Tracking your routine over the course of a week will help you accurately estimate how much time you should budget for specific tasks. Additionally, you might find ways that you can become more productive. For example, you might have spent 10 hours playing a video game and should have spent more time studying.

Choose a method that suits your personal preferences. If you hate dealing with paper, use an app. If writing by hand helps you stay on track, go with a pencil and pad. You’ll get a sense of your likes and dislikes as you use your schedule. When you find the right method, stick with it. Keep all of your tasks organized in 1 place, be it a notebook, planner, or app.

Including the day of the week helps you keep track of activities that happen on specific days, such as music classes on Mondays and Wednesdays. If you’re using a blank notebook, you could use the page on the left for a chronological schedule, and write daily priorities and other notes on the right page.

If you’re using a blank notebook or spreadsheet, it’s helpful to fill in time slots in half hour intervals on the left side of the page. Leave 2 or 3 lines between each half hour interval so you have room to jot down bullet points under a task. If you’re using a planner or scheduling app, it probably already has time slots.

For example, write 1 (or A) next to your most important tasks. These will be the tasks you’ll write on your schedule first. Write 2 (or B) next to your middle-priority tasks, and 3 (or C) next to your low-priority items. When you write a task in your schedule, you could mark the priority level next to it, or just make an asterisk or exclamation point next to your top priorities. If you’re planning out your week, make a list of your weekly tasks. Write down your daily tasks if you’re planning a single day.

For example, if you’re most productive in the morning, schedule high-priority projects before lunchtime. Save paper filing and deleting emails for later in the day. Do your best to set reasonable expectations. Don’t try to squeeze homework or a meeting with a client into 30 minutes when you know a full hour is more realistic. After you’ve entered the most important items, you can fill the smaller tasks, like doing laundry or going grocery shopping.

If you have to go to a meeting, include the time, location, and who will be attending. You might also want to add bullet points on the meeting’s topic. Keep in mind you don’t want to write an essay for each task. Just include the necessary details that will help you stay on track.

For example, you might have to prepare an outline from 9:30 a. m. to 10:30 a. m. , go to class from 11:00 a. m. to 12:15 p. m. , have lunch at 12:30 p. m. , and have a meeting from 1:00 p. m. to 1:45 p. m. Remember to set reasonable expectations. Refer to the log you kept when you tracked your time to accurately estimate how long a task will take.

For example, include entries such as, “Tuesday, 6:30 p. m.

  • Have dinner with Sam and Phil (finish up at work by 5:45!)” or “Saturday, 12:00 p. m.
  • Take Joey to the park. ”

If you have to drive somewhere, remember to leave an extra 10 or 15 minutes in case you run into traffic. Even if you don’t run late or get distracted, you can use chunks of wiggle room to take breaks, exercise, or to do some extra work.

You might find it helpful to plan out your week on Sunday night, then make adjustments and organize daily task lists each night or morning.

If you use an app, install it and sync your account on all the electronic devices you use. Try using a desktop or home screen widget to pin tasks to your electronic devices’ main displays. It’s also helpful to post a whiteboard or calendar in your work area with at-a-glance information, like key dates and weekly goals.

Don’t panic if you don’t complete all your tasks. If something slipped through the cracks today, revise your schedule and make it tomorrow’s priority.

In addition to small rewards for completing individual tasks, give yourself a big treat after a productive day. Take a long, soothing bath, play video games, watch a movie, or do another activity that you most enjoy.

It’s also helpful to keep your phone in your pocket or bag instead of on your desk. It’s there if you need it, but keeping it out of sight will help keep distractions out of mind.

For instance, it’s great to use a weekend day to get things done around the house. However, if you mow the lawn, catch up on laundry, and clean the house on Saturday, take most of Sunday to relax. Each evening, do your best to schedule at least 1 to 2 hours to unwind before bed. Use that time to read a relaxing book, take a bath, or listen to soothing music.