Comments on: Planning your perfect day

By: Maureen

Maureen — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 23:51:14 +0000

I make a list either the night before in bed or early in the morning in the tub, of everything I need/want to accomplish that day. Then I relist them by priority – then I put that list into a day schedule – leaving the lowest priority items for late in the day when I start to lose my steam. Each time I use the previous list and review if any of the items need to be carried forward or can be eliminated altogether. Sure it is micromanaging but it really gives you a feeling of satisfaction and control.

By: A year ago on Unclutterer

A year ago on Unclutterer — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 10:36:17 +0000

[...] Planning your perfect dayAt the beginning of every day, I set aside five minutes to plan my perfect day. It doesn’t always turn out exactly the way I expected, but it rarely gets completely uprooted. Also, the plan is more about putting anxieties to rest than a rigid to-do list. [...]

By: queenofkaos

queenofkaos — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 12:02:43 +0000

I was listening to Brian Tracy today and he said something that I think will change the way I plan and improve the focus of my day – he said everyday to

- decide WHAT you are trying to do.
- decide HOW you are going to do it.

This works for me because I have found that micromanaging to a set schedule doesn’t work for me but having a ‘one brain’ focus does.

Using these questions I will be able to better chunk my tasks by useful activities.

The How To’s on your list fit perfectly into this strategy.

By: DebraC

DebraC — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 07:12:09 +0000

A stopwatch or an online time keeping software is a great way to monitor where your time goes each day. As your examples demonstrates, it is very easy to let time slip by.
Stay focused and be accountable for what you do each day using some simple time management tools.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 13:54:49 +0000

Great post. I wondered if any of you had ideas for planning a day where an interruption can occur at any time?

I work in a technical support team, and have a lot of project work on my task list, the kind of things that need several hours of concentrated work.

However, a customer or colleague can call at any time, sometimes with a problem that can take an hour to sort out. So that blows day planning right out of the water.

How can one plan their day when such an interruption can occur at any time?

By: Michelle

Michelle — Sun, 31 Jan 2010 03:21:13 +0000

Any ideas for teachers or people who have prescribed days and very limited time to complete all of the necessary tasks to be successful (ie phone calls, copies, planning, detentions, etc.)?

By: Anne

Anne — Thu, 17 Dec 2009 00:05:39 +0000

I have been using this method religiously during my school days and once university life began, it was difficult to have a daily plan as such but I now see how this method applies even for adults and it sure does help keep us in perspective of our lives and not let it slip with being idle and unproductive. Well maybe I just got fed up being overly self disciplined but I know because just being that way resulted in achieving excellence in school and activities. Thanks for the reminder!! And its never to late!!

By: April

April — Tue, 15 Dec 2009 19:23:51 +0000

I am NOT a morning person AT ALL. So in my case, I make this list at night before bed. That way in the morning I can just follow my timeline/to-do list and not think. Even though my alarm goes off at 6 am, I’m not really functional until 8 am, and not really awake until about 10 am.

Plus making out this list before bed shuts up my brain (I write down everything that needs taking care of, so it gives me permission not to worry about it), which helps me fall asleep sooner. It used to take me nearly an hour to fall asleep, now about 20-30 minutes.

By: starr

starr — Thu, 10 Dec 2009 00:49:39 +0000

ah! yes! this is just what i do when i have a lot of things i need to do. i’ll lay out the order i’m going to do them in — practically eliminates the stress of a busy day (unless i have to go somewhere uncomfortable like a bank or the DMV). i don’t use times because i find them oppressive, and i am willing and delighted to let the unexpected take me off-track. i don’t want to find my list disapproving of me. it’s great when i’m doing something like going to the laundromat (just down the hill so I come home while my stuff is in the machine), baking bread or making something that has to be prepared in stages … i’ll lose a lot of time during the in-between periods if i don’t make a list! i like the part about including three things you want to do. it is easy to forget that it’s OK to schedule in things you want to do — the stuff you schedule doesn’t have to all be “have to”s!

By: vêtements enfants

vêtements enfants — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 07:06:39 +0000

This site is really quite good. . .

By: eamonireland

eamonireland — Sat, 11 Jul 2009 04:25:58 +0000

Wow, this is brilliant. I’ve used it for the past few days. Even though I don’t exactly stick to what I planned I still find I’m way more productive. The most useful post I’ve read in a long time!

By: Thom

Thom — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:44:02 +0000

Making detailed lists like this so much fun, and even offers the illusion that all will be possible. Following them in real life can be a whole lot trickier though!

Personally, I find this form of time management really only works for me when I have a major but contained project to work on in a short time frame (say 24 hours) and need to ration the available time across the component tasks plus fit in a few scheduled commitments. That’s when it’s fantastic to have a list with “time cues” down the side.

By: Erin

Erin — Tue, 07 Jul 2009 23:20:23 +0000

Hey Erin thanks for this, I’m printing it. Working at home is such a challenge and it’s so easy to be called to a higher calling….Judge Judy, lunch out with the girls, Oprah etc… I’m going to try it your way.

Erin

By: Bob K

Bob K — Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:49:02 +0000

Love it.

I’ve gravitated towards using a single unlined 3×5 card to plan my day (other than commitments at specific times of the day).

I pluck items out of my massive MyLiferganized task list and write them on the 3×5 (portrait mode, not landscape), and cross them off as I get to them.

If it can’t fit on a 3×5 (portrait, not landscape), it can’t fit into a single day.

By: Aliza G

Aliza G — Sun, 14 Jun 2009 18:34:25 +0000

What I do is each night before bed is make a list of what I need to do (on the back of a use envelope) and then highlight in yellow what I absolutely MUST do.
I group the errands, phone calls and household chores together. Often enough I’ll just get most of it done so I won’t have to write it on the next day’s list!
I also belong to a “housekeeping challenged” group and often post my to-do list there, with updates throughout the day.