3 Easy Steps for Time Management through Daily Planning

How many times have you started your day knowing what you would ideally like to get accomplished, but feeling unsure of where to begin or how to prioritize it all? 

On days like this, you can find yourself succumbing to overwhelm before you ever leave the house. There is so much to do, and so little time and energy!

Time and task overwhelm can easily lead to stress and guilt, which can spiral into more bad feelings, and less action.

Many adults with ADD are resistant to the idea of daily planning. But daily planning is one of the best steps you can take to minimize overwhelm and take control of your time.

And better yet, implementing a daily planning routine doesn't have to be difficult! Here are 3 easy steps for time management through the use of daily planning:

1. Plan the Time to Plan
Decide on a time of day when you can consistently take 15 minutes to plan. The time of day isn't important. It can be a set time (8:00 AM) or simply "right before bed." Choose a time of day in which you typically feel alert, productive, and happy.

2. Review Your To-Do List
If you don't already use a to-do list, create one! To-do lists are a tool that help you keep track of what you need to do, and what you have accomplished. Review and re-write your to-do list during each planning session. Acknowledge the accomplishments you made during the day, and add any tasks or projects that came up. Move the most important and urgent tasks to the top of the list. Break large projects into 3-5 steps that all go on the list.

3. Review Your Calendar
Take a look at your daily planner (or calendar, PDA, or whatever you use to help manage your time.) See what appointments you have scheduled the next day. Block off the times in your planner. Then, begin to schedule in time for the tasks on your to-do list.

I'll be honest with you: developing a habit of daily planning takes practice. It doesn't happen overnight. But with a solid commitment to the process, it will happen before you know it! You'll be effectively managing your time and to-dos, and keeping overwhelm at bay.

You can find a detailed plan for building ADD-friendly time management skills in Chapter 4 of my book, Odd One Out: The Maverick's Guide to Adult ADD.

Do you practice daily planning? In what ways does it help you manage your time and stress? Please share your thoughts!

Comments

[C. Wurtz]

Jen I don't know if you remember me. I took your program in Chelsea a couple of years ago. We met in a workshop space behind a cafe and I cannot remember the name! Anyway this was the best thing I learned from the program with you. Ever since I have been planning my day each morning at work. I get in, sit down, have my coffee, read the news online and then I look at my email calendar and schedule my day. It make a difference. I find that I do not need to do this at home but it is very important for my stress management at work.

I want to both say thank you and tell your readers that this works. I am proof!

[C. Wurtz]

I almost forgot to say that I did read your book and love it. Congratulations!

[Dianne G]

Thanks for sharing this bit of wisdon with all us ADDivas and others.

I have been applying your suggestions for a while now and remember that when I first started practicing this habit I would hyperfocus and not get anything but the planning done :-) Now I actually schedule about 3 planning days a week: one on Sunday where I find that I can plan the remainder of Sunday thru Tuesday; on Tuesday evening I plan for Wednesday through Friday and on Friday I look at what didn't get done and attempt to schedule it for the weekend.

Also thanks for a great and oftentimes quite humorous book - "ODD ONE OUT" can't tell you how much I appreciate knowing that "I'm not the only one" who feels this way!

DivaDeeGee

[Jennifer Koretsky]

C and Dianne - thanks for your comments. I am so pleased to hear that you are both practicing planning and experiencing big benefits from it! Also so glad to hear that you both enjoyed the book, too! :-) It's such a thrill to get this kind of feedback.

Oh, and C, of course I remember you!