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You're probably thinking what is she on about? But let me explain. I personally believe that having a plan for your day is really useful as it can keep you focused and motivated BUT I find we tend to be hard on ourselves if we don't stick to these plans or maybe miss something out. This can have the opposite effect that we are wanting, we could look back at our plan and beat ourselves up and make ourselves feel rubbish because we haven't completed everything on the list or we could look at the future plans and feel overwhelmed and unmotivated. This is where the pencil part comes in.
Still plan your day and set your routine but write it down in pencil. This way you can rub tings out, change and alter your plan and routine as needed! Just because we've set ourselves a plan does not mean we have to stick to that exact time, day etc.. as long as the tasks gets done eventually, then that's a win, right? Obviously there may be important tasks that needs to be completed by a certain time that may need prioritised but there are also tasks that can wait until you are feeling ready. Think of this way, would you rather look at your daily plan and get all worked up and flustered as you've had a really bad night sleep or maybe having an 'off' day and completely write off your whole day OR look at your plan and circle the most important tasks and then rub the other less important tasks out and move them to a day that is more suitable? That way everything gets done but at the same time you remain in control of your time and feelings.
Sometimes it's about sitting back, looking at your plan and asking yourself the question 'What can I deal with today?' giving yourself the opportunity to change the plan to meet your needs can help you feel more in control and hopefully feel more motivated for the day ahead.