Hey there! A couple weeks ago I shared with you my list system for getting stuff done. If you missed that post, check it out here: https://christijohnsoncreative.com/list-system/. Today I’m sharing my best tips for planning your week and planning your day. I also talk about how to arrange your daily to do list!
Tips for Planning Your Day
Planning My Week
First of all, I start by planning my week. I like to do this on Friday afternoons before the weekend. That way, I don’t have to think about work during the weekend if I don’t want to and can just start my week afresh on Monday. I do that by taking a look at my Master Action List and my Master Projects list and then I add what tasks I want to accomplish for the week. It’s easiest to do this on paper so that I can take anything off if I need to before I type it in my list on Google Keep. I also add any personal things I need to do like go to the grocery store, pay a certain bill, or things like that.
Since I have my weekly schedule set up with time chunks, I usually organize the tasks by how I think I’ll accomplish them during the week. For example, since Monday is the day I do email lists those tasks will be closer to the top. And since Thursday is the day I record my podcast, those tasks will be closer to the bottom.
Usually, I over fill my week. So After I’ve written down everything I want to accomplish, I go back through and find the things that are most important either by highlighting them or by rearranging them if I’m doing it on the computer or my phone. Then everything else that isn’t as important, I just leave on the master action list and the master project list. If I have extra time during the week I can get to them, or they will just go on the agenda for next week.
Planning My Day
I set aside time the day before to plan my next day. To plan a particular day, I choose a few personal tasks and a few business tasks from my weekly planning list and put them into the chunks of time I have on my schedule. The important thing for me here is that I’m not over filling my day. The more you get used to working with a schedule and a to do list system, the easier it will be for you to gauge how many things you can get done during the day. There are certain tasks that I know take me longer and certain ones that I know I can get done quickly.
I try to put buffer time into my schedule and plan less than I think I can accomplish. I cannot stress this enough! Without fail, something unexpected comes up and these things don’t have to derail your day! So plan for the unexpected by putting fewer tasks on your to do list. If you end up with extra time, you can always grab something else from your weekly planning list. Or you can simply use the extra time to relax and enjoy yourself!
Tips for Planning Your Day
Make it Something you Use
The important thing about whatever system you have for daily planning is that it’s something you use! I like Google Keep because I have it as a widget on my phone and I can see it every day. But I also often write out my plans in a notebook and then put it in Keep. Maybe you use a task manager like Asana or Trello. Maybe you use note cards or a daily planner. Whatever it is, make sure you don’t force yourself to use something you don’t like. The best system is the one you will use.
Make it Something You Can Change
Whatever you use, it’s important to be able to change it because plans change. I recently saw someone who plans her entire quarter with sticky notes! She makes a big calendar on her wall and puts her tasks on sticky notes so that she can easily move things around. Something like this is a fantastic idea! For me, I generally just move things around on my Google Keep List or I write and rewrite in my journal.
Tips for Deciding What Goes on Your List
Use the Eisenhower Decision Matrix
This is something I recently learned about from the membership group I’m in (the Empowered Boss Lab led by Chelsea Foster!). It’s a way to organize your tasks and choose what you need to do. You categorize things by whether or not they’re important or not and urgent or not. Here is a chart:
| Important and Urgent | Urgent but Not Important |
| Do these first! | Set a Due Date |
| Not urgent but Important | Not Urgent & Not Important |
| Set a Due Date or Delegate/Automate | Let it go |
Rank your Tasks
If the Eisenhower Matrix doesn’t work for you, then perhaps you would rather use a ranking system. Assign each of your tasks a rating based on how important they are, and don’t give any task the same rating. Then do the highest rated things first and work your way down. It would be better to finish your day with a few low-rated items left on your list than the highest rated things! It’s all about knowing what’s important and doing it.
Eat the Frog
Have you heard this before? Eating the frog means doing the hard thing first. It comes from a quote by Mark Twain. He said, “If it’s your job to eat a frog, it’s best to do it first thing in the morning. And If it’s your job to eat two frogs, it’s best to eat the biggest one first.” Do you see what he’s saying? We should do the hard things or the things we don’t want to do first. How often do you do the easy things first or the exciting things and then leave the things you don’t want to do until the very last minute? All the while they might be hanging over your head and making you feel frustrated or overwhelmed. You’ll feel so much better if you get up, and do the hard thing first. Then you can enjoy the rest of your day with the exciting tasks!
Those are my best tips for planning your day and how I arrange my daily to do list.
Want more Guidance?
Do you want more help setting goals, planning your schedule, or making lists? If you do, then my new course is for you!! I’m building a course that’s all about goal setting and productivity for photographers. If you want to be the first to know when it’s released, send me an email at christi@christijohnsoncreative.com.
If you have any questions, let me know!
