How to plan a month of content in 60 minutes

If you spend more time planning your content than creating it, you're doing it wrong. All you need is 60 focused minutes and a decent device, and you can map out an entire month's worth of content before your first coffee gets cold. This method is built to save you time, erase confusion, and help you show up consistently without burning out. You can grab this editable Content Planning Calendar template and follow along. We promise you'll be done in an hour.

Now lets begin!

Step 1: Set yourself up for speed

Before the timer starts, here's what you need:

• One uninterrupted hour so remember to silence those Slack notifications

• A calendar tool like Google Sheets, Notion, or the content planning template you grabbed earlier

• Your core themes which you want to be known for; your products, services, or offerings

• Key dates such as product launches, holidays, events, etc

Think of this as your content parameter. It sets boundaries so you don't waste time figuring out what's in or out. If you're confused about content themes, here's a guide on how to pick and choose them.

Step 2: Pick 3-5 content categories

This is your repeatable content engine. Choose 3-5 types of posts you can cycle through without reinventing the wheel. For example:

• Educational (Tips, tutorials, and short how-tos)

• Promotional (Product highlights, features, offers)

• Behind-the-scenes (Team wins, culture, processes)

• Curated (Sharing helpful articles, tools, trends)

• Engagement (questions, polls, etc.)

This keeps your feed interesting and helps you balance value with visibility. Mixing formats in this way ensures you and your audience avoid fatigue. Think of it like a balanced diet: too much promo and people will likely tune out. Too many tips and you set yourself up to be forgettable.

Step 3: Plot it into a calendar

After sorting out your categories, it's time to drop your ideas into the visual calendar you had from the start. For the best results, ensure to:

• Plan 1-2 posts per week. The aim is consistency, not overload. You don’t want your audience to get tired of seeing your content pop up.

• Use patterns, e.g., Tip Tuesday, Feature Friday, Sunday Scoop. This introduces a flow to your audience that keeps them anticipating the next drop.

• Schedule lighter content around launches or busy periods. You prevent burnout for yourself and confusion for your audience.

You can use tools like CoSchedule's Headline Analyser to improve post titles as you go.

Step 4: Write mini-briefs or headlines

Don't write full posts yet. That's not the goal here. For now, just sketch out each idea with:

1. A working title

2. The goal (e.g. drive signups, boost engagement)

3. Format (carousel, video, blog link, etc.)

4. CTA (e.g. "Save this", "Try this tip", "Learn more")

Here’s an example:

1. Post Title: 3 Quick Wins for Better UX Copy

2. Goal: Position us as experts

3. Format: Image carousel

4. CTA: Save for your next wireframe

This straightforward customisable Content Brief can help you or your team pick up the idea and execute without guessing.

Step 5: Use tools to move even faster

Here are some other tools to automate or shortcut your planning time:

1. Notion or Trello to drag-and-drop content boards

2. Buffer or Later to batch-schedule your posts

3. ChatGPT to draft CTAs, hook ideas, and post variations

4. AI tools like Canva Magic Write or Jasper AI can help speed up brainstorming if you're stuck.

Wrapping up

This method is planned with repeatability in mind. Once you do it once, the next month becomes easier and faster. You already know your content types, key dates, and rhythm, so it becomes a case of tweaking to fit your audience's needs rather than building from scratch.

Some bonus questions you should ask before starting the next monthly content plan after the first month are:

• What performed well last month?

• Did I post too much of one type of content?

• What's happening this month that I should talk about?

You should spend at least 5 minutes reviewing before you plan again. It does make a difference. Content planning does not have to be hectic. All you need is a system that works with your time and this one's built for speed, clarity, and actual results.

Set a timer, grab the monthly content planner, and make content planning the easiest part of your workflow!