How to create a month of content in an hour

Planning content can feel like a never-ending task—especially when you’re spinning all the other plates of running a business or just trying to stay consistent online. But here’s the good news: you don’t need to spend hours every week glued to your phone, wondering what to post. With a bit of structure and a simple system, you can plan an entire month of content in under an hour. Yes, really!

Here’s exactly how I do it 👇

1. Start with Your Goals

Before you even open Instagram or Canva, ask yourself: What do I want to achieve this month?

Are you…

• Promoting a product or service?

• Trying to grow your audience?

• Building trust with your followers?

• Educating or entertaining?

Having a clear focus helps your content have purpose—and purpose is what connects.

2. Pick 4-5 Content Pillars

These are the core themes your content will revolve around. Think of them as your go-to topics that keep things consistent and easy to plan. For example:

• Behind the scenes of your business

• Customer/client testimonials or reviews

• Tips, how-tos, or educational posts

• Personal stories or relatable moments

• Product/service highlights

Sticking to a few pillars helps you stay organised and keeps your audience coming back for the content they love from you.

3. Choose Your Posting Schedule

Be realistic. You don’t need to post every day to grow. Aim for consistency over quantity. Three to four times a week is plenty for most small businesses or personal brands.

Let’s say you want to post 3 times a week—over 4 weeks, that’s just 12 posts.

4. Use a Content Calendar Template

Grab a calendar (Google Sheets, Notion, Trello, or a printable one—whatever works for you) and plot out your posts. Drop in your content pillars first to give your month structure.

For example:

• Monday: Behind the scenes

• Wednesday: Tips or value-based post

• Friday: Product feature or testimonial

Now you’ve got a plan. You just need to fill in the blanks.

5. Batch Brainstorm Post Ideas

This is where the magic happens. Set a timer for 15–20 minutes and brainstorm 2–3 ideas for each content pillar. Don’t overthink—just brain dump.

Some quick examples:

• Behind the scenes: “Packing orders on a Monday morning chaos” or “How I prep content for the week”

• Tips: “3 ways to get better engagement this month” or “What I wish I knew before launching my business”

• Personal story: “Why I started my business” or “That time I nearly gave up”

Before you know it, you’ll have 12+ post ideas ready to go.

6. Save Time with Templates & Repurposing

Use Canva templates or your go-to design tools to create posts quickly. Repurpose one idea across formats: a reel, a static post, and a story—done!

A single good idea can stretch a lot further than you think.

7. Schedule Your Posts (or At Least Draft Them!)

Use a scheduling tool like Later, Planoly, or Meta Business Suite to upload and prep your posts. If you’re not ready to fully automate, even saving them as drafts on Instagram will make life easier.

The point is: do the thinking now, so you’re not scrambling later.

Final Thoughts

Planning a month of content doesn’t have to be overwhelming or time-consuming. With a bit of structure and a system that works for you, you can take the pressure off and actually enjoy showing up online.

Give this method a try, and I promise you’ll never go back to last-minute posting again.

Want me to plan your content for you? I offer social media management and strategy support for small businesses and creators—drop me a message to chat!