In my coaching I see many clients who are super busy and have trouble getting done all the things they need to do. There are many reasons for this, but very often it boils down to one root cause: lack of planning.
The first step toward good planning is to make sure you don’t try to do too many things in the time you have available. If you are chronically over scheduled, you are destined to fail. It’s just that simple. You may be very good at managing your time, but no amount of time management can solve the problem of having too much to do and not enough time to do it. You will be forced to work constantly, steal hours from your sleep, and put off doing certain things, usually tasks you see as less appealing or more challenging. And if every minute of your day is already filled with activity, you have no cushion for when something unexpected happens, as it always will.
On the upside, if you are planning to do more than you can, at least you are doing some planning. People who don’t do any planning may have plenty of time available to do what they need to do, but they use that time so inefficiently that a lot of things don’t get done when they should, or don’t get done at all. Many non-planners find it hard to motivate themselves to start working because they think there’s always time to do it later. Others may not prioritize the most important things to work on and focus on unimportant tasks (tasks that are easier or more fun) instead. Still others may wait until right before a deadline to work on something because they never planned for the deadline in the first place or gave no thought to how long it would take to complete the project.
Being over scheduled is draining, stressful, and can contribute to feelings of burnout. Having no plan to get things done triggers procrastination and makes us less productive. Being over scheduled AND having no plan is a recipe for disaster.
If you are over scheduled, you don’t have the option to add time to your day so you need to remove some things from your schedule instead. It’s like rerouting yourself out of bumper-to-bumper traffic to get onto a side road. And allow for some time each day when you have nothing scheduled. Just as having a car length or two between you and others on the road makes for a less stressful and safer commute, building in some buffer between tasks during your day will help you manage the unexpected things that will invariably pop up.
If you aren’t over scheduled but still can’t get things done on time, then you probably need some time management skills. If you already know the skills but don’t use them, then you need to start. Some of the basics are to prioritize what needs to get done, determine how long it will take to complete each task, begin work well before the deadline, and stick to your plan. Using the traffic analogy, it’s like deciding where you want to go, figuring out how long it will take to get where you’re going, and allocating time for the things you want to see and do along the way BEFORE you start driving.
The bottom line is that everyone does better with some planning and time management. Whether it’s removing things from your schedule, prioritizing tasks, or building in some buffer, planning will help you increase your productivity, maximize your success, and preserve your sanity.
Be well. Be safe. Be hopeful.
