4 Tips to Sticking to a Schedule
So you’re getting serious about improving your time management.
You’ve chosen a system or some best practices to try out. Maybe you’re time blocking or learning to break down the big projects into small, actionable tasks so there’s no question about how you’ll get something across the finish line.
But, despite your newly found motivation, at the end of every day, nothing’s gotten done.
You were “busy” all day, but you don’t feel like you really accomplished anything.
That beautifully time-blocked schedule seemingly went out the window after your first meeting threw you some unexpected action items. Or you tried to tackle the first task for your big project and realized you had more questions than answers.
Day after day the cycle repeats, leaving you convinced sticking to a schedule may just not be possible for you.
“What you do is what matters. Not what you think or say or plan.”
- Jason Fried and David Heinemeier Hansson, Rework
Luckily, you’re wrong. It is possible! Just follow these 4 tips and you’ll be crushing your time management goals in no time.
Tip #1: Outsmart Your Inner Negotiator
You talk to yourself all day long.
No, you’re not a crazy person. It’s just the neverending stream of thoughts in your brain we all have. In fact, the average person has around 60,000 thoughts throughout the day. That’s a lot of thinking…
These thoughts often consist of giving yourself feedback and commentary on how well or how badly you think you’re handling the day.
Did you do that report well enough or should you create another draft? Are your priorities right or do you need to shuffle what you originally planned to work on? Should you really have spoken up in that meeting or kept quiet?
All day long. A constant back and forth of discussion…with yourself.
With this constant noise, it can be difficult to recognize when a subtle negotiation leads to you weaseling out of your commitments. Your thought process can all seem so logical. But let’s face it, your brain…it’s a master manipulator and strong negotiator.
Here’s an example. You’ve committed to getting out of bed at 6 AM for a morning workout. But when your alarm clock goes off, the negotiations begin. “5 more minutes. It won’t hurt. You need the rest. You’re already awake so it will be a piece of cake to roll your way out of bed at any moment…as long as that moment is 5 minutes away.” The negotiator at work. Subtle but very convincing.
Of course, we all know how that story ends. A 7 AM sprint out of bed, no time to work out, only time to jump into your morning feeling rushed and frazzled before you’ve even sat down in front of the computer.
Next chapter. As you start your day, it’s time to work on that top-priority task you scheduled to complete first thing. No problem, right? Cue the negotiator! “You should do a quick phone check to see if Becky responded about your dinner plans. And, well, now that your phone’s in your hand, let’s check email quickly to make sure there’s nothing urgent to get to. And, you know, it’s been a pretty exhausting morning, you deserve a quick Instagram break.”
Another unsurprising ending. Another unfinished task. Another unfollowed schedule.
Despite your brain’s mastery of these manipulative tactics, when you start to be conscious of the negotiations, you can start to counter back with some logical arguments.
When the alarm clock goes off, try the Mel Robbin’s 5 Second Rule. When you’re laying in bed debating whether you should really get up, count to 5. When you get to 5, get up! A surprisingly simple, yet effective method.
Or when you sit down to your computer to tackle that top priority task, turn off notifications, put your phone in the other room, and start with just a 5-minute task to get the flow of work going.
Trust the version of you that made your schedule in the first place. What would she have to say to The Negotiator?
Politely (or forcefully) decline the alternatives your brain is trying to suggest and redirect back to your original plan. Even if you find yourself in the middle of an unplanned detour like pushing the snooze button one too many times or falling into an Instagram doom scroll, you can always pause and redirect yourself back to your original schedule.
Tip #2: Anticipate Discomfort
At least 75% of the tasks you schedule on your calendar are going to be met with immediate feelings of “ick” as soon as you sit down to do them.
Sorry to break it to you, but that ick feeling…doesn’t go away. The discomfort is here to stay.
You are wired to run from discomfort and to seek pleasure. Think about it, why would you want to sit down to write that creative brief? It’s going to take a whole lotta brain power. Finding the right words, doing research, trying to piece it all together into a sensical train of thought. And don’t forget the Oxford comma! Ughhhh. Ick. Sitting on the couch watching Netflix would surely provide a lot more dopamine than this garbage.
Unfortunately, all that pleasure-seeking isn’t going to get you very far in achieving your goals. So, anticipate and embrace the discomfort. It is a sign you are likely working on a good plan. A plan that makes you slightly uncomfortable means you’re growing.
“Comfort is overrated. It doesn’t lead to happiness. It often leads to self-absorption and discontent.”
- Michael Hyatt, Your Best Year Ever
You know the discomfort is coming. So it should be no surprise when it hits. Now you just get to think: “Oh yes, this is the part where I don’t want to do the thing I planned to do. Cool, this is familiar. Looks like it’s time to get to work.”
While that feeling of discomfort will never go away, reducing the drama around the feeling will help you push through so you can keep taking action on your plans. As soon as you start taking action on the task, no matter how uncomfortable it felt to start, that discomfort will dissipate quickly!
Tip #3: Stop Waiting for Motivation
Similar to anticipating discomfort, don’t expect to be motivated to tackle every little task you set out to accomplish.
Sure, there will be those times when you can’t wait to get to work. You’re inspired and ready and know how good it’s going to feel to get the task or project completed. You want to dive in. Cherish those moments! But don’t trick yourself into relying on them.
True success comes from what you do when you aren’t feeling motivated. When you aren’t feeling inspired. Do you work out anyway? Do you get a head start on that proposal anyway? Do you continue to take the small steps that add up over time even if they feel oh so uninspiring in the moment?
The ability to continue working and sticking to the commitments you made to yourself when you aren’t fueled by pure motivation separates those who stay stuck and those who build a life they love.
Instead of relying on motivation, rely on your discipline and the steps of your time management system to lead the way and guide your next action.
If you do want to try to spark a little motivation, try looking to future you. Think about how good she will feel when the project is done. The relief. The pride. The accomplishment. Feel those emotions in your body now as you’re gearing up to start a task. Then use that as your motivation to jolt you into action.
Tip #4: Understand the Real Reason You’re Procrastinating
Part of not sticking to your schedule is likely that you’re procrastinating.
Procrastination is a killer of good time management. But procrastination is not really about being good or bad at time management or a sign you just aren’t a productive person. Procrastination is purely driven by emotions.
When you are faced with a task that you think will be stressful or overwhelming or difficult, you’re not actually avoiding the task. You’re avoiding that emotion you don’t want to feel.
For example, if you scheduled to start a huge client project that you fear will lead to working late nights and leading discussions on topics you don’t actually know all the answers to, of course you would want to procrastinate. Because that project represents a bundle of fear, overwhelm, self-doubt, stress…etc. That’s not exactly a menu any of us look forward to ordering from. How could procrastination not seem like the better choice than actually working on the project?
Procrastination can even sneak into the smallest things such as emptying the dishwasher or making the bed. These chores that likely take less than 5 minutes can lead to hours of procrastination to avoid them. Why? These chores are boring. You’re avoiding the boredom, not the task itself.
Fixing your procrastination issue is not a productivity or time management problem. It’s an emotion management problem. You are not lazy. You are not unmotivated. You are not broken. You, my friend, have emotions. Hey! Me too.
Get comfortable with feeling those negative emotions. After all, an emotion is just a sensation in your body. If you can eliminate the resistance and fear of the emotion, you will reduce a huge part of the discomfort of feeling them in the first place.
So bring on the anxiety, fear, and overwhelm. You can feel these emotions and still stick to your schedule while doing a damn good job. Let them be along for the ride of life. Just put them in the backseat instead of letting them drive!
Why it Matters
No one is perfect at following a schedule. No matter how “good” they are at time management.
You are going to have days where the negotiator in your head makes a super valid point you can’t find objections to. The discomfort of sitting down to work on a project will make you falsely think you’re working on the “wrong” thing. The lack of motivation will feel too draining to take any action. Or the dread of feeling self-doubt will cause you to never start.
No matter how good you get at managing your time and becoming a productive and in control She Boss…you’re going to get tripped up.
But trust me, you can get better at following a schedule. Just follow these tips and stay aware of what’s throwing you off track so you can get back in control.
When you think: “Oops, there’s that thing I sometimes do that stops me from following through on my schedule,” use that awareness and correct course. Check back on your original schedule and pick up where you left off before the minor schedule mishap.
You are a schedule-following master in the making! And if you’re ready to get to scheduling so you can take on that project you’ve been avoiding, check out the 7 Days: Consider it Done! Guide. The guide will help you break down and tackle any project, from start to finish…in just 7 days! Schedule. Act. Achieve. Repeat!
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About Me
Hi, I’m Kara. I’m a former workaholic turned time-management expert. I help women stressed out in their 9-5 get more done, in less time, so they can get back in the driver’s seat and start living a life they love.
