How to Plan a Week of Social Media Content in Just 60 Minutes
- Active Toast
- Aug 19
- 3 min read
If you’ve ever spent more time thinking about what to post than actually posting — this guide is for you. You don’t need 10 hours. You need a system.
For busy small business owners, freelancers, and content creators, consistency on social media can feel like a full-time job. But it doesn’t have to. With the right method, you can plan an entire week of content in just 60 minutes — without burning out.
Why You’re Spending Too Much Time on Content (And How to Fix It)
If content planning feels like a never-ending task, here are a few reasons why:
You’re overthinking every post. You treat each post like a blank canvas instead of part of a bigger story.
You have no structure or system. Without a plan, you’re making daily decisions — which leads to decision fatigue.
You treat content like one-off tasks. Each caption, each image, each idea becomes a mini project.
You’re not repurposing. You keep creating from scratch instead of recycling your best-performing content.
Fixing this is simple: batch-plan your content using a system that works with your brain (not against it).
The 5-Step 60-Minute Content Planning Workflow
Ready to cut your planning time? Set a timer and follow these five steps.
Step 1: Pick Your Weekly Content Goals (10 min)
Start with clarity. What’s the main purpose of your content this week?
Do you want more engagement?
Are you trying to educate your audience?
Are you promoting a product or service?
Pick one clear theme for the week. For example: “Help my audience understand the value of my service.” Let that guide every post.
Step 2: Choose 3–5 Content Types or Formats (10 min)
Decide which formats you'll use:
Reels
Carousels
Static image posts
Testimonials
Stories
Choose 3–5 formats that fit your schedule and skill set. Stick with what you can consistently execute. No need to jump on every trend.
Step 3: Plug In Content Pillars or Topics (15 min)
Use this time to map your post ideas to your weekly theme. Pull from categories like:
Education (teach something valuable)
Value (free tips, mistakes to avoid)
Behind-the-scenes (what you're working on)
Promotion (product or service features)
Bonus: Use a buyer persona or your most common FAQs to inspire content ideas.
Still stuck? The SMM STARTER TOOLBOX has 100+ content ideas, content calendar templates, and an engagement check sheet to help you plan smarter.
Step 4: Write Quick Captions or Hooks (15 min)
This isn’t the time for perfection. Write quick, rough versions of your:
Captions
First-line hooks
CTA (call-to-action)
Use a proven template or format to save time. You can always polish them later when posting.
To save even more time, grab Hooks That Work in 100+ Ways — a ready-to-use library of hook formats that make writing your first line 10x faster (and more effective).
Step 5: Schedule or Save Drafts (10 min)
Wrap up by putting everything into action:
Schedule content using tools like Meta Planner, Later, or Notion
Save final graphics or reels in your phone draft folder
Add reminder notifications for posting manually if needed
Even if you only schedule 3 out of 5 posts, that’s already more consistency than most brands.
Bonus: This Method Works Globally
Whether you're running a local cafe in Mumbai or a coaching business in Melbourne — this method has helped our clients across India, the UK, UAE, and Australia show up online without stress.
You don’t need to post daily. You just need to post with purpose.
More Planning Help? Start Here:
Ready for Done-For-You Support?
Want a done-for-you weekly content plan built for your brand? Book a free call — we’ll help you map out your next 7 days in 1 hour.
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