Mastering your time is an art, a skill that can bring focus and productivity to your day. Explore five daily scheduling methods that can transform your routine, helping you seize each day with purpose and efficiency.
There is no “one size fits all schedule” for maximum productivity
The most productive people use wildly different scheduling techniques depending on their circumstances, personalities, and energy levels.
- It’s all about finding the right fit
- Here are five different daily scheduling methods you can try
The Time Blocking Method
Time blocking simply means planning out your day in advance and dedicating specific hours to accomplish specific tasks.
- The advantage of this method is that you know exactly how you will use your time and exactly when you will accomplish tasks, allowing you to bring laser focus to every activity.
Polyphasic Sleep Method
This is a somewhat bizarre scheduling method that only works for a few select people, but if it works for you, you’ll achieve uncommon amounts of productivity in a single day.
- Most people are monophasic sleepers, meaning they get their daily sleep in one chunk (or phase).
- Biphasic, on the other hand, get their sleep in two smaller chunks (4 hours in the morning and 4 hours at night), and have less sleep overall and significant increases in productivity.
The Most Important Task Method (MIT)
Define the 1-3 tasks that are absolutely essential and then relentlessly focus on those tasks during the day
- Do not do anything else until you’ve completed the 3 essential tasks
- If you do the most important thing first each day, then you will always get something important done
Finding the Ideal Mix
The MIT method works well with the Time Blocking Method
- Three Pomodoro sessions fit neatly inside a 90-minute work session
- And the Polyphasic Method…well, you might be on your own there
- But it is crucial that you schedule your day
- By setting a daily schedule, you ensure that you are the one prioritizing your life
The Pomodoro Technique
All it takes is a timer and a few simple steps
- Choose a task
- Set a timer for 25 minutes
- Work on the task until the timer ends
- Take a short break (around 5 minutes)
- Every 4 sessions, take a longer break (15-30 minutes)
90-Minute Focus Sessions
Work 90 minutes and then rest for 20-30 minutes
- Rest periods between intense work sessions are essential for improvement
- Working in 90-minute bursts allows you to correlate your maximum energy levels with your task list
- You’re working with your body instead of against it
- Think of productivity and output in cyclical rather than linear terms
