Noticing the success of my blog Five Reasons to Plan Ahead, I decided to put together some tips that will help you get started with your planning too. I will be mentioning work and home related activities because they should be treated the same way. It is your time that we are talking about, so there should be no difference whether you are wasting it in your professional or private environment.
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| Tip Tuesday : Planning Your Day |
So the first step is making note of everything, even those small tasks that do not seem to be that important. As I mentioned before, writing down your appointments, to dos and shopping lists will save you a lot of stress. Try to stick to one or two means. If you keep your notes spread, you may not find them when you need them. Going electronic is the best option in my opinion.
Check your calendar the day before. Whether it is your private or professional agenda, checking it one day in advance will allow you get prepared for what is coming. You may need to set your alarm clock earlier because of an appointment or you may need to contact a baby-sitter to stay with the kids after school due to a last-minute meeting at the office.
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| Keep Calm and Plan Ahead |
Block similar tasks together. Instead of jumping from emailing, to calls and back to emails, arrange your time in a way that you do all calls together. The same for emails, social media activity, housework and shopping. If you plan your meals in advance, you do the groceries in bulk which will also save you money.
If you are not able to complete a certain task today, do not simply transfer it for tomorrow. Remember to be realistic with your schedule. If your agenda is already packed for the following day, it makes no sense to add even more stuff. However, if something urgent came up like a sick kid or colleague, be flexible and make possible adjustments according to your priorities. If it is not the case, postpone activity to when you will have time to do them and inform anyone who could be affected by it.
Learn from the experience. After one week, evaluate the method you used. Was it efficient? Do you feel accomplished? Were there any slip-ups? Ask feedback from your partner and colleagues. What could you have done better? Revise your performance and adapt it for the next week. Do this exercise until you feel 100% comfortable with the routine created.
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| A goal without a plan is just a wish. |
Summary:
- Write everything down
- Check your calendar the day before
- Block similar tasks together
- Plan postponed tasks according to their priority
- Revise your performance and make adjustments if necessary
Got any tip yourself that you would like to add to this list? Let me know what tools and methods you use to plan your day.
Wishing you all lots of success with your planning and do not hesitate to contact me if you have any questions or remarks.
#DebbieInShape
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