Help How Do You Plan?

whatdBuffyDo

whatdBuffyDo

Slayerette
Joined
Dec 24, 2020
Messages
1,132
Sineya
Hello BB people!
Some of the following might seem very basic and ordinary, however lately I seem to have a hard time with planning daily, therefore I am kindly asking your advice based on your experience on planning:
1. Your regular daily routine comprised of the things you have to be doing normally such as cooking, school/work, exercise, taking care of someone/a pet etc.
2. When introducing new things in to your daily plan such as practising a new skill, a new course, a new exercise routine, meditation, therapy etc.
3. Non-periodic / one-time activities such as a social plan with a friend, an appointment with dentist, a family dinner etc.

These are some questions you may or may not address:

- How do you stay realistic in what you can fit in a day?
- How do you experiment with different combinations of activites?
- How do you tell your brain to handle them one by one without getting overwhelmed with the many tasks to plan?
- How do you handle planning on busy times vs when you have lots of free time?

Thank you! 🤹‍♀️
 
Maybe you could group some things together, for example you could try a new course, a skill or exercise with a friend. That way you're socialising and getting other things done at the same time. It might be hard to do that daily but every now and again it could be grouped together.
 
@whatdBuffyDo I very much struggle with all this stuff too. For me, strict routines have never worked, I find them too much pressure and burn out fast! I took all routine away and found a rhythm for the day that works for me. Just a basic run down- activity in the morning, food prep in the middle of the day and shower before bed. Any new thing I need to do is done in the morning as that is when I have the most physical and mental energy.

For chores, lists do help me, but I found it even more effective when I had a to-do list on a forum with other people. Even though, it was just other people posting their to-do lists on, it still felt like support to me. It helped to keep me realistic in my lists as I could go well overboard and put too much on and then get sad when I couldn't manage it all. Seeing that other people had one or two goals for the day reminded me not to put 29 on my own list.

Pets for me are extremely motivating. I need no prompting to care for them, never have. I have even started putting water bowls under plants in the garden that need water, because if I frame it as "filling up the water troughs" (for animals) then I actually remember to water that specific plant! Thats probably of no help to you, but an example of reframing a task I need to do.

Social stuff is for another post! Haha
 
First, I don't worry about the things I cannot change. No use in getting worked up about it.
Second, I do the best at trying to complete as much as is on my days plate.
Third and most important, at the end of the day, is DON'T stress on what did not get done and DON'T stress about what tomorrow will bring. It's going to come regardless of whether you stress about it or not, so might as well relax....like you're supposed to do, and deal with it when that time comes. You'll figure it out!
 
I also use lists. I get planners that allow for detailed list-taking, I make main categories with subcategories underneath. Then I check everything off as I go, and move what needs to be moved to another day.

Depending on my mood I will be very detailed, like noting exactly how many pages I must read of something, or what I need to put on another list (usually work related). Then I use notification reminders a lot on my phone, which can be everything from "remember to call Y", "cancel this", "drink champagne with X", to "shower at this time"

I generally sit down on Sunday evening and start making the lists, then fill up as necessary - as things come up and stuff gets moved around.
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Edit: Oh and I'm not very realistic as to what I can fit into a day. Time always gets away from me. But I've started to make sure that if there is an activity, especially a new one I want to get into, I'll try to get at least 15-20 min of it into a day. It doesn't always work, sometimes you're just too tired from work et al, but often you can motivate yourself to do something for 15 minutes, because it's so short. Better something than nothing, whether working out or learning a language or skill.
 
Moptop
Moptop
The only "lists" I use is when I'm going to the grocery store. Most times I can just remember what I'm supposed to do.
Taake said:
Oh and I'm not very realistic as to what I can fit into a day. Time always gets away from me. But I've started to make sure that if there is an activity, especially a new one I want to get into, I'll try to get at least 15-20 min of it into a day. It doesn't always work, sometimes you're just too tired from work et al, but often you can motivate yourself to do something for 15 minutes, because it's so short. Better something than nothing, whether working out or learning a language or skill.
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I need to do this more, I do have a it doesn't matter what you do as long as you do something motto though, for starting something, whether it's the washing up or reading a book.
 
November
November
I do this for the garden, even a half done thing is half done!
I used to have a planner and jot things down I needed to do it worked at the beginning then didn't follow through. I don't worry about it, I take things day by day now.
 
Thank you @whatdBuffyDo for creating this thread and BB members for their helpful posts. I’ve learnt lots. Some of it I knew already, but it was good to have it reaffirmed and learn new things. I wrote what I felt was relevant to me down, so it’s not just in the mind but on paper.

I’ll add it’s better to make a mistake than do nothing.

And I find it’s easier to remember things if it’s written down on paper.
 
Kratos said:
Thank you @whatdBuffyDo for creating this thread and BB members for their helpful posts. I’ve learnt lots. Some of it I knew already, but it was good to have it reaffirmed and learn new things. I wrote what I felt was relevant to me down, so it’s not just in the mind but on paper.

I’ll add it’s better to make a mistake than do nothing.

And I find it’s easier to remember things if it’s written down on paper.
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Thank you all for sparing time and answering with your advice! 💛 Also, I'm glad that we can help each other! 🙆‍♀️
 
whatdBuffyDo said:
1. Your regular daily routine comprised of the things you have to be doing normally such as cooking, school/work, exercise, taking care of someone/a pet etc.
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I don't find any need to plan this stuff. I do it or I starve, get fired or get attacked by an angry cat.
whatdBuffyDo said:
Non-periodic / one-time activities such as a social plan with a friend, an appointment with dentist, a family dinner etc.
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Calendar on my phone is brilliant for this. Everything goes on here. Shows me where I'm supposed to be and when. Shared with my partner as well so we've got an idea of who's working etc. Great for tasks, one offs or regular. I don't miss insurance renewals when they come round each year. Tomorrow I've got a reminder to buy NOFX tickets when they go on sale.
 
Taake
Taake
"or get attacked by an angry cat."... I choose to believe this is code for gf who, like myself, gets hangry.
I go through spells where I struggle to get motivated and end up getting half way through lots of tasks without actually finishing any of them 🙂

I agree lists are definitely the way to go. But make sure the items on the list are achievable, or if they are very big tasks then break them down into smaller chunks. If your list is full of things like 1) Learn a new language 2) climb Mount Everest 3) get married then it will be difficult to achieve anything in the short term.
Create different deadlines for different items on the list so some for the next day, some within a week, some within a month etc which makes it easier to prioritise tasks to make sure things actually get done whilst leaving time to chill out / socialise.

And as @LemonBanana says if you include small easy to reach goals it means you are always completing something, and maybe it is just me being geeky but there is a definite satisfaction about crossing items off a list. You feel like you have achieved something which then gives you the motivation to keep going and an excuse to treat yourself !
Unless losing weight is on your list as most of my treats tend to be food based 😉

Anyanka Bunny Slayer said:
I've made lists for shopping before, but I usually end up losing them. 😅
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That’s what the Alexa app is for so you don’t even have to write it down. Although I struggle to get a signal on my phone at one of the supermarkets I go to so I end up having to try and memorise the list outside which never works !
 
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