Some days feel like a hamster wheel of doing and grinding and still feeling like there isn’t enough time in the day. At the end of the day our mind races with all that we didn’t get done and maybe even frustrated with loved ones for bothering us or not giving us alone time to complete our tasks. Optimizing your schedule so you can do less of what you don’t want to do and more of what you do want to do is essential to a stress-free, healthy life!
Creating a strategy for your schedule takes time and also some inner knowledge of how your body ticks. Self-control is of key importance that you don’t veer too far from the plan or get distracted by projects that are not on the priority list. If you are working remotely, the challenge of blending work and home projects might be hard to decipher. Yet, if you stick to creating a daily schedule you might find all your projects get done in a few hours and you have more time to be in your loungewear and chill when you clock out.
Optimizing your schedule looks like blocking times in your day where you are focused on creativity, administration or even preparing for the next day. Again, the goal is to get more done by doing less and ultimately enjoying MORE time doing what you love most.
Here are 5 ways you can optimize your schedule:
Organize yourself. Write everything down you need to complete and tack it on the wall. Keep the list simple. Put down what is bugging you the most and have those items at the top of the list. Make a mental note that your to-do list does NOT need to be completed today. Rather, give yourself an attainable time to complete the tasks on your to-do list.
2. Structure your day
Plan your day accordingly. If you are a morning person, schedule all your big tasks in the morning. If you are better in the afternoon, then in the afternoon. Organize your day in 3 categories: Admin, Creative, and Implement. This way you can complete all your bases in a given day without worrying about not getting things done. If you don’t control your schedule, it will control you. Focusing is important. A solid plan for the day will allow you to accomplish tasks and be satisfied with the outcome.
Taking short breaks during the day is one of the most vital activities to maintain your energy, focus, and to keep your level of productivity high. Pay attention to the subtle way your body tells you to take a break. If you can’t concentrate at all and you keep losing your focus, if you have to go to the bathroom, if you’re thirsty, etc.. your body will send you signals. Use the Pomodoro Technique. It is a simple method where you work for 25 minutes and take a short 5-minute break. The key is to force yourself to purposefully take a break. So schedule your breaks into your workday.
4. Tackle difficult tasks when your energy is highest.
Eat the Frog! Break your biggest task into even smaller tasks and begin progressing forward until all the small tasks are completed. Believe it or not, the big task will be completed before you know it. The best way to handle difficult tasks is knowing when you have the most energy. Don’t plan on doing your hardest tasks during your 2 pm slump. Instead, find the time that you are most creative and energetic and dedicate your energy to your biggest tasks at that time.
5. Schedule email time.
It’s most common to wake up and immediately grab our phone to check for all the messages we missed in the night. Even those in large corporate positions are understanding now how detrimental it is to their health when they begin their day with work before even taking the time to ground themselves. Scheduling a start time where you have completed what you need to accomplish in the morning, and then can sit and give your focus to emails, texts and DM’s will protect your schedule from getting out of hand.
6. Make A Rest Day
A day of rest is necessary for your health and your success. Your brain and body need rest to download and process the stimulus that goes on in your life. Resting regenerates new cells and allows your nervous system to catch up and upgrade itself. Making a rest day where there is no stressful stimulus will give your body and mind the much-needed break it deserves. Make this day a time to do only the things you enjoy! Spend time in nature, be with your partner, have family time, Netflix, and chill, have a spa day. Whatever reboots your system and gives you a break, do it!
SUMMARY:
Optimizing your schedule so you can do less of what you don’t want to do and more of what you do want to do is essential to a stress-free, healthy life! Create a daily schedule where all your projects get done in a few hours and you have more time to jump into your lounge-wear and chill. Optimizing your schedule can look a lot like blocking out times in your day where you are focused on creativity, administration, or even preparing for the next day. Again, the goal is to get more done by doing less and ultimately enjoying MORE time doing what you love most.