Every night before bed, there is one thing I almost always do. It's simple and it only takes a few minutes, but it has revolutionized my productivity, helps me sleep better, and allows me to go to bed feeling peaceful and calm.
So what is this life changing thing I do? I check out my Google calendar and write a to-do list for the next day. Ta-da! I know you are shocked at this amazing tip. {Insert sarcasm.}
It may seem boring or simplistic, but doing this consistently has completely changed the my life.
How I Create a Time-Blocked To Do List
There are a few things I ask myself while putting together my schedule for the following day:
- What appointments do I have?
- What do I absolutely have to get done tomorrow?
- What would I really like to get done?
- Are there fun things that I should put on the schedule?
- What does my soul need? {Down time, rest, laughter, time with friends, etc.}
Once I know what needs to be done the following day, I make time blocks and put each of the things on my list in one of the blocks of time.
I will block out the first hour of the day to include getting up and taking time to read my Bible, journaling, exercising, and getting ready for the day. The next hour is focused on blogging and scoping, the next hour on breakfast, Bible time, and reading aloud. The next hour on homeschooling… and so on.
Each hour or half hour, I block out for a specific project or to-do item - in order of significance and priority. Certain parts of every day are the same, but each day varies somewhat, depending upon the projects and activities scheduled for that day.
Why I Schedule My Day The Night Before
It Revolutionizes My Productivity - By having a Time Blocked To Do List, I'm able to focus on one project or to-do at a time, all while knowing that everything that needs to be done each day has been accounted for on my Time Blocks and that I can give full attention to the current project or to-do without stressing over what I still have to do!
It Helps Me Sleep Better - I've found that if I don't schedule my day out the night before, then I will go to bed and stress about the following day. I'll lie there and go over all of the things I need to do. If I allow myself to brain dump those plans and ideas before I get in bed, I'm able to rest better.
It Allows Me to Go to Bed Feeling Peaceful & Calm - The other big thing that I have found about scheduling the day ahead of time, is that it keeps me from feeling overwhelmed. When I see the day mapped out, then I don't have to worry about whether or not I can do it all. I make sure that when I'm scheduling, that I give myself enough time to accomplish each task.
Don't Forget to Give Yourself Breathing Room
When I'm putting together my time blocks, I look at all the things I need to do and then schedule myself some wiggle room. If I think a task will take me 15 minutes, then I try to go ahead and give myself 30 minutes to get it done - because it seems like things always take longer than I think they will!
It is such an important thing to give yourself extra time to do a task, especially if you deal with a lot of interruptions. Those interruptions will not stress you out as much, because you aren't scheduling yourself too tightly.
By looking over my Google calendar and taking time map out the day, it gives me a peace of mind. It clears my head and helps me to sleep better. And when I sleep well at night, I wake up refreshed in the morning which allows me to be more energetic, more productive, and more joyful the next day.
I encourage you to sit down tonight and take time to schedule out your day. Just try it out for a week and see if it makes a difference for you.
What do you do every night to set yourself up for success? I'd love to hear!
P.S. Read more about how Google Calendar simplifies my life here.
