What are common mistakes people make when scheduling their day?

Especially when you're working remotely. Forgetting to think about your circadian rhythm when planning your day. Sure you've aligned all your tasks, but when do you have the most energy? Do the hardest tasks or use that time for customer meetings. Low energy? This is when you can take a quick walk outside, or maybe do your administrative tasks with some energizing music... etc.

I start every day with determining 3 things I want to accomplish before I go to bed. No more than 3! It forces me to prioritize and make sure the really really important things get done. Secondly, I don't feel as bad about the less important things staying unfinished - the tasks never end, but not all of them are equally impactful and many/most of them are balls that can be dropped, and *need* to be dropped. Knowing what to drop is an important skill.

I start my workweek with clear and realistic goals for that week. Prioritize according to importance: i. primary goals; ii. secondary goals and iii. collateral achievements; iv. meetings for the week. Consequently I cut that plan into deliverables per day. I agree with Ms Sharma to limit the goals to three per day. Understanding how your own clock is ticking is important too. I realized that my productive hours are in the morning. Hence I block two hours in the morning to focus on the deliverables of the day. Prioritizing is much more important than keeping scores on your extensive to do list.

A task planning is necessary to use working hours effectively. Classification of daily tasks in terms of significance enables to handle the tasks in order. Besides that, daily working patterns change from person to person. It's of great importance to find out the most productive working hours and manage daily working accordingly. Longitudinal work dies productivity. 5 min. break between 25 min. working period increases productivity. Another factor for productivity is to keep away distractions. Distractions are traps on the way. Turning off all notifications, incoming calls and e-mail notifications are vital. Taking on too much work than one can handle brings along suffering under heavy work. Managing work and off time wisely brings success.

Mistake: Proceeding without clear goals can lead to aimless tasks. Consider: Set specific, achievable goals to guide your daily activities.

Underestimating the time required for tasks is a common pitfall in time management. It often results in stress and missed deadlines. To manage time effectively…. 1. Estimate task durations realistically, adding a 15-25% buffer for unexpected delays. 2. Align tasks with your energy levels; tackle demanding tasks during your most productive times and lighter ones when energy dips. 3. Prioritize based on importance and deadlines, but maintain schedule flexibility to accommodate changes. 4. Regularly review and adjust your time estimates to improve accuracy. 5. Reserve time on your schedule to complete each task. I’ve found implementation of these approaches reduces stress and prevents missed deadlines.

Mistake: Underestimating the time tasks require can lead to rushed work. Consider: Be realistic in estimating task durations, allowing for thorough completion.

Time management is something many struggle with. I read several books on this topic now but the one that helped me most was, “Eat that Frog”. The book is based around the idea that once you have identified your tasks for the day, you should complete the hardest one on your list first. More times than not we not only prioritize our days with tasks, but we do the easiest first, so we can get that quick win, pushing the hardest to the end of the day. By the time we get to it, we have to add it to the filling days tasks. Then we start the cycle over. Do yourselves a favor, list your tasks for that day, assign a time to each task, and then eat that frog. You will thank yourself.

We may be overly optimistic about what we can do in any day. If you are like most of the leaders I coach your day is filled with meetings. You have too many emails to attend to, tasks to complete and other incoming messages coming in. Start to take note of where your time is going. How long things are taking and what brings your energy up versus down. You could also check on a meeting by meeting basis how valuable your time was spent there. There is never enough time in a day and therefore we need to be much more mindful of what we are committing to. Research shows that up to 40% of our day is unexpected meaning that stuff continues to happen and we do not have buffers for this in our day.

We all endeavor to maximize our day by squeezing in as many meetings and tasks as possible. However, accounting for the highly probable unexpected events and acknowledging the distracting world and environment we live in today, it is crucial to set realistic expectations for ourselves. We have to balance the satisfaction from accomplishing tasks with room for delays. Consider adding 15-30 min after each task for a safer buffer. Most importantly, grant yourself grace and self-compassion; recognize that you are doing your best each day.

Mistake: A rigid schedule can crumble in the face of unexpected events. Consider: Build flexibility into your schedule to accommodate unforeseen tasks.

Life, in all its unpredictable glory, has a knack for throwing curveballs. As much as we meticulously craft our to-do lists, we must also embrace the art of flexibility when new demands emerge, especially those directly impacting our organization's top goals. Clinging rigidly to our task lists, allowing important matters to slip through the cracks due to an inability to adapt, is a recipe for professional stagnation. Let's not be caught in the whirlwind of inflexibility; instead, let's gracefully pivot and conquer the challenges life throws our way.

While I am a strong advocate of planning and scheduling your daily work chores, I also believe that nothing is cast on stone. Work exigencies arise that might have higher priorities than the activities you earlier planned to work on. Being flexible allow you to pay attention to other aspects of your day to day that also matter. The need for balance between planning for the things you need to accomplish and the activities that require your attention cannot be over emphasised. Always make time to attend to other aspects of the work that are not earlier included in your day's plan. Setting priorities for various aspects of the work can help steer you in the the right direction. Pay attention to the stuff that matter per time.

I always set alarms on my phone to remind me to take a coffee break of 15 minutes around 11am then to take a lunch break. I find that taking time away from my desk helps clear my head for those few minutes then go back to the task with a fresh perspective.

Mistake: Working non-stop can lead to burnout and decreased productivity. Consider: Schedule short breaks to recharge and enhance overall efficiency.

Myself and a group of coworkers take a morning and afternoon walk everyday. I always feel more focused and ready to take on the next challenge after coming back. It really does help to take a break, preferably outside, walking in fresh air.

I've always been in meeting-heavy roles, where my number of meetings would generally add to my company's success - sales, fundraising, hiring. But this is true only up to a point. For one, I've realized that magic happens in whitespaces and breaks when my brain has the space to connect dots and enable "aha moments" for me. Secondly, the exhaustion from "being on" in meetings/execution mode adds up and affects performance. I show up with more alertness and clarity in end of day meetings if I'd taken a handful of breaks during the day, even if for a couple minutes each to leave room for my brain to handle the context switch.

Going back to back with meetings or client sessions is a fast track to diminished results. It can be as little as 5 minutes to reset. Try leaving your phone and then going to the toilet on a different floor of the office or doing some intentional breathing between meetings then plug back in again.

Mistake: Neglecting to evaluate daily accomplishments can hinder progress. Consider: Keep a record of completed tasks to assess productivity and adjust strategies.

Always be purposeful with your time. Is that networking group paying off? Have you grown your partnership opportunities from it or gained interest from potential clients? Do take time to track progress and be purposeful with who you’d like to connect with - people who will help to build your business capabilities, compliment your work by providing services you can refer clients to - as well as potentially signposting clients to you. Build trust, share your knowledge and over time this in turn will help to gain the right clients. Knowing your core value proposition and building a business model to deliver this is key.

Tracking your progress isn't a brag fest; it's a self-appreciation party. It's like savoring the last bite of a delicious meal, acknowledging the journey and fueling your motivation for the next course. So, ditch the feeling of being perpetually behind and embrace the power of tracking your results. It's not just about checking off items; it's about celebrating your accomplishments and paving the way for even greater success. Remember, tracking your progress isn't a chore; it's a celebration of your achievements and a roadmap for future success. So, grab your virtual confetti and start tracking your progress today!

A creative and customizable way to track your results is to utilize a dot journal! I've noticed when my inner critic tries to chime in, having visual proof really helps to see things that I was initially unaware of. I always try to include times that I started or completed tasks before I started tracking in the moment because I tend to dwell on and remember negative feedback (ie: lazy, selfish, unable). Even when that feedback is few and far between.. I forget all the postive affirmations! The included already accomplished tasks help to reframe my thoughts, feel confident in myself and to inspire new ideas.

Always need to loop back to measure performance. In sales, building a side hit list of people you know you can close but need to nurture. People you’ve already pitched but didn’t sign.

Starting the day with checking emails instead of starting the day with the work that you want to complete first. Once you start responding to emails, you can easily get distracted and start doing work that other people sent you. So start the day doing more productive work instead of clearing your emails

Not all hours in our calendar are equal. You could be a morning person and might need that time to yourself to get things done, or you can be slower in mornings so might be better off using that time for meetings rather than focus/thinking work. It's important to build self-awareness and design your work day to leverage your best thinking time/to get uninterrupted focus time.

Surprising Fact: 90% of people fail to work effectively! Ever feel your day slips away when things get busy? It's pretty normal. Common mistakes? • Misjudging time needs • Reacting, not planning • Not setting priorities • Too rigid schedules • Skipping breaks You end up stressed, unproductive, and brain fried. Tasks drag on. And worst of all, you don't realise where you're going wrong. Here's how to fix it: 1. Find your no1 priority every morning. 2. Focus solely on that. 3. Cut out distractions. 4. Take breaks. Do that and you'll: • Get more done • Reduce the stress • Find time for yourself. Especially when it matters most. So start today! And watch the change unfold.

Common scheduling mistakes often stem from a lack of mindfulness and being at peace with the present. Overlooked yet effective advice involves incorporating short pauses between tasks, allowing executives to reset and approach each activity with focused intention.

Don’t forget to schedule time for planning and organization. Put it in your calendar to check and adjust during a project or period. If you take the time you need to set up the most efficient plan, you’ll be saving time in the long run not having to back track. It’s extra important if you’re a people leader. If your team sees you putting in the effort to make a plan/schedule that allows them to do their job more effectively, not only will you earn trust and buy in from them, but also show that you respect and appreciate what they do.