How to Organize Your Schedule

Getting a Planner

Buy a paper planner. Visit your local bookstore or go online to purchase a planner. You can purchase a paper planner that spans one or more years. Pick an attractive planner, so that looking at your schedule is a pleasure. Pick a small or flat planner that will fit in your bag, so you can carry it with you. If you would rather not carry a planner with you, consider a desk planner that will sit comfortably on a table. Make sure your planner has enough space in it for you to write down your daily activities. If you have a variable schedule with lots of small parts, get a planner with large spaces per day. If you have many ongoing projects with flexible deadlines, pick a planner with small spaces per day but plenty of extra blank page space per week, so you can keep a to-do list. A to-do list that is part of your planner is useful to most people, so consider a planner with facing blank pages for every week.

Plan online. If you coordinate your schedule with others, or if you do most things on your phone and computer, it might make more sense for you to pick an application, a website, or an extension of your email services to organize your schedule. You can look up free mobile and web applications that suit your needs. If you plan on sharing information from your online planner with friends, family, or colleagues, ask them what service they use and plan accordingly.

Plan on your computer. Most computers come with a calendar application. You can coordinate this application with your email and other websites you use. Search your computer for "calendar," or scroll through your applications folder.

Make your own paper planner. You can find printable templates online, or you can design your own planner by hand or on your computer. Purchase a case for your planner, such as a three ring binder or a book cover. If you are printing templates and putting them in a binder, use a hole punch on your templates and put them in your binder. If you are binding your own book, try taking the pages out of an old hardcover book. Lay the cover flat and measure it. Find paper that is slightly smaller than the length and width of your flat cover, or cut paper to size. Fold each individual page in half to make two pages of your book. Using a ruler and pen, colored pencil, marker, or paintbrush, draw lines on each page according to the organizer design you prefer. Look at templates online for ideas. Stack your pages. Make sure they fit in your cover. You may need to create three distinct stacks for your book to lie flat. With your pages now in order, put in dates. Don't forget holidays! Bind your book. Take an awl or large needle. Punch one or two holes in the cover in the same place. Use a sturdy thread to sew together.

Managing Your Time

Keep a prioritized schedule. Avoid keeping a long list of tasks that keeps getting longer. Instead, integrate your to-do list into your daily schedule. When you learn of a new task, break it into parts and write each part down under the date that you will do it. Make sure you note its deadline, in case you don't get to it on time. You might want to keep a schedule of daily tasks and a to-do list of running projects, but consider keeping a weekly to-do and a monthly to-do instead of one long list. Keeping a list of unscheduled tasks leads will cause you to burn out on your projects before you even do them.

Start with the biggest tasks. Start your day by tackling the most important item on your agenda. Schedule the first order of business to be the one thing you absolutely must accomplish that day. That way, if you are interrupted later, you will have at least done the most important thing. Anything that is due or is especially important is a good candidate for a first task.

Break every task down. Schedule every part of each task, including emails you have to send, planning you have to do, and items you need to get. Otherwise you might waste time sitting down to accomplish something only to realize you are missing essential ingredients.

Consider before you act. Before you start each task, spend a few minutes thinking about what you want your end result to be. This will help you be more directed and focused. Write your goals for each day or each task down in your planner, or simply sit and think. If you are working with someone, state your goals aloud.

Break your days into blocks. Devote each block to one task. Multitasking is less efficient as a rule. Focus on one project, even if that project has diverse parts, during each block.

Give yourself time off. Scheduling time off sounds counterintuitive, but it will help. Do not plan on overworking yourself. Working through exhaustion and bodily needs should only happen in emergencies. Schedule short breaks every 45 minutes to an hour, as this is as long as most people can focus. Take time away from your desk or computer. Schedule time with loved ones, time to prepare meals, and time to be alone. If you are prone to anxiety, try scheduling "worry time." That way, if you find yourself spinning into worry while you are trying to work, you can put it aside for later. Schedule downtime and leave your distractions to that time. Instead of constantly checking your phone, your email, and social media, do it during scheduled blocks.