How to Schedule Your Life
Make a list of your short and long-term goals., Track your time., Identify the time of day when you perform best., Pay attention to where you’re losing time., Be realistic., Get inspired.
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Make a list of your short and long-term goals.
Look ahead to the next day, month, and year.
Ask yourself what you want to get done during that time.
Set both short-term and long-term goals, so you’ll know how to allocate your time and measure your progress.Take your personal goals into account, as well as external responsibilities like your career or your schoolwork.
For example, your long-term goal might be to finish your degree, while your goals for today might be to attend class and finish writing a report. -
Step 2: Track your time.
For one or two weeks, carry a notebook or daily planner with you, and write down everything you do.
Make note of how much time you spend on work, homework, entertainment, and daily tasks like sleeping and eating.
Don’t try to change your habits yet.
The purpose of this step is just to give you an idea of how you’re using your time right now.
Be honest with yourself about how you spend your time – you can always improve your habits later. , After you’ve tracked your activities for several days, look over your notes and see when you are most productive.
If you are consistently able to focus best at a certain time of day, that’s probably your peak productivity window.For instance, you might find that you focus best in the morning, or you might only hit your stride when the sun is going down. , Look over your notes again and ask yourself if any consistent time-wasters appear.
If an activity is unnecessary, doesn’t enrich your life, and doesn’t move you closer to your goals, it’s probably a time-waster.
Think about how you can cut back on these activities or get rid of them completely.For example, you might realize that you procrastinate on the internet too much.
To fix this, you could install an app that blocks distracting sites, or you could give yourself a shorter window for web-surfing every day. , Keep your needs and limitations in mind as you plan your schedule.
Just because something works on paper doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to stick with it in real life.
Ask yourself how you’ll keep your energy levels up throughout the day, and remember that you’ll need to leave small gaps in your schedule for things like eating and going to the bathroom., Search the internet for articles on how successful people structure their days.
Notice how much time they devote to work, play, and rest.
Consider borrowing parts of your schedule from somebody you admire.
For example, you might be inspired by someone like Benjamin Franklin, who got up at five o’clock every morning to plan the day ahead. -
Step 3: Identify the time of day when you perform best.
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Step 4: Pay attention to where you’re losing time.
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Step 5: Be realistic.
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Step 6: Get inspired.
Detailed Guide
Look ahead to the next day, month, and year.
Ask yourself what you want to get done during that time.
Set both short-term and long-term goals, so you’ll know how to allocate your time and measure your progress.Take your personal goals into account, as well as external responsibilities like your career or your schoolwork.
For example, your long-term goal might be to finish your degree, while your goals for today might be to attend class and finish writing a report.
For one or two weeks, carry a notebook or daily planner with you, and write down everything you do.
Make note of how much time you spend on work, homework, entertainment, and daily tasks like sleeping and eating.
Don’t try to change your habits yet.
The purpose of this step is just to give you an idea of how you’re using your time right now.
Be honest with yourself about how you spend your time – you can always improve your habits later. , After you’ve tracked your activities for several days, look over your notes and see when you are most productive.
If you are consistently able to focus best at a certain time of day, that’s probably your peak productivity window.For instance, you might find that you focus best in the morning, or you might only hit your stride when the sun is going down. , Look over your notes again and ask yourself if any consistent time-wasters appear.
If an activity is unnecessary, doesn’t enrich your life, and doesn’t move you closer to your goals, it’s probably a time-waster.
Think about how you can cut back on these activities or get rid of them completely.For example, you might realize that you procrastinate on the internet too much.
To fix this, you could install an app that blocks distracting sites, or you could give yourself a shorter window for web-surfing every day. , Keep your needs and limitations in mind as you plan your schedule.
Just because something works on paper doesn’t necessarily mean you’ll be able to stick with it in real life.
Ask yourself how you’ll keep your energy levels up throughout the day, and remember that you’ll need to leave small gaps in your schedule for things like eating and going to the bathroom., Search the internet for articles on how successful people structure their days.
Notice how much time they devote to work, play, and rest.
Consider borrowing parts of your schedule from somebody you admire.
For example, you might be inspired by someone like Benjamin Franklin, who got up at five o’clock every morning to plan the day ahead.
About the Author
Jack Wood
Enthusiastic about teaching lifestyle techniques through clear, step-by-step guides.
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