I don’t know about you, but I’m always trying to find ways to make my days more productive, fun and in the flow. And on those days when I have a lot to do, when every moment is precious and needs to be put to good use, I use this tip I’m about to share with you.
I schedule every hour of my day.
Basically, I take my to-do list for the day and then I schedule in when I’m doing what… so every hour is planned out. For instance, I’m going to write a new blog post between 1:00 – 2:3o pm. From 2:30-3:00 pm, I’ll answer emails and phone calls. From 3:00 – 3:15, I will lie on the floor of my office, shut my eyes and just breathe before I bounce up and edit my client’s copy from 3:15 to 4:00 pm. You get the idea.
Sure, there is usually a little bit of give and take. You don’t want to get so rigid that you can’t go with a gust of creative wind and perhaps finish something before moving on. But by scheduling every hour, you will become more focused and use your time more efficiently.
Plus, this formula has a built-in reality check, because as you start to schedule every hour based on your to-do list, you may quickly realize that there is no way you can get everything done in one day. There just aren’t enough hours in the day! That’s okay. This will help you prioritize AND help you get real when it comes to making your to-do list in the first place. (By the way, I always have more on my to-do list than I can possibly do in one day.)
So, try this! Schedule every hour of your day. Do this first thing in the morning or event the night before. I bet it will really boost your productivity. And let me know how it works for you! Leave a comment below and tell me if this tip made a difference in your day.