How To Plan A Super Productive Day Everyday
- There are two elements of successful crisis management; they are planning and rehearsing. Similarly, the need for crisis management may sometimes not even arise if proper planning is done. Hence, planning is a way to avoid a crisis and even manage it after it inevitably comes upon us.
- The popular saying, ‘he who fails to plan, plans to fail was first uttered by Winston Churchill- these words are instructive to encourage every individual to cultivate the habit of planning, as failure to do so will bring disasters that could have been avoided.
Planning is crucial to most aspects of life. As a matter of undisputed fact, life itself has to be planned if it is to be lived appropriately. Planning drives goal-setting and fuels the motivation to achieve those set goals. With planning comes an estimated time frame for realizing specific set goals. Hence, the moment it is clear that we are falling off schedule for achieving certain goals, we are quickly called back to self-reflection. However, despite the relevance of planning to the actualization of set goals, unforeseen contingencies are inevitable. Hence rather than focusing excessively on planning, one should also develop a mindset that can handle uncertainties, for this is the ultimate form of preparation. Planning has several benefits, one of which is that it facilitates the management of set objectives. At the initial stage, planning begins with the determination of objectives. Planning highlights the purposes for which various activities are to be undertaken, weighing their level of importance and order of priority- by doing this, objectives are made clearer and, in fact, more specific.
Furthermore, planning helps one focus their attention on the objectives and goals of an enterprise. It is indeed one of one the ultimate keys to focus. Without planning, an organization has no guide and no defined destination, which can be quite disastrous. However, when an organization plans, its manager and other officials in positions of control are compelled to prepare a blueprint of the courses of action to be followed to accomplish set objectives. In a nutshell, planning brings order and rationality into an organization.
Benefits of Planning
Planning minimizes uncertainties: As discussed in previous sections, life is full of uncertainties, and one needs to be prepared, even though we may never be prepared enough. Usually, planning is not done in anticipation of negative or untoward experiences. Human beings consciously and unconsciously shut themselves against the possibility of negative occurrences; hence, they hardly will you find them planning for it. However, life is full of uncertainties, and it is extremely necessary to plan even for that. There are risks of various types due to uncertainties.
but planning helps in reducing uncertainties of the future as it involves anticipation of future events. Although the future cannot be predicted with cent percent accuracy, planning helps management anticipate the future and prepare for risks by necessary provisions to meet unexpected events. Therefore with the help of planning, uncertainties can be forecasted, which helps prepare for standbys. As a result, uncertainties are minimized to a great extent.
Planning Facilitates Coordination: Planning helps to have a concerted effort at a particular result or goal. With proper planning, all activities are directed towards a common goal, mostly demonstrated in an organization. In an organization, whether formal or informal, planning encourages an integrated effort throughout an organization in various departments and groups while, consequently, it helps to avoid the duplication of efforts. In other words, it leads to better coordination.
Planning helps achieve economies: Effective planning secures the economy since it leads to the orderly allocation of resources to various operations. Planning also significantly facilitates the optimum utilization of resources to bring about growth in a particular economy. In a business organization, planning also avoids the wastage of resources by selecting the most appropriate use that will contribute to the organization’s objective. For example, raw materials can be purchased in bulk, and transportation costs can be minimized. At the same time, it ensures regular supply for the production department, that is, overall efficiency.
Planning provides a competitive edge and encourages innovations: e enterprise over the others which need more effective planning. This is because planning may involve changing work methods, quality, quantity designs, an extension of work, redefining goals, etc. With the help of forecasting, not only does the enterprise secures its future, but at the same time, it can estimate the future motives of its competitor, which helps in facing future challenges. Therefore, planning leads to the best utilization of possible resources improves the quality of products, and thus the competitive strength of the enterprise is improved.
On the other hand, Planning is a decision-making function that involves creative thinking and imagination that ultimately leads to the innovation of methods and operations for the growth and prosperity of the enterprise.
Features/Nature/Characteristics
1. Planning contributes to Objectives:
Crucial to any planning exercise is the determination of the objective. We cannot think of planning in the absence of objects. Planning is necessary for the first instance because there is a goal or an objective in sight. After setting the objectives, planning decides the methods, procedures, and steps to achieve the set objectives. Planners also help bring changes in the plan if things need to move toward objectives.
For example, if an organization aims to manufacture 1500 washing machines in one month, only 80 machines are manufactured. Changes are made in the plan to achieve the final objective.
2. Planning is the primary function of management
Planning is the primary function to be performed by every management. Planning is what primarily sets the ball rolling. The manager inherently performs planning. The manager can execute no other function without performing the planning function because objectives are set up in planning, and other functions depend on the objectives only.
3. Planning is futuristic/Forward-looking:
Planning always means looking ahead, or planning is a futuristic function. Planning is never done in the past. All the managers try to make predictions and assumptions for the future. These predictions are made based on past experiences of the manager and with the regular and intelligent scanning of the general environment.
How to plan your day at work
Staying organized at work can help increase productivity and reduce stress by making it easier to know what to expect at work. At its core, an organization is a series of habits that requires continual development. This article explains strategies to help you reduce distractions and approach challenges with positivity to organize your workday.
1. Keep a to-do list
A to-do list is a checklist of activities to engage in in a set time frame. This is quite an important activity to engage in, at the beginning of each workday. Taking five to 10 minutes at the beginning of each day to write a to-do list, on paper or digitally, can help promote focus and foster productivity. Adding to the initial to-do list throughout the day can help you clearly understand your goals. Some people may find that a short to-do list of larger tasks is overwhelming. Breaking big tasks into smaller portions is a strategy that often helps address the procrastination from feeling overwhelmed.
2. Find a schedule and stay with it
Some people work best when they wake up early, while others find success working at night. Determine the time of day when you feel you’re at your best and try to get most of your work done during those hours.
Just as important as choosing a schedule is making sure you can commit to it. Consistency is key to creating new habits that last. Staying consistent with your schedule can also help you be more productive. Having a set of hours when you know you’re going to be working can train your brain to be active during those hours.
3. Plan your breaks
This activity can never be emphasized enough. There is always a need to take some time out for a little break. Not only does this help one refresh amid numerous tasks, but it also helps a worker’s creativity at work. Stopping work for a minute to take a walk will help blood circulation and boost your brain function for better creativity. Taking 10-15 minutes every couple of hours to stretch your body and focus on something other than work can help keep you energized and excited about your job. Find a way to eat meals somewhere other than your desk to give yourself a mental break from work when possible.
Another reason to take frequent downtime is that you will often face unexpected tasks during the workday. Small, scheduled breaks throughout the day will give you time to meet these challenges without feeling overwhelmed.
4. Reduce multitasking
Multitasking may sound like the perfect way to get many things done simultaneously, but unfortunately, this only applies in some situations. Multitasking can take longer than completing tasks individually. Some multitasking is an inevitable part of daily work, but the good news is you can avoid having to multitask more than is necessary by staying organized.
5. Identify Distractions and deal with them
Another helpful strategy for planning your day is to work to avoid those time-consuming distractions. Emails, phone calls, texts, and social media are a few reasons for distractions.
It is important to schedule specific times to take care of emails, such as staying on task and focusing on every new message in your inbox. You could put a distracting cell phone in airplane mode or place it in a drawer to reduce the possibility of getting sidetracked by a personal text. While you can only sometimes schedule incoming phone calls for your job, you may find success with scheduling a block of time to make any outgoing calls.
These strategies can help reduce the number of distractions you experience and the time a distraction takes away from your current task.
6. When possible, automate your job
With the help of technology, it is now possible to save significant time and increase your productivity. Perhaps you send similar versions of the same email to multiple people, or you’re often distracted by someone who needs your signature. You can automate tasks like these to maximize your time and decrease distractions.
You can always set a reminder for the tasks you have set for each day. You can also keep templates for frequently sent emails or documents alike. You can also use software that digitizes signatures to sign documents with a click. Automating tasks will help you stay focused and organized.
7. Tackle tasks in their order of importance and follow a scale of preference.
It always works to start with the most difficult tasks because it will get ready for whatever comes next. When you start the day, you begin fresh; that ‘freshness’ should never be wasted on trivial things. Rather, the start of the day should be spent attending to the things that most matter and require a hundred percent. Attempting the most difficult tasks may take the most time in your day, but it will ultimately help your workflow move faster. Completing the largest jobs can keep you motivated to quickly finish the smaller tasks on your to-do list without using up all your energy. Also, remember that getting a productive morning routine for a couple and a family at large is important.
8. Set goals and reward yourself
Setting goals can help you become better at your job through motivation. You can set goals for staying organized, like challenging yourself to make a to-do list daily. Or, you can set professional goals to help you stay engaged at your job.
Setting goals serves as an opportunity to reward yourself whenever you meet them. These rewards can be simple. They could be as simple as deciding to eat a snack once you finish a large task. Setting and acknowledging goals is to help you stay focused on tasks and interested in your work, so any reward that motivates you is a good one.
FAQs
What morning routines should I engage in to live a healthy life?
It is necessary to practice some early morning routines to get ahead in the day. To plan for this, it is important to wake up early enough on a workday. Usually, this planning would have begun the day before, as getting involved in too many activities on the morning of work may cause one to get too clumsy and disorganized. After an early riser, it is important to also go for exercise; it is important to get your blood pumping before the rush of the day begins.
How do I create a work-life balance?
It is often said that people with serious jobs barely have a life and vice versa. However, it is important to strike a balance if one must live a healthy life. This may require some sacrifices, but it is of utmost importance. A healthy life seeks to strike a balance between pleasure and discipline.
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