Scheduling is important. Even the most skilled employee might still struggle with managing their time and their schedule. Having an effective work schedule can improve the way you work, your efficiency, and the quality of the work you produce.
Many people don’t give their working schedule a second thought – it’s something born out of habit and most people will simply follow the pre-made schedule outlined by other employees at the company. But if that isn’t working for you, and your working schedule isn’t set in stone by your employer, it’s definitely worth looking into how you use your time, and how an improved schedule could improve how you spend it.
We all work in different ways, some of us are more productive in the morning, others work into the night.  If you’re wondering how to improve your schedule, it’s all about finding which times of the day work best for you, and how to take advantage of it. The key is figuring out how to structure your working day, to help you reach your fullest potential.
Here are some easy tips that you may find useful…
Tip 1: Understand what is realistic within the time given
A big problem many people face is setting themselves too much to do in too little time. Trying to cram too much into your workplace schedule can cause stress and pressure. How can you stop this?
Start by outlining your tasks for the day by priority first. The most important tasks are the ones you should focus on first, and anything else can be pushed into tomorrow’s schedule. This is why scheduling matters so much – it lets you see clearly what is doable, and what isn’t.
Tip 2: Don’t get bogged down in email
A lot of us live our day according to our inbox. This means we start the day checking our emails and end the day checking our emails. If you find yourself getting distracted by new emails throughout the day, it’s good to schedule time for checking (and then not looking in between). Allow yourself 4-5 time slots per day to check email, this then lets you use the time in between for tasks, projects and your to do list. If you’re worried about sending late responses, you can even set up an automatic response, so that everyone who emails gets a generic reply automatically.
Tip 3: Think about the time of day
When setting out your tasks for the day, think about when you plan on completing them (not just how long they will take). For many people, the start of the day is their most productive time, so planning in heavier tasks is a good idea during the morning. If you find your productivity / concentration best in the afternoon, schedule your more difficult tasks for this time instead.
Tip 4: Reduce interruptions
Nothing ruins a schedule like unexpected interruptions. If you have deliveries due or if you have cleaners in your office, try to schedule them in at the beginning or end of the day before employees arrive, or after they leave. This way, people don’t get distracted from their work and no one needs to be disrupted from their schedule to answer doors, sign for packages, etc.
