What a Schedule Looks Like - For You Who Just Can't Seem to Make Any Money Online

You may have to readjust from time to time until you feel comfortable with your new working hours. It took me awhile to feel comfortable with mine.

That is killer. I've been thinking about the need to do something like that, except to add in personal development and exercise time too.

I do a basic schedule, but don't have everything on it that I should, there is just not enough space on it.
Where could I get a form that is reasonably priced ?

I've never been that good with formal schedules. I write them once in a long while, but never really use them for more than a short time, as in less than a week. Just not something that works for me.

I do enjoy a more freeform schedule. I have a to do list and know when I want things done by. Works well enough for me.

OP, I like the table you used as an example...where'd you get it?

Very nice schedule you have! Getting everything streamlined can indeed lead to more productivity and more money.

Looks like you have a job. Hopefully at some point those tasks will say "touch base with outsourcing team manager - then play golf"

You are a organize person. If some thing miss timed what you do for that.

Nice tool...will also use Leechlock....

I prefer the Tim Ferriss method. Just write 1 thing down that you'd be happy if you accomplished that day, and then get it done before noon.

If people can't get stuff done, I just don't think writing out a schedule is going to help them. They need to pick the most important thing and then work until it's complete.

I would add that as you incorporate many different tasks into your schedule, and you WILL when you consider that there are many necessary tasks in IM as well as your non-IM activites (working out, time with friends and family, etc.), you should try and reward yourself at least weekly as you complete your tasks.

Postiive reinforcement will do wonders. Of course, you don't want the rewards to be too extreme or time-conusming but here's what I do....

I actually assign point values to all of my necessary tasks so that is you were to add them up for the week they equal 50 points. The more important and impactful tasks are worth more. As a task gets completed, I log the points earned and I accumulate them over the week.

Then I allow myself 4 different weekly rewards at 15,25,35,and 45 where each reward is more rewarding as you go higher.

So 15 points might be take 3 hours off and go out for lunch and see a movie. 25 points might be allowing myself a good book or audiobook that I've wanted to get a hold of for a long time.

For everyone it's different but the key here is that as you do activities and at times you will not feel 100% in doing them, using weekly rewards will really get you to do what needs to be done. It has done wonders for me in accomplishing my tasks.

So plan out your days but don't forget to reward yourself!

I find writing out a simple to do list each night for the following next days work is a simple but very effective solution to getting things done. I write things out in order of importance and then just start working down the list. If I don't complete the list that day, I just add it to the next days list in order of importance again.

What I do sometimes if i feel I am going to get distracted is shut down my email client - I waste quite a lot of time hitting send and recieve lol.

Another thing you can do is set rewards for yourself - like if you write 3 articles you get 10 minutes on the forums or wherever else you want to check.

Just my 2 pence.

Chris

Yeap...I think reward is a great way to motivate you to push further....Usually I will reward myself on the weekends( no work all play) or do slightly less on Fridays....

I say this about a lot of threads, yes this is very good, thanks for the tips, blah blah blah.

But this idea is so fundamental and what I have been missing so much, I have a half-assed attitude to schedules and always have...

A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days. It is a scaffolding on which a worker can stand and labor with both hands at sections of time ~ Annie Dillard

Fated82,

Appreciate you starting this thread because this is a real sore spot for me ... creating a schedule and sticking to it! I'm more of a "fly by the seat of your pants" kind of person. I have created schedules like the wonderful one you've posted but after a week or so I practically abandoned them. BTW, the Windows Calendar is a great tool for scheduling appointments and tasks.

However, I've vowed to make some necessary changes here in 2011 and buckle down. I have found that creating a "To-Do" list the night before works best for me and gives me more of a sense of urgency.

Incorporating the reward system is a great idea. I try to accomplish all or most of the things on my "To-do" list by Thursday. Fridays are my light work days and Sunday I generally relax and do very little internet-related work.

I think I need to do this...
"when doing two things at once your doing non at all" I hate the feeling when I have had a busy day but yet it seems like I accomplished nothing. Too many half finished tasks

Wow!! This is exactly what I need to do. Create a daily plan of action for the week and stick to it. It is so easy to get distracted and before I realize it half of my day or more has been wasted on reading emails and other non-productive things. I need to set aside a specific time for work and stick to that and then spend my spare time on other activities. Great post!

What I have found in coaching clients is to spend time up front on your outcome - for the day, the week, or the task/goal/project. This then translates to do that for yourself - first you MUST know your outcome, then work backwords - break it down into tasks and THEN put it in a calendar / whiteboard or whatever format works for you. Start from the end result - this is the inner circle experience derived from alot of mini-failures and now reaping very many client wins and hard dollars in pockets. Cheers, Susan Poole

I haven't yet gotten around to actually writing out a schedule, but I have recently started writing a "to do" list for the next day on my whiteboard every night. Even just that has really been helping. Thanks for setting a positive example!

Awesome! I could always use more discipline.

Good discussion.. self discipline and control is like a must for IM

Thanks for posting your schedule. I am going to go ahead and make one myself in my outlook for next week.
Thanks again

I create a daily "to-do" the night before. But in addition, I have a monthly overview of what I want to accomplish. This helps me both long term and short term.

I use a similar schedule and it really keeps you on track

Mine is busier than yours

Seriously though, I really think it's extremely important for people to STOP reading and START doing. And once a person starts doing, their schedule should look like the screenshot from the OP.

EDIT: BTW, what software is that?

I use the regular ole' calendar that lies on my table but would love to also have something like that

Love this man. Having recently started studying TIM FERRISS, this is absolutely aligned with my psychology on IMing right now.

I have a very counterintuitive strategy - Explained in a thread HERE.

I try to brainstorm, map things out and find what I call BIG HITTER strategies... things that seriously make the difference. Like, today for example, I got 100 visitors on my site from a strategy explained in another thread HERE

I work about 2-3 hours a day during the day.. and maybe an hour or two at night. That's it!

As you can see, I have a daily schedule. But I also have a weekly overview. So at the end of each week I make sure I accomplish something....for example at the end of this coming week, I will have a report and a sales page written and ready to roll by next week.