Do you have "Schedule Drama"?
Posted on March 03, 2022 by Shawna Lettroy, One of Thousands of Life Coaches on Noomii.
Are your overwhelmed by your "To Do" list? Time management and productivity is about taking control of your schedule so it doesn't control you.
Many of us have the best intentions at the beginning of the week. We establish our To Do lists, we organize, prioritize and schedule our tasks. Our schedules are filled with all of the amazing things we will do this week. We are so proud of ourselves for being so organized and in control.
Then, we sit down to get started and guess what? We don’t feel like doing it. There’s something else that we should be doing. An unexpected event has happened. We need another coffee. Sound familiar? One of the reasons that we love planning so much is that we don’t actually get to work.
If you are having schedule drama, here are a few tips that may help you navigate through:
1. Plan your free time first – Activities for self-care, health and self-development should not be an after-thought. It is important that this is a priority in your calendar. These activities fuel you. They give you the much needed energy and clarity to help you be your best self throughout the day. If these activities are not in your calendar, they usually don’t happen.
2. Allow grace in your schedule – Calendars that are jam-packed with activities can be overwhelming. Be honest with yourself about your true priorities and include only these activities throughout your week. If your schedule it too tight, things will fall off anyway. Why not be intentional about the things that you really want to do? This way, you have the choice, instead of tasks falling off that are important to you.
3. Keep Commitments to Yourself – It is important that you honour what you’ve decided to do. This builds trust with yourself. Knowing the tasks you’ve included in your calendar is as good as done demonstrates that you have your own back. How often do you renege on commitments to others? It is important that you have that same respect for yourself.
4. Schedule for results – It’s not about working, research, writing, etc. It’s about the tangible result that you will have at the end of the scheduled time. Is it a completed report? Is it an e-mail to staff? It is a briefing note to your manager? An activity will take as long as the time we decide to give it.
5. Include “buffer” time – There are times that you may not know exactly when you’ll be finished work or something may have come up that needs your attention. Providing some buffer time allows you to take this into consideration. If everything goes as scheduled, you may find that you have extra time where you choose to relax or start the next item on your schedule. Not a bad decision to have with your schedule!
Remember, we all have a choice. You plan the activities on your schedule for a reason. By following through on the above tips, your schedule may seem less daunting. Knowing what you have scheduled on your calendar, is exactly what you should be doing, will provide you with a sense of ease, focus and comfort. Instead of wondering where your time went at the end of the day, you’ll know exactly what was done, leaving you feeling more productive, accomplished and proud.
