Planning ahead

Over the last couple of weeks, I have found it very useful to spend time plotting out my days. When a week is about to end, I think about what needs to get done in the coming week, and then slot in a certain amount of time for each task. My tool of choice is Google Calendar. If you have a Mac, then iCal should serve you well.

At first, I had some resistance to planning my day down to the last minute. We all need margin in our lives, and abiding by a strict schedule can be rather exhausting. Here are some tips that should help you to organize your timetable in such a way that prevents you from becoming overworked:

1. Leave some margin
At first I didn't want to have my whole day planned out because I knew I would need some margin. If you're a living, breathing creature, at any given time you may need to:

• take a break
• talk to your roommates/spouse
• get a glass of water
• check the mail, or
• go to the bathroom.

Make sure to leave some time in your schedule for all of those things.

It's also a good idea to leave 10 to 15 minutes in between each activity so you have time to transition from one to the next. At times, it may be profitable to continue working on a task until it's done, but still at other times it may be a good idea to take a break and come back to it later. This is something you can figure out for yourself.

2. Few things thrive under pressure
You have probably heard it said that there is good stress and bad stress; When we try to do too many things all it once it is easy to become overwhelmed. However, if you spend an hour or two at each task, it is far less taxing. Not only that, but you will often find that you can accomplish more if you focus on a particular project for an hour or two before moving on to the next one. Keep in mind that it takes time to transition from one task to the next, and to shift your focus.

There is something to be said for multitasking, but only when you're actually able to do two things at once. Most forms of multitasking force you to divide your attention and time between several different tasks. This is actually counterproductive. A good example of multitasking is listening to audio programs or podcasts while driving or exercising. Most people listen to something in their car anyway; you may as well listen to something that's going to enrich your life! Brian Tracy says that on average, most people spend 500 hours a year in their car. Can you imagine the benefit gained from turning your car into a Mobile University?

3. Remain flexible
I've basically touched on this already, but I can't stress it enough: Don't be so precious with your time that you're unwilling to make compromises. At times, "distractions" are actually healthy. If your priorities are out of line, you may wind up sacrificing your health or family for the sake of productivity. I am not encouraging that in the least.

Ultimately, there are few things more rewarding and more important than relationships. As the infamous Mr. Miyagi says in the Karate Kid, "To make honey, young bee need young flower, not old prune." Your relationships will help you to "make honey", but toiling away on your own will only make you an "old prune". Make a decision for balance, not excess!