How can I keep my schedule organized?

You can followthose simple steps: 

1. Create daily planner

Plan your day before it starts. Always list the jobs you want to accomplish in the morning or better off, the night before you sleep. Stick to the plan as best as you can.

2. Keep a time limit for each task

In your daily planner, mark each task with a time limit. Be clear that you want to finish the A task by 3 pm and the B task by 5 pm. Having a deadline should motivate you to work more efficiently.

3. Block out distractions

Let’s think… What distracts you most while working? Facebook, Whatsapp, TV, emails, or phone calls? I even get distracted by a dog barking outside my window. To focus better, close your email, turn off your phone, TV and if needed – close doors and windows as well.

4. Keep your workspace clean

A cluttered desk will also come in the way of working efficiently. My colleague who has a desk next to mine has such a messy desk that it takes her approximately 5 minutes just to find a pen! An organized and tidy workspace will allow you to find things easily and get things in an orderly manner.

5. Avoid stress

Many times we stress when we have more work in hand then we can manage. Our body often feels tired which affects our productivity. Realize that no amount of thoughts will make your to-do list shorter. Focus on one task at a time and the work will be finish in a jiffy.

6. Take Breaks

You might find this one ridiculous, but breaks and small moments of relaxation will not affect your productivity but should let you even do more. Short walks, listening to music or maybe petting a cat for five minutes between tasks can improve your work efficiency.

7. Start your work early

If you ask any successful person what is their key secret of success, they will probably tell you one same thing – they start their day very early. When you get up early, you are more calm and clear headed but as the day progresses, your energy levels decrease resulting in less productivity.

7. Learn to say “no”

If you think you are already loaded with work, say NO for additional work. Consider your workload before accepting any more work.

8. Take care of yourself

Many people might think sacrificing sleep or eating their meals faster might help them hack productivity, but that is not the case. 7-8 hours of sleep is needed by the body and mind to function properly. Eating a healthy diet and getting adequate exercise also helps boost energy levels and allows you to focus more clearly.

9. Utilize time management software

A traditional pen and paper planner is one of the best ways to set a schedule but in this technology age, people might find you old-fashioned. There are many apps, products, and sites out there which will help you be more organized, productive and meet all your goals. You can take a quick look at TimeCamp (Free Time Tracking Software) to realize how it exactly works. 

Remember, it is not possible to get everything done and sometimes you may feel that there are not enough hours in one day for you to accomplish everything at hand. Be calm and work smarter, not harder. Follow the tips mentioned above and you might find that there are enough hours in a day.

Hi there!

In my work as a Software Engineering Manager it is really important that I keep myself organized, and it is a really tough task.

Start simple

Get a notebook and take notes, and review those notes in a daily basis so everything is up to date. I tried some fancy applications but at least on my experience it gave me more work.

Use a task a list, put everything you need to do that day and review it often so you can feel accomplished with every done task.

Record to not forget

Do you have appointments? an exam? some deadline for an important task? As simple as adding all those events to your calendar, for instance, with a Gmail account you have a very nice calendar for free!

Be consistent

It is easy to just not write down something, to not schedule an event in your calendar... but if you miss it, it would be easier that you do not deliver and that you might feel demotivated.

Keep improving

If something doesn't work, stop it and try something new. Every person is different, so what works for me might not work for you, but at least it is a start, so you can keep discovering how to improve your time management.

The first thing you need to do is get a sense whether you have enough time to execute all the tasks you are trying to do. Sometimes, we get into a busy season of life and find ourselves with fewer hours than we need to get all the jobs done. When I find myself in these phases, (ex. finals time, dissertation writing), I try to remind myself that this phase will pass and I do my best to create a prioritized to do list and work methodically from the highest to the lowest level items.

When I am not in one of those hellish busy times, I use a combination of to-do lists and a digital calendar. For weekdays, I schedule both work activities, play activities and self-care. I treat exercise, friends & family time and professional deadlines with the same attention and intention on my calendar. To be clear, I spend the most time on work but I find that I am more likely to get an exercise class in if it is on the calendar.

The other thing I do is to chunk my schedule into predictable routines. When I was a teacher, Sundays were always my planning day. Now that I am a mom, my weekends are sacred family time. I also run a company so I like to put certain client meetings consistently on Mondays and others on different days so that all the crazy begins to take on some predictable cadence. That way, for example, I know I can always schedule networking/coffee with friends in the last slot on a Friday. Finding a flow in this way helps me to juggle the millions of things on my plate.

Lastly, be kind to your self. Give your self grace when you drop a ball. Breathe and try again. You will be better at all the work/school/adulting activities if you make time for self-care and friends. When you do find yourself in a time with more things to do than time to it, start taking things off your plate or at the very least don't take on any new things until you have caught your breath. It is never selfish to say no.

Begin by writing down a schedule that is achievable. Then keep your appointments or due dates in Google calendar. This will help start the process of staying organized!

Hello ,

I would suggest you the following tips :

1)Use an online calendar

2)Use a to-do-list, but don’t abandon tasks.

3)Be consistent and set a time limit for each task.

4)If you feel that you are not able to manage time or a particular task is taking more time then revise your schedule and check your approach.

5)Eliminate half-work

6)Leave a buffer-time between tasks

7)Relax and dont be too hard on yourself.

Make a schedule, be disciplined and for starting few days if you cant its OK, you will get better.

Read the book "Eat the frog" , one of the best book on how to get things done.

Make sure to add everything to your calendar of choice, google calendar is a great one. Remember if it’s not on the calendar, it doesn’t exist. Another great benefit of google calendar is you can share your calendar with others.

Hi Fatima, If you have a cellphone I recommend using the calendar on your cellphone to add important dates and/or events. Using the calendar on your cellphone will allow you to manage your time and keep track of appointments and event. Prioritize your day by must do's have to do's and can wait. Did you know you when you add an appointment and/or event on cellphone calendar you can set an alert as a reminder? Good luck with managing your time and hanging out with your friends.

One of the way to keep your schedule organized is time - management. Make a note of works on calendars like google calendar , set reminders and try to finish the work in set time only so that you wont need to get delay for your next work. Set a daily routine and follow it strictly.

Time management could help you organize your schedule effectively. Take some time to analyze your everyday routine and write is down. See what time you are not utilizing properly. For example I love cooking which takes about an hours time, if you are a careful cook while cooking you can call your friends over or call them, by doing so you'll be cooking and also chilling with your friend.