Free Daily Planning Template: Copy, Fill, Start

Starting from a blank page every morning wastes the first few minutes of the day. A good daily planning template removes the blank page. This one is short, free to copy, and built on the five minute method: dump, pick one thing, block the time, look back.

Copy the template below into any notes app or document. Then read the filled example to see how it looks in use. The method behind it is taught in Lesson 6.1.

Copy the template once, then duplicate it each day. Fill the top half in the morning in five minutes and the bottom half at the end of the day in two.

The template

Copy everything between the lines into a note called "Today".

Date: Free time today (hours, after meetings): Dump (everything on my mind, unsorted): - - - The one thing: Why it matters (two lines): Calendar block (start and end): Two extras at most: 1. 2. Not today: End of day: - Did the one thing move? Yes / Partly / No - What got in the way? - What carries to tomorrow?

The prompt that fills in the middle

When you have written the dump and your free time, paste it into an AI tool with this.

Here is everything on my plate today: [paste the dump and calendar]. I have [hours] free. Pick the one thing that matters most and explain why in two lines. Then list at most two extras that fit, and what I should drop. Ask me one question if something is unclear. Do not write a long list.

Copy the answer into "The one thing", "Why it matters", "Two extras" and "Not today". Edit anything you disagree with.

A filled example

This is an invented example for a solo bookkeeper.

Free time today: 4 hours Dump: finish VAT return for the florist, chase two late invoices, reply to a new enquiry, update my website prices, order stationery, call the bank The one thing: VAT return for the florist Why it matters: Deadline is Friday and it needs a review pass, so starting today leaves a safety margin. Calendar block: 9:00 to 11:00 Two extras: 1. Reply to the new enquiry. 2. Chase the late invoices. Not today: website prices, stationery, bank call End of day: Yes, the return is drafted. A client call ran over. Carry: review pass tomorrow.

How to use it

1. MorningDuplicate yesterday's note, clear the fields and read yesterday's end of day lines first.
2. DumpOne minute. Do not sort.
3. AskPaste into AI, fill the middle, edit.
4. BlockPut the one thing on your calendar before you open email.
5. EveningFill the last three lines in two minutes.

Tips for keeping it short

Do not add fields. Every extra box is another reason to skip the note. If a box is empty most days, delete it. Keep the "Not today" line, because saying no is the part most plans lack.

Variations

For meeting heavy days. Add a line "Gaps between meetings" and plan only into those.

For a team lead. Add "Waiting on me" to the dump, so the one thing includes what others need from you.

For creators. Replace the extras with "Create" and "Publish", so every day has one piece of making and one piece of sharing.

Where to keep it

Anywhere you will see it first thing: a pinned note, a document, a text file on your desktop. The place matters less than keeping it in the same spot each day. If you want to see more layouts, look at 12 daily planning template examples. For the reasons behind each field, see the DAYS framework.

What to do next

Use it for seven days without changing the layout. Then change one thing. The full routine, with the prompt set up so you can reuse it, is taught in Lesson 6.1, Plan your day in five minutes. If your morning starts with a crowded inbox, a clean inbox every morning pairs well with it.

Setting it up in three common places

A notes app. Create a note called "Today", paste the template and, if your app lets you pin notes, pin it. Each morning, duplicate it, rename it with the date and clear the fields.

A document. Keep one document with the newest day at the top. You scroll less, and yesterday's end of day lines sit right below today's dump, which helps you start.

A plain text file. Add a new block each day and keep it all in one file. Searching it later is easy, and it works without any app.

Reading the example

Notice what the filled example leaves out. There are no priorities from 1 to 5, no colours and no time estimates for each task. The only time is the calendar block. That is on purpose. The less you fill in, the more likely you are to keep doing it. The template has room for the three things that change behaviour: a choice, protected time and a look back.

Making it your own

After a week of unchanged use, ask what you never fill in. Delete that field. Then ask what you wish you had written down. Add that, but only one field. Many people end up with a version that is shorter than the original, and that is a good sign. A template should shrink toward what you actually use.

Questions people ask

Can I use this on paper?

Yes. Everything except the AI prompt works by hand.

Do I fill it in every day?

Aim for most days. On a bad day, do the one thing line and the calendar block only.

Is this template free to share?

It is a plain layout, so use it freely for your own work and team.

Go deeper with the lesson

This guide gives you the idea. Lesson 6.1, Plan your day in five minutes takes you through it step by step, in plain words, so you can do it for your own business.