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Carl Pullein - How To Make Planning Your Week Way More Fun!

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Author: Carl Pullein
Categories: Productivity Technology
Tags: productivity, technology
Views: 2 · Last viewed: 2026-10-16 04:02 UTC

Short Summary

Main recommendation: Do your weekly planning on paper first, using a pencil-and-ruler weekly planning matrix, before opening any digital tools. Carl Pullein argues that paper keeps you focused on the bigger picture and avoids the distractions that make digital planning slow and tedious, keeping the session to about 40 to 45 minutes.

Key Points

  • Digital weekly planning tends to pull you into distractions like tidying files or chasing old tasks, which can stretch a session to two or three hours; Pullein says it should never take that long.
  • Pullein returned to paper in January after about ten years of planning on his computer, finding the process fun again and better at surfacing the bigger picture.
  • The matrix separates core work (paid, recurring work), projects and issues (occasional items), personal items, and a "radar" for things to be aware of but not act on.
  • Doing the paper pass first, before looking at digital systems, keeps low-value tasks from crowding out what matters for next week.
  • Once the paper plan is complete, the digital calendar and task manager are used only to schedule and slot items in.

Details Worth Noting

  • Concrete instructions:
    • Plan on a weekend morning if possible (Pullein plans on Saturday mornings, when he is fresh, the week ahead is far enough away not to cause worry, and the weekend can be enjoyed afterward).
    • Draw a squared matrix on an A4 sheet with a pencil and ruler, with core work in the top left.
    • Core work: list the work you are paid to do that recurs (his examples: write the blog post, record the YouTube video, write the newsletter, write and record the podcast).
    • Projects and issues: list non-recurring items (his example: updating the free CODE course, and sending about five to ten emails to invite pre-readers for his book, roughly 20 minutes of work; he briefly mentions the CODE course is free and plugs it before moving on).
    • Personal: list personal obligations (his examples: pay the credit card bill, exercise five times including two runs).
    • Radar: list things to be aware of that need no action (his examples: the dog's annual vaccination appointment, and being away all day Wednesday).
    • Use a different colour on a second pass to add titles or notes, such as writing the YouTube video title in so it sits in your mind while planning.
    • Spend about 10 to 15 minutes on paper only, without looking at digital systems, focusing on big items.
    • Then open the calendar, schedule core work and projects into free time, and check the "next week" folder for anything to bring forward.
    • Keep a separate notes area for small reminders, such as deliveries due or supplies to find.
  • Pullein notes that the paper plan is kept in a planning book, so during the week he can glance at it to check progress.
  • He acknowledges digital systems have advantages and points viewers to a separate video on doing the matrix digitally and the full breakdown of the weekly planning matrix.
  • The pen he uses is a Parker Sonnet bought in 1999, which he says is personal rather than a recommendation.

Bottom Line

Pullein's core point is that a short, paper-first weekly review keeps planning focused and enjoyable, and that the digital calendar should come only after the big-picture thinking is done.