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Daily planning

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Summary

  • The master list holds all candidates; today's plan holds selected tasks. Viewing it is no promise to finish it today.
  • Check fixed calendar commitments first; filter by setting, tools, time, and energy before comparing importance.
  • Review the same calendar and master list at a set daily cue; prepare a backup for plans likely to be interrupted.

Ways to apply

  1. On your own

    Free, no special equipment to buy

    1. At a fairly consistent daily cue (e.g., arriving at work), open your calendar and master task list.
    2. Check today's appointments, deadlines, and other fixed commitments to find available time slots.
    3. For today's candidates, exclude tasks awaiting others or needing unavailable tools or settings.
    4. Filter by available time and energy, then compare importance; list selected tasks in today's plan.
    5. For likely interruptions, write: “If ____, I’ll do this at ____ instead, or do ____.”

The master list holds candidates, not commitments for today

Proposed in research

Sprich and colleagues’ treatment program addresses adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). It separates reviewing a task list from immediately completing every task. Reviewing helps select what to do; it does not commit someone to clearing the entire list right away(Sprich et al., 2010).

The master list can retain every task, while the day’s schedule only needs to contain the tasks selected for today.

The calendar holds fixed commitments; the list holds options

From a book

In Getting Things Done, Allen advises reserving the calendar for items tied to a specific date or time. Examples include appointments and tasks that must be completed that day. Other tasks belong on action lists(Allen, 2015).

Checking fixed calendar slots before choosing tasks keeps things someone wants to do today from taking time needed for things that must happen today.

Filter out tasks that cannot be done now before ranking importance

From a book

Allen gives this filtering order: setting and tools, available time, energy, and finally importance(Allen, 2015). Tasks that lack the necessary tools or await someone else’s reply stay out of the current candidate pool.

When only a short slot is available, first select tasks that can be worked on during that time; importance comes next. The whole master list need not be ranked again each time.

Set a daily review cue instead of relying on a new list’s novelty

Proposed in research

Sprich and colleagues’ program requires setting a specific daily cue for reviewing the calendar and task list, such as arriving at work. They also warn that the novelty of using a new system eventually fades(Sprich et al., 2010).

When reviews become inconsistent, restoring that cue can come before making another new list.

Plans likely to be interrupted need a workable backup

Proposed in research

Parke and colleagues observed employees for two weeks. Anticipating interruptions and preparing backup plans were associated with better work performance. This association remained on days with more interruptions(Parke et al., 2018).

Based on this finding, a day’s plan can include a backup sentence: “If an unexpected meeting takes up the morning, the planned task moves to the afternoon.”

Evidence

References (3)
  1. ReviewDescription and Demonstration of CBT for ADHD in AdultsSprich SE, Knouse LE, Cooper-Vince C, Burbridge J, Safren SA (2010). Cognitive and Behavioral Practice
  2. BookGetting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free ProductivityAllen D (2015). Penguin Books
  3. Cohort studyWhen daily planning improves employee performance: The importance of planning type, engagement, and interruptionsParke MR, Weinhardt JM, Brodsky A, Tangirala S, DeVoe SE (2018). Journal of Applied Psychology