Daily Planning Board Guide

Last updated: January 2026 · 6 min read

The Daily Planning Board is where you execute on your tasks. It enforces the 1-3-5 method by limiting what you can commit to each day, helping you focus on what matters most.

Understanding the Board Structure

The Daily Board has three sections, each with a specific capacity:

B
BIG (1 slot)

Your most important task. The ONE thing that would make today feel successful.

M
MEDIUM (3 slots)

Important supporting work. Tasks that keep projects moving forward.

S
SMALL (5 slots)

Quick wins. Emails, calls, small fixes you can knock out in 15 minutes or less.

PlanItNine daily board with tasks

A complete daily plan with all 9 slots filled.

Adding Tasks to Your Day

Method 1: Quick Add

  1. Type in the "Add task" field at the top of the board
  2. Click the B, M, or S button to set the size
  3. Press Enter or click the + button

New tasks appear at the top of their section (above existing tasks).

Method 2: Drag from Outliner

Drag any task from the Outliner and drop it on the Big, Medium, or Small section. Tasks are added to the top of the section. This is the recommended workflow - plan in the Outliner, then drag to today when ready.

Method 3: Schedule from Outliner

Click the menu on any Outliner task, select "Schedule Work...", and choose Today with your desired size.

Pro Tip: Plan your day the night before or first thing in the morning. Having a clear plan before you start working dramatically increases completion rates.

Task Controls

Each task on the Daily Board has several controls:

☑️
Checkbox

Mark task complete

📝
Notes

Add task notes

📅
Due Date

Set a deadline

Actions

More options

Remove

Remove from today

Timer

Track time spent

The Task Actions Menu

Click the three-dot menu (⋯) on any task for additional options:

Task action menu

The task menu provides quick access to common actions.

Navigating Between Days

Use the arrow buttons or date picker in the header to navigate between days:

Time Tracking

Each task shows its tracked time. Click the play button (▶) to start timing. See the Time Tracking guide for more details.

Timer running on a task

The timer shows elapsed time on the task and in the header.

Daily Notes

Below the task sections is a Daily Notes area. Use it for:

Notes auto-save as you type.

Sharing Your Plan

Click the email icon (📩) in the header to share today's tasks. You can:

Email share dialog

Share your daily plan via email - recipients don't need an account.

Best Practices

Morning Routine: Start each day by reviewing your plan. Is your Big task still the most important thing? Adjust if priorities changed overnight.
Energy Management: Do your Big task when your energy is highest (usually morning). Save Small tasks for afternoon energy dips.
Don't Overfill: The 1-3-5 limit exists for a reason. If you constantly don't finish, you're planning too much. It's better to finish 9 tasks than to half-complete 15.

Mobile View

On mobile devices, the Daily Board and Outliner are shown on separate screens. Use the navigation buttons to switch between them:

Mobile daily board view

The mobile view keeps the 1-3-5 structure in a compact layout.

Related Guides

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