A5 problem solving worksheets: half letter inserts, 5 whys to action plan

These A5 problem solving worksheets are 20 undated insert pages for A5 ring binders, half letter binders and discbound planners, guiding you from a muddled situation to a clear choice and a doable plan. You get an A5 PDF and a Half Letter PDF, plus print-and-cut versions for A4 and US Letter paper that place two pages on each sheet, all as an instant download.

Nothing is shipped. Print what you need, punch the pages and keep them beside your plans.

How the A5 problem solving pages calm overthinking

When a problem only lives in your head, it tends to loop. These pages slow it down. You name the problem in plain words, keep asking why until you reach what is really behind it, and fill 20 numbered lines with ideas before you allow yourself to judge any of them.

Next you weigh the options using a pros and cons sheet, a grid that sorts ideas by impact and effort, and a weighted matrix for as many as four choices, so deciding feels clear rather than heavy. The planning pages break the choice into 10 small steps with if/then backups, check-ins along the way and a review of what worked. Because the set is undated and lives in your binder, a fresh worksheet is ready whenever something tricky shows up.

Who these thinking pages are for

• Owners of an A5 6-ring binder, a half letter binder or a junior discbound planner who want thinking pages filed right beside their plans
• Overthinkers stuck going in circles who would like a gentle, step by step route to a decision
• Anyone weighing a personal choice, like changing jobs, moving home, a money question or something in the family
• Students and young adults growing their own decision making and critical thinking skills

Design, sizes and binder fit

• Clean, minimal style: white pages with gentle blush pink touches that need very little ink
• Generous margins on all pages, so a home printer will not trim anything
• Portrait pages in two sizes, A5 (148 x 210 mm) and Half Letter (5.5 x 8.5 in), plus print-and-cut sheets for A4 and US Letter paper
• Undated, so the set works in any year and you can reprint a worksheet for each new problem
• Mirrored margins: odd pages have a 14 mm binding margin on the left, even pages have it on the right, with 8 mm on the outside edge
• Lines spaced at least 6.5 mm apart and type no smaller than 8.5 pt, easy to read and write on a small page
• Print-and-cut sheets include a dashed middle line and cut ticks, so a single cut gives two pages
• Use it in a binder, on a clipboard, or have a print shop spiral bind it

Inside the A5 problem solving set: 20 pages

1. 1Cover listing all 20 pages, with space for your name and the date you begin
2. 2Start here: an overview of the six stages (define, understand, explore, decide, act, review), lines under each one and a spot for the first problem you want to tackle
3. 3Define the problem: what is going on, when and where it happens, who it touches, why it counts, 1 to 5 scores for how urgent, important and stressful it feels, a single "how might I" sentence and a picture of a good result
4. 4Facts and control: known facts set apart from assumptions, a circles of control drawing, checklists for what you control or can influence, what lies outside your control and what you still have to learn
5. 5The 5 whys: the problem at the top, five numbered why prompts, then the root cause and the action it points to
6. 6Causes map across six areas (people, process, time, resources, environment, me), your top three causes and which ones to tackle first
7. 7Brainstorm options: 20 numbered lines for ideas, one wild idea, advice from an imagined wise friend, people who could help and your favorite ideas
8. 8Pros and cons comparing Option A with Option B, room for 6 of each per option, a 1 to 5 gut feeling score and the option you are drawn to
9. 9Impact / effort grid split into quick wins, big projects, small extras and not now, with space for what the grid reveals
10. 10Decision matrix for as many as 4 options and 10 criteria weighted 1 to 3, a totals row, suggested criteria and a gut check on the winning score
11. 11My decision: the choice you made and the reason, what you are letting go, best, likely and worst case outcomes, a 1 to 10 confidence scale, who you will tell and a kind note to yourself
12. 12Action plan: the goal, 10 numbered steps with columns for who, deadline and done, what you will need, today's first step, and dates to start, finish and check in
13. 13Obstacles and plan B: 9 if/then rows, early warning signs, a backup plan, your support people and what to do when you feel stuck
14. 14Progress check-ins: 10 rows for date, action taken, what works and what to change, a 0 to 10 progress scale, small wins and the next step
15. 15Review results: the outcome you hoped for compared with what really happened, a 0 to 10 score, what did and did not work, lessons about the problem and about you, loose ends and ideas for next time
16. 16One-page solver for everyday snags: the problem, its real cause, three possible fixes, your pick and why, first steps, a backup if it fails and the final result
17. 17Problem-solving journal: four prompts, before and after feeling scores and one action you commit to
18. 18Reflection journal: a challenge you met, how you dealt with it, 15 note lines, the strengths you drew on and what makes you proud
19. 19Problem log: 13 rows for date, problem, worksheet used and status, plus problems you are proud to have solved and patterns you spot
20. 20Lessons learned: what tends to help, traps you slip into, 9 numbered lessons, your go-to worksheet and a reminder for hard days

What you download

• A5 Problem Solving Worksheets, A5 PDF at 148 x 210 mm (20 pages)
• A5 Problem Solving Worksheets, Half Letter PDF at 5.5 x 8.5 in (20 pages)
• Print and cut A4 PDF with two A5 pages on each landscape A4 sheet (10 sheets)
• Print and cut US Letter PDF with two half letter pages on each landscape Letter sheet (10 sheets)
• Read Me First, a PDF guide to printing, cutting and hole punching, with a page finder

How to download and print

• Check out with PayPal, a debit or credit card, Apple Pay or Google Pay. Your download page opens as soon as the payment goes through.
• We email the same private download links to you, so you can download your files again later.
• Open the PDF in a free reader such as Adobe Acrobat Reader and print at 100% or Actual size.
• Print only the pages you need, as often as you like, for your own personal use.

Good to know before you order

• This set is a group of print-ready PDFs, not a hyperlinked digital planner. You can still import the PDF into most note taking apps and write on it there.
• It is a digital download only. No physical product will arrive in the mail.
• Colors on paper may look slightly different from your screen.
• For personal use only. Please do not share, resell or redistribute the files.
• Digital files cannot be returned, but if a file does not open or print as it should, email us and we will help straight away.
• Ring spacing varies from brand to brand, so the pages carry no punch marks. Punch the wide inner margin with your own A5 6-hole punch, junior punch or disc punch.
• These worksheets help you think and organize. They are not therapy, legal or financial advice and do not replace a qualified professional.

How this was made

Designed and written by PetiteDiary. AI tools helped draft parts of the text, and some background scenes in the preview images were created with AI. Every page was designed, reviewed and checked before release.

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