The basis of a productive life is planning. Often, people make a plan for a week or even a month in advance. Nevertheless, it is the plan for the day that remains the most effective. Especially if it's well-designed, it will help you succeed in all your plans.
So, how do you organize the perfect day plan?
First, make a list of the thoughts that swarm in your head. You can even use a regular notebook for this. Write down an insane number of upcoming tasks – everything, down to the last detail.
However, many people make the mistake, accepting a regular to-do list for a ready-made plan. It's important to understand that when you follow a regular to-do list, you risk losing a lot of time due to lack of order.
Now prioritize your tasks using the 80/20 principle. This means that in a list of, for example, 10 tasks, there are 2 that are more important than the rest.
If you can't decide on the main things, use the “time management matrix”. The idea is simple. Take a sheet of paper and divide it into four parts:
- Quadrant A – important and urgent matters
- Quadrant B – important but not urgent
- Quadrant C – urgent, but not important (these should be dealt with last)
- Quadrant D – not urgent and not important things
Then take the to-do list and assign each one to the right quadrant.
And remember that the evening is the best time to organize the next day. So it's best to plan the next day in the evening.
And now about the day plan itself!
In fact, it's the same to-do list, but with the place and time for each task..
Formulate the day's plan concisely, so it will be easier to perceive. You also need to take into account non-obvious details, such as the length of the transportation trip. Objectively measure the time spent on a particular task.
You have prepared the basis for productive work. All that remains is to stay on track and strictly follow a certain procedure. Perhaps this step is the most difficult, but not for those who distribute their mental load correctly.
When you get down to business, it's important to put away all gadgets and ignore distractions. After all, you'll have to focus on your work again after a distraction. It takes about 15 minutes for the brain to focus properly. So, every time you lose focus, you lose a third of an hour.
Lack of attention is the main enemy of productivity. But the human body is designed in such a way that it is not able to think about work all the time. So, don't forget about breaks! It can be a short walk or exercise – the main thing is to keep your body moving. Movement during an intense working day serves as a qualitative reboot for the mind.
You may not have learned anything unexpectedly new right now, but just try to put these simple actions into practice and you will see your productivity increase.
Good luck!
