When is the best time to plan your day? Well, everyone is different. Let's take a quick look at some of the different possible times:
1) Early morning before you go to work.
2) Lunch time
3) Mid-afternoon
4) End of the work day
5) At night just before you go to bed
I have prepared my daily plans during each of these times. Here has been my experience with each:
Morning
I have found the morning to be one of the least effective times to create my plan. Here's why:
1) When I get up in the morning, I want to get my day off to a quick start. If I take the time to plan in the morning, it seems to disrupt my momentum. I would rather review the plans I prepared the previous day instead. It's quick and keeps me focused on what I have chosen to do.
2) If I plan in the morning, I haven't been able to take full advantage of the sleeping hours when my subconscious mind is working on what I need to do the following day.
3) As part of my plan, I like to review the progress I made in the previous 24 hours. I find this is easier to do in the day the activity took place.
Lunch Time
This is my favorite time to plan. I find when I plan at lunch:
1) I already have a number of important tasks I can list as accomplishments.
2) It keeps me on track through the entire day. If I find that I have strayed from my original plans, I have a significant part of the day still remaining so I can take corrective action.
3) It frees up my evening for other things (e.g., family, friends, exercise, reading, relaxing, etc.)
4) My plan is ready to review before I go to bed so that my subconscious mind can start working on what I want to achieve the following day.
I also find that if I use my lunch time to plan, I'm much more consistent in preparing my plan every day. When I choose one of the other times, I find it's much easier to find reasons to skip preparing my plan.
Mid-afternoon
This is my second best choice for many of the same reasons listed for the "Lunch Time" block. I don't like it as much because it can eat into my productive time. But by doing my plan shortly after lunch, at least I still have some time to take corrective action if I need to.
End of the Work Day or Dinner time
By this time, the day is pretty well gone--unless I want to work towards my goals in the evening. I'd rather spend this time with my family and friends or just relax.
Before Bedtime
This is my second least favorite time. For one thing, I put out a lot of energy during the day. By the time I'm ready for bed, I'm ready for bed. I'd rather use this time for quickly reviewing my plan for the next day and just get to sleep so that I will have all the energy I need for the following day.
In order of preference, here are the times again:
1) Lunch time
2) Mid-afternoon
3) End of the work day or dinner time
4) Just before bedtime
5) Early morning before work
Of course, the most important thing is to actually plan out your day regardless of when you choose to do it. Experiment with different times and pick out the one that's best for you.
If you are interested in learning about the planning system that I have developed for myself (what I call my RAP--Results-focused, Action Plan), you can ready about it at http://www.poweraffirmations.com/rap.htm. It's a simple system you can use with any planner of your choice (or even just a notebook). You don't have to attend a seminar to learn how to use it. There's no audio program or thick book to study. The information is laid out on the page above. The information is free.
This is the one system I have used that allows me to stay focused on my desired results, measure my progress daily, and is quick. Once you get the hang of it, you should be able to complete your RAP in 15-30 minutes.
Copyright (c) 2005 Bill Marshall - All rights reserved. Feel free to republish this article provided you include the copyright information and the weblinks where possible.
For practical self-improvement tips, visit http://www.poweraffirmations.com/rap.htm. Get my new free e-book, "Power Affirmations: Power Positive Conditioning for Your Subconscious Mind"
cleaning help near Mundelein ..Would you like to know how to get 10 times... Read More
How can you get an extra hour out of each... Read More
There are the golden rules that apply to time. If... Read More
When do you want to make time for a networking... Read More
As a small business owner, does the following paragraph sound... Read More
You can use the Power of 90 Seconds to transform... Read More
As a home-based, self-employed woman, mundane tasks can be as... Read More
As a business owner, wouldn't it be great if you... Read More
Letters, magazines, bills, flyers, what to do with them all.... Read More
"There is never enough time, unless you're serving it." -Malcolm... Read More
"The bad news is time flies. The good news is... Read More
Many organisations view time management training as something they'll spend... Read More
Perhaps it is merely semantics, but an underlying problem I... Read More
Procrastination, the habit of putting tasks off to the last... Read More
Nowhere is the line drawn more clearly between 'Industrial brains'... Read More
One of the most challenging aspect in life is time... Read More
It's been said, "That no one has enough time yet,... Read More
And when you finally sat down to eat breakfast, was... Read More
Do you feel guilty about all the publications you purchase... Read More
In this world there is something more precious than gold.... Read More
There are so many books on Time Management published every... Read More
Friends, colleagues, and clients are all telling me that one... Read More
Here's a smart system for doubling or tripling your daily... Read More
* If you were paying you to prioritise emails over... Read More
Hey - Did someone press the FFW button?Have you ever... Read More
reliable maid service Wilmette ..In working with and coaching people across the country, one... Read More
How often have you tried to manage your time in... Read More
Yesterday, I'd just gotten comfortable at my favorite table in... Read More
Almost everyone in business knows the balancing act between the... Read More
Time is our greatest and most precious asset. Time is... Read More
The Internet is increasingly becoming a major time killer for... Read More
When I was small, I have never considered the importance... Read More
I am an ordinary man - A middle class high... Read More
Fitting an education into a busy lifestyleMany people have aspirations... Read More
Despite the best of intentions, most of us don't use... Read More
Your time and energy are the two most precious gifts... Read More
Today, it is hard to open an e-mail newsletter, a... Read More
I keep a fossil on my desk at all times.... Read More
We all face decisions that involve doing things that affect... Read More
Are you drowning in a sea of unread papers? Do... Read More
When I sit down with a client to work on... Read More
To work smarter all you need is the consciousness of... Read More
Let's look at your time management skills. Most of us... Read More
Such an innocuous little phrase, yet when you are hard... Read More
Partnering with the University of Pennsylvania Law School and the... Read More
Work brings together people of different characters and behavior, and... Read More
"Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces up, snow... Read More
As the song goes, this is the time to relax,... Read More
Here's some time management tips to try:1) Set strict office... Read More
Clarity brings accomplishmentOne of the most important things you can... Read More
Time Management |