When in Doubt Draft a Plan
Many successful people always have a plan of what tasks need completed on a weekly basis. Having a plan drafted makes it easier to organize what is needed to be completed. This method will aid in the assistance in reserving a specific amount of time for each activity on your list of things to do. “You can begin to master time planning by approaching it on a weekly basis. The important element in the process is to plan consistently, every week.” (Douglas, 1986, pg. 97) In this plan, one should include the following:
1. Dates and times of scheduled events, meetings, and/or appointments within a given week
2. The estimated time each assignment, task, or job will take each day of the week
3. A priority list that highlights the most important items within your plan and will demand the most time out of your day
4. Setting aside time each day for reflection and preparation on what tomorrow will bring
5. Notating the importance level of each activity within a day just in case if your projection on how much time an activity might take is incorrect.
It is important to have these five components incorporated into your drafted plan. It is also important to update your plan when things change so that you have a clear line of sight on what needs to be done next. If you have more than one task on your to do list you should always start with the task that will take the longest amount of time to accomplish to be certain that you have enough time to complete it. After your most time-consuming tasks are completed within any given day, you should start on the work or tasks that need to be completed for the next day. Even if you don’t complete them it is good to have a solid start on them so that it won’t be so time consuming the following day.
I have found that these five steps have made me more focused, organized, and most importantly more efficient in my school work and every day life. However, everyone is different so what I have found works for me might not necessarily work for someone else. Trial and error will only determine what methods work for you, and what methods do not.
Once an individual has established this basic set of principles they can start the next stage of the process.
Douglass, M. E. (n.d.). Manage your time, manage your work, manage yourself. New york: AMACOM.
