There's a thoughtfulness to planning that positively impacts mental wellness. It represents a conscious effort to be mindful of the people and things that matter. Many of us are finally coming up for air from the toxicity of hustle culture that has dominated much of the internet era. And now, we're beginning to shift our career goals alongside our mental ones.Perhaps we're overworked and finally realize there has to be a better way to remain balanced yet productive. Or maybe we've evolved and understood mental wellness to be (among other things) a skill or leg-up – as opposed to being emotionally unfit. Planning is a fundamental leap towards a balanced real and digital life. Be it in your social media planning or otherwise, here are five ways that planning benefits your overall mental wellness.

5 Ways Planning Impacts Mental Wellness

Life Balance: At its very core, planning allows you to balance the scales of your life. You'll spend far less time performing tasks that simple planning would almost certainly prevent. A lack of planning is akin to self-sabotage. Yet when you place planning at the forefront, you'll free up the extra time you've long desired.

Limit Uncertainty: If there are times when you feel uncertain about your work, social media output, or marketing outreach, it's likely due to a lack of planning. When you're rushed or aimless, your best self isn't present in that work. Maybe you need an audible. When there's a plan, changing said plan is far less erratic than if there wasn't a plan at all.

Stay Focused: Planning not only nets positive results, but it provides an unparalleled amount of clarity. That clarity promotes what we all need to be successful in our lives and careers: focus. A clear mind is a powerful tool. When you plan first, you understand your goals, your purpose, and the content that yields impactful results. Planning breeds focus, and focus lends to our next tip.  

Consistency: Let's say you plan your daily social media output every night before bed. You've put this practice into place for months, and your audience has grown 25% over those months. There are two things at play here; primarily, the plan of action you put in place to reach your goals in working. Secondly, it's working because you're consistent. Planning fosters consistency, and consistency is the king of all things.

Peace of Mind: Planning gives you the peace of mind that you're placing value on your career – which, in turn, positively impacts your mental wellness. Being prepared limits stress, anxiety, and prevents late-night cram sessions because you forgot about your deadline and had to pull an all-nighter. That peace of mind also makes you sharper. The cobwebs cluttering your mind will be a distant memory. You'll be inspired, creative, and have the capacity to execute on your ideas. PLANOLY is the ideal tool for planning your social media strategy and telling the story you want to tell. But planning shouldn't start and end with social media. It should impact all areas of your life, therefore, having the greatest possible effect on your mental wellness.Be even more mindful of your emotional wellness by downloading our mental health checklist, for helpful tips to better manage your social media intake.