Whether you’re a freelancer working from home, or delicately managing the freetime that your salaried job presents, everyone needs to know how to set their own schedule. When you schedule well for yourself, you make the most of your time and feel good about your days. We’ve all had the moments of weakness — when you don’t wake up until 10 AM, you mill about stressing about the fact that you woke up so late, you check your phone for an hour, and suddenly any chance at productivity is out the window. All of those negative feelings can be circumvented by effectively setting your own schedule. Here are some tips on how to manage your time well so you can feel good about your day.
Set Reasonable Expectations for Yourself
This is huge for scheduling, and it’s a matter of mindset. When your free time is tight, it can be easy to go overboard with expectations. You want to get everything done while you can. However, if you set too ambitious a schedule, you’re likely to get down on yourself if you can’t get it all done.
Write Out Your Schedule the Day Before
This probably goes without saying, but the purpose of scheduling is to create a plan. If you have your plan ready to go the day before, you’re more likely to be able to follow through and anticipate your own needs. Writing out your schedule ahead of time can also help you keep from stressing and losing sleep over anxiously wondering if you’ve thought of everything.
Allow for Breaks Throughout Your Schedule
This is something you do from the time you’re a child. Recess is a break from productivity that allows kids to mentally reset. Changing the pace of your day actually stimulates a change in cognitive function that can be incredibly helpful — especially if you’re in a creatively blocked state.
Leave Room to “Go with the Flow” in Your Schedule and Brain
The last thing a schedule should be is restrictive. It’s your time, so use it how you want to. A schedule is there to manage time and help you achieve goals for the day. However, if a wave of inspiration takes you, follow it! If you’re feeling particularly passionate about a project or agenda item, stay on it while the creative juices are flowing. You can always rejigger your schedule to make other things fit.
Power Through with Caffeine from Dunn Brothers
We’re your home for creativity and productivity. When you need a little caffeine boost to help you get through a busy schedule, visit Dunn Brothers. We’ve got the perfect roast and bean combination to help you keep going. To learn about our available roasts, you can call the Dunn Brothers location in Coralville, IA at 319-665-2020.