Common mistakes in daily planning

A daily plan is the foundation for your success, but even the best intentions can lead to frustration if you make the following mistakes.

No task classification

When you start planning your day, it's a mistake to 'dump' everything into one long list without categorizing the tasks. For example, your daily writing task sits right next to your daily chores, which then sits next to your language learning task. It's no surprise that this lack of structure quickly leads to feeling overwhelmed.

Categorizing tasks helps you get a clearer picture of what needs to be done in each area of ​​your life. You can easily write categories as headings on a paper to-do list, and some of the best to-do list apps offer categorization, such as Things 3 or TickTick.

Adding too many items to your to-do list

Many people think that being productive means trying to get as much done as possible in a day. But overloading your to-do list only makes you more stressed and exhausted, with a growing sense of failure because you never get everything you planned done.

Too many tasks on your to-do list creates a vicious cycle because you will always find more to do. So, keep it simple and start by choosing a maximum of three big tasks per day. If you later find that you have more capacity, you can always adjust your plan.

Not flexible

Rigid routines are often established with good intentions, but they rarely survive real-life disruptions. Surprises are a part of life, so flexibility is essential to making life easier in modern society.

Even if something important doesn't interrupt you, you shouldn't jump straight from one task to another; your brain needs time to rest and recharge.

Focus on non-urgent tasks

Focusing on low-priority tasks may feel productive, but it rarely moves you closer to your goals. Superficial activities like constantly checking email or completing small administrative tasks provide a false sense of accomplishment while distracting from meaningful progress.

Checking low-priority tasks off your to-do list may make you feel productive, but a few hours of deep work is much better for moving you forward. So when planning your day, set priorities first. Most to-do list apps, including Todoist and TickTick, offer some sort of prioritization feature.

If you spend a lot of time on administrative tasks, look for things you can automate. For example, you might want to invest in task management software that automatically moves cards around when a task is completed.

Choosing the wrong method

The harsh truth is that your productivity tools mean nothing without a strong system. Sometimes the most common ways of doing things just won't work for you. You have to experiment and find what works.

Try different productivity tactics for 3–4 weeks to see how they work. Once you find something that works, you'll be able to stick with it long term.

Kareem Winters

Update 09 December 2024