How To Plan Your Day In 5 Minutes
Planning out your day is a key step to achieving your goals and maximizing your productivity. Without a plan, it’s too easy to get sucked into non essential daily tasks and to-do’s that waste time, throw off your work life & balance, and don’t allow you to use your day effectively. A 5 minute daily planning session is a gift you give yourself, and is all you need to ensure that your long and short term goals are being addressed, as well as your to-do list and daily schedule.
- First thing you need to do is set aside 5 minutes first thing in the morning to plan out your day digitally, or on paper. It helps to almost make this a ritual in the morning, with coffee or tea, in a comfortable space of your house where you can focus.
This daily planner is what I use every day. The simple one page design keeps all my goals, scheduled commitments, and to-do’s all on one easy to read sheet. I started out using this One Day Planner as a printable. After I upgraded my Ipad, I started using my One Day Planner digitally in Goodnotes, and I’ve never looked back. Check out the One Day Planner here.
- If you have previously established your 3 goals for the month, then write them out. WRITE THEM OUT. I’ve found that writing out my goals, verbatim, every day, has helped me achieve success for my goals, almost like it’s programming my mind to help me only make decisions that take me closer to my goals.
- Identify at least one ‘action’ you’re going to take today towards each of your 3 monthly goals. For instance, if I was actively trying to lose weight and improve my health, my action steps for the day would be to plan out my menu, track all macros proactively, or work out for 30 minutes. By committing to at least one action step towards each of your 3 monthly goals, you will make progress every month.
- Reference your phone, google calendar, or some other calendar and fill in your Schedule and To Do list with all your important tasks.
- Finally, end your 5 minute planning session by filling in the Gratitude box at the bottom of the One Day Planner with all the people, pets, and things you’re grateful for in your life. I personally write until the box is full, or sometimes I even continue into the Notes section if I’m feeling particularly grateful for something that morning.
When I start work, I keep the One Day Planner on my desk so I can refer to it throughout the day. This is my plan, and I use it to make sure I’m completing the action tasks for my goals and all the meetings, conference calls, and to-do’s that fill up my day. I check off items and tasks as I complete them, which gives an additional sense of accomplishment.
That’s it! In 5 minutes, you’ve taken simple actions toward a goal oriented and productive day.
If you’re ready to start using a Daily Planner, be sure to check out my Etsy Shop here.
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