It’s the end of yet another long workday. You collapse on your bed, absolutely exhausted, and your mind automatically starts to remind you of all the things still left on your to-do list. From that overflowing inbox to laundry and everything in between – you feel like you barely made a dent in your to-do list despite having worked tirelessly all day long.

We have all been there. And there are very few feelings worse than this. Most days just feel like they fly by and you end up wishing there were more hours in the day so you could finish up all those pending tasks.

Unfortunately, we can’t make that wish come true. However, what we can do is teach you all our secret tips on scheduling for a busy life so you can plan your days better. Who knows, you may even end up with some time for other stuff (like getting a proper 6 hours sleep!). 

Effective Scheduling is a Must for a Busy Life

Balancing work and home lives, while also trying to give time to your friends, family, and most importantly yourself, can be an extremely difficult task. Over time, we all just seem to get busier and busier with no time to really finish anything – be it answering work emails or doing all the house chores. Everything is left in a sort of middle state, half undone, and causing you more stress.

The best way to overcome this and finish things properly is by effectively scheduling for our busy lives. 

But before you start scheduling, there are a few things to sort out.

Go Back to your Values

Recommended by professional life coaches across the world, reminding yourself of your core values is essential for a well-structured life. The best way to do it is by writing down or regularly journaling the top few things that hold the most importance in your life.

These could be anything from earning a name for yourself, to giving your family a better life or even simply getting rich (no shame in that, we respect it!)

Once you have gone back to your values, analyze all the activities you do daily and simply hit delete on the ones that don’t align with these values. 

Picture the Life you’re Working For

Another great approach involves the law of attraction. 

This basically requires you to imagine the kind of life you want in all its glory. Go completely wild with it and think up everything you would like your life to be. Focus more on your wants than on how difficult it is to get to the. Forget about your troubles for a bit and just conjure up your absolute best life that is both exciting and achievable. 

That right there is your key to being motivated. Keep this vision in your head and make the right decisions that will get you that life.

Figure Out Your Trade-Offs 

This part is simple. Say ‘yes’ to the activities that are truly essential to your life and try to eliminate the tasks that you’re doing somewhat robotically – with no fruitful effects on your life.

Analyze the different parts of your day and figure out what activities you can trade-off to do something more useful. Maybe you’d like to give up those 15 minutes of scrolling through Facebook for preparing a quick sandwich for lunch? 

This will help you make maximum use of your limited hours in a day.

Now that you have your priorities straightened out, it’s time to get to scheduling your busy life. 

How to Schedule for a Maximum Productivity 

• Use a Calendar

A god-sent when it comes to effective scheduling, calendars are for more than just hanging up on your walls. These are a great way to schedule everything and keep it in sight so you don’t forget those important appointments. 

An even better tip is to use a digital calendar on your phone and sync it up with your partner or anybody else whose daily activities go hand in hand with yours. The best part of digital calendars is that they send you reminders and notifications beforehand.

• Identify the Time Slots you Have

You need to start by determining how much time you actually have for various tasks. For example, setting aside your office timings and then dividing the rest of the day into smaller time slots to fit in all your personal errands and other chores. 

• Schedule-in the Most Important Tasks

Next, add to your schedule all the must-do tasks that you can’t afford to skip out on. These need to be addressed first and marked a priority to help you remember.

Everything can be filled in and adjusted to your schedule after you have covered all the essential tasks.

• Add in Some Leeway 

Remember that emergencies can occur anytime and therefore, your schedule needs to be flexible enough to not leave you freaking out in case of one. 

Make room for some extra time in your calendar for contingencies and other emergencies so you don’t end up running behind when they happen.

P.S. In the best-case scenario, if you don’t have to deal with any contingencies throughout the week, you now have a few extra minutes to relax and take care of yourself. Make draw up a small bath or relax on the couch with a book.

• Discretionary Time Slots

After arranging your work schedule and the essential errands, you can now fill in the rest of your calendar with other day-to-day tasks that need to be done like picking up groceries and finally doing the laundry that has been collecting over the week (fresh sheets finally!)

Final Words

Your schedule is only as useful as you allow it to be. Only by following it religiously will you be able to enjoy the highly disciplined and orderly life they can offer you. Be sure to r-analyze once your calendar is done to make sure you haven’t missed out on anything. For more hacks on how to live a more productive life, visit our website today!