Make a Schedule

If you're feeling overwhelmed most days trying to keep track of and completing all your daily tasks, a schedule is a great way to be more productive and efficient. Create a daily schedule that budgets your time. Your schedule will reduce stress and allow you to be your most productive self. A great schedule includes a reasonable list of tasks and free time. To keep with it, find a method that works best for you and always plan it at the same time each day.

Steps

Establishing Your Preferred Scheduling Method

1. Grab a notebook or open your scheduling app on your phone or computer. The first step in making and following a schedule is to find a method for scheduling that works for you and sticking to it.
   • In your first week of building out your new schedule feel free to play around with different methods for planning it. Try out different apps or writing in a notebook. But once you find one that you like best, stick to it.
   • There are an endless amount of apps, calendars, and productivity management tools at your disposal. While many of these options are very useful, trying to use more than one can be overwhelming and make you less productive.
   • Some people prefer pen and paper, others rely on a calendar (either a physical one or an app), and some like scheduling apps that connect to multiple devices. Whichever is your cup of tea is fine. But pick one and stick with it.
2. Write down the date. Whether you’re writing out your schedule on paper or in an app, include the date.
   • If you are using a calendar then this is already done for you. If the date isn't automatically included make sure to add it.
   • Including the date and even the day of the week will help you stay on track and let you only focus on today. One purpose of a schedule is to allow you to focus on the tasks at hand, not what’s coming up in the future.
3. Fill out all the necessary information. Everyone’s days are different and what you include will vary from person to person. However, you should include every detail that you need to make sure you are able to complete tasks efficiently and on time.
   • If you have to go to a meeting at 11:30 am, you may want to include where the meeting is. Who you are meeting with. How long the meeting will last. And possibly what the meeting will cover. You may also want to write down in a note area what to bring to the meeting.
   • Filling out every bit of information may prove to be too much for you. During your first “test” week, find out what works best for you. If you find that you are scribbling down the margins of your paper or creating long notes in an app to include everything, ease back.
   • The purpose of being more specific is to help you prepare. Try including more than just a time and a brief description. But if you are feeling overwhelmed by trying to add every detail, just include the ones that make you feel prepared and on top of your day.
4. Commit to this method of scheduling. Once you have figured out which method of scheduling and organizing works best for you, stick to it. Don’t try to include extra methods for scheduling than necessary.
   • If you find an app that lets you easily input everything you need for your schedule, then only use that app. Unless you have to use multiple platforms for work, the less the better.
   • Perhaps you like to write your schedule out on paper. Know that you may also have to use a calendar to schedule meetings or deadlines. That’s fine. Learn to separate the two. You can still write down those meetings or tasks in your notebook. Consider using your calendar for just the events that you have to plan far in advance; and those work meetings.

Creating Your Schedule

1. Devise a hierarchy of planning tasks and events. With a set method for scheduling in place, you now have to develop your own system for inputting your daily tasks. This method should be whatever makes the most natural sense to you.
   • If you’re the type of person who likes to plan everything from waking up to going to bed, you may want to populate your daily schedule in chronological order. If you use a calendar app, then create a specific calendar for your daily schedule. You can then view only this “daily routine” calendar until you need to view other ones.
   • You may not feel the need to plan out everything like waking up and making breakfast. Instead, you like only planning the important tasks of the day. If this is the case, you may have a different hierarchy. For instance, you may find it easier to write the bigger more important tasks at the top of your schedule and the small ones at the bottom.
   • The only right way to write out your schedule is to do it in a way that serves you best and allows you to stick to it. You may find that you prefer to plan certain things at a certain time first. But other tasks can be placed by order of importance. For example, if you know you have a meeting at 11:30 am, you may choose to include one or two tasks that are important before that. While you save the smaller tasks for after.
2. Write down the important stuff first. Try to build your schedule by beginning with the important tasks. Whether you simply write these tasks on a separate piece of paper or use an app that lets you move tasks around. With your own hierarchy in place, it’s good to know what the important tasks of the day are before planning the less important ones.
   • Even if you plan your schedule in chronological order, knowing which tasks are the ones that need to get done today is important. Once you’ve planned the big tasks, you can then finish populating your schedule with the smaller ones.
   • Starting with the big tasks will give you an idea of how busy you’ll be today. Knowing this will help you to not over-plan. Your daily goal is to complete all your tasks. Don’t give yourself so many to complete that you can't finish each one.
3. Include your starting and ending times for tasks. Whether it’s scheduling your task times in an app, calendar, or the margin of your paper, planning the times for tasks will help you stay on track and focus.
   • Deciding to start a task at a certain time will help you stay on track with your schedule. This will also help you with non-work tasks like cleaning or working out. Instead of planning to work out at some point. Plan to do it a certain time.
   • If you plan to prepare the outline of a presentation at 9:30 am and then write an article at 11:00 am, you know that you only have so much time to complete a task. Doing this will also help to keep you from trying to multitask or getting distracted and doing something else.
   • Including starting and ending times will give you a good preview of the day ahead. You’ll have a better idea of where you’ll be at a certain time, and when you’ll be done for the day.
4. Leave yourself some breathing room. When most of us plan out our schedules we tend to over-plan and stack one task right on top of another.
   • Often when we plan our days we see seven or eight hours that we can fill with daily tasks. However, there are always interruptions, breaks, and certain tasks that take longer than we plan for. Give yourself five to ten minutes between each task.
   • Giving yourself a few minutes between each task will allow you to mentally switch your mindset to the next thing. Go to the bathroom, or relax. Read an article between tasks, answer a text, or take a walk. Allowing for breathing room will also help you to stay focused during a certain task.
   • Leaving some breathing room also means planning to complete tasks before the last minute. If you have a project due by 5:00 pm on Friday, aim to complete it by 5:00 pm on Thursday. This way you’re not rushing up on a deadline and pushing more tasks back.
5. Keep your schedule balanced and respect your free time. Dedicate a time to be done. As you get used to creating your schedule you’ll learn what you can realistically accomplish in a day or a week.
   • Use this knowledge to plan your days with an end in mind. Your goal is to complete your tasks and hit everything on your schedule. But that doesn’t mean that you should be working late every day or sacrificing your precious free time to get work done. Schedule an end of work task. Schedule a time to review your day or clean out your inbox. When you’re done, go home for the day.
   • Schedule your last task for the day and stick to it. If you write out everything and include brushing your teeth and going to bed, then make sure you follow that schedule. Stick to the end of your work day. If you plan to be done no later than 5:30 pm, then barring any emergencies, be done at that time.
   • Separate the things you have to do with more playful, fun and indulgent things. Including fun personal tasks will give you a good balance of fun and work. You can even create a break agenda in your daily schedule. Perhaps for every two tasks you complete, or every hour or so of work, you take ten to twenty minutes for personal time.
6. Add some fun or rewarding events to your schedule. Your daily schedule will be easier to follow if you include specific tasks that you look forward to.
   • If you have a full day of work tasks like presentations, meetings, and deadlines, you will be more inclined to check each task off as complete when it gets you closer to a fun event.
   • If you’re having dinner with a friend, a date night, or even a night of video games or movies, including these in your schedule gives you something to work toward.
   • Try including the unwinding events for the day. You might find it helpful to include your dinner or your hour of your favorite TV show. Knowing that every task you complete before it gets you closer will keep you motivated and on schedule.

Sticking to Your Schedule

1. Plan your day at the same time every day. Aim to plan your schedule at the same time each day. Doing so makes planning part of your daily routine and will soon become a habit you can’t live without.
   • Whether you take a half hour in the morning during coffee, or do it the night before, planning at the same time will help you to not forget what’s on your agenda.
   • Creating your schedule is as much a part of your routine as following it. Dedicating the same time each day to doing it will ensure that you give yourself proper time to prepare and not leave anything out.
2. Focus on one task at a time and get the big ones out the way early. Your schedule won’t help you much if you don’t stick to it. Once you’ve learned how to fill it out to best suit you, it will be easy to follow and adhere to.
   • You’re less productive as the day wears on. So get the important stuff out of the way while you have the brain power and energy to do so. Save the paper filing and clearing out your inbox for later on.
   • Trying to multitask or letting yourself get distracted with social media, other tasks you have to complete later, and so on will make it much harder to stick to your schedule. Focus on the current task at hand. You know that you’ve planned time for everything you want and need to do. The sooner you get done with what’s currently on the table, the sooner you get to do what you want.
   • Obviously there are occasions where you have to answer your boss’ email right away. Or a last minute project gets put in front of you. But for the most part, you’ve planned accordingly. You’ve given yourself some break time, and a time to answer non-emergency emails. So when something comes in that’s not urgent, leave it alone until it’s time to address it.
3. Mark off completed tasks. Marking off a completed task feels great. It will help you to stick to your schedule and the practice of creating and maintaining your schedule.
   • Once a task is complete mark it as done. Whether it’s a check mark next to it or your app has a “Mark as completed” option. When you mark off a completed task you get to be proud that you’ve completed what you set out to do.
   • Marking off completed tasks also helps you to know what you’ve completed and what’s still on the to-do list. It feels great to see that you’re getting closer to your free time. When you look at your day and see that you accomplished what you set out to do, you’ll feel rewarded.
   • If you don’t complete all your tasks, that’s ok. Seeing unmarked events or tasks in your schedule will help you to adjust and plan more efficiently. That project that you didn’t complete? You now know that it’s bigger than you thought. Plan to do less the next day so you can complete it.
4. Give yourself free time. Making sure to add in that free time will help you stick to your schedule because you’ll want to work for it. Remember to plan for a realistic day and include break times and margins between your tasks.
   • Seeing a schedule chock full with a busy day that doesn’t offer you any personal time isn’t as easy to follow. Seeing all the things you don’t want to do ahead of you can make it tempting to throw your schedule to the wind and ignore it.
   • Give yourself a weekly review of your schedule. See if you’re hitting all your tasks. Notice when in your schedule you start to veer off. Maybe you’re scheduling too much or not planning enough down time. Make adjustments and shoot to hit your new goals this next week.
   • Be sure to plan for the fun moments, as well as a realistic schedule. Whether you’re in school or work an average of eight hours a day, only about half of it is actually spent working. Don’t trick yourself into thinking you’ll be productive 100-percent of the day. You’ll be much more productive for the time you set out to work.
   • Within your hierarchy of scheduling, try to get the high-value tasks out of the way earlier. Many people are more productive earlier in the day. So don’t stress out over the big tasks later when you’re tired.
   • If you know that you’re less productive after lunch, you may even want to start your work a little early. Get the big tasks out of the way before people start emailing you and asking you for things. That way you can feel good about taking free time later on when you’re already less likely to be as productive.
5. Keep your schedule close by. Whether it’s a notebook, planner, or app, always keep your schedule close so you can easily refer to it and check off completed tasks.
   • Maintaining your schedule will be so much easier if you always have it on hand and are checking it.
   • If someone asks you if you can do something or needs something from you, it will be easy for you to check your schedule and give an answer.
   • Don’t be afraid to move tasks or meetings around. Especially since you’re getting the big stuff out of the way early. But use your schedule as a way to say no to someone when you need to. Your schedule is your friend and everything in it is there for a reason. Even if you’ve scheduled break time or free time, that’s still sacred time.

Tips

• Give yourself enough time to complete each task.
• Carry it in your bag and keep it close to stick to it.
• Plan the bigger tasks earlier.
• Check off completed tasks.
• Give yourself free time.
• Pick a time to plan your day.
• Review your past week and make adjustments to better follow your schedule.
• Prepare your mind to adjust the time.
• Give yourself some free time.

Related Articles

• Choose a Functioning Calendar System
• Keep to a Daily Schedule
• Schedule Your Day
• Plan a Homework Schedule
• Save Time in the Morning
• Make a Schedule and Stick to It

Sources and Citations

See also

• Schedule Your Day
• Make a Calendar
• Keep to a Daily Schedule
• Make a To Do List
• Make a Revision Timetable
• Make a Timetable
• Write a Five Year Plan
• Keep a Calendar
• Make Your Own School Planner
• Organize Your Thoughts on Paper

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