Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Determining the best way for you to plan
• Part 2 of 3: Draw up your schedule
• Part 3 of 3: Stick to your schedule
• Tips

If you dread that huge pile of things to do every day, planning can be a great way to help you. Planning helps you be more productive and do everything more efficiently. Make a daily schedule with which you budget your time. With a schedule you will be less stressed and you can get the best out of yourself. Good planning includes a feasible amount of tasks and plenty of free time. Try out different methods to find the one that works for you.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Determining the best way for you to plan

1. Grab a notepad or open a scheduling app on your phone, tablet or computer. The first step in planning is to find a method that works for you and stick to it.
   • Try different methods for the first week. A notepad or paper calendar and various apps. Determine what you like best to work with.
   • There are many apps available that can help you plan. Some apps are just a to-do list; others are full productivity management tools. It can be tempting to use multiple apps at the same time. However, you quickly lose the overview. Instead, choose one app that works well for you.
   • Some people like to work with pen and paper, others with an offline app, and some with an app that you can use on multiple devices. It doesn't matter which one you choose, as long as you pick one and stick to it.
2. Write down the date. Whether you're working on paper or in an app, start by jotting down the date.
   • If you are using a calendar, the date is already there. Then go to the correct day.
   • Writing down the date and possibly the day of the week will help you to bring focus. A daily schedule is about the here and now, not about what you might need to do in the future.
3. Write down everything you need to do. Not everyone does the same in one day. But whether you are at work, going to school or doing housework, it is important to write down all the tasks for the day. Write down any information that is important to complete the tasks on time.
   • If you have a meeting at 10:30 AM, also write down where that meeting is, with whom, and for how long the meeting will last. Also write down what to bring to the meeting.
   • It can be a bit of a puzzle to find out what information makes sense for you to include. Use the first week as a test week. Try different things and see what works best for you.
   • The purpose of adding information is to help you be better prepared. Try to include more information than just the time. If you feel that you are incorporating too much information, feel free to leave some out. Limit yourself to the information that makes you feel prepared.
4. Stick to this method of planning. Once you have chosen a method, hold it.
   • If you've found an app that allows you to do whatever it takes for your schedule, just use that app and don't use a second one next to it. Unless your work requires you to use multiple methods, "the less the better" applies.
   • Maybe you like to write down your planning on paper. A digital calendar may be used at work. That means that you use two methods side by side for your planning. You can, but try to keep them apart.

Part 2 of 3: Draw up your schedule

1. Establish priority levels. Not every task is in the same hurry. In addition, there are large and small tasks. Develop your own system for this; do whatever makes the most sense for you.
   • If you like to plan everything from the moment you get up to the moment you go back to bed, it can be helpful to set up your daily schedule in chronological order. If you are using a calendar app, create a separate calendar for your daily schedule. You can use this "daily routine" calendar until you need a different calendar for a specific task.
   • Often you don't plan everything you need to do, for example get up and make breakfast. If you prefer to only schedule the tasks that don't come back every day, it may be more convenient to write down the tasks from largest to smallest rather than in chronological order.
   • Any way of planning is good, as long as it suits you and you can stick to the schedule. For some tasks it is important to do them at a specific time. A meeting, for example, but also the shopping that has to be done before closing time. You can plan other tasks in order of importance. For example, if you have a meeting at 11:30 AM, you can schedule one or two tasks that are important to complete that day. You can then do less important tasks in the afternoon. By then, when your meeting runs out, you've done the most important things.
2. Write down the important tasks first. Try to build your schedule around the most important tasks. Within your own system it is good to make sure that you have time for the important tasks before planning the less important ones.
   • Even if you draw up your daily schedule in chronological order, it is important to know which tasks you necessarily have to complete that day and which ones can be postponed if necessary. First schedule the important and major tasks, and then see how many minor or minor tasks you can also schedule.
   • Starting with the biggest and most important tasks will give you a good idea of ​​how busy you are that day. That way you avoid scheduling too many tasks. Your goal is to complete all scheduled tasks; so don't plan so many that you can't get through it anymore.
3. Write down the start time and end time for each task. Whether you do this in an app or in a calendar or in a notebook, writing down the start and end times will give you a better insight into whether you are still on schedule.
   • Starting each task on time will force you to be less distracted.
   • Setting a time for annoying activities (such as cleaning) prevents procrastination. Schedule a start time for tedious jobs and do them at that time, instead of doing "one time" doing the dishes today which are still there at 11pm ...
   • Recording start times and end times gives you a good idea of ​​what your day looks like. You will then have a good impression of where you are at a certain moment and whether you need to adjust your planning.
4. Leave some leeway. It's tempting to plan your entire day just to get as much done as possible. You can do that if you have a lot of deadlines, but it is better to build in some flexibility in your planning.
   • You can often easily plan eight hours with daily tasks. However, unexpected things always happen. Your colleague, mother or friend calls, your boss comes with a rush job, or you have run out of coffee and you have to run to the supermarket. Schedule 5 to 10 minutes between tasks so that an unexpected event does not immediately disrupt your entire schedule.
   • Even when there are no unplanned things happening, it is nice to have time between two tasks. You can then take some time for yourself and start your next task relaxed.
   • Building in flexibility also means that you set an earlier end time for a task than the ultimate end time. For example, if you need to finish a particular memo at 5:00 PM on Fridays, plan to finish it by Thursday. That way you don't have to get stressed if your schedule runs out.
5. Choose a good balance between tasks and free time. Schedule an end time for each day. For example, that the dishes are done at 7 p.m. and you have the whole evening to yourself. Or if you mainly use the daily schedule for work, that you have done all the work for that day by 6:00 pm and can go home. At first it may be difficult to estimate how much time you need for certain tasks, but after a few weeks you will find that you can plan very realistically and be ready at the time you have in mind.
   • Use this knowledge to plan your day with a specific end time. Your goal is to complete all scheduled tasks that day. But that doesn't mean you have to keep going at all costs and sacrifice your free time. Of course it may happen that you have to work overtime at work, or that you are still doing the dishes at 8 pm, but try to keep those kinds of days to a minimum. Schedule a time that works for you and enjoy your free time.
   • Stick to your intended end time.If you plan to brush your teeth at 10 p.m. and be in bed at 10:15, stick to that. If you plan to finish work at 5:30 PM, be sure to be ready and go home by then.
   • Make time for fun things. Lunch with colleagues, have a cup of tea outside in the sun, or read your social media. Find a balance between mandatory things and fun things that work for you.
6. Plan fun activities. You can stick to your daily schedule more easily if you also add fun tasks. This can also be in the form of a reward: if you have done three tedious tasks, you can eat a sorbet.
   • If you have a workday that is full of presentations, meetings and deadlines, it will be easier to get through that if you have something to look forward to in the evening.
   • If you're going out for dinner with a friend, going on a date, or binge-watching the new season of your favorite show, put that in your schedule so you have something to work towards.
   • Take relaxing activities into account in your planning. For example, schedule an hour in the evening for your favorite television series.

Part 3 of 3: Stick to your schedule

1. Make your daily schedule at the same time every day. If you make your daily schedule at the same time every day, it becomes routine. After a few weeks you do it automatically and making a schedule is a piece of cake.
   • You can plan the rest of your day in the morning with your first cup of coffee, or in the evening as the last task of the day. Whatever works for you.
   • Making a schedule is as much a part of your routine as following your schedule. So also schedule planning.
2. Focus on one task at a time and do the big tasks first. Complete the tasks one by one, in the order you scheduled them. If you don't stick to your schedule, it won't work either.
   • During the day you become less productive. So make sure you do the most important tasks when you still have enough energy. Do the tasks that require less thought later in the day, such as archiving your mail or sorting documents.
   • If you try to do several things at the same time, or are distracted by activities that are not in your schedule, it becomes very difficult to stick to your schedule. Focus on the task you have planned for that moment. The sooner you finish the planned tasks, the sooner you can start doing fun things.
   • There are, of course, times when you can't stick to your schedule. A rush job that comes by, or an e-mail from your boss that needs to be answered immediately. Fortunately, you have built in leeway in your calendar, so that you have time for urgent extra tasks. If it is not urgent, schedule the handling of the extra task for a later time.
3. Check off which tasks you have completed. Checking off tasks gives a good feeling; you make visible what you have achieved. This will help you stick to your schedule.
   • As soon as you have completed a task, tick it off. If you have a schedule on paper, you can cross out the task. In an app there is often an option to mark a task as "completed". When you see what you have ticked off at the end of the day, it gives a feeling of satisfaction.
   • Checking off completed tasks also helps you to easily see what you have already done and what you still need to do. It shows well whether you are still on schedule.
   • If you can't complete all your tasks, it doesn't have to be a problem. You can move less urgent tasks to the next day. As soon as you have more experience with making a daily schedule, you will find that you can better estimate how much time a task takes, and how much time you have to set aside for unexpected things.
4. Allow yourself some free time. Make sure you take time for yourself into account in your planning. If you are not only busy with obligatory things but also with fun things, it is easier to stick to your schedule. Make a realistic schedule and take sufficient breaks into account.
   • If you see a schedule at the start of the day that is crammed with mandatory tasks and has no room for fun things, it is not motivating. Try to spread less enjoyable things over different days, so that you have time for fun things every day.
   • Evaluate your schedule after a week. Is your schedule realistic? Are there many tasks that you have not been able to do, or did you have more time left than expected? Make use of this when you are planning for the coming week. Your planning is getting better this way.
   • Leave enough time for fun things, and at the same time make a realistic planning. Whether you go to school or work eight hours a day, keep in mind that you can't be productive all day long. Even on an eight-hour working day, you occasionally have to go to the toilet, get coffee for colleagues, or just stare out the window every now and then. So keep in mind that you will not be 100% productive for those full eight hours.
   • Try to complete the tasks that you find most annoying first. You will notice that you can then do the other tasks with more energy.
   • If you know that you have a slump after lunch, don't schedule tasks that require a lot of energy right after lunch.
5. Keep your planning at hand. Be it a notebook, a calendar or an app, have your schedule with you so you can always check what you had planned to do and tick off completed tasks.
   • It is easier to stick to your schedule if you check your schedule regularly.
   • If someone asks you to do something, you can immediately check your schedule to see if (and when) you have time for it.
   • Don't be afraid to shift in your schedule. Especially if you have already completed the most important tasks that day, you can easily adjust your schedule for the rest of the day or even move tasks to the next day. Your schedule is not a straightjacket, and it is no problem to postpone non-urgent tasks. Make sure that you do not pass everything on so that you end up in trouble later.

Tips

• Allow yourself enough time to complete each task.
• Keep your planning at hand.
• Check off completed tasks.
• Schedule big tasks early in the day.
• Allow yourself some free time.
• Make your schedule for the next day at the same time each time.
• Evaluate your week and adjust the schedule for the next week to make it easier to follow your schedule.
• Don't sacrifice your night's sleep to study. If you start tired the next day, it will be more difficult to meet your schedule. Keep a good balance between leisure and work.