Your to-do list is only as useful as as your ability to actually get it done. When you’re planning out your day, start with the time that you need to be finished with work and plan backwards from there.
Photo by Matt Biddulph
As tips blog Barking Up the Wrong Tree points out, if you set a time that your workday ends and plan your activities backwards from there, you’ll instinctively build deadlines into your work:
You need boundaries if you want work/life balance. But this also helps you work better because it forces you to be efficient. By setting a deadline of 5:30 and then scheduling tasks you can get control over that hurricane of duties.
Some offices close down at a set time anyway, so this process happens whether you plan to or not. However, for more irregular jobs, it takes self-control and discipline to get everything done on a schedule. Start from the end and plan towards the beginning and you’ll always know when everything has to be finished. Check out Barking Up the Wrong Tree’s post for more tips on getting things done.
How To Stop Being Lazy And Get More Done — 5 Expert Tips [Barking Up the Wrong Tree]
Comments
One response to “Schedule Your Day Backwards To Get Everything Done In A Timely Manner”
This worked great for me. I calculated everything I need to have done by the end of the day today, and in order to get it done, I need to have started Wednesday last week. It’s a huge weight off my mind to know that my failure is already in the past. 🙂
i actually lolled