The PLAN by Kendra Adachi Summary

The PLAN offers a flexible time management system designed for women, focusing on aligning schedules with energy levels, priorities, and life stages. Kendra Adachi’s approach rejects rigid productivity norms, emphasizing self-compassion, adaptable routines, and intentional adjustments. Key frameworks include the PLAN acronym (Prepare, Live, Adjust, Notice) and strategies like cycle-syncing with hormones and creating a “Someday List” for realistic goal-setting.

This book is ideal for women overwhelmed by traditional productivity methods, especially mothers or caregivers juggling multiple responsibilities. It suits those seeking a compassionate, hormone-aware approach to time management that prioritizes personal needs over societal expectations. Fans of Adachi’s The Lazy Genius Way or her podcast will find complementary strategies here.

Yes, if you want actionable yet flexible time management advice tailored to women’s lived experiences. Readers praise its emphasis on self-kindness, seasonal planning, and rejecting hustle culture. However, those familiar with Adachi’s prior work may find some recycled content.

Unlike male-centric optimization guides, The PLAN integrates hormonal cycles, energy fluctuations, and caregiving realities into its framework. It replaces perfectionism with “good enough” goals and offers pep talks for guilt, overwhelm, and motivation slumps.

Adachi’s “Someday List” replaces pressure-driven bucket lists with a curated collection of low-stakes, achievable goals. It encourages intentionality without rigidity, helping readers prioritize interests like hobbies or travel when time and energy allow.

Yes, a full chapter explains cycle syncing—aligning tasks with menstrual or menopause-related energy shifts. Adachi provides phase-specific planning tips, acknowledging how hormones affect focus and capacity, a rarity in productivity literature.

Some reviewers note repetitive themes from Adachi’s earlier works and occasional overly simplistic advice. The feminist critique of “patriarchal systems” also feels heavy-handed to a few readers.

• Prepare: Identify priorities and energy patterns
• Live: Execute plans while staying present
• Adjust: Modify tasks as circumstances change
• Notice: Reflect on what’s working or needs revision

This cyclical process emphasizes adaptability over strict adherence.

Yes, it teaches readers to set boundaries using Adachi’s “Lighten the Load” framework—delegating, deleting, or downsizing non-essential tasks. Real-world examples show how to protect time for relationships and self-care.

• “Your worth isn’t tied to your productivity”
• “Plan from your reality, not your fantasy”
• “Done is better than perfect”

These reframes combat perfectionism and external validation-seeking.

While James Clear focuses on incremental behavior change, Adachi prioritizes context-aware systems over habit stacking. The PLAN better addresses caregivers’ unpredictable schedules but offers fewer concrete tactics.

Its anti-hustle message resonates amid burnout trends and remote work challenges. The hormone-informed approach aligns with growing interest in women’s health-focused productivity tools.