Daily Planning

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Daily Planning: The Critical Sequence for Productivity
Planning your day is widely acknowledged as crucial for organization and productivity. Yet, consistently doing it, even on weekends, remains a challenge for many. Skipping this step often leads to feeling overwhelmed by busy work, ending the day exhausted, and wondering what was actually accomplished.

Important

Planning your day is one of the most critical things you could do if you want to become better organised and more productive.

The Apollo 13 Analogy: Limited Resources
The challenge of daily planning can be likened to the situation in Apollo 13. The astronauts and ground control were severely limited by only having 16 amps of power to restart the command service module for re-entry. Just as they had limited power, you have a limited resource every day: time.

Note

"Houston, we have a problem."

You only have 24 hours, and realistically, much less time dedicated to work after accounting for sleep, personal life, and necessary breaks. The key is managing this limited time resource effectively.

Example

The scarcity of time forces us to confront our priorities. It highlights the inherent trade-offs in existence – choosing one path means not choosing countless others. How do we navigate this fundamental constraint not just in work, but in life itself? What tasks truly warrant the precious, fleeting moments we are granted?

The Daily Planning Sequence
To combat the feeling of being overwhelmed and make the most of your limited time, a simple, three-step sequence is proposed. This sequence must be followed in order and takes just about five minutes a day.
Step 1: Check Your Calendar
The absolute first step is to consult your calendar for all scheduled appointments and meetings for the day. This provides a clear picture of how much time is already allocated and, consequently, how much free time is truly available for tasks.

Check

Your calendar tells you how much 'power' (available time) you have for the day's tasks.

If your calendar is packed with meetings, the available time for focused work shrinks significantly. Recognizing this limited availability upfront is essential for setting realistic expectations.
Step 2: Review and Refine Your Task List
Once you know your available task time from the calendar, turn to your task manager. The goal here is to create a realistic task list based on the time you actually have.

Fail

Trying to cram 30 tasks into two or three available hours is a recipe for an impossible and disastrous day.

Estimating how long tasks will take is notoriously difficult. Many unimportant tasks tend to resolve themselves if simply delayed. Focus on paring down your list to match the available time. A realistic list might only contain four or five tasks, even fewer when accounting for interruptions.

Question

How accurate are you at estimating the time required for your tasks, and how does this impact your daily planning?

Account for inevitable interruptions like emails, phone calls, instant messages, and spontaneous questions. These significantly eat into your available task time. If you think you have three hours, you might realistically only have 90 minutes of uninterrupted focus time.

Important

Be realistic about the time you actually have available for tasks after accounting for meetings and interruptions.

Step 3: Prioritize Your Realistic List
The final step is to prioritize the realistic list you've created. Identify the absolute must-do tasks for the day. Limiting these to one or two (occasionally three) is recommended to maintain focus.

Check

Identify your 1-2 must-do tasks for the day.

A key tip for staying focused on these top priorities is to write them down on a physical piece of paper, like an A7 notebook, and keep it visible on your desk.

Example

In a world increasingly dominated by fleeting digital notifications, the simple act of writing down priorities on paper can feel grounding. It's a deliberate choice for tangibility and presence. Does our reliance on digital tools sometimes create a distance from our immediate goals, leaving us adrift in a sea of potential distractions?

The Power of Visibility
Relying solely on digital task managers means your priorities are often hidden behind other applications you're working in (documents, spreadsheets, presentations). A physical note serves as a constant visual reminder, helping you stay focused on what truly matters today.

Important

Avoid relying solely on a digital to-do list as it can easily be out of sight and out of mind.

This three-step sequence – Calendar, Realistic List, Prioritize – is a simple yet powerful process that has been around for a long time, notably in systems like the Franklin Planner. It's a sequence designed to ensure you focus on important things every day, taking minimal time for significant results.
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