A good planner is your co-founder
How finding the right planning system can change everything in 2026
By: Kera Sanchez, Editor-in-Chief of MILSPO Social Co. MagazineMy 2026 kicked off in true MILSPO style, caffeinated, chaotic, and running a business from a sea of cardboard boxes.
I launched a brand-new magazine days before a cross-country PCS from Chicagoland to Annapolis. We were living out of suitcases at the Residence Inn. My kids were bouncing on the fold-out sofa bed. My husband was back in uniform. And somehow… I was launching a second publication.
And here’s the thing most people don’t tell you: I don’t survive chaos — I organize it.
That’s how I built two brands through grief, loss, reinvention, and military life. After a traumatic birth and losing my mom just five days later, I created Get Griefy Magazine as a way to reclaim joy and community. When my husband rejoined the military in 2024, instead of spiraling, I opened a planner and started a new business.
That planner became the backbone of launching MILSPO Social Co. Magazine.
Because military spouse entrepreneurs don’t just “stay busy.” We juggle emotional labor, logistics, ambition, and a thousand invisible roles.
Which is why the right planner isn’t cute stationery — it’s a survival system.
Why Your Planner Is a Business Tool (not just a cute vibe)
Military spouse entrepreneurs live in two timelines at once:
The Military and Family calendar (PCS, deployments, appointments, school and activities, command functions, Duties and odd hours)
The business calendar (launches, clients, content, revenue, meetings, events)
If your planner can’t hold both, it will fail you. The best planners don’t just track time — they:
Reduce mental load
Anchor your goals
Create momentum when life feels unsteady
I knew I needed more than good intentions to stay organized, so I hit the internet in search of the perfect planner. And because no two MILSPOs work the same way, there is no “best” planner. There is only the one that matches your brain, your season, and your business model.
So we asked our community: What actually works? Here’s what they shared.
The Whole-Life CEO Planner
For the woman managing a household, a business, and a deployment
LinkedIn: Reyna Worthy
Instagram: @thedeskofanavywife
This system is for the woman who needs everything in one place:
Family schedules
Appointments
Wellness and vitamin tracking
Budgeting
Goal planning
Even optional deployment countdowns
Reyna is the kind of woman who knows that military life demands both structure and surrender. A self-described blend of Type A and creative, she has learned that as a military spouse, rigidity will break you but systems will save you.
That tension is exactly what shaped the MyLife Planner. It is not just a calendar. It is a whole life operating system. Built with PCS moves, deployments, doctors appointments, family schedules, wellness, and business goals all in mind, Reyna created something that mirrors how military spouses actually live.
Her planner reflects her mindset. Organized but adaptable. Focused but forgiving. Ambitious but grounded. It gives her a way to run her business while still honoring the seasons of military family life.
Reyna does not believe in waiting for the “perfect” moment. Her planner is undated for a reason. You start when your life lets you start.
Best for:
Spouses who need structure without rigidity and want business growth that fits real life.
The Capacity Manager
For the creative mind with too many ideas to keep track of
Britt Hall, a Certified Professional Transition and Life Alignment Coach, Founder of Pattern & Purpose, uses planners not just to manage time — but to manage capacity.
LinkedIn: Brittnie Hall
Instagram: @pattern_and_purpose
Britt is what happens when a deeply creative mind decides to build structured systems that actually work. Often labeled Type A, she knows the truth is more complex. Her brain never stops generating ideas, but she relies on structure to keep those ideas from becoming noise.
Her love for planners like St. Belford and Simplified At-a-Glance comes from their balance. They are not cluttered. They are not rigid. They give just enough structure to hold her thoughts without trapping them.
For Britt, writing things down is not just productivity. It is mental health. The act of putting pen to paper quiets the chaos and brings her back into alignment.
Her planning style is not about control. It is about capacity. Knowing how much she can hold and honoring it.
Best for:
Entrepreneurs who need both freedom and structure to thrive.
The Big-Goal Breaker
For the Type-A dreamer who wants daily momentum
Samantha Mans, Founder and CEO of Happiness with Samantha put her own twist on planning, not only for logistics, but for abundance.
Instagram: @happinesswithsamantha
Samantha moves with the kind of intentional energy that makes big dreams feel doable. She is Type-A with a creative streak, which means she loves a plan but refuses to let it box her in.
Her Abundance Creator planner was born from that exact mindset. It takes lofty goals and breaks them into bite-sized, actionable steps that can be tackled weekly and monthly. No overwhelm. No wishful thinking. Just real momentum.
For Samantha, planning is not about perfection. It is about progress. Her planner keeps her grounded in what she is building while giving her the freedom to adjust as military life inevitably throws curveballs.
It is structured enough to keep you moving, but flexible enough to grow with you.
Best for:
Business owners who want clarity, accountability, and forward motion.
The Hybrid Powerhouse
For the CEO running multiple brands and a household
Monika Jefferson, founder of AMSE, uses a hybrid monthly + weekly planner because she runs multiple businesses— a PR Firm and a National organization for Military Spouses.
LinkedIn: Moni Jefferson
Instagram: @monijefferson
Monika runs on visionary energy with a side of beautiful chaos. A little ADHD, a little spontaneous, and a whole lot of CEO.
Her planner of choice reflects that. She needs to see everything at once. The month. The week. The big picture and the tiny details.
Her hybrid Laurel Denise planner gives her the clarity to manage two businesses, podcasts, content, clients, and events without losing her mind.
Monika’s planning style is about momentum. She does not want to slow down her ideas. She wants to harness them.
Seeing the big picture and the daily details at once allows her to:
Manage clients
Schedule content
Plan events
Track logistics
Without losing her mind
It’s elegant, visual, and built for high-level decision-making.
Best for:
Multi-Faceted business owners who need strategic oversight and daily execution.
BONUS:
Monika is giving away two Laurel Denise planners at her next AMSE Virtual Event. Become a member now and register for the event in April! Visit AMSE’s Website to learn more about joining this incredible and supportive community of MILSPO Entrepreneurs for a chance to win a free planner designed to help Monika’s businesses run at a high level.
The Digital Goal Getter
For the woman who wants clarity without clutter
Mamie Pack, Owner of Mamie L. Pack Media— offers
digital tools to tackle it all!
LinkedIn: Mamie Pack
Instagram: @mamielpackmedia
Mamie approaches planning the way she approaches life and business. With clarity, intention, and heart.
Her digital Goals Planner is built for women who do not want to just set goals but understand them.
Mamie Pack’s digital Goals Planner is a clean, focused system that cuts straight to the point:
What do you want?
What’s in the way?
How will you solve it?
Who will hold you accountable?
I
t guides users through roadblocks, accountability, solutions, and celebration, because Mamie knows success is not just about what you do, but how you reflect on it.
This is a planner for the woman who wants to feel proud of herself, not just busy.
Mamie’s work reminds us that discipline does not have to be harsh. It can be encouraging, supportive, and deeply affirming.
It even includes space to celebrate wins — which is essential when you’re running a business inside a life that never slows down.
Best for:
Founders who want intentional and high-level planning.
There is no single right way to plan a year, a business, or a life. Some of us thrive with color coded calendars and tightly mapped weeks. Others need white space, room to dream, and flexibility to pivot when military life does what it always does. The magic is not in finding the “perfect” planner, but in finding the one that actually works for you, your season, and your goals.
As we head into 2026, let this be your reminder that your systems should support your ambition, not stifle it. The right planner can help you move from surviving to scaling, from scattered to strategic, and from dreaming to doing.
Now we want to hear from you.
What planner do you swear by and why does it work for your life and your business? Share your favorites with us and you could be featured in an upcoming MILSPO Social Co. roundup, because the best resources always come from women who are living this life right alongside us.
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Instagram: @milsposocialco
LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/milspo-social-co-magazine
Substack: milsposocialco.substack.com
Disclaimer: MILSPO Social Co. did not receive compensation for the stories, recommendations, or features included in this post. The opportunity to be featured was openly listed on our website for members of our community to participate. We have not personally vetted all resources or products mentioned, and this post is a compilation of suggestions and experiences shared by our community members. Readers are encouraged to exercise their own discretion when making purchases. Affiliate links may be included where noted.
By: Kera Sanchez, Founder and Editor-in-Chief of MILSPO Social Co. Magazine
Instagram: @lemonstolegacies
LinkedIn: Kera Sanchez
