A great way to prioritise and find time for what is really important in your life is to start writing and scheduling in a calendar or organiser. This will help you to schedule your time better and add more focus, structure and organisation to your life.

It also gives you things to look forward to throughout the year and helps you to not miss important events, appointments and birthdays.

It will help you to clear your mind because you can keep adding things that you need to do the next day, week, month etc which will help you to feel more in control of your life and organise your time.

I find it’s good to have a wall calendar for important dates such as weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, meetings, appointments and other events but also using a scheduling app on my phone, helps me to organise my days and week a lot more effectively.

I input my shifts into the scheduling calendar and any other event taking place that week and this helps me to see my free time more easily, which helps me to plan my time efficiently.

It’s also a great way of documenting how you spend your time and can help you to see areas in your life that you may be neglecting; such as time with your partner, so you can find the time to schedule in quality time together.

Writing in your calendar will…

Make You More Organised

Writing in your calendar and keeping a schedule will help you to become more organised in your life and make you feel more in control of your time. It gives you more focus and structure to your days because you know exactly what time you have and how you can use it.

Having important dates in front of you helps you to remember things that you need to do and means that you can organise time off from work in advance so you don’t miss any of these events.

If you input your shifts for the week into a scheduling app/calendar on your phone (I use the Reminder app) you will be able to see what free time you have for the week and you can organise your week accordingly.

It’s a great way to see if you have spare time if someone asks you to randomly go to the cinema, do an extra shift at work or do them a favour one night.

Make You More Focused

If you schedule some time each week to work on a project or a dream you’ve always wanted to do then you’ll find that you will become more focused on achieving this goal because you’ve prioritised time in your life to work on it.

I always find that if you set aside time specifically to do something then you are more inclined to stick to it. Thinking that you “need to find time” for something is different to actually scheduling time in your week where you promise yourself that you will use this time exclusively for this task. Writing in your calendar will help you to get the most out of your time because finding free time to focus specially on a task will be easier. This will help you to become more focused and productive.

I find that if I have scheduled time to achieve a certain task/goal, I am far more likely to stick to it and not waste my time being lazy or distracted. It helps me to be more focused because I know exactly what I need to do with my time and I am far less likely to be persuaded or swayed by friends to go to the pub or laze around on the sofa with my partner.

Give You Things to Look Forward to

It’s important to have things to look forward to in your life because everyone tends to get wrapped up in their mundane day to day lives and spend too much time focusing on their careers, trying to get a better body, saving for a new house or cleaning.

Having a countdown to something that’s exciting and different to your every day life, gives you something to look forward to and to be happy about. It can help motivate and get you through the week if you know that you have the exciting event to attend at the weekend.

If you’re having a bad week, having something fun to look forward to can really help to lift your mood and get you through whatever’s stressing you out or playing on your mind.

Allocating just an hour for yourself after a day’s work can significantly impact your mindset. Give yourself something to look forward to, whether it’s a glass of wine, a relaxing bath, watching your favorite TV show, or attending a class. It will help to rejuvenate your spirits and provide a sense of fulfillment at the end of the day.

Reduce Stress

Being able to organise your time effectively can massively reduce stress in your life. There are countless times I’ve lay awake in bed at night thinking about all the things I want and need to do but don’t have the time to fit everything in.

Using your calendar for scheduling tasks or allocating time to reconnect with someone you’ve overlooked can bring a sense of control and peace of mind. It’s a proactive step towards addressing neglected areas of your life, contributing to a calmer state of mind.

Having your schedule in front of you can help you to see free time that you didn’t know you had, which you can use to get a task done that’s been playing on your mind.

Writing down tasks in your calendar can alleviate stress. Once recorded, you’re less likely to worry about forgetting them. This practice can quiet your mind, enabling you to unwind at night, reassured that you’ve acknowledged these tasks and will attend to them as scheduled.

You will also feel less stressed knowing what you need to do that day, week, month or year. Because you will know in advance the things you need to do to achieve that task; such as book time off work.

Improve Your Relationships

Writing in your calendar is a great way to get the most out of your life. You can see where you are prioritising your time and if you need to make changes to your time management.

You may discover that you are constantly focusing on work, staying back later, picking up extra shifts and working over the weekends. This will have a negative impact on other areas of your life because all your attention is drawn to work. We sometimes overlook how dedicating excessive time to certain aspects of our lives can adversely affect other areas.

Having your schedule in front of you can help you to see that you may be neglecting time with your partner, friends or family and can help you to find spare time to dedicate to them in the future.

It’s also important to not forget important dates like your friends and family’s birthdays, anniversaries, weddings or christenings etc. Having these events in your calendar will help you to maintain your relationships because you’ll be setting aside time for them.

Knowing what time you have free in advance is also a great way of maintaining positive relationships in your life. It makes it easier to plan things with people because you’ll know exactly when you’re free, meaning that you can find time that fits around their schedules as well.

It’s easy to go months without seeing your friends because you’re unorganised. They might ask you to go to the pub one night but you’re busy and the same thing might happen a week or so later. Making time to schedule time with friends is important. So, being able to say “No I’m busy tonight, sorry, but I’m free next Thursday or Sunday”, shows them that you want to spend time with them. Subsequently, it will help you to organise a time that suits you both; instead of them getting frustrated that you always say no when they suggest meeting up.

“Time is the most valuable coin in your life. You and you alone will determine how that coin will be spent. Be careful that you do not let other people spend it for you.”– Carl Sandburg

Summary

Taking a few moments to fill in your calendar can be a game-changer, saving you loads of time in the long run. Planning ahead prevents aimless days and ensures you make the most of your time. Using a phone app like Reminder allows you to set alerts, ensuring you never miss or forget important tasks or events.

Writing in your calendar will help you to feel more in control of your time and your life. You will notice extra time that you didn’t think you had. Therefore, you can fit in that workout, lunch date or schedule some time to work on that goal or hobby you can never usually find time for.

Mapping out your life and time can provide valuable insights into areas you might be neglecting. With this clarity, you can adjust your priorities and time allocation to ensure a more balanced and fulfilling life.

“The key is not to prioritize what’s on your schedule, but to schedule your priorities.”– Stephen Covey

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