Welcome back, to the third and final part of this blog on planning, prioritising and sticking to it. Whilst probably the least well documented, for me this part is possibly the most important part of the whole process.
It’s all very well writing a list of tasks, or a plan, and prioritising the contents, but if we don’t refer to it, or execute the tasks on it in the sequence planned, then it might be a waste of time.
So how do we go about sticking to the priorities set?
Once you’ve got a plan, you need to execute it, monitor and measure it. Just like any plan, project or set of tasks.
I use a couple of tools to manage this myself. I use my BUJO and MS To Do – I tick off the tasks I have achieved, and roll over any tasks that didn’t get started/completed to the next available date, and move other things around as required.
My TOP 3 things for the week sit at the top of the page, glaring at me, to remind me that should be my focus for the week.
For instance, my daughter started high school earlier last month. So in the week prior to her starting, one of my top 3 was to make sure we’d got everything she needed, ready to start high school. The next week, was making sure she was settling in, so I had to consider that as I planned my week.
Another one of my top 3 was a launch event for one of my clients, who were opening a new office. This had to happen on the day scheduled, and there were varying tasks that needed to be done in the run up, so for that week I had to prioritise this.
I review the month using my BUJO. I regularly refer back to the month’s task list I set, as the month progresses, to ensure all tasks are getting scheduled weekly/daily. And I review the month’s progress, comparing planned vs actuals, to see how I am getting on. I also use the review as a way of capturing learnings. Noting things that went well and things that didn’t go so well, so as to learn from my ‘mistakes’ and not repeat them.
To ensure you are sticking to a schedule that reflects your priority tasks, take a moment and look at what you planned for tomorrow. Does it reflect the priority of the work you need to get done? If not, it’s time to make a schedule reflecting your priority tasks.
Creating and maintaining a schedule is the ultimate way to stay on track. You can anticipate hectic days, block off time for focused work, and set daily reminders to stay on top of your tasks.
Schedule your most important tasks in advance, based on their priority and due dates. Before your workday ends, create a plan for the next day and allocate enough time to focus on each task.
But don’t forget to leave some time for flexibility in your schedule. You can’t anticipate every surprise, so be sure to build in extra ‘breathing room’. Have some “me time” to de-stress, relax and do something you love, maybe go for a walk, do some exercise, or just get some fresh air.
Here are some things to consider when trying to stick to the priorities you have set:-
Without comparing how you are ‘doing’ against plan, you may lose sight of your top priority tasks, and forget what goals you are trying to achieve. We can easily get bogged down in the detail of the tasks, and forget the bigger picture. Through regular monitoring and reporting, you can keep a track on both what was to be achieved and what has been, allowing any relevant corrections or explanations to others impacted.
Through effective monitoring, successful and unsuccessful ways of working can be identified and you can adjust your approach, re-plan look at expectations and adjust for future projects.
To get the most out of the time you have available there are lots of time management techniques you can employ. Not all of these will work for everyone. My recommendation is to find one that works for you; your style and what you do.
There are many blog posts on time saving tips and time management techniques about. Here are a few reminders:- time blocking; batching (similar tasks together); ‘eating the frog’ (as the first job of the day); avoiding distractions. Plus others, many of which you will find mentioned on my socials.
For more tips on time management, why not check out some of my previous blog posts, linked below.
Jean Weir – Oyster Flame – Giving you valuable time back!