When life gets busy, we need a way to stay organized—and sane.
That’s why the Dashboard Deskpad is such a lifesaver. It lets you break down a big project into smaller pieces. And keep your eye on several different work streams at once.
The Dashboard Deskpad is for anyone who needs to juggle multiple projects, clients, and deadlines. You’ll see all your tasks laid out in order, and in one central location, so you’ll know exactly what to work on next.
Who needs a Dashboard Deskpad?
- You’re a freelancer or solopreneur. You’re juggling clients, assignments, and deadlines. You need a productivity tool to keep all the different elements in order.
- You’re a project coordinator or operations manager. If you’re planning various programs and projects and need to track action items, you’ll want the Dashboard Deskpad to keep your eye on the big picture as well as the micro details.
- You’re an admin professional. You’re supporting multiple executives or team members. You need to coordinate their schedules, book conference rooms, arrange travel, and make sure the trains run on time (figuratively and literally!).
- You’re managing a big life project. I used the Dashboard Pad when I was moving out of state and needed to keep track of all the different components like packing up our apartment, coordinating with the moving company, and completing admin work like updating our address and setting up utilities. Maybe you’re getting married or planning a family vacation or big house project. The Dashboard Deskpad is great for managing it all.
Here is a step-by-step guide on how to use our Dashboard Deskpad so that you can get to know the key features and start organizing your days like a pro.
Key specs of the Dashboard Deskpad
A4 size. The Dashboard Deskpad is A4 sized (11.75" x 8.5") which means you have plenty of space to organize your tasks and responsibilities. Having so much space on the page makes your brain feel less cluttered, and seeing your work lined up in one singular view makes it easier to plan and take action.
52 sheets. The Dashboard Deskpad comes with 52 sheets, so you can plan and strategize your entire year.
Deskpad or spiral bound. You can opt for the traditional deskpad with tear-away sheets. Or upgrade to a spiral-bound option with a premium card stock cover.
How to use the key features of the Dashboard Deskpad
Now let’s take a look at each feature of the Dashboard Deskpad. These are suggestions to help you get the most out of these features, but you should feel free to customize them as you see fit.
Enter the relevant dates
The Dashboard Deskpad is undated to give you more flexibility with your planning. Make sure to enter the dates up top to help you stay on track.
Set your intention
Setting an intention for the week makes your time feel more purposeful. That’s why at the very top of the Dashboard Deskpad, you will find the following prompt:
This week will be_____ because_____
Here are some ideas for how to complete this prompt:
- This week will be calm because I will take breaks throughout the day.
- This week will be productive because I have a solid plan.
- This week will be better than last week because I am incorporating the lessons learned.
Of course, this prompt isn’t mandatory. But you just might find that it will make you more thoughtful about the week ahead, and give you a much clearer sense of direction.
Define your top 3 priorities
Not sure what to work on first? Do you have a million things to do? Narrow down your options and give your work some much-needed focus by identifying your top 3 priorities.
Your top 3 priorities are the things you must get done this week. These are the essentials or non-negotiables. They can be a mix of personal obligations, professional deadlines, tasks around the house, and tasks related to your dream goal.
Here are some examples of top 3 priorities:
- Write article, plan mom’s birthday dinner, work on my screenplay.
- Work on product launch, exercise, meal plan for the week
- Job search, spend time with friends, take daily walks
Define your focus areas
The Focus Areas are what make the Dashboard Deskpad so special and incredibly effective.
The Dashboard Deskpad features six Focus Areas to segment and list tasks for goals, projects, or clients.
This is the space where you can make separate to-do lists for your big project. Or keep track of the various work streams of your freelancing business. Or manage all your different tasks/chores for the week.
For example, if you’re a freelancer, your Focus Areas could be: Meetings, Assignments, Admin work, Marketing, Clients, Budget Plan.
Or if you have a lot of personal and professional obligations on your plate, your Focus Areas could be a mix: Clean House, Organize Dinner Party, Meetings, Write Report, Work Out, Writing Routine.
Then, under each Focus Area, write down the different tasks or steps you have to take. You can also include important deadlines and meeting dates.
Note: Under each Focus Area is a light gray box with three rows. Use this space to emphasize the top 3 things you must accomplish for your Focus Area.
For example, if your Focus Area is “meetings”, your top 3 things can be: reach out to new people on LinkedIn, rehearse presentation, meet with potential clients.
The idea is to break down your big project into smaller action steps and designate the important action steps/tasks so that you know what to prioritize.
Here are some examples to give you an idea of how to use the Focus Areas.
Meetings
- Arrange one-on-one meeting with manager
- Phone call with new client on Thursday, 2 PM
- Coffee with potential client on Friday 10 AM
- RSVP to networking event
- Read background material for each meeting
Marketing
- Plan social media strategy for the quarter
- Create content calendar for this month
- Reach out to 3 influencers for possible collab/partnership
- Update website
- Promote new product on social channels
Assignments
- Get assignments for this week
- Do research for articles
- Find two experts to interview
- Reach out to experts and arrange call
- Write a draft
- Edit draft
- Submit
Clean/Organize House
- Clean the entryway
- Clean the bathroom
- Clean the living room
- Vacuum rugs
- Clean out fridge
- Organize bookshelf
Notes section
There’s a dedicated section where you can jot down important notes, key details, dates, contact info, and reminders.
Daily tracker
Want to make sure you’re also staying on top of your good habits and routines? There’s a daily tracker that allows you to do just that. Log your workouts, mediation routine, daily walks, and more.
With the Dashboard Deskpad, you can attend to all the important details as well as the big picture targets. Your days and weeks will feel so much more organized with this tool by your side.
Written by JiJi Lee
