TIPS REPORT 24: EFFECTIVELY PLAN YOUR DAY

 This report includes nine powerful tips and three actionable steps you can take right away. It also includes a list of suggested readings for those who are looking for even more information. 

This article is from a Series of 52 tips Report on the subject of self improvement. If you want to receive a file with all 52 Reports at once, you can subscribe to my e-mail list.

TOP TIPS

How much time do you spend planning each of your days? If you are like the majority of people, you spend no time planning. You wake up and slip into your same old routine. At the most, maybe you take some time to jot down a few important things you want to accomplish. If you want to boost your productivity and get more done in the same amount of time, you should consider effectively planning your day using these nine tips:

 

1. Make it a Habit

You can't get the full benefits of daily planning unless you do it routinely. Planning your day the night before or the morning of is the best time to do it. Make it a habit by doing it regularly and at the same time each day (or night).

 

2. Embrace The Ritual

Once you have created a daily planning routine, it is time for you to embrace it truly. Don't treat your planning as a chore. Instead, find a quiet and comfortable spot, pour yourself a coffee or get a snack, and enjoy your planning time.

 

3. Choose The Right Tools

Make sure you have the right tools to plan your day. For example, some people like to use a pad of paper, and others prefer a bullet journal. Don't be afraid to embrace technology as well. Dozens of apps can help you plan your day.

 

4. Make a To-Do List

Planning your day has to be more than visualizing and mental notes. You need to write down everything you want to complete. The easiest way to do this is to dump all your tasks into a to-do list. These lists don't work for everyone, so find whatever solution works for you. The end goal is to get your plan out of your head and onto paper.

 

5. Properly Prioritize Your List

Once you have a list of things you want to accomplish, it is time to prioritize it properly. First, figure out which of your tasks are most important and most urgent. Focus your time on the tasks that check off both of those boxes (important and urgent).

 

6. Combine Your Plan With Productivity

Now that you have a list of prioritized tasks, it is time to schedule them for your day. A great way to do this is to use a popular productivity method like "Pomodoro" or "Eat the Frog." If you aren't interested in a method like these, you should at least create deadlines for each of your tasks.

 

7. Build-in Flexibility

When you are scheduling your day, make sure to leave yourself some buffer time between tasks. You never know what obstacle might pop up and slow you down. These buffers are also important because you should be taking regular breaks. Taking regular breaks allows you to reenergize and refocus for maximum productivity.

 

8. Reward Yourself

You don't have to take a spa day after every task you finish, but regularly rewarding yourself is an important step for productivity. As humans, we respond very positively to rewards. So rewarding ourselves for a job well done is a great way to keep us motivated.

 

9. Include Time for Retrospection

When you are planning out your day, it is important to schedule some time for retrospection. This wind downtime gives you a chance to look back at your day and honestly assess. What worked? What didn't work? What adjustments could you make for the next day?

 

FAST-ACTION STEPS

 

a) Find a planning tool that works for you. For example, consider a simple pad of paper, a bullet journal, or some sort of planning app.

 

b) Choose a productivity method. Figure out what time management method works best for you. Some of the most popular methods are Pomodoro, Eat The Frog and Time-Chunking.

 

c) Plan your day for tomorrow. Now that you have the right tools take some time right now to plan your next day.

 

FURTHER READING

 

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TIPS REPORT 23: HOW WORKING WITH A COACH CAN HELP YOU

 This report includes nine powerful tips and three actionable steps you can take right away. It also includes a list of suggested readings for those who are looking for even more information.

This article is from a Series of 52 tips Report on the subject of self improvement. If you want to receive a file with all 52 Reports at once, you can subscribe to my e-mail list.

TOP TIPS

Have you ever thought about working with a coach before? If you are serious about achieving your biggest goals, you should seriously consider it. Working with a coach is a great way to boost your results in almost any area of life. Having someone to teach you the ropes, or build more accountability into your life, is a wonderful way to ensure you achieve more. If you are wondering if working with a coach could help you, please consider these nine benefits.

 

1. Helps You Define Your Goals

Many of us have goals, but often they are loosely (or not at all) defined. A coach can help take the hopes and dreams out of your head to create concrete goals. Instead of just wanting something, you start taking real steps towards it.

 

2. Adds More Accountability to Your Life

It's funny, but we have a much easier time letting ourselves down than we do letting others down. Having a coach means one more person in your life you don't want to let down. You will feel more accountable and be more likely to achieve your goals when you know someone will ask you about your progress.

 

3. Encourages You to Define Your Values

Do you know what you stand for? Maybe a better question is, do you know your core values? Regardless of the question, if you struggle with the answer, then a coach can help you. A coach can't tell you your values, but they can ask you questions that will help you define them yourself.

 

4. Helps You See Yourself More Clearly

A good coach will help you become more self-aware. This self-awareness will allow you to be more honest with yourself. You will know what you are good at and what you aren't so good at doing. Self-awareness allows you to double down on your strengths while figuring out how to deal with your weaknesses.

 

5. Assists Skill Building and Development

The most obvious benefit of a coach is their ability to help us build specific skills. For example, if you are interested in becoming a better business person, it makes sense to work with a business coach who has been there and done that. You get to learn from both their experiences and their mistakes.

 

6. Offers a Safe Space to Talk About Sensitive Issues

Whether you find the current world too sensitive or not, it's a fact that we need to watch the things we say. Having a coach gives you a safe space where you can talk about more sensitive issues. This doesn't mean you have a place to spout hate, but you can at least vent a bit more freely.

 

7. Encourages You To Step Out of Your Comfort Zone

The comfort zone got its name from being comfortable. Once you are in it, you don't want to get out. A good coach will coax and challenge you to step out of it. Stepping out of your comfort zone once in a while will make it easier to create positive change in your life.

 

8. Offers a Different Viewpoint

When you have a coach, you have someone else to bounce ideas off of. It is so easy to get caught up in your tunnel vision that you might not even consider differing opinions. A coach forces you to consider different viewpoints and opinions. This helps you become a more well-rounded individual.

 

9. Helps You Make Tough Decisions

Sometimes it feels like life is nothing but a series of difficult decisions. While this isn't always true, it has a basis in reality. How much would you like to have someone else to talk to about these decisions? A good coach provides that kind of assistance.

 

ACTIONABLE STEPS

 

a) Take some time to think about different areas of your life that could use a boost. Write these down in a list.

 

b) Carefully consider the list from the last step to figure out if a coach, mentor, or teacher could help you in any of these areas.

 

c) Choose the area of your life that could most use a coach, and start researching coaching options. If you find a fit right for you, take a chance and reach out.

 

FURTHER READING

 

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TIPS REPORT 22: LEARN ANYTHING FASTER

 This report includes nine powerful tips and three actionable steps you can take right away. It also includes a list of suggested readings for those who are looking for even more information.

This article is from a Series of 52 tips Report on the subject of self improvement. If you want to receive a file with all 52 Reports at once, you can subscribe to my e-mail list.

TOP TIPS

One of the keys to a happier and more successful life is to commit to lifelong learning. There are few things we can do that are more helpful for our well-being than keeping our brains engaged with new pursuits. Some people find that the older they get, the tougher it is to learn new things. Other people don't have the patience to learn something new. If either of these sounds like you, check out these nine tips to help you learn anything faster.

 

1. Learn Like You Have to Teach Someone Else

Studies have shown that people who expect to teach something retain more knowledge and learn faster. The next time you try to learn something, approach it like you will have to teach it to someone else.

 

2. Say It Out Loud

One of the best ways to boost your memory is to say things out loud. Studies have shown this increases our ability to recall. When you are trying to remember something, instead of just reading it silently, try speaking it aloud as well.

 

3. Learn in Short Bursts of Time

When you are studying any subject - old or new - you should consider working in short bursts of time. Studies show that brief breaks help increase focus and allows you to pay more attention for a longer period. The Pomodoro Technique is a famous example of this phenomenon.

 

4. Get Enough Sleep

One of the worst things you can do when trying to learn something new is to forgo sleep. As much as you might want to pull an all-nighter to study a new topic, you are likely doing more harm than good. Harvard Medical has found that consolidated sleep throughout a whole night is optimal for learning and memory.

 

5. Get a Coach, Teacher, or Mentor

Finding someone to guide you is a great way to learn something faster. You get to learn from their experience while avoiding their mistakes. A mentor of some sort can guide you with hands-on advice, and they keep you accountable. The next time you want to learn something, think about learning from a professional.

 

6. Develop Effective Note-Taking Skills

Are you good at taking notes? Taking notes properly as you learn something will significantly boost your ability to retain the information. Also, studies have shown that handwriting your notes is more effective than using your computer ...as much as it might annoy you.

 

7. Change Up How You Practice

Practice makes perfect. The more you do something, the better you will get at it. This probably doesn't surprise you, though. What might surprise you is that regularly changing how you practice will help you learn faster. John Hopkins found that people who make subtle modifications during their practice routines learn new skills faster.

 

8. Stay Hydrated

This might seem like a weird tip, but staying hydrated while studying or learning a new skill will make a significant difference in your results. Researchers found that University students who had access to water scored 10% higher than their thirstier peers.

 

9. Distribute Your Study Sessions

How many times have you spent an entire night cramming for a test? Think back to your school days, and I am sure you will be reminded of many such nights. The thing is, these long cram sessions aren't the best way to learn. When you distribute your study sessions more evenly, you learn better. For example, three 1-hour study sessions during the week beat a night-before cram session every time.

 

ACTIONABLE STEPS

 

a) It's time to realize the power of lifelong learning. Choose a subject or skill you would like to learn.

 

b) Search for guidance. Find a teacher, mentor, or even a knowledgeable friend who may be able to help speed up the learning process.

 

c) Regardless of finding coaching or not, schedule short bursts of time to work on your new skill a few times a week.

 

FURTHER READING

 

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TIPS REPORT 21: ACCEPTING BLAME WHEN YOU DESERVE IT

This report includes nine powerful tips and three actionable steps you can take right away. It also includes a list of suggested reading for those who are looking for even more information.

This article is from a Series of 52 tips Report on the subject of self improvement. If you want to receive a file with all 52 Reports at once, you can subscribe to my e-mail list.

TOP TIPS

One of the hallmarks of an emotionally mature person is their ability to accept blame when they deserve it. These people don't instantly apologize for every perceived transgression, but they accept responsibility when they know they did wrong. When they make mistakes, they own them and learn from them. If they wrong someone, they apologize and offer a solution. If you struggle to accept blame when you deserve it and you want to change, here are nine steps that can get you started.

 

1. Recognize The Mistake You Made

You can't possibly begin to accept blame until you recognize you did something wrong. Take some time to consider how your actions affected yourself and the people around you. Carefully consider what you did, and try to think of ways to avoid making the same mistake in the future.

 

2. Stop Hesitating

Once you know you have made a mistake, it is time to own up to it. It makes sense to reflect on your actions first, but it is important to address the situation in a timely fashion once that is done. The longer you wait, the more awkward things will get, and the less gracious your acceptance will seem.

 

3. Address The Aggrieved Party Directly

If someone else is negatively affected by your actions or mistakes, you need to address them directly. Don't pass on a message through someone else. You don't want to post a cryptic message on social media, either. If you wronged someone, at the very least, you owe them a direct response.

 

4. Don't Beat Around The Bush

When it's time to accept blame, make sure you don't waste a bunch of time skirting around the issue. People usually do this because they are nervous or trying to seem less responsible for the issue. It comes off as weak and sneaky, though. Directly identify what you did and why you are taking the blame.

 

5. Don't Try to Shift The Blame

If you know you messed up, you need to accept the blame fully. This means you don't try to blame other people or circumstances for your actions. No matter what outside influences may have contributed to your actions, take the blame without trying to pass the buck.

 

6. Offer a Sincere Apology Or Explanation

If your mistake hurt someone else, you should prepare to offer a sincere apology or explanation. Remember, you shouldn't use an apology or explanation to shift blame. The apology should be heartfelt and thoughtful. An explanation should only be offered if requested.

 

7. Volunteer to Help Solve The Problem

Once you have accepted the blame, you should offer some sort of solution. If you can't think of a specific solution, then offer to help find one. The last thing you want to do is wait until someone asks you for a solution. Take the initiative and offer recompense.

 

8. Accept The Consequences Graciously

Some things are out of your control. If you wronged someone close to you, you risk damaging the relationship. If you made a mistake with your finances, you might cost yourself money. Whatever action you have to take the blame for, there will likely be consequences you can't control. Accept these consequences, and make a plan to move on.

 

9. Reflect on Your Actions

Once you have properly taken responsibility and accepted the consequences, take some time to reflect on the situation. Try to pinpoint a couple of lessons you have learned and think about how you can avoid similar situations in the future. Finally, forgive yourself and move on.

 

ACTIONABLE STEPS

 

a) Think about any recent mistakes, arguments, or misunderstandings you have had recently.

 

b) Were you to blame for any of them? It can be tough to admit blame, so you will have to think carefully and thoughtfully about this.

 

c) If you do need to take the blame, own it. Address the situation and accept blame as soon as possible.

 

FURTHER READING

 

Affiliate links:

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