Within each of our everyday lives, our daily routines are usually laid out for us by the necessities of life. From when we wake up in the morning, until we go to bed. Work, children, parents and so many other responsibilities can weigh us down each day, with many of us finding ourselves taking time out of the weekends to make up for unfinished work or prepare for the week ahead.
Now we have the opportunity to take control of the schedule of our daily lives.
Since the beginning of the quarantine I have been working with my client to outline a strategy enabling all of us to get the best out of our days. The process we have created is as follows:
Step One – The ‘Surviving’ List
Write a list of all the tasks you would need to complete no matter what.
Step Two – The ‘I’ll Do It Later’ List
Write a separate list including all the tasks you have thought about doing in the long term but have yet to take the plunge.
Step Three – Top Five
Examine the two lists you have made and prioritise five tasks from them. As you choose these five, give each of them individual ratings, such as: would love to do, would like to do, would rather not do, or would hate to do.
Step Four – Scheduling
Take a look in your diary and start to find realistic time slots for the tasks you wish to complete. If it is your first time attempting a certain task, you may wish to allocate yourself double the time you believe you will require. Try to work backwards and complete your least appealing task first, finishing with your favourite.
Once you have finished your tasks – celebrate!
Don’t be afraid to share your achievements with those close to you, whether this would be over the phone or with those you are quarantining with.
I know you might say this is a little bit silly (and you might be right!) but remember that we are all going through this strange and hard time together, and a lot of us will be losing our motivation to complete even the most simple daily tasks. You never know – sharing your achievements with those close to you might help them more than you think.
If you feel like you’re on a roll, you could have a go at your remaining tasks on your ‘I’ll Do It Later’ List. This might only consist of one or two tasks, and it might take you a few days. This time you could balance your tasks by undertaking your most and least favourite tasks at the same time! Just remember not to over-exert yourself.