2 Planner Techniques to Try This Start of Winter | How to Organize Your Year-End Schedule and Pace Yourself
2 Things to Do in Your Planner for Rittou (November 7, 2026).
Prevent "I Wanted to See Them But Couldn't" and "Winter Break Crashes"
While you can begin to feel the signs of winter, why not take a look at the "last two months of the year" on your November and December Monthly pages?
This year, too, I let myself get swept away by busyness
and didn't get to see the people I wanted to see.
So that doesn't happen again, let's start now.
Solar Term "Rittou" - Saturday, November 7, 2026
Rittou is one of the solar terms that marks the beginning of winter according to the calendar. In 2026, it falls on Saturday, November 7, and the Rittou period lasts until November 21, the day before the next solar term, Shosetsu. The morning and evening air grows much colder, the sun sets earlier, and before you know it, there are only two months left in the year.
To put it simply, Rittou is the perfect time to "get ahead of the year-end and decide how you want to spend it in your planner."At the end of the year, plans to see people you want to meet, preparations for Christmas and other holidays, and the final push at work all pile up at once. Before things get really busy, take care of these two things in your planner.
There are two things to do in your planner for Rittou (November 7, 2026).
① Write down winter joys and things that require preparation (Christmas preparations, appointments with people you want to see at the end of the year, etc.) in your planner now.
② Think about your year-end pace and schedule "do-nothing days" in advance.
For both, you can write them down in the notes section of your November and December Monthly pages and plan while looking at the entire month.
What Is Rittou? When Does It Fall in 2026?
Rittou is the 19th solar term. It is one of the seasonal markers that divide the year into 24 parts based on the position of the sun, signaling the transition from late autumn to winter. The term "Rittou" has two meanings: the day itself and the approximately two-week period until the day before the next solar term, Shosetsu.
Around this time, camellias begin to bloom, the winter wind starts to blow, and you can gradually feel the signs of winter. Although the daytime is still mild, the mornings and evenings grow colder, and the sun sets earlier.
When you line them up like this, there is about a month and a half between Rittou and the Winter Solstice. Rittou is the "starting point" for the flow toward the end of the year.
1: Write Down Winter Joys and "People You Want to See" in Your Planner Now
Once December arrives, work becomes much busier as you wrap up the year, and plans for year-end parties and events keep piling up. Before you know it, the year is ending. Don't you think about it every year, saying, "I wanted to see ○○ this year, but I didn't get to see them..."?
For plans with loved ones and time-consuming events like Christmas, the trick is to write them in your planner ahead of time before things get really busy.The closer the end of the year gets, the more everyone's schedules fill up. If you start moving now at Rittou, you can meet up with each other when you both still have some flexibility in your schedules.
STEP 1: Write Down "Things to Do in Winter"
First, write down whatever comes to mind in the notes section of your November and December Monthly pages. Christmas presents, illuminations, winter delicacies, year-end cleaning, New Year's cards... Don't separate "things I want to do" from "things I have to do," and just list them casually.
STEP 2: Schedule Appointments with "People You Want to See" First
Write down the names of the people you want to see at the end of the year, and put the day you will contact them on the calendar. Just writing "Contact ○○ on the ○th" will help you take action without forgetting, even when you're busy. Once the date is set, write that in too.
STEP 3: Work Backward for Things That Require Preparation
For things that take time to prepare, such as Christmas decorations, presents, and arranging travel home, write down "what to do by when" in November. You won't have to rush at the last minute, and you can enjoy your time to the fullest.
Don't just "add" plans; try adding a little note like "I'm looking forward to it!" Every time you open your planner, it will make you feel a little more positive.
2: Think About Your Year-End Pace in Your Planner to Avoid a Winter Break Crash
Another thing you should think about during Rittou is your "year-end pace." Here, a "winter break crash" means that after pushing yourself until the end of the year, you suddenly get sick or become so exhausted that you can't do anything as soon as your break starts.
The end of the year is a time when work and personal plans tend to pile up, from the final push at work to year-end parties, family events, year-end cleaning, and preparations to go home. It's not uncommon to feel that it's a waste of a hard-earned break.
The important thing to keep going until the end is to decide your pace in advance.With a Monthly page that lets you see the entire month, you can see at a glance the balance between busy weeks and weeks with more flexibility.
STEP 1: Mark Busy Days and Weeks with Packed Schedules
First, mark the days when work deadlines and events pile up. This will help you see the overall flow, such as "This week is too packed" or "There's a little more flexibility here."
STEP 2: Schedule "Do-Nothing Days" First
Before the weeks that get packed, write down "do-nothing days" and "days to rest well" in advance. The key is to secure your rest days before filling the open days with plans. Spending time at home, eating what you like, or just sleeping. Those are also perfectly valid plans.
STEP 3: Write a Short Note on "How You Want to Spend the Next Two Months"
Finally, write a short note about how you feel now in the notes section. Write a promise to yourself, such as "December has a lot of plans, so take it easy" or "Spend New Year's slowly." It will serve as a guide to look back on when you feel lost in the busyness.
Reiko Tanaka
Forte Diary Creative Director
For me, a planner is less of a tool for getting through plans and more of a pace maker that lets me decide in advance "how I want to spend my time and at what pace."
In the past, when year-end parties and work peaks continued through November and December, I would run out of steam before winter break. I ended up spending my holidays sick every year.
Because of those experiences, now that November arrives, I first look over my plans until the end of the year. I identify the things I really want to work hard on, the weeks that will be busy, and the events I'm looking forward to, and consciously create time to take a breather in between. That's how I've come to focus on creating my own unique pace.
Thanks to that, in recent years, I've been able to end the year feeling healthy and welcome the new year feeling refreshed.
With Forte｜Planner, You Can See the Entire Month and Plan for the "Next Two Months"
The Monthly page of Forte｜Planner comes with a calendar that lets you see the entire month at a glance and a notes section where you can write freely. It's perfect for opening the November and December pages now at Rittou and planning while looking at two months' worth of pages.
Write down your exciting plans, the people you want to see, and your rest days. As you write them down and look over them, the way you want to end the year will naturally come into view. Leave the detailed daily plans to your Weekly pages or digital calendar, and use the Monthly page to draw the big picture of "how you want to spend the next two months."This is the kind of use we recommend.
Instead of being swept away by busyness,
I want to welcome the end of the year at my own pace.
Rittou is the beginning of winter. How do you want to spend the rest of this year? What will you write in your planner?
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See the big picture and think about how you want to spend the next two months.
The Monthly notes section will be your ally in planning for the end of the year.
With a design that combines My Life Planner, Monthly, Weekly, and Journal, you can plan everything from "things I want to do" to "how I want to spend every day" in a single planner. A5 size, available in five colors, and starts in December.
See inside Forte｜Planner 2027 →Just flip through the pages to see how to use it📖
Frequently Asked Questions
What Is Rittou? When Does It Fall in 2026?
Rittou is one of the solar terms, marking the calendar beginning of winter. In 2026, it falls on Saturday, November 7, and the Rittou period lasts until November 21, the day before the next solar term, Shosetsu.
What Is the Difference Between Rittou and the Winter Solstice?
Rittou is the solar term that marks the beginning of winter, falling on November 7 in 2026. The Winter Solstice is the shortest day of the year, falling on December 22 in 2026. There is about a month and a half between Rittou and the Winter Solstice, during which year-end work and events pile up.
When Should I Start Writing My Year-End Plans in My Planner?
For plans with people you want to see at the end of the year and things that take time to prepare, we recommend starting to write them in early November, before things get busy in December. This allows you to reach out to them before their schedules fill up, making it easier to coordinate dates.
What Should I Write in the Monthly Page Notes Section?
Feel free to write down "things I want to do in winter," "people I want to see," "things that require preparation," "do-nothing days," and a short note on "how I want to spend the next two months." Rather than detailed daily plans, we recommend writing down the overall direction and pace for the entire month.
Are There Any Tips for Avoiding Year-End Exhaustion (Preventing a Winter Break Crash)?
The trick is to write down and secure "do-nothing days" or "days to rest well" in your planner before things get busy. By looking at the balance between busy weeks and weeks with more flexibility across the entire month, it becomes easier to create a manageable pace.
How Do You Use a Planner and a Digital Calendar Differently for Year-End Schedule Management?
We recommend putting plans where details are important and changes or sharing are necessary in your digital calendar, and writing the main plans for the month and your feelings or pace for those plans in your planner. For more details, see the article on How to Use a Planner and a Digital Calendar Differently.
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