Creating & Sticking To A Workable Schedule
Creating and following a schedule is the best way to use your time efficiently. Working from a clarified schedule with detailed time blocks and tasks helps you meet deadlines, keep appointments, and stay focused on the task at hand. But, following a planned schedule can be difficult - especially if you aren't used to planning out the hours of your day.
Here are some things to remember while making and maintaining your life and work schedule.
Make a To-Do List
Yeah, most people roll their eyes here because it seems like a given. But this is only the first of several task management and planning steps. Plus, a lot of us are creating to-do lists the wrong way. Here’s more about why your current to-do lists may be failing you. Creating lists gets it out of your head and onto paper. It also helps you see what needs to be done and helps prioritize each task. No matter what anyone says, a to-do list is better than not having anything. When setting up a schedule, the first thing to consider is knowing what you need to accomplish.
Make a list of high priorities that you need to get done within the week and a list of non-negotiable tasks that you need to take care of, no matter what. Once you've made your lists, you can decide how much time you need for each activity and use this resource to develop your hourly, daily, and weekly schedule. Schedule high-priority activities first and work on everything else around them.
HERE ARE A FEW MORE PRACTICAL TIPS…
A planner is a great way to stay organized and focused on your objectives. I recommend using a paper planner alongside your digital one. You can use a physical copy or an app on your phone, but using the same planner for all your scheduling is essential. Record your scheduled events in one organizational tool, like a planner. For me, I have several planner categories, including Catch-All, Business, and Life. However, you do not have to incorporate this. My planner includes everything from my personal and business life domains, while my business planner is more specific and focused on work projects and business activities only.
Using a planner ensures that all your appointments and meetings will be in the same place and easily accessible and that no conflicting schedules are made. Simplified scheduling will keep you on track and relieve some of the stress associated with the scheduling process.
When planning your schedule, it's important to stay realistic. Don't plan out a schedule that you won't be able to keep. Be specific and realistic. Schedule buffers between meetings, especially if you have to travel from one to the other. Also, allow yourself breaks for rest and recovery throughout the day. Planning a too busy schedule will leave you feeling tired and may affect your performance and health. It’ll also create feelings of inadequacy if you don’t finish everything you’ve listed in your calendar.
Like any habit, good or bad, you have to keep at it to make it stick truly—schedule time to plan. Every Sunday at 5 pm, I sit with my planners, stickers, highlighters, and smart devices, and for 2 hours, I work on the week ahead and review my mission, vision, and goals to be sure my tasks align with where I want to go. The same applies to learning how to properly manage and maintain a workable schedule that you can consistently follow each week. Persistence is vital; it gets easier and becomes a habit as you practice.
Expect the unexpected. More often than not, things don't quite go according to plan. Doing risk management and scheduling for the unpredictable can help. Sure, you won’t be able to forecast everything, but at least you have a foundation to work from. Don't be stressed out if things don't happen exactly like you were expecting them to. Be prepared to adjust your schedule if the situation calls for it—Pivot and correct where you need to. If something comes up that you hadn't scheduled for, ensure you’ll still have time to see everything else on your schedule. Don’t panic. Work through what you can and substitute as much as possible.
These tips cover the basics of managing your time. After you've worked out and followed your schedule, you can adapt your organizational style to suit your needs. Try out different methods or techniques to see which ones you like. There is no perfect method for scheduling, so you have to find the method that works best for you.
Happy Scheduling,
AJD, CEO
WELCOME TO ALISSA AVENUE®
Hey There! I’m Alissa, CEO of this hive. We help busy humans free themselves from being overwhelmed and stuck living and thinking and reignite their passion and ambition. We provide you with the tools to transition and transform confidently.
