Does this sound like you: you love making to-do lists, daily schedules, study plans. But when it comes to following them, it’s not exactly a priority. If this is a problem you’ve been struggling with then this post will help you stick to your schedule.
Find your motivation
If you feel there’s no reason to follow your plans, then you obviously won’t do so. That’s why you need to find the reason behind them. Do some introspection to figure out your goals and motivations – journalling is great for this. Then, try to remind yourself of this motivation whenever you have to be productive. A great way to do this is to create a moodboard of your dreams, then set it as your phone or laptop wallpaper.
Break them down
You won’t follow your plans if they’re ambigious – you’ll just use it as justification to procrastinate. When making a schedule or to-do list (any sort of plan, really), be very clear. Note down what you want to do, when, how long for, and what the end goal of the task is. Of course, not all tasks will require this level of detail, but for the more important ones, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Write it down
Writing your plan down can bring you so much more clarification then if you keep it in your head, and clarification is always a good thing! Also, writing your plans down can make them feel more official, which may make you more likely to follow them. It might also help to write them in a way where changing them is harder (for example, writing in pen in a digital planner rather than on google calendar) so that you’re less incentivised to put off your tasks.
Set a timer
This is a great way to ensure you stay on schedule. Set a timer for when you want to start a task and for when you want to finish it. Having a clear auditory signal that it’s time to be productive can be really helpful in getting back into the right mindset and following your plan. It’s also really helpful for making sure your 15 minute breaks don’t turn into 2 hour TV binges.
Block distractions
The best way to not get distracted is to not have any distractions in the first place. When you make your plan, consider what could potentially distract you. Then, decide how you’ll neutralise it. For example, if your laptop might be distracting, then block distracting websites on it.
