Does anyone plan out their day with a schedule and how's it going?

[Miss Spider]

K so I have a horrible relationship with time. I either feel I don’t have enough or I have way too much. Very rarely in the middle.
 

I was considering making a schedule where I plot out my day by the hour(or about that)and trying to stick to it. On one hand I think it seems a bit militant and stressful to have of schedule but maybe is a key to improving my time management and being more productive. However, making a schedule this specific is sort of time-consuming in itself. I dunno. 

Does anyone keep a pretty specific schedule rather than a general ‘to do’ and how’s it working for you? 

[d0nnivain]

I need one.  I've made a few but haven't stuck with it.

It works for some.  Give it a shot for a month.  See how you like it.

[littleblackheart]

That's my New Year's resolution!

I've started today actually. 

What I'm thinking of doing:

- Wake up everyday at the same time.

- Have a healthy breakfast

- Exercise for 30 minutes while kids do what they do.

- Work on workdays / spend quality time with kids at the w/e

- Cooking lunch and having it at the table with the kids

- Strictly limited time on LS (I'm still in my alloted time for 20 mins).

- Work in the week or walk / chill with kids / catch up with friends (tricky under lockdown, but still)

- Cook and have dinner with kids at the table, check h/w

- Catch up with family and friends on SM / LSing

- Reading or movie night with the kids

- Switch all screens before bed

- Go to bed at set time.

On point so far!

 

[Alpacalia]

Google Calendar. I print it out every night and post it to my bulletin board next to my desk.

[FMW]

My job requires that I meet hard deadlines AND be flexible and re-prioritize as needed.  So strict scheduling does NOT work for me.  

I have a To Do list organized by priority, but that can and does change frequently and I have to be flexible.  I consult that list several times a day to make sure I'm on track.    

I treat my personal life the same, although when I make plans/dates with someone else I honor those and work anything else I need to do around them. 

[Miss Spider]

3 hours ago, littleblackheart said:

That's my New Year's resolution!

I've started today actually. 

What I'm thinking of doing:

- Wake up everyday at the same time.

- Have a healthy breakfast

- Exercise for 30 minutes while kids do what they do.

- Work on workdays / spend quality time with kids at the w/e

- Cooking lunch and having it at the table with the kids

- Strictly limited time on LS (I'm still in my alloted time for 20 mins).

- Work in the week or walk / chill with kids / catch up with friends (tricky under lockdown, but still)

- Cook and have dinner with kids at the table, check h/w

- Catch up with family and friends on SM / LSing

- Reading or movie night with the kids

- Switch all screens before bed

- Go to bed at set time.

On point so far!

 

That’s awesome

 

Thanks, guys. This app that has been helpful for me (and it is free!)https://todoist.com 

Productivity-daily planner is good too

[Happy Lemming]

I do keep a "to-do" list for daily chores that need to get done (that day).  I just kind of hand write that one and keep it next to the computer (on my desk).  As I complete each task, I scratch it off.

I do keep a different "to-do" list (on my computer) for larger jobs and projects that require research and large expenditures.

Instead of an hour by hour itinerary for your day, how about a "to-do" or "chore" list??

Edited January 16, 2021 by Happy Lemming

[Ruby Slippers]

I agree with Happy's to-do list suggestion. I've tried all kinds of time/task management systems over the years and I find this one works the best. I don't do a to-do list every day, haven't felt very motivated this winter and haven't done one in a while. But when I do, I generally sit down with a cute piece of paper at the start of the day and write down what I hope to accomplish. I don't write down a million things, as then I'll just feel stressed that I didn't get them all done. Just a manageable handful for the day or weekend.

I read a good book with a friend some years ago called "Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity" by David Allen. One of the best tips I got from that book is to have a system in place for managing all your to-dos. The idea is to get every to-do out of your head and onto a paper or electronic calendar or list in some organized fashion. When you do that, it frees up that little bit of brain space you use every day to think, "Oh, I need to do that pile of laundry" or whatever. If we don't have a system, we tend to get a bit anxious with a dozen to-dos swirling in our mind undone. As soon as you get it out of your head and down somewhere you'll revisit, you can relax and forget about it until it's done. 

[Miss Spider]

47 minutes ago, Happy Lemming said:

I do keep a "to-do" list for daily chores that need to get done (that day).  I just kind of hand write that one and keep it next to the computer (on my desk).  As I complete each task, I scratch it off.

I do keep a different "to-do" list (on my computer) for larger jobs and projects that require research and large expenditures.

Instead of an hour by hour itinerary for your day, how about a "to-do" or "chore" list??

Possibly. I could try that.  I thought maybe with a more comprehensive list I could be even more productive. Like all of my day planned out so that no time is unaccounted for /wasted. Also,  in the past when I made a general daily list I was sometimes  procrastinate until the end of the day and then struggle to get it done. But maybe it only works better in theory and I just need to work on sticking  to it more. It does feel good to check off the list. Thank you so much

Edited January 16, 2021 by Shortskirtslonglashes

[Happy Lemming]

I do keep "really" important items on a wall calendar.

Tax deadlines, doctor/dentist appointments and girlfriend's birthday.

[Ellener]

5 hours ago, Shortskirtslonglashes said:

Does anyone keep a pretty specific schedule rather than a general ‘to do’ and how’s it working for you? 

Yes and no...I set goals, and there's usually a list of them on a white board.

If I'm not doing any of them any length of time I look at it in more depth-it's usually because I don't want to do it/it's wrong for me...or I have some avoidance for a specific emotional reason ( so dealing with that becomes the task  )

Big tasks like writing/composing/work prep get their own white board and/or little cards to organise, memorise, break things down etc

Every single day these days has some 'real work', something creative/relaxing ( painting, knitting, reading )and the practical day today such as chores, growing stuff, walking the dog etc. I found I need the routine whether or not it's strictly necessary or I go a bit weird/out of sorts....

I go through phases of meditation and yoga and super-healthy eating. This week I'm growing sprouting cress seeds on paper towel 

Not much social life since Covid but I listen to a lot of music/radio and have favourite tv instead, watch occasional movies. 

Today I started a 30 day 'journal journey' based on the quotes of Joseph Campbell, in a pretty book a friend sent me for Christmas, been sticking some of my little paintings in there. And dancing to Pacifica radio and intermittently knitting

Good luck with your plans!!

 

 

[Taramere]

No, but funnily enough I decided to start doing that today.  Not a strict schedule, but a short list of things I've been procrastinating on.  I'm also trying to time myself to see how long I take to do certain chores.  I want to build up to a more orderly routine but in the early stages I'm just going to be happy if I get a couple of things on my "stuff I've been procrastinating" list each day.

[littleblackheart]

3 hours ago, Shortskirtslonglashes said:

That’s awesome

Thanks! That already pear-shaped today so obviously needs a bit of tweaking, but I'll keep the main things for me, that is waking up and going to bed at regular times, eating at the table with kids and limiting phone use. Keeping a bit of schedule during a lockdown is becoming increasingly important when you are juggling work, like and 2 kids at home who need homeschooling. You obviously need to be flexible but having a general idea of how the day ahead of you looks like is helpful.

 

[littleblackheart]

1 hour ago, Ellener said:

And dancing to Pacifica radio and intermittently knitting

I've also started knitting. So relaxing.

I used to dance in my front room all the time. I was so caught up in the negative stuff that I forgot about all those little pleasures are so important to keep a positive spirit. Thanks for reminding me @Ellener!

[Taramere]

1 hour ago, littleblackheart said:

Thanks! That already pear-shaped today so obviously needs a bit of tweaking, but I'll keep the main things for me, that is waking up and going to bed at regular times, eating at the table with kids and limiting phone use. Keeping a bit of schedule during a lockdown is becoming increasingly important when you are juggling work, like and 2 kids at home who need homeschooling. You obviously need to be flexible but having a general idea of how the day ahead of you looks like is helpful.

 

I got waylaid by an insanely long phone call, but I've just finished a piece of paperwork that I've been procrastinating for 3 weeks.  It was one of those multiple page things that looks like 2 hour task, but ends up taking about 20 minutes because most of it's comprised of guidance notes.  It's amazing how the things we dread doing often end up being quite a straightforward task.  

[Foxhall]

I tend to follow a general pattern but at the same time am easily sidetracked or am quite flexible to changing- this ties in with my personality profile that you were discussing on your previous myers briggs thread.

If I check in here, my most frequent time  is between 10.30pm to 11.30pm.

 

[Interstellar]

Motivation is a feeling...feelings fade...

Discipline is a lifestyle

[Wiseman2]

Chaos makes me nuts so a natural order of things is my peace.

[Happy Lemming]

@Shortskirtslonglashes

I thought about you today, as I made up my to-do list for Monday and Tuesday.

Monday is a Federal Holiday, the banks and post office are closed, so some items that I had ear-marked for Monday, had to be shifted to the Tuesday list.

[littleblackheart]

Utterly failing at reorganising my life. Still in mourning at the moment but also seem to find excuses stick to a routine. 

Phone addiction is a worst issue than I thought!

Returning to this thread to give me motivation, then switching phone off and going back to routine!

[Miss Spider]

On 1/28/2021 at 6:52 AM, littleblackheart said:

Utterly failing at reorganising my life. Still in mourning at the moment but also seem to find excuses stick to a routine. 

Phone addiction is a worst issue than I thought!

Returning to this thread to give me motivation, then switching phone off and going back to routine!

same. 

[LivingWaterPlease]

I have a morning routine, coffee (1 cup decaf 1//4 cup regular), health drink, devotions, exercise, then everything else falls into place naturally. Sometimes exercise gets postponed until mid or end of day. My days vary greatly as my work has many different facets.

I keep a to do-list with both personal and work things on it that I need to attend to. I check it in the morning to keep in mind how to fit items on it in as I move through the day. I rarely get everything on the list in so what's left goes on next day's list.

 

 

[Alpacalia]

I've veered off my daily routine for a bit myself, hoping this thread will give me the motivation to get back on the ball!

[Beachead]

Good thread topic.

I tend to forget a lot of things so staying organized and setting those goals helps me remember and keeps my mind efficient and focused so yep.. I still buy an agenda and write my daily and weekly goals out.  I frequently write my out errands, my workout goals, my job goals, special days of friends and family..and for some of them I organize them into Longterm, intermediate and short-term goals.  Sometimes I break the intermediate goals into 2-3 year more subcategories based on time-frame; 3 month, 6 month, 9 month etc.   Getting specific with how I want to accomplish whatever I want to accomplish helps me design a good, realistic plan, that'll push me to get it done.  Writing for the sake of writing leads nowhere I find.  Because there is no point to it, it becomes this thing you feel obligated to do, so you just end up stopping down the road.  One needs something to work towards.

A big mistake that many people make is being too vague.  for example.. "I want to lose weight." 

But..how? 

To that, they might say "Well I need to exercise and change my diet.."

 But even that's too vague.   

In this case, establishing fitness and dietary goals are important.  How much weight do you want to lose ?  What exercises do you need to focus on to lose that weight.  How often will you train?  Will working out in the morning be better or the evening given your life?  How will you need to adapt your diet? What foods will you cut back on and what will you eat more of or start up on?  What about sleep..as that's just as important.

Getting specific is important.  Specific with the way you layout the time-frame for your plan and specific with what you want to achieve.  Because specificity gets the wheels turning in your brain and then gets you thinking about the journey towards that goal.

Something that helped me get specific was setting up a longterm goal.  What do you want to accomplish in 6 months to a year, for example.  You can have 2 or 3 longterm goals, ranging from fitness to social to career for example.  The time frame can also be anything you want but I'm just using 6 months to a year as an example because a time-frame makes the goal attainable.  Too long of a time-frame and it becomes harder to grasp, as you're likely too far away in your life to even imagine how to get there.  Nonetheless, never be afraid to dream big.  With that in mind, think about how you're going to accomplish your longterm goal.  What do you need from yourself and from others to do it and how do you get what you need if you don't have it?  For example, if you want to start your own business, but you don't have the financial capital to get it going..then deeper question is how do you get the money?  Bank loan?  Job?  Savings?    Once that's set, the ideas of what your weekly goals and daily goals need to be, will start flowing.  

1. Write your daily goals in the evening before the next day you're supposed to start them.  This way, you know what to do, the moment you wake up.  
2. Write your weeklies Every Sunday Evening.

And remember, if you accomplish that longterm goal, that's great..but don't feel bad if you don't because even if you miss your mark at the end of your time-frame, you're that much closer to it than you were, had you not done anything.  You can readjust, set up new goals, and keep going.  Maybe in 6 more months, you might get to exactly where you want.  And that's the point.   Aim for the stars, reach the moon, kind of thing.  

Cheers

- Beach

Edited February 20, 2021 by Beachead

[Miss Spider]

So the whole having a schedule thing isn’t going so good for me either. And by “not going so good” I mean nonexistent. Just yesterday, I found a way to talk myself out of accomplishing two important marks on my calendar, all because the night before I had stayed up too late with my boyfriend and I guess they weren’t that important. I could probably handle it later possibly never maybe. I’ve let you all down. And most importantly, I  let myself down.I keep trying to tell myself there is a positive to this because women who keep a schedule or pattern of behavior are more likely to be abducted and killed 

Edited March 5, 2021 by Shortskirtslonglashes