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PODCAST

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!

education self-improvement

All Episodes

29:26

More Planning x Money Talk + Sarah's Current Thoughts...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/05/18

In today's episode, Sarah shares some follow up listener comments to the prior discussion about the intersection between spending (or saving!) and planning, and then she delves into a (somewhat raw!) discussion of her feelings around AI, starting with a historical example -- her 2010s thoughts on the emerging iPhone!Feel free to share your thoughts on technology (sarah hart unger at gmail, or leave a comment in the show notes!).Blog mentioned in the first section:

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20:31

May Q&A: New Fave Pen, Does Planning Help Save Money?...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/05/11

In today's episode, Sarah provides a few life updates and then shares a wonderful planning tip from a listener.Then, topics discussed include:- Does planning help to save money?- How do you avoid rewriting daily lists when things don't get done?- What are some analog ways to track workouts?- Ideas for using monthly spreads of paper planners if you don't feel the need for an extra calendar- New pen in town: The Pilot Juice+Link to task management ep

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26:49

The Intersection of Time Management x Planning with...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/05/04

Today, author and Sarah's good friend Laura Vanderkam joins Sarah on the show to talk about ways -- planning and planning-adjacent! -- that we can manage our time so that it feels expansive and worthwhile. Sarah and Laura chat tracking (time + otherwise), tackling big project little by little, the challenge of "golden hours", and much more.Find Laura's book, Big Time: A Simple Path to Time Abundance, out this week wherever books are sold.Sponsors:IXL: Best Laid Plans listeners can get an exclusive

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21:09

Gratitude Episode: Thank You for 300! EP 300

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/04/27

In today's episode, Sarah expresses gratitude to listeners for helping BLP reach the milestone of 300, and then shares two gratitude-themed lists.The first is 5 planning or planning-adjacent things (or people) she is incredibly grateful for, in terms of inspiration and ideas for the podcast they've provided over the years. The second is the top 5 things Sarah is grateful planning has done for her!Please celebrate with Sarah by leaving a review if you can!Apple:

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40:40

Can AI Help You Plan Your Life? A Real-Life...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/04/20

Emilie Schario is a mother of 3 (5 & under!) and an AI expert in the tech space, as VP of engineering at Kilo Code. She's also a BLPA alumnus who still loves to plan on paper! Emilie joins Sarah today to talk planning, productivity, and how she uses AI tools every day in her planning and life management systems. She shares her own simple (and very appealing!) use cases and ideas for how even the least tech-savvy can get started.Find more from Emilie at LinkedIn:

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23:03

April Q&A: Planning vs Execution, Delegating Tasks,...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/04/13

In today's ep, Sarah answers questions for the month of April! Topics include:Why no planner reviews lately + notes on spring releases Tips for reminding others of tasks you are attempting to delegate (with a listener tip as one possible answer!) To-be-read list management Struggles with planning vs execution Resources + Links: Simplified planners: emilyley.comHobonichi April start: https://www.1101.com/store/techo/en/lineup/Episode with Cal Newport:

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28:20

Sarah's Planner Peace: 10 Tactics Working Well in...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/04/06

In today's episode, Sarah answers a question about Disney planning and then delves into her own current planner peace, with 10 tactics working really well for her in 2026!You can find images of the tracking spreads she talks about on the show notes page at theshubox.com!Interested in BLPA2.0 this summer? Course info available at theshubox.com/coursesAPRIL SPONSORS: IXL: Best Laid Plans listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at https://www.ixl.com/plansMint

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24:36

Your Busy Season Survival Guide EP 296

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/03/30

In today's episode, Sarah shares 10 tips for getting through a particularly full season of life, inspired by a very travel-heavy spring schedule coming up for her.Interested in BLPA2.0? Be sure you are getting Sarah's newsletter, out in early April with signup details. Visit theshubox.com/newsletter!Episode Sponsors IXL: Make an impact on your child’s learning, get IXL now. Best Laid Plans listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at

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35:36

Where To START, and Planning to Revolutionize Your...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/03/23

In today's episode, Sarah answers a question from Nate (who heard Sarah on Cal Newport's Deep Questions Podcast), who asked where it makes sense to START in terms of implementing all of the planning systems she talks about on this podcast (and in her book!). How does one begin to build a system - all at once, or piece by piece?Useful references mentioned:Airtight Task Management Episode: https://theshubox.com/2026/02/blp-ep-288-your-guide-to-airtight-task-management.htmlAnnual Planning Episode:

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27:53

Let's Plan the Week Together! EP 294

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/03/16

In today's episode, Sarah plans her week on-air! Well, it's a bit of a reenactment (mostly because she needed a quiet house to record), but she goes through all the steps and there are visual aids (please see the show notes @ theshubox.com for photos!).Steps in her weekly planning process:Looking back - reflection & review (including migration/review of any prior undone tasks, plus a look at the monthly list) Looking ahead - upcoming calendar integration Look around - ensure inboxes are

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29:39

Decluttering with Dana K White (Plus An Update from...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/03/09

Dana K. White is a decluttering expert -- NOT an organizing expert! She shares her mess-free 5-step method in today's podcast, with advice for those who struggle to get started. The 28-day plan she mentions on the episode can be found in her first book, How to Manage Your Home Without Losing Your Mind.You can find Dana at https://www.aslobcomesclean.com, her most recent organizing book is Organizing for the Rest of Us, and her children's book just came out called Winnie's Pile of Pillows!Prior

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25:49

March Q&A: Planning Your Planning (!), Nested Goals...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/03/02

Welcome to the March Q&A episode!Topics discussed include:- Do Nested Goals work in the work setting, and if so, would you do the planning for both at the same time, or separate things out?(Episode mentioned: https://theshubox.com/2026/01/ep-285-sextiles-morning-pages-goals-lists-and-more-listener-tips-qa.html)- How to plan your planning (very meta - but seriously!) - both at larger and smaller time scales- How to plan for community engagement or activism?- Seeking help on syncing Outlook and Google

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25:05

Planner Peace: Logistics + More in a Family of 8 EP 291

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/02/23

Jessica lives in California with her husband and is a mother of 6! In today's episode, she shares her own detailed planned peace, discussing how she keeps things organized in such a large and active household.Apps/topics mentioned: Apple's Reminders, Things (for task capture), Laurel Denise Anne layout (https://laureldenise.com/products/2026-the-anne-planner-pemberly-gardens), Essential Calendar (https://www.theessentialcalendar.com/ - if you'd like a coupon code, you can enter BESTLAIDPLANS for 10%

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23:33

Tracking All The Things: How Much is Too Much? EP 290

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/02/16

In the first part of this episode, Sarah shares some listener follow up to the Task Management episode from 2 weeks ago, including use of Apple Reminders voice entry feature, a simple Notes strategy, Teux Deux, and one listener's analog solution.Then, Sarah delves into her current thoughts on tracking, which have shifted a bit since her initial episode on the topic. She shares ways in which tracking various metrics has been helpful in recent months and presents a unique use case submitted by

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22:09

We Can Do This: A February Pep Talk EP 289

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/02/09

This can be a HARD time of year for many! In today's episode, Sarah shares her own February struggles and provides a pep talk for all of us who might be stuck in winter doldrums or feeling less excited about our 2026 goals.Books recommended: Meditations for Mortals or 4000 Weeks By Oliver BurkemanReminder: BLP Live will be Nov 5-7 2026 - be one of the first to be notified by signing up for Sarah's newsletter.Our Sponsors Mint Mobile: Affordable wireless plans that let you keep your own number

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22:39

Your Guide to Airtight Task Management EP 288

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/02/02

Sarah opens up with a little update on how 2026 is going so far (as we head into February!), and then dedicates the rest of today's episode to airtight task management! She talks inboxes (collecting tasks) and creating a strategy for processing all of the to-do items that tend to come our way in all sorts of forms and timelines.Our Sponsors Mint Mobile: Affordable wireless plans that let you keep your own number and phone. To make the switch, visit mintmobile.com/BLP Green Chef: Visit

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23:37

Analog Is Trending! EP 287

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/01/26

Analog is definitely trending, and Sarah is here for it! In today's episode, she discusses the trend, her take on choosing analog when possible, and the unexpected effects on the planner world (!). She also addresses a listener who would like to use more tangible paper tools in her planning system, but struggles with a work system that is all digital.Link to the WBEZ article:

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33:19

Planning Your 2026 Fitness Goals EP 286

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/01/19

In today's episode, Sarah chats about the evolution of her own fitness goals and interviews Meg Olander, personal trainer and certified group fitness coach. Meg has years of experience helping people with their fitness goals, and in today's episode, she shares her favorite strategies for success in fitness goals, from planning and prioritizing to avoiding optimization to accountability. You can find more from Meg at https://fitfedfeelinggood.com and her podcast, Redesigning Health &

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26:50

Sextiles, Morning Pages, Goals Lists and More:...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/01/12

In today's episode, Sarah shares listener tips and answers questions!Topics & references include:- Stationery Store Spotlight: Wonder Fair in Lawrence, KS- Alyce's alternative to January 1- Sextiles: A listener creates her own seasons that work for her- An A-to-Z 26 in 2026 list- Feedback on the Friends Spreadsheet: A Notion Friends CRM (Customer Relationships Management) Tool- Corporate uses for the Nested Goals framework- Morning pages: is Sarah completing the entire Artist's Way course?- Where do

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22:37

Welcome to 2026! Top 10 Tips for Making The Most of...

Best Laid Plans ·

2026/01/05

In today's episode, Sarah welcomes listeners to 2026 and shares 10 tips for making the most of your annual goal setting efforts!Link to mentioned episode on Nested Goals:https://theshubox.com/2024/01/episode-182-nested-goals-explained.html YouTube Channel:https://www.youtube.com/@BestLaidPlansVideo Episode Sponsors: PrepDish: Start the year off with healthy meal plans from prep dish! Get your free two-week trial at prepdish.com/plans IXL: Visit www.ixl.com/plans to get the most effective

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