Everyone has the same twenty-four hours, yet some people manage to get more done while others struggle to accomplish a single thing on a to-do list. The thing is that they know how to manage their time better and be more efficient. With the world shifting to a largely remote working format, having a clearly defined schedule is more important than ever. It’s easier to fall into distractions than before, as the boundaries between work and home have vanished.
Life is stressful enough as it is, you should not add to it the struggle of how you spend your day. Instead, you need a strategy to schedule your to-do lists and get work done efficiently. Here are some guiding principles to help you use a schedule for efficient days.
Understand the WHY
There will always be things that will make you procrastinate, as it usually takes a lot of energy to get started. That is why finding the reason behind your actions is so crucial. It’s the purpose behind what we do. So, everything you do should be in favor of that purpose. Focus your attention only on tasks that matter in the long term.
Prioritize everything
Perhaps the most challenging aspect of productivity is staying focused on one thing at a time. Having every task prioritized, you avoid spending time on tasks that don’t get you anywhere.
First, write down everything you can think of and put your priorities in order of importance. You’ll easily spot tasks that need your attention so you can focus on them first.
Estimate accurately
Once you’ve figured out what you need to do, the next thing for a productive day is to set deadlines. It’s crucial to know how long everything takes. One of the most common scheduling mistakes is not accurately estimating how long a task or project takes. At first, you might overestimate or underestimate, or even worse, you may miss a deadline or waste valuable time. But you have to develop that skill to improve your chances of success. Consider the peaks in your productivity throughout the day. Schedule your tasks knowing that you”ll also need breaks and time for the unexpected.
End the day with a plan
To take things to the next level and get a clear vision of what’s coming next. Every evening look at your tasks for tomorrow and check if you have everything set for the morning. By doing this, you’re helping your brain to prepare for tomorrow and waking up with a definite idea of how the day goes. It helps with getting started rather than just staying in the planning phase.
Leverage Technology
Technology is great for scheduling. After all, on a fundamental level, a schedule is just a simple grid. But scheduling technology can be more than that. Tools like Planndu help you schedule recurring tasks, color code tasks and even collaborate on tasks with others. It all helps with improving your schedule and not forgetting important events. The possibilities are endless!
There are plenty of techniques to help you have an efficient schedule for your workday, and you can try them all until you find the one suit you most. The main idea remains the same, knowing what’s coming next and working on one thing at a time. Just remember to schedule your priorities, use comfortable tools to automate your scheduling, and get enough rest to recharge your batteries for a new day.
