Planning needs to be part of your daily routine to boost productivity and keep yourself stress-free as much as possible.
Did you know that in the Military, they’re taught and trained to have a plan before starting their day? It’s actually called “P.O.D”, which stands for “Plan of the Day” – but it actually is for the next day! Which means… Even before the day comes, they already have a plan for that day!
Why do you think they do that?
Let me share with you my scenario when my kids were young.
I literally do the same – preparing and laying out their clothes for the next day! Because if I don’t prepare things the night before and if I start the day without a plan – it will be messy!
That’s like in the military, right? They wake up very early, so instead of stressing themselves out first thing in the morning, they already have their uniforms laid out – saving so much time and energy.
If you’re gonna ask me when I did the same, was I effective? VERY MUCH!
DO YOU SPEND SOME TIME PLANNING?
Without a plan, you will not be prepared. Without a plan, your mind will be messy and you will be stressed.
Instead of just following a structure you set, you’d be disorganized and in the end, after losing so much energy, you’ll even realize you weren’t able to do things properly!
Doesn’t sound great at all, right?
PLANNING FOR PRODUCTIVITY TIPS
1. Do it every day, until it becomes a habit
When you do things every day, it naturally becomes a habit, and making it a habit is GREAT, because then – you won’t even need to think or spend too much energy forcing yourself to do it, because you’ll JUST DO IT, sometimes even unconsciously – but hey, it’s worth it. 🙂
Tip: The best time to plan? In the evening before you sleep, or first thing in the morning when you wake up.
2. Enjoy it
Once it becomes a habit, it won’t feel as if you’re forcing yourself to do it anymore. It won’t be “something that I need to do” anymore, and when you’re past that stage, try to learn to enjoy the process.
To let you in on a little secret, planning my day feels like meditation to me, plus relaxing music always helps. 😉
3. Have a checklist
When you plan, write them down! And when you write them down, make sure that every task you accomplish will be checked off your list 🙂 This way, you know which ones are left or those that are done. You’ll have more time to plan, rearrange, and brainstorm!
4. Add numbers to your list
When I say add numbers, I say… choose your priorities! Which ones must be done first? Which ones have a tighter timeline? Or maybe if there’s no timeline to follow… Some start with the hard ones while some start with the easier tasks. To each his own!
5. The pomodoro method
Ever heard of the Pomodoro method? Work on a task for 25 minutes or more, then have a 10-15 minute break before proceeding to the next.
This works! I do this because, without breaks, we get overwhelmed quickly.
6. Decide what to do in your free time wisely
On your breaks when you do the Pomodoro, decide on what to do during those times. Do something you love! Sing, dance, cuddle with your family members and cuddle or play with your pets… Anything at all!
7. Give yourself some credit!
Don’t just work and work and work and work… you’ll experience burnout. You also have to cheer yourself up and give yourself some credit for doing a job well.
Maybe you can reward yourself – buy that ice cream or any of your comfort food, book a retreat over the weekend – or get your hair or nails done! Rewarding yourself is a good habit, you’ll be recharged and motivated to face the next challenges. 🙂
8. Reflect
Before sleeping, remember and reflect on your day. How did it go? What did you like, and what did you not like? What was fun doing, and what was not? Did things work out the way you intended them to? If they didn’t, how did you respond?
Reflection is important for everybody. When people reflect, they can plan how to bounce back and come back better.
In the book “Essentialism: The Disciplined Pursuit of Less” by Greg Mckeown, it was mentioned a lot of times how if you do not plan your day, somebody will end up planning it for you – your family, your friends, your boss…
So, have a plan!
And if things don’t work out as you intended them to, it’s okay – remember to focus only on the things that you can control. 🙂
GET HELP IF YOU NEED
If it feels hard to decide what you want to do on your own – get a mentor. Reach out if you need help. It is always important and there will always be things that you can support.
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To your success and keep smiling,
