5 Ways You Can Take Control of Your Schedule Now

Have you ever wanted to take control of your schedule because it seems to have control over you? 24 hours hardly ever feels like enough time to get everything done; it feels like the clock runs faster than we do.

Without intentionally creating your schedule, it might feel like you’re just along for the ride. Here are five ways that will enable you to take control of your schedule now:

Prioritize

Time is finite- spend it where it counts most. Create a pecking order of priorities that can guide you in creating your schedule. Without knowing what is most important, it is easy to spend time on meaningless things.

For example, the 30,000-foot view of my priorities are 1) faith and family 2) work/school 3) social time and leisure. This guides my schedule. Within each priority, you can create sub-priorities; a pecking order of what is most important within each priority of your life. This will give you the opportunity to allocate more time to the projects and meetings that will give you the most return on investment for your time.

Once you have a list of priorities, let your them be known to others. If others do not know your priorities, they will control your schedule for you.

Be Present

When you pour syrup on waffles, the syrup can only pool in each square as the previous square becomes full. The syrup focuses on the task of filling each square, one at a time.

Similarly, it is important to focus on each task and conversation wholly in that moment. Instantly replying to a new email or text message or thinking of what is next on your schedule will ruin your presence. To be present, use a waffle mentality. Focus on each moment fully while you’re in it.

The Power of Saying No

I have always had a hard time with saying no. If I say no, I often experience FOMO (fear of missing out). When it comes to scheduling, my eyes are usually bigger than my stomach. I have learned that if something has to be ‘squeezed in’, I try to say no. Because if I am rushing from one thing to the next, I am not giving myself enough margin to operate effectively.

Empowering yourself to say no will let you to take control of your schedule. Say no early and often. Don’t say yes so quickly. If the task doesn’t align with your list of priorities, say no. Life is full of some really great distractions. But distractions are all they will ever be. Say yes to what is most important. Say no more often.

Schedule What Normally Isn’t Scheduled

If something isn’t on my schedule, I often forget about it. That’s why it is important to schedule everything…even things you might not think need to be scheduled. Here are some things you might want to schedule:

Schedule Meetings with Yourself- It’s easy to get caught up in different meetings and events and leave no time for yourself to get work done. That’s when I learned I could have a planned meeting with myself. Scheduling time with yourself will guarantee that you will be able to get everything done without interruption. If others try to monopolize your time, you can easily and honestly say that you have a meeting that you cannot miss. This tip will enable you to have more control of when you get work done.

Plan for Interruptions- As much as we might want it to, life doesn’t happen in blocks of allocated time. Emergencies will happen, unplanned conversations will get started, traffic will jam, and the unexpected will take place. All of this will demand your time and attention. Instead of becoming frustrated when interruptions come, why not plan for them? Give yourself ten minutes to walk across the office instead of only two, or have set ‘office hours’ where your door is open and you are ready for interruptions. Plan to be interrupted.

Have a Set Bed Time- Having enough sleep is key successfully navigating your day, but it is often the first thing to be impacted when we get busy. Whether you need four or ten hours of sleep, make sure you give yourself that time to rest. Schedule a bed time each night so that you can be ready for whatever tomorrow brings. CAUTION: Side effects include feeling better, having to rely less on coffee, being able to focus more, and having energy all day long.

Develop a Routine

Unpredictable schedules are exciting and sometimes unavoidable, but developing a routine will enable you to stay in control. When you get into a routine, you become efficient. Knowing what to expect each day will aid in your ability to do it quickly and with quality. Having a routine will help you beat procrastination and get ahead in your schedule.

To get into a routine, begin scheduling similar tasks at the same time each day. Check your emails at the same time every morning, eat lunch during the same hour each day, and reflect on your day at the same time each evening. The more routine your day becomes, the more control you will have over your schedule.