How to Schedule Your Day: Examples, Tips & More

Whether you’re a student, employee, or stay-at-home parent, keeping a schedule can help you manage your time and be productive. Thankfully, making and keeping a schedule isn’t hard to do! With a few scribbles in your planner or tabs on your screen, you can have an efficient plan for the day in no time. Keep reading to learn how to schedule your day and be as productive as possible.

Things You Should Know

• Write down everything you must do for the day on a piece of paper or in a notes app before making your schedule.
• Schedule your day using time slots to stay on task. Plan each hour of your day to get started, allowing extra time for tasks so you don’t fall behind.
• Prioritize tasks or events that have deadlines or fixed times. For instance, schedule your day around work meetings, homework assignments, or appointments.

Making a Daily Schedule

Pick a calendar or planner to use that meets your daily needs. There are plenty of calendars or planners on the market for you to choose from! Opt for one with a daily to-do spread if you want to focus more on daily tasks, or pick one with monthly and weekly spreads to help you plan ahead.
• If physical planners and calendars aren’t your thing, there are a ton of scheduling apps you can use on your phone
Write down everything you need to accomplish for the day.
Color-code your tasks so your schedule is easier to read at a glance. Look at your list of things you need to do. Then, categorize each type of task to a color. For instance, daily chores may be green, exercise yellow, and homework or work assignments orange.
Prioritize each task on a number scale to determine what’s important. It’s more effective if you know what needs to be done first when making a daily schedule. So, number your tasks from what needs to be done first to what doesn’t have to get done today. This way, you can easily look at your schedule and know what you must do.[3]
• Try asking yourself these questions to determine what task(s) are of the highest priority:
o Which task is due first or has a deadline?
o Which task takes the longest time to complete?
o Is one task more important than the others?
o Which task will be the most challenging?
Note if any tasks are time-sensitive. If you have a homework assignment due, a work meeting, or a yoga class at a specific time, write that down as well.
Leave space in your schedule for flexibility. Try to avoid fully booking up your day when you can. Keeping some free space in your schedule can help you relax or schedule unexpected, low-priority tasks throughout the day. Plus, how can you stay motivated without taking a break every now and then?[6]
Keeping to Your Schedule
Check your calendar or planner throughout the day. Make it a habit to check your calendar every morning and night to stay on task and prepare for the day ahead. This way, you can always be on top of the game and know what’s to come—it’s a great way to stay motivated![7]
Cross off tasks as you complete them. When you complete a task or event, cross it off your to-do list with a pen or pencil. Not only is this super motivating, but it also helps you stay on schedule.
Adjust your schedule as needed. Although you should try sticking to your schedule as much as possible, things happen, and adjustments may be needed.