Have you ever asked yourself, what does it take to be successful? What more do I need to do in order to experience my ‘lucky break’. Any successful entrepreneur will happily tell you that success is a combination of a variety of different elements…To name a few: hard work, perseverance, time management skills, ability to set realistic but stretching goals…and the list goes on! However one element that tends to get overlooked by the masses is that of having the ability to schedule. To invite a positive balance into your life. The more balanced our life is, the happier and more fulfilled we feel the happier we are, the more inspired we become the better work we accomplish etc. My aim in writing this article is to bring to light six positive outcomes that are a result of having a consistent but flexible schedule.
1) Enjoy more free time
There is a great misconception that those who keep to a schedule are very restricted. That they don’t have what is known as ‘down time’ or time to relax. However this couldn’t be further from the truth! It has been proven that those who schedule their days are more able to accomplish their tasks in a shorter amount of time, leaving more opportunities to take regular breaks throughout the day. However the more productive we become, the more we tend to fill our ‘free time’ with more wholesome and productive activities, such as reading.
2) Recognise when you’re unproductive –
Those who schedule their time are better able to recognise when time is being wasted, or how it could be better prioritised. Prioritising time is potentially something that everybody struggles with on some level. However as we learn to find balance in our lives between work, study, family, friends, fun, exercise, and so on! We will begin to recognise the importance of using our time productively.
There is an analogy that I feel emphasises this point nicely –
A man wanted to fit sand, pebbles and rocks all into one jar. He first put in the sand and then the pebbles, however when he came to put the rocks in he found they would not fit. There simply was not enough room! He was at a loss as to what to do. A wiser man told him that if he FIRST put in the rocks, THEN the pebbles – and LASTLY poured in the sand. The sand was able to fit around the rocks falling into every small gap, meaning the lid of the jar was able to close.
The larger rocks in this story represent the most important things in our lives – e.g our family and our work, these most important things ought to be prioritised and put first. The pebbles represent things that are still important, but not of equal importance – such as our social life etc. The sand in this story represents the less important things that seem to fill up our day to day lives, such as spending time on social media, or catching up on the latest episode of our favourite TV show.
As we schedule we are able to recognise what is important and prioritise. Everything else falls into place. And if it doesn’t, it is probably time to question whether or not it is something you need in your life.
3) Have peace of mind
Peace of mind is something that collectively we are all striving towards, however how is it accomplished? And how, I hear you ask, does scheduling help us have peace of mind?! Well…as we organise our lives we are also organising our minds! An organised mind free of clutter and confusion is better able to recognise the peace and serenity that is so abundantly surrounding us.
Also, through scheduling, we tend to have a fuller and more consistent sleeping pattern allowing us to think clearer.
4) Set goals
We can set realistic and REASONABLE goals daily, weekly and more long term! As we schedule regularly we learn the necessary steps and habits needed to put our goals into action. We will find that as we set goals we will become more accomplished and our lives will feel more fulfilled. Of course leading us to greater happiness.
5) Remember deadlines
Have you ever felt as though you are drowning in work? Or felt crushed by the demanding voices surrounding you? I think we all have at some point in our lives. It can feel overwhelming and can at times feel as though it is all we can do to keep our head above the water. Through scheduling we are better able to prioritise our time and we are in fact much more capable of keeping to deadlines and accomplishing all that we need to. Although the human brain is remarkable, it is not expected of us to remember absolutely everything we need to do. We, as humans, do have tendencies to forget things! So save the heartbreak of forgetting your wedding anniversary by WRITING IT DOWN, there is absolutely no shame in it. As you learn to structure a day plan, you will find much MORE is accomplished, and much LESS is forgotten.
6) Don’t double book
And of course finally, we won’t double book. It’s always nice to have that gentle reminder of where we are supposed to be…and when. There’s nothing worse than committing to be in two places at once and then having to let someone down! It’s awkward, not to mention stressful.
So these are our SIX main positive aspects that come as a result of successful scheduling… Now, I am not saying it is necessary to plan every single step you take throughout your life. Half of the fun is in spontaneity! I am also not saying that your plans or schedules cannot be changed or altered as the day goes by. However, it is proven that if you do plan out your day, set out what you ideally want to accomplish with a realistic game plan, your level of productivity increases, personal feelings of fulfilment heighten and the balance that so many are seeking for is found. So give it a go! There is after all, no harm in trying…
Leah Moy
Marketing Executive at CPI Selection
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