The LöhnMethod is your key to holistic success – professionally and privately. More than a calendar system, it offers a comprehensive solution for self-management, project management, information management and personal goal setting. Developed by Prof. Dr. Dr. h.c. mult. Johann Löhn over 40 years ago, tens of thousands of seminar participants have already achieved their goals using this method.
The various building blocks of the LöhnMethod work together systematically, like departments in a company, to bring structure and efficiency into your life. Your ‘control centre’? The LöhnApp – the key to your success.
Never forget anything. Find everything. Organise better. Achieve your goals.
That is the aim of the LöhnMethod. In today’s fast-paced world and when balancing work and private life, planning and structure are essential. Both are important factors for keeping track of your projects, achieving your goals and being successful in your professional and private life.
What is the LöhnMethod?
The LöhnMethod is much more than just a kind of ‘calendar system’. The LöhnMethod is a holistic self-management and problem-solving technique for all individuals who want to expand their professional and private success and strive for the further development of their personal profile. Prof. Dr. Johann Löhn developed the method more than 40 years ago. There are now more than 60,000 users who are convinced users of the LöhnMethod.
The LöhnMethod has a total of six building blocks that form the basis for the entire method. They work together holistically in the following way: Objectives (Ziele) -> Doing (Tun) -> Storage (Ablage) -> Stimuli (Impulse) -> Material -> Routines (Routinen).
A brief introduction to the LöhnMethod:
The figure above shows the individual building blocks that are necessary for your planning. In simplified terms, the building blocks can be seen as departments, and the LöhnApp (or the conventional plan book) as the headquarter of a company, where the work of the departments is coordinated. The following is a brief explanation of the building blocks:
Objectives (Ziele):
Objectives must be set at certain times and periodically recalled. You must know your goals, be able to define them and sort them into short-/medium-/long-term goals.
Doing (Tun):
Activities, delegations and deadlines must be planned, coordinated and carried out.
Filing (Ablage):
Storage center; it contains notes, protocols and other documentation that can be accessed at any time. The filing is to be treated as a dynamic filing that is only accessed by the DOING department.
Stimuli (Impulse):
Suitable stimuli are used as ‘positive reinforcements’.
Material
Project sheet, daily activities, future activities, recurring activities, objectives, documentation, register for temporary documentation filing.
Routines (Routinen):
These are flowcharts and checklists in a predefined structure.
This blog article focuses on the LöhnApp, an electronic tool for the Löhn method. If you want to learn more about the LöhnMethod, a basic training course in the LöhnMethod would be a good start. Prof. Dr. Löhn offers basic seminars in which the LöhnMethod with its six building blocks is explained in detail using case studies. The basic seminar is conducted with the plan book. If you are interested in a course with Prof. Dr. Löhn, you can register for a course here (https://loehnmethode.de/seminare) or request a course.
The LöhnApp:
To enhance the LöhnMethod, Bitsea has developed the LöhnApp – a modern digital tool that helps you to effectively implement time and project management. The app combines functions that make your daily life easier and improves your overview of your projects.
The entry overview (shown below) is the headquarter:
The headquarter gives you an overview and access to all functions. Under the ‘Projects’ icon, you can create, sort, plan and document both professional and private projects. When you select a project, you can define associated appointments and activities. These are automatically linked to the respective project. The steps required to successfully complete your project are clearly summarized on the right-hand side. You have everything in view at all times. You can also add contacts to your projects and delegate tasks to the people responsible. All documents related to the project, such as flight tickets for the ‘travel’ project, can be stored and accessed at any time via the project. You can also print, share or export your documented projects as a CSV file. There are various print formats to choose from. This allows you to integrate the printouts directly into your plan book.
In the ‘Activities’ section, you plan your tasks for the week. You can give each task a name and assign it to one of your created projects. It is possible to set priorities and determine the effort required for each activity. You also set a deadline by which the task must be completed. If you want to delegate a task to a colleague, you can do so by clicking the ‘Delegate to’ button. In the ‘Future Activities’ section, you can plan tasks that need to be completed in the coming weeks rather than the current one. You can set the planning date and deadline for future activities so that nothing is forgotten.
You can access the calendar in the LöhnApp by clicking on the ‘Appointment’ icon. You can enter important dates, such as doctor’s appointments, with the date, location and time. In addition, you have the option of assigning the appointment to a project you have stored or sending it to various participants from your contact list.
In the ‘Contacts’ section, you can create your personal contact list and save birthdays, phone numbers, addresses and email addresses. This way, you will never forget a birthday and you will always have your contacts at hand. Contacts can be easily synchronized with Outlook. In the ‘Notes’ section, you can store memos and the last points of contact, so that you are always up to date with your environment.
For added motivation, the LöhnApp offers more than 200 stimuli. You can select your favorites and create your own personal stimuli portfolio. Every morning, when the mountain of tasks seems overwhelming, it helps to have a daily stimulus to motivate you to get on top of them.
Daily visualization is also important, especially for achieving long-term goals. You can enter your short-, medium- and long-term goals under the ‘Objectives’ icon. These act as signposts and provide you with a daily reminder of the direction you are moving in and why you are doing your tasks. Review your goals every six months to make sure they are up to date e.g. instead of the objective ‘lose weight’, it would be better to formulate ‘lose 5 kg in 3 months’ as a specific goal.
In the ‘Recurring Activities’ section, you can enter recurring meetings and activities that take place weekly or monthly at the same time. These are automatically added to the calendar for all upcoming weeks and months. An end date is specified for each recurring activity in order to check the relevance of these recurring tasks at the end of the year.
The ‘Routines’ icon allows you to record repetitive processes in the form of checklists and to work through each routine. Such routines may include, for example, incoming and outgoing mail, substitution rules, appointment management or project controlling.
The LöhnApp is designed for Windows, macOS, iOS and Android operating systems. User data is synchronized automatically across platforms. Companies can also install the system on their own server. Within company groups, it is possible to exchange project data between users and delegate tasks. The LöhnApp can be tested free of charge for two months. After that, the subscription price is €1.99 per month or €19.99 per year at a discounted rate.
Summary
In summary, the LöhnMethod is a helpful tool that allows you to always have an overview of your plans and goals. The LöhnApp is designed to support you in simplifying your planning and structuring. The advantages of the app compared to the plan book are:
- The folder: You have all documents in a folder and can access them anytime via the app.
- No paper accumulation: The app is more environmentally friendly and you save space in the office.
- If your colleagues or family have an account, you can create common project groups and plan projects and delegate tasks to each other.
- You can print your project sheets in different formats.
- An extensive search function allows to find projects and documents more quickly.
- The app allows synchronization with Outlook.
- You can export your entries to CSV files.
- You can create routines such as checklists for trips etc. with little effort and print multiple copies.
Both the plan book and the LöhnApp have their advantages. Of course, you can use the plan book and the LöhnApp in combination.