268dedf181d69ef6145ad0c.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/27801883b807d6d06def514000b18ad3.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/e701bd574ebe88c9f9be8a84e67a54ce.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/travel-wish-list">Give the travel wish list template a try.</a><h3>Share a virtual travel postcard while you're away</h3>While writing postcards may seem like a thing of the past, from before digital cameras, smartphones, and social media, the Washington Post's Jen A. Miller believes there are<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/travel/tips/travel-send-postcards/"> still some good reasons to share your memories this way</a>.For Miller, postcards are a way to make someone’s day with a message much more personal than a Facebook post. They also help her reflect and learn from looking back at her travel experiences, and challenges she’s overcome.“I had time to think about what I wanted to say […] something that would capture both the frustration of how many times I’d tried to get there and the elation of that journey being almost complete; I settled on a short and pithy: ‘I made it!’, “ she writes.Postcards are a great record of your trip, highlighting the most important moments, and leading you down a memory lane. You can easily create your own with this <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/virtual-post-card">virtual postcard template</a>. This way you can get the experience without having to wait two weeks for your card to arrive by post.A bonus is that it's easy to make your postcard beautiful and customize it any way you want. By creating cards and pages, you can add as much content as you'd like, and you won't run out of space like you do with a regular postcard!As new things happen and you take more great photos, you can keep adding content to your postcard after you've shared it, and the receivers will see updates in real time.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f3f37e86f1c182b0b9f54f8daa70a3f6.jpg" alt="virtual-postcard.jpg" srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/71a38acb748f424133b030227ea157c3.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5e19eaf4b47f1eb03197e4501608ecb7.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d6e6474950ab32c50275080c381798c1.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a940ae697c6bd4deb6cbc6e90616cbd1.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/virtual-post-card">Get the virtual postcard template.</a><h3>Share travel information and collaborate on the planning with a trip planner</h3>If you’re that one friend or family member who always puts the travel plan together and gets the group excited and organized, then this template is for you.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/trip-planner">trip planner</a> is all you need to build a complete travel guide for your next group holiday. You can create a day-by-day itinerary, plan the budget, and add travel information. You can also assign responsibilities with a checklist. This way you can involve others in the planning, and see how they're getting on.Share this trip planner with the group, so that everyone can find important information about the trip without the need to scroll through a long chat. And if you need to make changes to your plans, everyone with a share link will see updates in real time.If you have a WhatsApp group, you can pin this message to the top of the chat, making it easy to find so you can spend your time creating a great travel plan, instead of answering questions.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1087d85713974eb8e60662753c068e30.jpg" alt="Trip planner template in Craft showing flights&amp;hotel, itinerary, expenses, and tasks and planning checklist." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3a20571e08d4ef40b196c9451f247c75.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/7ddbf241e6ebbe5e6bf7faf3fb485752.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/675b5b3200e7e7915e58e23fd7278ee4.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3470888bb6b80a7723908a4358e583ff.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/trip-planner">Try the trip planner template.</a>Try these travel templates and get started on planning a perfect winter holiday. Build an itinerary, share travel details with your group, preserve memories in a travel journal, and send a beautiful virtual postcard. Turn your winter holidays into a complete travel experience and make great memories to look back on.Discover more <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/category/travel">travel templates.</a>

Discover useful tools and learn how to plan a perfect winter holiday. Build an itinerary, preserve memories with a travel journal, and discover the unique charm of digital postcards. Perfect for solo adventurers and group travelers alike, these tools will help you make your travel experience memorable and hassle-free.

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6 tips and tools to help you plan and make the most of your winter holidays

If you've ever wished you could find a way to be more efficient and always stay on top of your schedule then this article is for you.&nbsp;Learning to stay organized is the best way to maximize your productivity. Keep reading to discover useful research, tips, and tools to help you better organize your day, set achievable goals, and build good habits.<h2>Build good habits and track them daily</h2>James Clear, the author of "Atomic Habits", highlights the importance of building habits on a journey to personal growth: "Habits are like the atoms of our lives, each one is a fundamental unit that contributes to your overall improvement."<a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3505409/">Research</a> shows that tracking your habits — like exercise, staying hydrated, or getting enough sleep — increases the chance of these behaviors becoming established, which can help you turn your goals and aspirations into a healthy routine. Introducing these small changes is a way to make long-lasting positive changes to your lifestyle.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/habit-tracker">habit tracker template</a> comes with a list of good practices to help you stay healthy and productive. It's organized into a checklist, so you can cross off what you've done every day — making it easy to track your progress, and stay motivated.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2f593b1d017e57e24568fddbe89e5efe.jpg" alt="Habit tracker template in Craft showing rest day, workout day, and rest day." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/122de2f550ab35bb44eac7cadb4c6ed0.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fe86a9ef72ca8fca5ce8b0c342971e6b.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/12c3ad5c77a6110e57dcc318f68a0dcb.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1c68de91427c993891f9625f1483cad4.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/habit-tracker">Try this habit tracker template to kickstart a healthier and more productive lifestyle.</a><h2>Outline your priorities and set yourself up for a more productive day with a daily planner</h2>Managing a hectic schedule can feel overwhelming, and without clear priorities, you may find it difficult to plan your days and get all the work done. According to a 2011 <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-12522-001">study</a> published in the "Journal of Personality and Social Psychology", having a clear plan of action leads to increased productivity and performance.Jake Knapp, the author of "Make Time: How to Focus on What Matters Every Day", highlights the importance of starting your day with a clearly laid out goal: “Something magic happens when you start the day with one high-priority goal.”Knapp also explains the benefits of setting realistic tasks. “Shifting your focus to something that your mind perceives as a doable, completable task will create a real increase in positive energy, direction, and motivation,” he advises.With this <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/daily-planner-template">daily planner template</a>, you can set your priorities for the day, tick off completed tasks with a to-do list, and keep tabs on your habits. This essential planner helps you optimize your time management, prioritize tasks, and stay focused. This way you can be sure to never miss a deadline or an appointment again. Keeping your days organized is also a way to boost your productivity, and make the most of your time.To optimize your daily planning further, you can set aside some time each week to review and adjust your plans to make sure your schedule reflects your goals and helps you reach them faster.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/158df6bd997c2bdf828ec87de86f6a3c.jpg" alt="Daily planner template in Craft showing today's priorities, today's schedule and a to-do list." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/964a263af9e83587677c7a9ecc6dcce7.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/50e5f19b0d24b378caf2ab27c2a8b0ff.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/85bd75920586b75db22b32f72920034d.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/d50730606f56398d206bd1b694288ebe.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/daily-planner-template">Try this daily planner template and set yourself up for a productive day.</a>&nbsp;<h2>Organize your thoughts and direct your focus with daily notes</h2>If you ever find yourself frustrated about forgetting an idea or a thought you've had earlier in the week, or you wish you could be more consistent with your habits —&nbsp;it might be time to start writing daily notes.&nbsp;A 2006 <a href="https://cie.asu.edu/ojs/index.php/cieatasu/article/view/1596/641">study</a> published in the journal "Current Issues of Education", suggests that daily note-taking promotes critical thinking and personal growth, as well as helps grow understanding through active reflection. In "The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future", Ryder Carroll explains how journaling helps organize your thoughts and direct your focus to the right tasks: “The Bullet Journal method will help you accomplish more by working on less. It helps you identify and focus on what is meaningful by stripping away what is meaningless.”Tackling too many things at the same time leads to stretching yourself too thin. This means you are unlikely to properly direct your attention. Journaling is a way to identify the most important things to focus on, helping you stay productive rather than just busy. “Inevitably we find ourselves tackling too many things at the same time, spreading our focus so thin that nothing gets the attention it deserves. This is commonly referred to as "being busy." Being busy, however, is not the same thing as being productive.", explains Carroll.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/daily-note-template">daily note template</a> prompts you to reflect on your day, document your progress, and track your habits.<a href="https://www.craft.do/lp/daily-notes">Daily notes</a> in Craft are tied to a calendar date so you use them to track your notes, ideas, and thoughts every day. You can use the calendar view to jump backward and forward in time to easily track your milestones, manage deadlines, or get a historical timeline of your progress. This also keeps your daily notes organized with no extra effort.Use this template for all your notes to keep a consistent format for your updates. This makes it easier to track your progress over time and look back to find exactly what you're looking for.If you use daily notes for work, by keeping up with writing them every day, you're building a real knowledge hub for reflection and learning. This way you can make more informed decisions and find ways to improve your workflow.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5893e464b9a08b96f98cb6104ec52f04.jpg" alt="Daily note template in Craft showing today's tasks, today's notes, and the mood tracker sections." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/c506aecbeeedd598c76174d3293cb78f.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/ca53b39713eda91beb7b507746526d47.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/f3c8bc18713f699dfa3fc9f6978526d7.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/353cadae7a23883dd2c016be5c31caf0.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/daily-note-template">Get this daily note template and build own your knowledge hub.</a><h2 style="margin-left:0.0px;">Turn the record of your meetings into an action plan with meeting notes</h2>Right after a meeting, most participants tend to feel clear about what was discussed. But memory can sometimes fail you, especially if you go to a lot of meetings, or see multiple clients. The best way to keep track of all the important discussions, and make sure the agreed follow-up actions make it to your to-do list, is to document every meeting with a good <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/meeting-note">meeting notes template.</a> This way you can keep an accurate record of the discussions, and know exactly how to proceed. And, in case of a misunderstanding, you can always refer back to your notes and clarify what was agreed.The best way to build a useful and easy-to-navigate meeting database is to use a consistent format for all your notes. They should cover all the important aspects - from the meeting goals to agreed action items. A good template is all you need to make sure you check all these boxes and start taking effective and actionable notes. This way you will never forget any valuable discussions, and you'll always be clear on what the next steps are for you and your colleagues.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/52ec1fbfca70c5b759f17af605efc67b.jpg" alt="Meeting notes template in Craft showing instructions, list of attendees, and announcements." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/855e9ba27ca74c97a2f7f9d611eb8a69.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/a00bf0aa5ec0f2f9dcf64223ad2cbfe5.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/bd9240c438dfdb6eacdc81a1685bc0cf.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/4bdc1eccdc3ba2a2c21ae8e496b5c27f.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/meeting-note">Try this meeting notes template and keep a better record of all your meetings.</a>↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/category/meeting-notes">Discover more meeting note templates tailored specifically to a range of meetings and retrospectives.</a><h2>Make your goals SMART</h2>A 2016 study in the "Review of Public Personnel Administration", shows that setting clear goals positively affects performance in teams — so the best way to become more effective is to learn to set goals that are not vague or diffused.S.J Scott, the author of "SMART Goal Setting Made Simple - 10 Steps to Master Your Personal and Career Goals", explains how you can achieve that by learning the SMART method. In his book, he highlights the importance of a structured approach to goal setting, and explains why you first need to understand what you aim to achieve: "You can’t create an action plan if you don’t have a clear description of your desired outcome.”He also highlights the importance of creating a realistic timeline and having a clear action plan for achieving your goals, helping you focus on the process and celebrate the small wins.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/smart-goals">SMART goals template</a> is your guide to the SMART method, which stands for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-Bound. This way you can set goals that are clear, manageable, and achievable within a given timeframe. Targeted questions and practical examples help you better understand your goals — and SMART verification tables make sure they check all the SMART boxes. Dedicated spaces for regular review help you measure your progress, adjust your timeline, and decide on actions to take to help you stay on track.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/60a0e58053a0abf0a7f5019a28f59201.jpg" alt="SMART goals template in Craft showing how to make your goals smart, goals, and accountability and review sections." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/92dc6b88ef26065faae7f97ee4dbe2e0.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/cf46523df041fb0616e456dbe12e4dae.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3c16924cc451529ce3c26decae795533.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/905b86f73156908c989ec489e43bfb64.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/smart-goals">Get this SMART goals template and learn how to set more achievable goals and reach them faster.</a><h2>Reduce information overload with a second brain</h2>According to <a href="https://psycnet.apa.org/record/2011-12522-001">experts</a>, information overload is a widespread problem that leads to increased stress, reduced performance, and decreased job satisfaction. This effect can be a direct result of being regularly exposed to too much information, and managing an overloaded schedule.Ryder Carroll, the author of "The Bullet Journal Method: Track the Past, Order the Present, Design the Future", points out how information overload leads to burnout. “Overwhelmed by a never-ending flood of information, we’re left feeling overstimulated yet restless, overworked yet discontented, tuned in yet burned out", he explains.One way to tackle that problem is to store some of your information in a second brain document. It's just like buying a new hard drive and moving some of the data from your computer.This <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/second-brain">second brain template</a> has everything you need to keep all your information —&nbsp;both work-related and personal —&nbsp;in one space. With a system of cards and pages, your data is always within reach, while your workspace stays organized, and as minimal as you like.Follow the instructions in this template to learn how to use the slash menu to easily customize this second brain to suit your needs. Populate it with your goals, projects, resources, and ideas. You can also add dates and set deadlines that are integrated with your calendar, and move anything relevant to your daily note to keep this space organized.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/1f448fcbee2e0304f68061428e376c6c.jpg" alt="Second brain template in Craft showing the resources, projects, tasks, goals, learning, habit tracker, and daily notes sections." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/77bc3848b26cd1daaa6a348b40f5fdb3.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/b57a3d2d0ea1ed92864802a8d91b68ab.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/2dfda54d7216bce25a56ba0a8b72e084.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/5270768d77aa780756b6f35794732450.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/second-brain">Try this template and reduce information overload, free up space for creative ideas, and maximize your productivity.</a><h2>Save articles, links, and resources for later</h2>If you spend a lot of time on the internet, you probably find plenty of useful and interesting links. You might end up saving them to your bookmarks, hoping to get back to them later, but never actually doing so. The best way to make sure you actually end up reading or watching these useful resources is to build a space where you can organize them in a way that makes sense to you.You can build your own read-it-later doc in Craft with this customizable <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/links-collection">resource library template</a>. It's a structured space to keep all your important links in, letting you create as many categories as you need to keep your links organized. This way you will never lose an interesting article, or forget the name of the product you found worth exploring.With smart links, you can copy and paste your resources directly into the doc, which will create a link preview, and lead you directly to the website. Smart links display more than your usual link preview — they also show relevant information about the resource, like the name of the author and the publication date.By having all your links in one space, you can easily share your resources with a friend or a colleague. If you only want to share them from one category, you can copy a link to a card or a page in this doc by navigating to it and creating a share link.<img src="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/fbbb7fb8f029ba3e0a5957b0ceedf5c5.jpg" alt="Resource library template in Craft showing instructions, link categories, and smart links previews." srcset="https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/63167fb9d12134d5f37df8ab3bb5f468.jpg 195w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/17ef1ce73e7ee357260ab209e8591664.jpg 500w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/3199fe44933df7f9dcf01006183f5ed2.jpg 750w,https://craft.nyc3.cdn.digitaloceanspaces.com/0684140622d9d032d92ceef7bb54318a.jpg 1000w," sizes="100vw">↗️ <a href="https://www.craft.do/templates/links-collection">Try this template to build your own knowledge base and never lose a valuable link again.</a>&nbsp;Get these templates and start organizing your professional and personal life, set more achievable goals, and track your habits. Make sure to regularly update these docs, keep up with your daily notes, and observe how quickly you can reach your productivity goals.

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