Are you looking to be more effective in your day? Maybe work a little smarter and not so hard? If so, here are 3 Killer Tips to take your daily planning routine to the next level.
#1 Identify your Priorities
Do you know what your top priorities are each day? Most people don’t. They jump into the day and start getting stuff done. Or, they work from a to-do list which never seems to end. Remember, when you say yes to one task, you are saying no to another. If you really want to make your day as effective as it can be, you must be saying YES to your priority tasks.
How do you know what’s a priority? Look at your goals. When you take the time to get clear and create a vision of your life (and then break it down into goals) your daily priority becomes a breeze. This makes daily planning go super fast, plus you can easily identify non-priority tasks which can be pushed off until later.
#2 Stop Thriving on “Busy”
There are lots of people who get a rush from being busy. The narrowly-met deadlines, endless emails, piles of paper needing attention on the desk, the frantic race to a meeting. It can be a real adrenaline buzz and even an ego boost. However, the problem is working in this manner rarely means you’re effective. Plus, over time it can lead to major stress.
Instead, when you sit down to plan your day, focus on being effective and not just busy. It may require a little ego checking but it’s for your own good! Look at your list for the day and ask yourself, “is this just busy work, or am I moving my life forward?”
#3 Everything in One Place
Multi-tasking, having papers and notes scattered all over, working from multiple calendars and planners can all contribute to poor productivity. Instead, focus on keeping everything in one place. It will save you time and reduce the load on your already tired brain trying to remember where everything is. This may not be accomplished easily, but if you spend even 10 minutes a day organizing and consolidating you’ll see a big difference very quickly.
I keep everything in my Best Planner Ever. Hey, I designed it for just this purpose so of course I use it myself! You get a FULL PAGE for daily planning so you have space to really keep everything in one place. It has room to identify the top priority each day, scheduled appointments, errands, self care, and even plan meals and exercise.
It’s my go-to #1 tool for killer daily planning!
Jennifer