One of my favorite John Wooden quotes is “Failing to prepare is preparing to fail.” Time is one of our most valuable commodities yet many of us don’t plan things out to maximize this finite resource. I have been guilty of this on more than one occasion. I find that when I create a daily plan for myself I am much more productive and much less forgetful.
There are many strategies that people use to plan their days out. I have experimented with different things and encourage you to do the same. In my opinion, there is no one size fits all approach here. I found what works best for me by trying different things. One of the things that has helped me the most is my Weekly Compass. It is a one page sheet where I write down all of the things that I have to do for the week ahead. I define my personal mission at the top and divide the rest of the page into 4 sections. The first three sections contain goals and the final section is for distractions.
The compass helps me prioritize my week by getting me to categorize my activities and commitments into one of my three goals or a distraction. If the activity aligns with my goals, it is scheduled in my calendar as a priority. If an activity is a distraction, I need to evaluate if I should eliminate it, delegate it, or do it if I am able to complete the activities that align with my three goals.
My personal mission is to be a light in the world. I hope that my example and the things I share will help others be more successful in their lives. My three goals are health, family, and impact. If something does not fit in with these three goals, I put it in the distractions section.
If you would like a copy of my Weekly Compass to test out for yourself, please email me at jim@lifelonglearningcoach.com with Weekly Compass in the Subject.
Have a great week!
Lifelong Learning Coach 