Staying on your schedule has become quite difficult in today’s age because multitasking has become the norm, and distractions are present virtually everywhere. Many people talk about time management strategies that sound good in theory, but when it comes to real life, those strategies fall flat because not everyone has a perfect life or robotic discipline.
So, to help people stay on track and follow their schedule, we have discussed some real-world scheduling tips that truly work and are effective in real-world scenarios.
1. Start with a Brain Dump
The first tip to stay on your schedule is to get everything out of your head before you make a schedule and start planning. Many people call it the brain dump, and it involves writing down all the tasks, errands, or obligations that are on your mind. The benefit of a brain dump is that once you write everything down or dump everything onto a paper or digital list, it becomes easier for you to prioritise, organise, and schedule based on urgency and importance. It is a simple yet effective strategy that lays down a strong foundation.
2. Use Time Blocking
Time blocking refers to dividing your day into time blocks or segments, with each time block assigned for a specific category of tasks. With the help of this method, you can schedule your day in chinks of focused time and get done multiple things. For example, Block 9–11 AM for focused work, 11–11:30 AM for emails, 2–3 PM for meetings, 4–5 PM for catch-up or admin tasks, and 6-8 PM for family and Maghrib time.
The reason why time blocking is so effective is that it reduces multitasking and decision fatigue, enables you to see where your time is going, and encourages deeper focus on high-priority tasks.
3. Build in Buffer Time Between Tasks
A mistake that most people make while scheduling tasks or making a schedule is that they forget to add buffer time between tasks. It can be quite tempting to schedule everything back-to-back so that you can get done with your to-do list much earlier; however, it only works in theory. In real-life scenarios, things are not perfect, and building in buffer time between tasks provides you with breathing space and mental reset and helps you start on track even when things shift.
Another benefit of building buffer time between tasks is that it can help you catch up on prayer times without missing any major task or appointment. So, make sure that you add a cushion of 10-15 minutes between tasks.
4. Plan the Night Before
Planning your day the night before actually works way better than planning things in the morning. Waiting until morning to plan your day can leave you reactive instead of proactive because mornings are often rushed, unpredictable, and filled with distractions. Planning the night before gives you a head start the next day, reduces morning decision fatigue, and reduces the mental load as well. By spending a few minutes each night reviewing your upcoming day, you can help yourself stay on track without derailing.
5. Batch Similar Tasks Together
Task batching is another common yet effective strategy that can help you stay on schedule. Task batching, as the name suggests, involves batching or grouping similar types of tasks together into a single time block. With task batching, you can minimise context switching and get multiple similar tasks done at once, which improves your productivity and efficiency. Task batching is not only a smart strategy, but it is a sustainable and energy-saving one that enables you to get done with multiple similar things done simultaneously.
