{"id":8674,"date":"2021-04-09T17:44:50","date_gmt":"2021-04-09T15:44:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/?p=8674"},"modified":"2026-04-08T09:51:36","modified_gmt":"2026-04-08T07:51:36","slug":"plan-your-day","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-time\/plan-your-day\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Plan Your Day and Stay Organized"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Having trouble following through with your plans? Maybe repeating the same mistakes over and over and you\u2019re not sure how to fix that? Or you want to start planning, but don\u2019t know where to begin?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Well, this guide covers daily planning that focuses on keeping you consistent and motivated to achieve your goals. Throw urgency and tight deadlines out the window, and take a look at how you can become the most productive version of yourself by simply focusing on <b>you<\/b>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>We\u2019ll discuss the art of time-crafting, why your long-term dreams are important, and how getting creative with your journaling, among other things, can bring out the best in you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"why-long-term-goals-are-necessary-for-daily-plans\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Why long-term goals are necessary for daily plans<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Let\u2019s say you decide on a Sunday evening that you want to start planning your entire week. Usually, our minds will immediately go towards our favorite app, a calendar, or a notebook, and start with Monday.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>WRONG. <i>\/insert buzzer sound here\/<\/i><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Sure, you probably know what your current project at work is, so you can break down your tasks. Or you just decided you want to lose 10 pounds. But starting from the smallest unit first &#8211; the task &#8211; will only make you spin in circles. In fact, your daily plan could fall through on the first day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why? Because it\u2019s missing direction.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And that\u2019s why you need a border, overarching goal that you wish to achieve. With that in mind, you will immediately come up with more purposeful tasks, and feasible plans.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here is how.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"start-planning-by-creating-specific-long-term-goals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Start planning by creating specific long-term goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Most of our productivity and motivation to finish tasks comes from knowing where we are headed, and what we want to achieve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When you set long-term goals for yourself, planning out individual days becomes a breeze. And it\u2019s for two simple reasons:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>It\u2019s much easier to stay motivated when goals are visible, always present in the back of your mind, and<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Planning becomes much simpler, since tasks are more straightforward.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, saying you want to become healthier in six months and leaving it at that, vs saying you want to become healthier by eating more vegetables.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In the former, you won\u2019t exactly be sure how to go about planning your day:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Start with a few raw veggies a day?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eliminate fast food?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Eliminate fast food, eat a few raw veggies and cook more?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>In the latter, when you specify you want more vegetables as a means of getting healthier, your planning is immediately streamlined:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Maybe you decide to cook three times a week.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Make a grocery list that needs to include at least four-five vegetables.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Spend an hour looking for easy recipes to start with.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>These are already more tangible, easily achievable daily tasks, which can also be expanded to weekly milestones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"make-monthly-goals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make monthly goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Set milestones for each month, and specify a goal, or a result.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If we use the above example, you can narrow down the goal of eating more vegetables by doing this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><tbody><tr><td>Month<\/td><td>Goal<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>April<\/td><td>Make 12 vegetarian meals<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>May<\/td><td>Try meals with vegetables you normally don\u2019t like<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>June<\/td><td>Try salad meals and find a favorite one<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The more self-contained and manageable your goals, the more likely you are to follow through. And as far as daily planning goes, you are one step closer to forming airtight plans for each day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"make-weekly-plans-based-on-monthly-goals\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make weekly plans based on monthly goals<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, if your April monthly goal is to make 12 vegetarian meals, you\u2019ve already set up your weekly goal for the whole period &#8211; make three vegetarian meals a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Immediately, you can get more creative &#8211; either have one vegetarian breakfast, lunch, and dinner each the week, or just try vegetarian breakfasts, or dinners\u2026 whichever you prefer. Make it as easy or as challenging for yourself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"make-daily-plans-as-stepping-stones-to-reach-milestones\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make daily plans as stepping stones to reach milestones<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>And when you get to make a daily plan related to your diet, it\u2019s time to break down the weekly goal into baby steps. For example, for three meals a week, you can do:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Sunday<\/b> &#8211; determine veggie meal days, find recipes and make a grocery list<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Monday<\/b> &#8211; do grocery shopping<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Tuesday<\/b> &#8211; eggs and cheese on toast for breakfast (maybe try oat milk this one time)<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Wednesday<\/b> &#8211; \/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Thursday<\/b> &#8211; veggie pizza for lunch<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Friday<\/b> &#8211; \/<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Saturday<\/b> &#8211; butternut rice with leeks and spinach for dinner<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Sunday<\/b> &#8211; write down impressions, find new recipes, make a grocery list<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The same principle can be applied to anything else &#8211; finishing a project, making a new habit, or moving forward in your career. What\u2019s more, the method of planning from a greater goal down to the smallest steps makes daily tasks much more manageable and satisfying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"methods-of-planning-out-your-day\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Methods of planning out your day<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Daily planning is such a subjective activity that it is never just \u201cfilling out your calendar with tasks\u201d. No two people work exactly the same, and from the way they process important information to how they expend their energy throughout the day will vary.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this section, we\u2019ll explore different methods you can employ to organize your tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"rely-on-your-inner-planning-app\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Rely on your inner planning app<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t want to be tied down by an organizational or productivity app. Because what happens when it goes away, or isn\u2019t updated anymore? You\u2019ll be stuck having to reconsider building your planning habits from the ground up.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Instead, time management strategist Mike Vardy advises getting better at using your \u201cinner app\u201d. That is, creating a more organized mindset that won\u2019t rely only on digital apps for help (such as calendars, to-do lists, etc.). These tools are here to be just that &#8211; tools. However, we\u2019ve become overly dependent on them over time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vardy argues that, once you handle the \u201cinner app\u201d, you\u2019ll find it a breeze to cruise between apps, without risk of your daily planning falling through.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-mike-vardy-time-crafting-method\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The Mike Vardy time-crafting method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At a brief talk for Prod Con in 2019, Vardy explains how he believes that time is a man-made concept. That, instead of tracking every single hour of our time, we need to look at task importance, first and foremost. Shifting to this kind of viewpoint, he argues, gives us the chance to craft our own schedules based on task importance, and less on their urgency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, we\u2019re going to take a slightly closer look at how time crafting makes daily, weekly, or monthly planning much easier.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"1-dont-hyper-schedule-yourself\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. Don\u2019t hyper schedule yourself<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>Right out the gate, Vardy warns not to plan out every single hour of your day. It only makes things more difficult should your day get derailed. Like a family emergency, an urgent meeting, or deadlines suddenly shifting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>A tight schedule is much like a house of cards. And if a single event threatens to topple it over, it will become all the more stressful to plan the same things again, allocating resources, time and energy. Just like rebuilding a house of cards as fast as you can.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>That\u2019s where Vardy advises being less focused on strict time constraints and trying day theming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"2-the-day-theming-method\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. The day theming method<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>In an article on productivityist.com, Vardy wrote about his own <a href=\"https:\/\/productivityist.com\/daily-theme-everyday-focus\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">discovery of day theming<\/a>. Day theming relies on limiting your options (and thus simplifying) your planning process. The goal is to relieve your brain of some of the stress that comes with planning, by assigning specific tasks on specific days.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Vardy would first write out his tasks, and then label them into separate categories. Then, based on those categories, he would deduce what kind of themes he would assign for each day. The themes he made were (starting from Monday):<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Optimization, Video, Audio, Training, Deep Work, Family\/Housework, Planning<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In much the same way, for someone else, the themes might look like:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Education, Family\/Chores, Writing, Communication (social media, emails, etc), Clients, Planning<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It all depends on each individual\u2019s line of work, their lifestyle, and energy levels. Some people might even leave one of their days without a theme, to have a break in the weekly workload. As we\u2019ve mentioned, planning is a very subjective thing that requires you to construct a framework that will work for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"3-vertical-and-horizontal-theming\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Vertical and horizontal theming<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Vertical theming<\/b> is the day theming process from earlier, where certain tasks will fall on a particular day. In Vardy\u2019s case, the schedule looked like this:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>MON<\/th><th>TUE<\/th><th>WED<\/th><th>THU<\/th><th>FRI<\/th><th>SAT<\/th><th>SUN<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Optimization<\/td><td>Administrative<\/td><td>Audio\/Video<\/td><td>Training<\/td><td>Deep work<\/td><td>Family\/Housework<\/td><td>Family\/Housework<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p><b>Horizontal theming<\/b> are tasks that need to be repeated daily &#8211; like checking emails, meditation, important calls, etc. On a calendar or a schedule, they usually look like this, hence the name:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table is-style-stripes\"><table><thead><tr><th>Time\/Day<\/th><th>MON<\/th><th>TUE<\/th><th>WED<\/th><th>THU<\/th><th>FRI<\/th><th>SAT<\/th><th>SUN<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>6AM -7AM<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><td>Meditate<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>10AM -11:30AM<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><td>Admin work<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><td>&nbsp;<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>5PM &#8211; 5:45PM<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><td>Help kids with homework<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>6:30PM &#8211; 7:30PM<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><td>Workout<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>When combined, vertical and horizontal theming make you a planning <b>master<\/b>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Why?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because vertical theming lets you set aside days for specific tasks important for your goals. They\u2019re not strict deadlines, simply a framework that helps your brain focus better. And horizontal theming is a scheduling method designed for those tasks you <b>need<\/b> to do every day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Naturally, you won\u2019t be making a \u201cworkout day\u201d as a theme, and only go to the gym on Tuesdays. The theme is too narrow, and works much better as a puzzle piece in the horizontal theme.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 id=\"4-the-5-modes-to-categorize-your-tasks\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. The 5 modes to categorize your tasks<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>To get a head start with categorizing your tasks into themes, Vardy made a short guide on t<a href=\"https:\/\/productivityist.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/The-5-Categories-of-Mode-Based-Work-Tailored-TimeCrafting-PreWork.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">he 5 categories of mode-based work<\/a>. These modes are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Theme-based: tasks batched together based on similar categorization<br>Ex: Family Mode, Deep work, Writing, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Resource-based: tasks batched based on tools you need for them or places where you finish them<br>Ex: Word Doc Mode<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Energy-based: tasks batched together depending on the amount of energy needed<br>Ex: High, Medium, Low-energy mode<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Activity-based: Vardy also calls them verb-based. THey\u2019re closely connected to your long-term goals.<br>Ex: Errand-running, Educating, Training, etc.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Time-based: the most familiar ones &#8211; tasks batched together based on how long it takes to finish them.<br>Ex: 5-minute mode, 25-minute mode, etc.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\n\n<p>A great example on how modes work with daily plans, and how they tie in with your overall goals comes from Vardy\u2019s own presentation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<center><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-8678\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min.png\" alt=\"5_modes-min\" width=\"797\" height=\"243\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min.png 797w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min-300x91.png 300w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min-768x234.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min-200x61.png 200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min-400x122.png 400w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/5_modes-min-600x183.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 797px) 100vw, 797px\" \/><\/center>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Source: themorningeffect.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Here, the task of replying to an invoice belongs in the email mode (as he categorized it based on the tools he needs), falls into his monthly coaching project (as a larger goal), and is scheduled at the time of day when he does his emails.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>While this kind of planning seems a little complex, Vardy reassures <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=qcJ3zi2Y-ro\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">in his talk for <i>ProdCon<\/i><\/a> that it simply takes some time and small steps to quickly catch on how time crafting and mode categories work. Learning them provides a great self-sufficient tool to create a framework of your own that will barely rely on time constraints, and instead focus on what\u2019s important to you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"task-batching-method\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Task-batching method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Another commonly used method to plan out your day is called task-batching. It\u2019s less complex than time-crafting, but captures the same gist. So it could be a good starting point.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>When batching your tasks, you simply group similar tasks together &#8211; for example, in the morning, you handle all of email correspondence. That includes invoices, feedback, setting up meetings, etc. While in the afternoon, you focus on deep work tasks, and leave any other email issues for the next day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Batching your tasks throughout the day prevents context switching &#8211; the moment when your brain finds it harder to focus on a new task, because it\u2019s wildly different from the one you were just doing.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For example, while setting up a meeting you were: assembling a list of people, notifying them about it and the topic, proofreading the invitation, and after 30 minutes of that, you suddenly shift to writing feedback to the designer for the new front page design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It takes our brains <a href=\"https:\/\/blog.idonethis.com\/distractions-at-work\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">20 minutes to fully focus on a new task<\/a>, if it has no similarities to what we were doing before.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>So, task batching helps your mind stay in the right lane, and stay productive without exerting more effort.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"the-gamifying-method\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">The gamifying method<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>What apps like Habitica, LifeRPG and EpicWin do is treat daily schedules as video games. For those who can\u2019t see themselves being bound to strict schedules and minimalist user interfaces or journals, gamified planning may be the solution.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1139\" height=\"675\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min.png\" alt=\"Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min\" class=\"wp-image-8679\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min.png 1139w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-300x178.png 300w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-1063x630.png 1063w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-768x455.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-200x119.png 200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-400x237.png 400w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-600x356.png 600w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Habitica-life-rpg-1139x675-min-800x474.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1139px) 100vw, 1139px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Source: androidauthority.net<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The way these apps are designed is to give you the freedom of naming and labeling every task and assigning them a specific amount of experience points (EXP for short). And as you finish each one, you get that set amount of exp, boosting yourself (or your character) to become more powerful. It\u2019s a great visual aid for those who have trouble actually seeing any progress in their tasks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In much the same way, pen and paper enthusiasts make journals in the form of RPG books. Ryder Carroll, the creator of <i>Bullet Journal <\/i>made <a href=\"https:\/\/bulletjournal.com\/blogs\/bulletjournalist\/bujo-rpg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">an excellent blog entry<\/a> breaking down his method of RPG daily planning.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"1000\" height=\"750\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min.png\" alt=\"Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min\" class=\"wp-image-8682\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min.png 1000w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-300x225.png 300w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-840x630.png 840w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-768x576.png 768w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-200x150.png 200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-400x300.png 400w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-600x450.png 600w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/Z_BuJo_01_Ideas-min-800x600.png 800w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 1000px) 100vw, 1000px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Source: bulletjournal.com<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you decide on a digital app, or crafting your own book of quests, the gamification of daily planning is a perfectly viable method. It makes for a more interesting journey in achieving goals, and making daily life a little more fun.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"how-to-ensure-your-daily-plans-stay\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to ensure your daily plans stay<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Now that we\u2019ve discussed the methods of daily plans, what are some ways in which you can&nbsp; ensure you stick to them? We\u2019ll discuss three ways to keep your tasks manageable, so that your daily planning doesn\u2019t go to waste.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"make-tasks-as-small-as-possible\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make tasks as small as possible<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>At this point, even little birds know that the smaller your tasks are, the more likely you will finish them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Whenever you start planning out make sure the tasks don\u2019t take you longer than an hour.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"use-a-task-solving-method-that-suits-you\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Use a task-solving method that suits you<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>When you want to stay on top of your tasks, there\u2019s plenty of time management methods to choose from, based on how you tackle work. Some of the more famous ones include:<b><\/b><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>The Eisenhower Matrix<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Sorting tasks into four different categories, depending on their <b>urgency<\/b> and <b>importance<\/b>;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Time blocking<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Arrange your day into blocks of time meant for different tasks (time-dependent);<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Eat that frog<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Making a to-do list based on the tasks\u2019 importance &#8211; most important ones come first;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><b>Biological prime time<\/b> or the<b> (Circadian rhythm)<\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Making a schedule based on your energy levels throughout the day;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"has-background\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1For a full list of time management methods and their advantages and disadvantages, you can go here:<\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/time-management-techniques#time-management-techniques-06\">Best Time Management Techniques<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/apps-tools\/best-time-management-apps\/\">35 best apps for time management<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"get-creative-with-journaling\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Get creative with journaling<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>In the past few years, we\u2019ve seen a boom in bullet journaling. Pinterest is filled with creative ideas for tracking habits, journaling thoughts, or planning out their career progress.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s the aesthetic approach, and an almost meditative feel to the process that draws some people to it. For some, it\u2019s the sense of accomplishment as they fill in the checkboxes with highlighters. And as time goes by, being able to reflect on the colorful journey they\u2019ve taken. Creative bullet journaling makes daily planning something to look forward to.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"700\" height=\"500\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min.png\" alt=\"sublimereflection.com-weekly-min\" class=\"wp-image-8680\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min.png 700w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min-300x214.png 300w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min-200x143.png 200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min-400x286.png 400w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/sublimereflection.com-weekly-min-600x429.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 700px) 100vw, 700px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center\">Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/fruitfullyalive.com\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener nofollow\">fruitfullyalive.com<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you consider yourself more of a visual type, and at the same time are looking for a nice new hands-on hobby, bullet journaling could be for you. As a motivator and a permanent record of your achievements, it\u2019s a great place to start.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"revise-and-try-again\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Revise and try again<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Last, but perhaps the most important part of daily planning, is revision. One has to make a habit of tracking their time and impressions, revising, analyzing the data, and reworking their schedule.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Because without enough self-reflection and learning from mistakes, it is more likely one would give up on planning altogether. So, how should you revise to learn the most out of it?<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"track-time-to-get-accurate-data\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Track time to get accurate data<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A key player in your planning and revision is the time tracker. While you don\u2019t have to be bound by deadlines if you choose not to, the only real way to find out how much productive or wasted time you have is to track every activity.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Now, it may be a bore to consider another app to track time. But<span style=\"margin: 0px; padding: 0px;\">\u00a0apps like Clockify by\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/cake.com\/\" target=\"_blank\">CAKE.com<\/a>\u00a0were designed to seamlessly integrate with every browser, major platforms, and ot<\/span>her\u00a0apps.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"custom-btn\"><a href=\"https:\/\/app.clockify.me\/en\/signup\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Try Clockify by CAKE.com FREE<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>You can include it in your daily planner in Google Calendar or Todoist, and click just one button to start the timer.<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"723\" height=\"406\" src=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min.png\" alt=\"todoist-time-tracking-integration-min\" class=\"wp-image-8681\" srcset=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min.png 723w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min-300x168.png 300w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min-200x112.png 200w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min-400x225.png 400w, https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/04\/todoist-time-tracking-integration-min-600x337.png 600w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 723px) 100vw, 723px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<p>And with minimal effort, you get to have a detailed report on how your day was spent, and where the time went.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"has-background\">\n<p>\ud83d\udca1More resources on this topic:<\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-tasks\/get-things-done\/\">How I learned to get things done<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/features\/\">Time tracking with Clockify<\/a><\/p>\n<p>\u27a1\ufe0f<a href=\"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/managing-tasks\/organize-yourself\/\">How to organize yourself and your time as a freelancer<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"write-down-your-impressions\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Write down your impressions<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Every time something happens that affects your plans either positively or negatively &#8211; write it down. A meeting suddenly popped up, and it ruined your focus? Write it down. A task took you surprisingly less than you thought it would? Write it down. A coworker\u2019s advice gave you some food for thought? Note it down to mull it over later.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Turn it into a habit, and utilize post-it notes to recall things easier. You\u2019d be surprised how little information we can actually remember throughout the day.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>And at the end of the day, you can make a 10-minute ritual to consolidate all your daily notes for a bigger, weekly review.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 id=\"make-a-weekly-or-a-bi-monthly-review\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Make a weekly or a bi-monthly review<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Whether you make a themed day for planning, or set aside a time block for it, it\u2019s good to keep a habit of going over all the data you\u2019ve collected and analyzing it. You can easily spot your biggest distractions, how your energy levels fluctuate, or if the tasks themselves are not formulated well enough.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s remarkable what you can find out, simply by tracking your progress. Revising every once in a while, you\u2019re sure to remind yourself of what the ultimate goals are, and how to reach them faster. Without it, you\u2019d be more likely to repeat the same mistakes, or miss on opportunities to improve your productivity and workflow.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 id=\"conclusion\" class=\"wp-block-heading\">Conclusion<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Start by setting down long-term goals, then disassemble them into monthly, weekly, and daily stepping stones to ensure your tasks are purposeful. And by eliminating the pressures of time and urgency, you can start to appreciate those tasks, and what their purpose is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Planning out your day is more than just filling in a calendar with tasks. It is about active engagement with your long-term goals, and how you wish to improve certain aspects of your life. What\u2019s more, if we focus on the importance of tasks, rather than fitting as many things as we can within 24 hours, planning can make our lives richer.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>A detailed guide to daily planning that focuses on achieving goals and staying true to your schedules without fail.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":39,"featured_media":8677,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8674","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-managing-time"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8674","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/39"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8674"}],"version-history":[{"count":18,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8674\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":37323,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8674\/revisions\/37323"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8677"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8674"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8674"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/clockify.me\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8674"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}