7 effective planning methods to help you stay on track

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

Energy List, GTD, Bullet Journal and other options, among which there is surely the right one for you.

1. The method of cards

This planning method was proposed by the famous Russian time management specialist Gleb Arkhangelsky. He conducts business coaching, writes books, and even runs his own time management consulting company. Along with some principles, Gleb also developed a method for quick planning using cards.

How it works

You won't need a thick diary in this case: just a few sheets of paper are enough. Get three cards for different purposes. They can be multi-colored, with notes or with stickers. The main thing is that they differ from one another and, of course, you like them.

The first card is strategic. It will contain your key goals, to achieve which you need to make every possible effort. In the second, devoted to long-term goals, you write down all the activities and plans for the year or several years in advance. The third card will contain the most important event of the upcoming day. And, of course, it will change most often.

• Level: newbie.
• A plus: no need to understand the art of planning. Everything is as fast and simple as possible.
• Minus: less important things still remain unplanned. So you can completely forget about them.

2. Ivy Lee method

The beauty of the American journalist Ivy Lee's methodology is its simplicity and consistency. Most attempts to get started fail due to a lack of a plan, a lack of focus, and the wrong priorities. To solve these problems, Lee suggests limiting yourself to six tasks a day and doing them one after the other.

How it works

At the end of the day, identify six main things to do and prioritize them, starting with the most important. The next day, in the morning, immediately start the first task on the list, and when you complete it, take on the next one. And so on until the victorious.

• Level: newbie.
• A plus: It makes planning much easier, makes it easier to get started, and stay consistent while sticking to your goals.
• Minus: the method does not work well if you often have unplanned activities during the day.

3. Estimation method

Often in the planning process, important tasks are lost among minor tasks. This is because we do not mark their priority. Even if you understand the need to complete a task, it is important to state it in writing. Indeed, during the working day, there is not always time to adequately assess the importance of each case.

How it works

Give the planned tasks points from zero to two, depending on the degree of importance. The main priority is two points. The one point task can be completed later. Minor duties and daily tasks get zero points.

Remember to rate the work at the end of the day, for example on a five-point scale. An unfulfilled case, which received 1 or 2, will affect the upcoming work and cause inconvenience. Like bad grades in school. This is important for understanding your own performance and managing your schedule.

• Level: newbie.
• A plus: the method will teach you to evaluate the importance of tasks and manage your effectiveness.
• Minus: is not suitable for everyone. Assignments can be prioritized and the numbers can be confusing when you get to work.

4. Energy list

Each task requires a different amount of mental or physical effort. At the same time, short-term activities can take more energy than longer ones. The essence of this method is to distribute all tasks according to the required efforts and take on them depending on how you feel.

How it works

When making your to-do list, divide all tasks into three categories: hard, medium, and light. The first is everything that requires maximum concentration and tension, the second is common business, the last is a simple routine performed almost automatically. Before getting started, assess the level of strength and choose the appropriate task.

• Level: amateur.
• A plus: excuses don't work because no matter how much time or energy you have, there is always something to do.
• Minus: self-discipline is required. When you are full of energy, you need to take on difficult tasks, and not abandon them in favor of an easy routine.

5. Method 1-3-5

A large number of cases discourage the desire to take on them. Therefore, many time management experts advise to single out up to nine tasks and perform them depending on the degree of importance.

So, minor goals can be transferred to another day, while completing the most important of the planned tasks. Method 1–3–5 is fairly easy to use, although it takes some time and effort to isolate tasks.

How it works

Plan nine things for yourself every day: 1 - the most important task, will always be in priority; 3 - cases that require a solution during the working day; 5 - small tasks that are performed whenever possible.

Do not forget that you need to keep the number of cases and not exceed it. Otherwise, the method will be ineffective.

• Level: amateur.
• A plus: already in the planning process, unnecessary tasks are discarded and only the really necessary ones remain on the list.
• Minus: the technique does not work on days when the number of important tasks exceeds the recommended one.

6. GTD - Getting Things Done

In Russian, the name of the technique sounds like "Bringing things to completion" or "How to put things in order." It was developed by the American time management expert David Allen.

In the book of the same name, he suggested that it is important for a busy person to free the brain from current tasks. This is the only way to concentrate on their quality implementation. This method is great for keeping a desk planner.

How it works

To use the GTD method with confidence, you need to get used to it. There is a whole system for assessing tasks, and it is not easy to cope with it right away. Write things down and mark them with special symbols:

1. An empty circle is a task to complete.
2. The circle with the crossed out stripe is the task that is being performed now.
3. Half-filled circle - the task is not completely completed.
4. A filled circle - the task is completed.
5. Circle with a cross - task canceled.
6. A filled circle with an arrow - Someone else is doing the task.
7. The exclamation point is the highest priority task.
8. A circle with a dot - you need to constantly keep this task in mind.

• Level: amateur.
• A plus: advanced option of instant planning. You don't need to keep track of the priority of tasks. If you have a job - do it.
• Minus: the method is poorly adapted for long-term planning. Rather suitable as an addition to the main one.

7. Bullet Jornaling

The most flexible planner option is a planner and a personal diary at the same time. It was invented by American designer Ryder Carroll and explained in the video tutorial above.

This method allows you to write down any random thoughts in your diary, as well as important business tasks or plans for a long time. This is not easy to deal with, but once you get used to it, never quit planning.

How it works

On the first page, make a table of contents with the section titles and fill it in as you go. Next is the annual reversal with big goals and important dates. It helps you evaluate your plans as a whole. Monthly reversals are on the following pages. Write down the days of the month and days of the week on the left. Opposite them, mark the events, the dates of which will definitely not change. On the right are common tasks for the month.

Optionally, you can add tasks for each week, or even schedule the day by the hour. Use special characters to highlight different tasks. At first, it is better to write such notes on a separate sheet of paper until you get used to using them. Most importantly, do not forget to include in the table of contents pages of months or, for example, lists.

• Level: professional.
• Pros: unlike the usual options, this diary can be started from any date and even in a regular notebook. It is also convenient to make checklists and lists here.
• Minuses: it will take time to sort out all the details and get used to this method.