Interview | How Milena Glimbovski, founder, invented her mindful planner “Ein guter Plan”

Milena Glimbovski (27) is living at a spanking pace. In 2012, she opened „Original Unverpackt“, the first supermarket with no packaging in Berlin. Its success was followed by a huge media response. Work as a founder was so intense that Milena thought about how to take things easier. In 2015, she invented a mindful planner as means against stress and exhaustion, Ein guter Plan, together with a friend. The planner comes packed with energy boosters like techniques for a better self-care and placidness. „To be honest, you never reach that moment when you finally have time to care about your dreams“, Milena Glimbovski says.

A talk with the founder.

Milena, Ein guter Plan shall be an instruction for a radically mindful life and reduce daily stress levels. There has been a huge demand for your planner from the beginning. In summer, 2017, you sold the 30,000th copy. What exactly do your customers like that much?

Well.. I guess we don’t elevate ourselves, we don’t stand beyond our readers and customers. We don’t tell them what to do. It’s just far from it. We ask questions and help them finding answers. The book shall be sort of implemental, be a friend. The techniques inside were so good for me after my burn-out. And they still are.

You and writing – how would you describe your relation to each other?

I write to sort my thoughts. I write to get rid of them and to find calm. But sometimes I write to convey something. However. Words are friends. They let you discover new dimensions. They are there when you need them.

Ein guter Plan shall impart stability and has loads of good content in store for that. Do you think writing itself is equally important?

That’s a good question. Maybe yes. In the moment you write something down it gets real. It is nearly as if you vocalise your thoughts. I guess this has sort of a therapeutic effect on me and on others.

For your planner you have won the German Red Dot Award, an award which celebrates excellent graphic design. Who created Ein guter Plan?

Jan Lenarz, my co-founder and good friend, is responsible for the design. The two of us developed Ein guter Plan. Jan knew the design intuitively, and this was long before any techniques were a topic for us or even planned. Jan had a special idea in mind and found a great way to realise it. A friend of mine is a huge help for him in implementing all graphics, Desiree Themsfeldt. Many years ago Desiree was my class-mate!

Ein guter Plan “Zweitausendzwanzich®”. Copyright: Ein guter Plan, BerlinDo you use your Plan, too?

I do! I use everything except of the calendar function. My calendar must be digital so that my team can see when I am available for appointments. This year I also used our notebook Eine gute Idee as well as our Ein gutes Buch. The latter inculdes techniques for your personal planning of the future and also monthly reflections. There are many assignments included, but the most important one of them comes last. That is to sit down once a month and look: What has worked out this month? What was good, what wasn’t? Which aims did I reach? The effect is that I have a better perception of time. I suddenly feel as if the year doesn’t spin away. I can pause again and again, be happy and learn.

You co-operate with many experts who contribute to your planner. Are there co-operations with a special significance for you?

That’s like asking me ‘do you prefer pizza or burger’? Not fair! I like the opportunity for friends to present their expertise in our book. Someone may have a job and be an expert in a special field but possibly does not write about it often. It is amazing to read about his or her know-how in our planner. By the way, we have teamed up with many great bloggers for our new edition. Two of them are Anna Schunk of “Viertel Vor” and Maddie of dariadaria.

Your most wonderful experience linked to your planner?

It is amazing to hear by so many how Ein guter Plan changed their lives. They speak about it in person or by E-mail. Sometimes it’s just dazzling, beyond belief.

When you write something in longhand, which writing utensil do you use? A pencil? A pen? Any marked preference?

Well, mostly it’s a ball pen. I have a lot of them at home and have got used to fully use them up. That’s what I have been doing for several years now. As soon as the last ball pen is empty I’ll buy a fountain pen.

Writing decelerates things. Do you believe this will last?

Yes, I think so, be it in longhand or computerised.

Your resolution for 2018?

Well, I would love to have a break for a month. It must be wonderful to unwind at the French coast for a month or so without laptop, but with much reading, doing sports, eating baguette and drinking wine. As a founder I nearly ever switch off, take some time out without your baby. But in 2018, it’s that what I’d love to accomplish!

Have a good time, Milena!

Milena Glimbovski, geboren 1990 in Sibirien, lebt ohne Müll in Berlin-Neukölln. Sie führt den Supermarkt “Original Unverpackt” und gemeinsam mit Jan Lenarz den Verlag “Ein guter Verlag”. Gerade ist übrigens ihr sehr lesenswertes Buch Ohne Wenn und Abfall über ein nachhhaltiges und plastikfreies Leben erschienen.

Mi