Five Ways to Plan for Productivity
Looking for ways to be more productive? There’s no single secret to productivity but using a planner or calendar can help you keep your priorities and goals in focus. YOU are the key to your own productivity, but you’re not alone! We’re here to give you tools and tips to help along the way.
1. Set Realistic Expectations
It may be tempting to immediately plan every moment and goal for the year, but it’s important to be realistic about how much you can get done in a day. We often put too many demands on ourselves. Add to that our jobs, families, friends, and countless other commitments, and it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.
To help avoid planning burnout, set 1-3 achievable goals each week. They can be big, like reorganizing your storage room, or small, like remembering to drop off a return at the store. Knocking a few things off your to-do list can help you stay motivated and accomplished week after week.
2. Make a Routine and Put Your Planner to Use
This may sound a little out there, but plan to plan. Set aside time at the end of each week to look ahead to the next. This is your time to determine where you will place your focus. What do you want to accomplish? What are your priorities and goals? Jot these ideas down in your weekly planner or your notebook to help keep your focus where you need it.
3. Block Time on Your Calendar
Is it hard to find time to finish everything you want to accomplish? Block time on your calendar to make it happen! This is your time to focus and tune out all distractions. Having structured time dedicated to productivity can help make your goals more manageable.
Try blocking time in your appointment book or in an hourly or daily planner, or set a daily reminder to use a time block while working on an important initiative.
4. Enjoy Free Time
Avoid scheduling every moment of every day. Give yourself breathing room in your schedule. Enjoy “you” time! Take time to savor your morning coffee or take a walk to clear your mind.
Opening your schedule also means you have time to deal with the unexpected. Even the most meticulously planned day can be thrown off. But giving yourself open time can help you navigate unexpected changes with ease.
5. Track Your Wins
You planned it. You did it. Celebrate it! Be proud of what you’ve accomplished. Writing down and checking off your goals as you work makes it easy to see just how much you’ve done each week.
Prioritizing and planning can help you live in the moment and get more done. AT-A-GLANCE® offers solution-based products like weekly, monthly and daily planners to help you be more productive and stay more present. Find your perfect organizational tool today!