Deciding in advance.
WHY PLANNING IN ADVANCE WORKS
Decisions made under pressure are worse, and reacting produces a day shaped by others.
WHAT TO DO WEEKLY
Establish what must be achieved this week Identify what must happen for each Allocate time for it
Note what is fixed: meetings, commitments, deadlines
WHY WEEKLY
It is long enough to see the shape and short enough to be realistic.
WHAT TO DO DAILY
Identify the few things that must be done today Do the most important first
WHY FIRST
Attention and energy decline, and the important work is displaced otherwise.
HOW MANY THINGS
Few. Three is a reasonable target.
WHY SO FEW
Lists of many items produce nothing finished.
WHAT TO ALLOCATE HONESTLY
Time, including the time things actually take.
WHY
Underestimating duration is the commonest planning error.
WHAT TO ADD
Buffer.
WHY
Interruptions and overruns are certain.
HOW MUCH TO PLAN
Less than the available hours.
WHY
A fully planned day fails at the first disruption.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT THINGS THAT DO NOT GET DONE
Establish why, honestly.
WHAT THE REASONS USUALLY ARE
Too much planned Interruptions The task was larger than assumed Avoidance
WHAT TO DO ABOUT EACH
Plan less, protect time, break tasks down, or address the avoidance.
WHAT TO REVIEW
At the end of the week: what moved and what did not.
