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It’s easy to let the day control you. But it’s usually not very productive. While we all need a day without structure once in a while, most of us need a certain level of organization to accomplish our goals. In this article, I will share how to plan your day for success. This method has worked for me in all phases of my life. Come along. Let’s design my day.
How to plan your day for success
Make a list
The first step is to list everything that:
You need to do
Meal plan
Grocery shop
Write 1 blog post
Shower/get ready
Make/eat lunch/Clean kitchen
Make dinner for kids and hubby
You committed to
Dinner with friend
Estimate the time of each activity
You need to do
Meal plan – 45 minutes
Grocery shop – 1.5 hour
Write 1 blog post – 2 hours
Shower/get ready – 30 min
Make/eat lunch/clean kitchen – 1 hour
Make dinner for kids and hubby – 30 minutes
You committed to
Dinner with friend – 3 hours
You’d like to do
Go on a long walk – 1.25 hour
Meditate – 20 minutes
Watch tv/hang with hubby – 1.5 hour
Fold laundry – 15 minutes
Restart sprouts – 5 minutes
Organize the day
| Time | Activity |
| 8:55-9 | Restart sprouts |
| 9-11 | Write blog post |
| 11-11:45 | Meal plan |
| 11:45-12:45 | Make/eat lunch/clean kitchen |
| 12:45-1:15 | Shower/get ready |
| 1:15-2:45 | Grocery shop |
| 2:45-4 | Go on a long walk |
| 4-4:30 | Make dinner for kids and hubby |
| 4:30-7:30 | Dinner with friends |
| 7:30-7:45 | Fold laundry |
| 7:45-8:05 | Meditate |
| 8:05-9:35 (bed) | Watch tv/hang with hubby |
What if my schedule didn’t work out?
This will certainly happen. Even experienced planners cannot plan things out of their control.
In this case, you need to know your priorities. Everything in the “want to do” category is somewhat flexible. If something takes longer than planned or an unexpected activity arises, you know what you can eliminate.
My day is pretty packed today, I’ll admit. There isn’t much buffer. I’m willing to shift my meditation or the folding of the laundry to tomorrow if dinner takes longer. Additionally, I can reduce my long walk if I’m running out of time.
Don’t be hard on yourself. Do your best, but be flexible if you have to be. Having a plan is the first step in a productive daily schedule.
When is the best time to create your daily plan?
I recommend creating this plan first thing in the morning or before you go to bed. This is the best way to ensure you list all activities and tasks.
However, I do think there is a level of planning that can be done weekly. Here is a list of things that you can start on the weekend:
- Appointments and commitments
- Chores/tasks
- Errands/online shopping
Having these lists will make it easy to execute your plan for your productive daily routine.
In conclusion
The recipe is somewhat easy, really. When it comes to how to plan your day for success, the keyword is plan. Successful and productive people are intentional. They design a plan and execute it.
Give it a try if you are a skeptic. I bet you’ll be surprised.
Cat xx