PLANNING MY DAY PROFESSIONAL

Keep Track Of TimeĪnother important thing you must always do is keep track of your time.īe honest with yourself and write down exactly how much time you need for each task. The tasks that you don't have the time for that day, but you'd still like to remind yourself that they need to be addressed should be in here and you can do them when you find time for them.īy planning your day this way you recognize what the priority is and you knock out the important tasks first, then deal with the others later. All of the tasks that need to be handled ASAP, but not necessarily by you should find their place in this category.Īnd the final category is not urgent and not important. The third category is urgent, but not important. Basically, this is where things and tasks that can come back and bite you in the ass if you don't deal with them on time should be placed. The second category is important but not urgent. It takes time for people to develop a routine that works best for them.Recognize the priorities and make sure you deal with them first.

Be aware that re-jigging your schedule is common and totally normal.

For example, instead of giving yourself 2 hours in the morning to get ready, consider reducing that time to 1 hour three days a week and schedule in a 30-minute jog with the extra time freed up.

PLANNING MY DAY PROFESSIONAL

X Expert Source Kathi Burns, CPO®īoard Certified Professional Organizer Expert Interview. You also might need to reconsider the time allotted for each task. You may need to reevaluate and re-order your priorities if the thing that is falling by the wayside is important to you (such as exercise).

Identify problem areas by looking at your planner and seeing what is falling behind.

However, if you're finding that too many tasks often get pushed to the next day (and then the day after that, and so on) and that you feel demoralized, you should probably make some adjustments to your schedule.

Are you seeing mostly check marks next to tasks and generally feeling positive and productive? If you answer 'yes', then your schedule is likely working well for you! One way to do this is to look at your day planner while also evaluating your own mood and feelings. It's important to check in every once in a while and figure out whether your schedule is working for you.

Ask yourself whether there are any additional small tasks surrounding the bigger tasks that need to be factored into your schedule? For example, do you need to shower after the gym? Do you usually end up chatting with a friend for 15 minutes in the change room? Most people find that their scheduled one-hour workout is actually more like two hours.Īssess and make adjustments as needed.

These extra minutes will add up and provide a cushion which can help you avoid being late or falling behind. For instance, schedule something that technically takes 4 minutes for 5 minutes, and tasks that technically take 8 minutes for 10 minutes, and so on. Try adding 25% to the time you allot for tasks in your schedule.

Always try to overestimate how long something will take by a few minutes.

Considering all of the time that goes into even preparing to do certain tasks and winding down from them afterwards will help you schedule your day with better accuracy. Most people generally underestimate the amount of time tasks take. Keep both with you for the first few days and check to make sure nothing has been left out or double-booked.Īdd time cushions to your schedule.

If you are making the switch from a paper to digital calendar, you may find things a bit hectic for a day or two as you get used to the new system.

For example, maybe below the section 'Go to the gym' on your calendar, you want to not only check it off but also note that you 'Ran an extra mile today and felt great!' Adding notes can help you keep better track of your behavior. This can help you keep track of not only what you've done but how you did it and/or how it made you feel.

You might want to choose a digital or paper calendar that has some extra space so you can add notes to your schedule.There are also a number of apps that can help you schedule your day with reminders and timers.

There are also many digital calendars for your phone or laptop that can synch to all of your electronic devices so that you always have ready access to your calendar wherever you are.Do not try to have one planner for work, one for school, etc. X Research source Whatever you choose, commit to your choice. Choose whatever best suits your wants and needs. Some calendars offer weekly, daily, or hourly planners. Make sure the calendar has appropriate space for you to list your tasks.

Planning my day