How to Create a Schedule you can Stick to
With hectic days, filled with tons of things to do it’s so easy to get overwhelmed or stuck. The best way to maximize your time and get more done is with an effective schedule.
Planning in itself is not helpful if it’s not lined out properly and effectively. Use a system that works for you and one you can stick to.
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Have an Action Plan
You need an action plan to put your thoughts and goals in writing and act on them. The proof is in the doing.
Having a plan for your day, event or month is key to maintaining momentum and focus to achieve the goals you’ve set out for yourself.
A plan is the first step to getting anywhere with your goals.
Write a list
List everything you want to achieve, improve on or simplify in your daily life. Nothing is too minor to write down.
Your list doesn’t have to be perfect. Just write down what comes to mind. This is your brain dump stage.
Prioritize
Take the list you wrote and put it in order. Have three columns to segment your list into what’s most important, what needs to get done first and what has the biggest impact.
This stage gives your goals and ideas structure. You are able to organize your thoughts and do things in a productive way.
Some things on your list don’t belong there, remove them. Change some things around and create a flow that works for you.
Chunk your tasks
Based on your list and the order of priority, break down your tasks into smaller action steps. Make sure you are able to get things done quickly and that it’s in it’s simplest form.
It can get quickly overwhelming if you aren’t simplifying your tasks enough. Batch them according to similarity and resources required to achieve them.
Categorize your tasks. For example, you can have, social media, networking, finance, meetings, kids, errands, and any category you can think of where you group similar tasks
Remember your flow and order when breaking your tasks down. You don’t want to go back to a task you could have done in a category you already completed.
Time frames
Have timelines for your tasks. This creates accountability and helps you stay driven. Set dates for when you need to accomplish your tasks.
Be realistic but not too lax. Consider your current workload and schedule when you set timeframes. Don’t try to squeeze everything in. Just work towards making progress.
If you miss a due date don’t panic. Go back a few steps, see what can be altered and how you can get back on track.
Why should you schedule
Limits distractions
Scheduling limits distractions because everything has a set time. Turn off the phone and social media notifications so you aren’t tempted to go down the scrolling spiral.
Make time in your schedule or diary to check social media. Most ideally a time during the day when you’re not normally busy. Set a reminder when you exhaust social time on the schedule.
Track Progress
Have you ever felt like your day was a waste and you didn’t do half the things you panned? That’s what happens when you don’t schedule. Mind planning is the easiest way to lose track of your goals for the day.
When you have a schedule, you can track what you’ve achieved and what you still need to do.
Write notes at the end of each day to recap on the day and tasks completed. Give yourself a tap on the shoulder for progress made.
Enhance productivity
If you aren’t a scheduler, try it for a month and you’ll see how your productivity increases. Trust me on this one. Pen on paper makes things clearer.
You are more likely to do something if you’ve written it down. And when it’s in black and white you need to follow through.
The satisfaction of ticking things off your schedule as DONE! Priceless.
You may also like: Setting SMART Goals
A schedule motivates you
Seeing your progress and achievements motivates you to keep going. Planning gives you the insight into how far you’ve come in your plans.
When you see an increase in productivity you become driven to do more of what works.
Now that you have an action plan and are clear on why it’s important to schedule, what next?
Get it done
Put in the work. Scheduling and planning are only effective when you start putting your plan into action.
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Love, Everyday
Ntha
34 Comments
Ashley
This is such a helpful article! Definitely beneficial to new Moms!
nmasipa
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you found it helpful
Katherine
Great plan of attack! I always find its hardest to stay motivated after the high of getting started passes
nmasipa
Yeah, that’s why a planner is a lifesaver. You also need to check in with your goals.
sofia
awesome tips! definitely needed to read these.
nmasipa
So glad you found them helpful. Thanks for reading.
Mary
Having a schedule helps a great deal as it can be overwhelming at times. This is just what many of us need to plan our day smoothly.
nmasipa
So true. I would be a mess without my planners and schedule.
Valerie
I love all of this! I used to have a great memory and remember everything, but now it’s more like a dynamic chaos all the time 😂 I started writing down everything I need to do, day by day, and not only I don’t forget anything anymore, but it gives me a feeling of accomplishment!
nmasipa
It’s so easy to forget things especially when you have a lot going on. Writing things down is a great way of keeping on track.
Mckayla
Thanks so much for the insight! Scheduling is one of my worst abilities (although I’m getting better) and I have a hard time judging how much time I have vs what I need to get done.
nmasipa
It takes practice. Alteast you’re getting better. Just be realistic with your tasks, you can give yourself more time than you think you need so you’re covered.
Lina Thao
Having a schedule is so important to stay on task.
Yusuf Saheed
These are practical tips to stick with.
Thanks for writing and sharing it for others to read and comprehend.
nmasipa
Thanks for reading and warm words.
Britt K
Great advice! People often overlook the power of accountability. If you can’t effectively track the progress that you’re making, it’s easy to feel ‘busy’ without accomplishing anything. After all, you’re working on SOMETHING, right? As soon as you start scheduling and tracking, you’re going to start seeing what you’re actually accomplishing and what’s just busywork with no real benefit. A shift in focus can, at that point, greatly improve your overall results and BAM – you’re starting to feel that sense of accomplishment that you’ve been craving!
Lydia | Wannabe Preppers
Thank you. I am gearing up to get a more defined routine and schedule for back to school. I am also building in time into my September schedule to get my home more prepared for emergencies (national preparedness month). Thanks for the encouragements to get this going.
nmasipa
I’m glad you found the post encouraging. Thank you for reading.
Jamie
Needed these ideas today! Been a bit scattered lately and I need a new plan. Thanks for sharing.
nmasipa
Thanks for reading. I’m so glad they could help.
Cassie
Great post! I am big on planning, so this is super helpful. Writing a list and utilizing prioritization to get tasks done are my top two for sure! Thank you for sharing!
nmasipa
Thanks for reading!
Katrina
These are all super helpful tips! I’ve never made myself stick to a time schedule, but I think it would be effective if I’ve tried it. Sometimes I give up on my tasks for the day so having a schedule might help keep me on track.
nmasipa
A schedule is a great help to getting things done. You should definitely try it
hari
this is a wonderful post for sticking with a schedule.
love the tips.
thanks for sharing this awesome post!
nmasipa
Thanks for reading. I’m so glad you loved it!
JustReadingJess
Great tips. These tips are very useful and I plan on trying them. Since I’ve started blogging I feel like I have no time to get stuff done, so hoping these tips will help.
nmasipa
Planning helped me make the most of my time. I really hope you’ll find them helpful.
Shane
These are all tried and true tips to maximize personal efficiency, a must for those looking for growth via productivity. I am a former old school list maker myself that eventually graduated to Microsoft OneNote for keeping my affairs in order. I highly recommend leveraging tech to aid in personal efficiency, there are tons of tools readily available. Great reading, thank you for sharing!
nmasipa
Thanks for reading. There are great digital productivity tools I love and make my planning easier for sure.
Nidia
I love organisation and creating schedules. Your tips are awesome and really up to the point 🙂
nmasipa
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you enjoyed the post.
jenyscloset
Great ideas. I also set a time for my task as well as make a list. That helps a lot.
nmasipa
Thanks for reading.