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Happy Monday 🌞

Hailley here, writing this battling another daycare bug. Between these bugs and new school routines, September has reminded me that I can't operate at my 'aspirational capacity' — I need to plan for my actual capacity.

If you joined recently, hi 👋. I've always created systems for my work (as a Marketing leader at Buffer) and life (as a remote worker and mom of two) where I can stay productive, calm, and organized.

This week, I'm sharing about a pattern I keep falling into: aspirational capacity planning — when you optimistically take on more than you can realistically accomplish.

Over the weekend, I carved out time to reflect on how September has gone. (The month isn’t over but I find it easier to make space for that kind of reflection on the weekend.) I was able to quickly spot a pattern in how September has gone for me, when I have been stressed it’s been around the new routines and school hours we’re adjusting to.

But I can’t blame school for the stress — my routines had changed and I hadn’t adapted, I hadn’t changed my expectations despite my reality being wholly different.

One thing I’ve learned about myself is that I am a hopeless optimist when it coms to my to do list. I always believe I’ll be at peak productivity all day. And although I love that I think so highly of myself, by the end of the day when that isn’t true it leaves me feeling like I’ve failed, when really I’ve been quite productive. I just planned for my aspirational capacity.

It's been almost a month since school started, and I'm finally finding my rhythm. Going into October, my intention is to keep planning for my actual capacity, not my aspirational capacity.

Here's what that looks like for me:

• Sticking to my weekly planning routine on Sundays — This is when I get realistic about what the week ahead actually holds. I look at my calendar, acknowledge commitments outside of work, and plan accordingly. When I skip this step, I inevitably overcommit. → Read more: My Weekly Planning Routine​
• Proper workload planning to make my daily task list realistic — Instead of listing everything I could possibly do, I'm prioritizing 3-5 key tasks per day. This forces me to be honest about what's achievable and what can wait. → Read more: Mastering the Art of Workload Planning​
• Saying no to meetings that aren't moving my priorities forward — This has been harder than I expected, but protecting my time means being selective about where I spend it. Not every meeting needs me in it. → Read more: How I’m Saying No To Meetings​

What I’m learning with workload planning is that it shifts depending on the season that I’m in, but given that I’m currently in a season with less time, I need to really make sure I take the time to do workload planning, it usually takes me less than 30 minutes and it pays itself off many times throughout the week.

The shift from aspirational to actual capacity planning isn't about lowering standards or being less ambitious. It's about being honest with myself so I can actually make progress on what matters most — instead of feeling like I’m constantly falling short of an impossible standard.

Are you also a hopeless optimist about your to-do list? I'd love to hear what strategies have helped you plan more realistically, especially during these heavier seasons of life.

I hope you have a lovely week ahead — one where you accomplish exactly what your actual capacity allows. ✨

As always, feel free to reply if this sparks any thoughts or questions.

See you next time,

Hailley

• Our Customer Support team is hiring at Buffer, if this sounds like you check out the role here.
• ​My bag was featured in a blog post! I honestly love this backpack and am sitting next to it at a coffee shop while I write this. If you need bag inspo, that is the blog post for you.
• If you're still not sure what to post on LinkedIn, one creator shared how she sets up her LinkedIn content buckets in a really straightforward blog post.

That's all for this newsletter! Thank you so much for subscribing. Reply anytime you want to chat. ✨

I'm happy to offer my writing and this newsletter for free, but if you're so compelled, a cup of pumpkin spice latte is always appreciated! ☕️

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