How to actually stick to a schedule (even if you lack discipline)

Summary

This video script discusses the challenges of sticking to a plan and offers three levels of productivity techniques. Level one introduces time blocking with a calendar. Level two involves creating a paper list of weekly tasks to maintain focus. Level three suggests setting loud alarms for key tasks to ensure timely action. The speaker shares personal experiences and strategies to help viewers effectively plan and execute their tasks, avoiding distractions.

Takeaways

• 😀 Planning and executing tasks can be challenging, and sticking to a plan isn't always straightforward.
• 📅 Time blocking is a basic productivity technique where you use a calendar to schedule different activities throughout the day.
• 📝 Despite time blocking, the speaker found it difficult to follow their calendar and often got sidetracked or ignored time blocks.
• 📋 Level two involves writing down major tasks for the week on a piece of paper, which helps set priorities and prevents last-minute changes.
• 🔖 Taping the weekly task list on the monitor serves as a constant reminder and helps maintain focus on the planned tasks.
• 🔄 This system allows flexibility in how tasks are approached while still being strict about what needs to be done.
• 📳 Level three suggests setting obnoxious alarms on your phone for key tasks and checkpoints to ensure timely action.
• 🛌 Examples of recurring alarms include wake-up, breakfast, gym time, shutdown ritual, and bedtime to maintain a structured daily routine.
• 🎥 For specific tasks like filming a video, setting an alarm reinforces the calendar notification and helps start the task on time.
• 🌟 The speaker encourages trying these techniques to improve adherence to plans and completing tasks effectively.

Q & A

What is the main issue the speaker is facing with their planning and execution of tasks?

The speaker struggles with sticking to their plans and often finds themselves doing random tasks instead of following through with their planned activities, which may not be urgent or contribute significantly to their goals.

What is the first level of planning technique discussed in the script?

The first level is time blocking, which involves using a calendar to create blocks for different activities throughout the day and sticking to the schedule.

Why does the speaker feel that time blocking might not be working well for them?

The speaker suspects that not having their calendar app visible throughout the day leads to getting sidetracked and ignoring time blocks, even when calendar notifications pop up.

What is the second level of planning technique introduced by the speaker?

The second level involves writing down all major tasks for the week on a piece of paper at the start of the week and then placing it somewhere visible, like the side of a monitor, to serve as a constant reminder.

How does the speaker suggest using the weekly task list in conjunction with time blocking?

The speaker suggests that while the weekly task list provides a set of tasks that must be done, time blocking allows for flexibility in when those tasks are completed, without the need to adjust the list.

What is the third level of planning technique mentioned in the script?

The third level is setting obnoxious alarms on the phone for key checkpoints or must-do tasks throughout the day to ensure that the speaker starts and completes tasks on time.

Why are the obnoxious alarms more effective for the speaker than calendar notifications?

Obnoxious alarms are more effective because they are harder to ignore, as they involve vibrations and loud sounds that require immediate attention, unlike soft calendar notifications that can be easily dismissed.

What are some recurring alarms the speaker sets for their daily routine?

The speaker sets alarms for waking up, making breakfast, going to the gym, doing a shutdown ritual before dinner, and going to bed.

How does the speaker plan to reinforce the time blocking system with alarms?

The speaker plans to set alarms for specific tasks at the times they are supposed to start, according to their time blocking schedule, to ensure they begin the task promptly.

What is the speaker's advice for those who struggle with sticking to a schedule and completing tasks on time?

The speaker advises trying out the techniques they discussed, such as time blocking, using a visible weekly task list, and setting obnoxious alarms, to help stay on track and complete tasks as planned.

What is the speaker's closing statement encouraging the audience to do?

The speaker encourages the audience to do something today that their future self would thank them for, emphasizing the importance of taking action on their plans.

Outlines

00:00

📝 Planning and Execution Challenges

The speaker discusses the common difficulty of sticking to plans, even when detailed schedules are made. They often create elaborate to-do lists and plan their week meticulously, but struggle to follow through due to distractions, changing priorities, or simply ignoring the schedule. The speaker introduces the topic of the video, which is about implementing strategies to ensure plans are followed and important tasks are completed.

05:02

⏰ Level One: Time Blocking

The speaker explains the concept of time blocking, a productivity technique that involves scheduling specific blocks of time for various activities throughout the day. This method helps in staying organized and focused, although it may not work well for everyone. The speaker mentions their personal experience with time blocking, noting that while it is a good technique, they often fail to adhere to the schedule due to lack of constant reminders or discipline.

📋 Level Two: Weekly Task List

Moving beyond digital tools, the speaker describes a new method they have adopted: creating a weekly task list on paper. This involves listing major tasks for the week and taping the list to their monitor. This physical reminder helps them stay focused and prevents them from rearranging tasks based on fluctuating motivations. The speaker appreciates this method for its ability to set tasks in stone and provide flexibility in daily scheduling while maintaining weekly goals.

📱 Level Three: Obnoxious Alarms

For those who struggle with schedules and time management, the speaker recommends setting loud and persistent alarms on their phones. These alarms act as strong reminders to start or stop tasks at specific times, making it harder to ignore than regular calendar notifications. The speaker shares their use of multiple alarms throughout the day for waking up, meals, gym sessions, workspace cleanup, and bedtime. They also set additional alarms for specific tasks to ensure adherence to their schedule.

Keywords

💡Time Blocking

Time blocking is a productivity technique where one schedules blocks of time for specific tasks on a calendar. This approach aims to ensure dedicated periods for focused work and other activities. In the video, time blocking is described as a method that helps plan out the day by assigning time slots to different activities, like morning routines, deep work, and gym sessions.

💡To-Do List App

A to-do list app is a digital tool for organizing tasks and planning activities. The speaker mentions using a fancy to-do list app to create detailed plans for the week. Despite its functionality, the speaker finds that these digital plans often get ignored or disrupted by unplanned events or distractions.

💡Weekly Planning

Weekly planning involves setting goals and tasks for the upcoming week, typically done at the start of the week. The speaker highlights the importance of writing out all major tasks on a piece of paper to have a clear, unchangeable plan. This method helps maintain focus and prevents mid-week changes based on temporary feelings or distractions.

💡Master List

A master list is a comprehensive list of tasks and goals for a specific period, such as a week. In the video, the speaker creates a master list at the beginning of the week to set priorities and ensure all important tasks are visible and accounted for. This list is then used to guide daily activities.

💡Discipline

Discipline refers to the ability to follow plans and stick to schedules. The speaker notes that time blocking works well for disciplined individuals who can adhere to their planned schedules. However, for those lacking discipline, additional techniques may be necessary to stay on track.

💡Obnoxious Alarms

Obnoxious alarms are loud and disruptive alerts set on a phone to ensure critical tasks are not missed. The speaker uses these alarms as a stronger reminder than standard calendar notifications, helping to overcome procrastination and stay on schedule. Examples include alarms for waking up, eating breakfast, going to the gym, and winding down for bed.

💡Flexibility

Flexibility in planning allows for adjustments and changes in task schedules. The speaker mentions the importance of having a flexible approach while still adhering to a master list of weekly tasks. This balance helps accommodate unexpected events while ensuring that essential tasks are completed.

💡Shutdown Ritual

A shutdown ritual is an end-of-day routine to clean up the workspace and prepare for the next day. The speaker sets an alarm for this ritual to ensure the day ends with organization and a clear plan for tomorrow. This practice helps maintain a productive and orderly workflow.

💡Morning Routine

A morning routine consists of the activities one engages in shortly after waking up to start the day productively. In the video, the speaker allocates time blocks for morning routines, emphasizing their role in setting a positive tone for the day and ensuring essential tasks, such as deep work, are prioritized.

💡Procrastination

Procrastination is the act of delaying or postponing tasks. The speaker discusses how creating elaborate plans often leads to procrastination, with the speaker opting to do less urgent tasks instead of following the planned schedule. The suggested techniques aim to mitigate procrastination by reinforcing schedules and making tasks unavoidable.

Highlights

The speaker discusses the challenge of sticking to a planned schedule and the tendency to procrastinate or deviate from it.

Introduction of the concept of 'time blocking', a productivity technique using a calendar to schedule activities throughout the day.

Admission of personal difficulty in following the calendar and the tendency to ignore time blocks due to distractions.

Suggestion to keep the calendar app visible throughout the day to avoid getting sidetracked.

The second level of productivity involves writing down major weekly tasks on paper to solidify the plan at the start of the week.

The importance of creating a physical list to prevent last-minute changes in priorities based on immediate feelings or excuses.

Recommendation to display the weekly task list visibly, such as on a monitor, to keep tasks in constant view.

The idea of using a combination of time blocking and a physical task list for flexibility and structure.

The third level of productivity involves setting 'obnoxious alarms' on a phone for key tasks to ensure timely action.

Comparison between soft calendar notifications and the effectiveness of more intrusive phone alarms.

Examples of recurring alarms for wake-up, breakfast, gym time, shutdown ritual, and bedtime to maintain daily routines.

The strategy of setting specific alarms for time-blocked tasks to reinforce the calendar and ensure adherence.

The speaker's personal experience with the effectiveness of alarms in overcoming procrastination and task avoidance.

Encouragement for the audience to try these techniques if they struggle with sticking to schedules and completing tasks on time.

A call to action for the audience to share their own productivity methods and to reflect on the presented techniques.

Closing advice to do something today that will benefit the future self, emphasizing the importance of taking action.

Transcripts

right so how to actually do what you

plan to do might sound kind of silly

like miles you just plan what to do and

then you do it well as you probably know

it's not that simple whether it's Sunday

night or the night before I'd make this

whole elaborate plan and my fancy to-do

list app decide okay I'm doing this

Monday this Tuesday this Wednesday this

at 9am this is at 10 A.M at 10 30 I'm

going to take a break at 11 I'm gonna do

this but when the next day came around

and it became time to actually act on my

plan I simply wouldn't do it sometimes

things would come up sometimes I'd run

out of time and that's like okay

whatever that happens but more often

than not the truth is I would just sort

of directly disobey my plan and end up

picking something kind of random to do

that maybe needed to be done at some

point so by doing it I felt like I was

still being productive but in reality it

wasn't actually urgent or didn't really

move the needle forward so in this video

I'm going to talk about three levels of

things that I've started doing to ensure

that I actually stick to my plan and get

things done that actually matters so at

the first level we're starting pretty

basic with time blocking and you've

probably heard of this productivity

technique before it's basically where

you use a calendar and create different

blocks for the different activities that

you need to do on a particular day so

for example what this might look like is

you'll have a block in the morning for

waking up and doing your morning routine

then maybe doing some deep work working

on a new YouTube video and you might

have a Blog for going to the gym making

breakfast or doing whatever you need to

do and you kind of fill up your calendar

with all these blocks and so basically

throughout the entire day you're

supposed to just kind of stick to each

of these blocks on your calendar and

only work on the things that you've

assigned or planned out to do during

that time and this is a pretty good

technique on its own and probably works

really well for more disciplined people

and it's something that I've been doing

for a long time but lately I feel like

for me it just hasn't really been

working too well because I think I just

don't really follow my calendar

throughout the day I think part of this

might be because I don't have my

calendar app you know up on screen in my

face throughout the entire day so as I'm

doing stuff I just easily kind of get

sidetracked or go too long and just end

up kind of ignoring the time blocks even

win like a calendar notification pops up

like okay it's time to go to the gym

it's easy to kind of ignore it and just

keep doing what you're doing or not

doing a certain thing but if you haven't

tried time blocking this might be all

you really need and so I would

definitely give this a try first and see

how it goes for you all right so level

two takes things a step further and this

is something that I've started doing

recently that I think really has helped

and is straying a little bit away from

the digital productivity system side of

things basically what I'll do is at the

start of the week maybe Sunday night

I'll get a piece of paper and list out

all the major tasks that I want to

accomplish for that week so I'm looking

at just my paper for this past week and

I had things like film these YouTube

videos edit a video plan out some more

videos make thumbnails I also put my

major workouts on here I want to hit a

leg day push days some cardio pull day

leg day push day and then also some

Japanese study lessons and stuff and a

couple more random errands that I wanted

to get done this week but I put all of

it just on this one piece of of paper

and so this really helped me out because

at the start of the week when I'm in a

clear sort of headspace I would sort of

set in stone all of the things that I

was going to do for that week because I

was sort of guilty of you know as the

week goes on maybe in the moment I'll

just kind of change my mindset and

change the things that I want to

prioritize for that week and I think a

lot of that was just because in the

moment I didn't really feel like doing

something so my brain created some sort

of excuse for why I didn't actually need

to prioritize a certain thing and so I

like this because as I said it really

sets it in stone and I can't you know

drag things around on my calendar I

can't move it quickly to next week on my

to-do list I wrote it out when I was in

the same productive mental state so now

I have to stick to it the next I would

take that paper and tape it up on the

side of the monitor that way anytime I

sit down on my desk it's always you know

in my face glaring at me and all those

tasks are just always on my mind so what

I like about this system in conjunction

with the time blocking is that it allows

for some flexibility but then also is

still strict in the sense that I can't

change anything on this master list but

I'm also not necessarily tied to the

time that I have to do these things it's

all just you know this week I need to

get all this stuff done now you could

also take it a step further and make an

individual list for each day where maybe

you take a couple things from your

master weekly list and put that on a

little sticky note or something and then

put that on your monitor that's another

thing that I might start trying to do as

well for the particular day but I think

you should at least have the weekly plan

so that way you don't adjust course

prematurely throughout the week just

because you don't really feel like doing

something in the moment all right and

finally we've got level three and this

is for all you people like me who have

difficulty just following any sort of

schedule and always end up just letting

the previous task or event carry on too

long and don't start the next thing that

they're supposed to do on time and this

is to set obnoxious alarms on your phone

for sort of key checkpoints or must do

tasks throughout the day and so like I

said these sort of soft calendar

notification on my laptop or my phone

doesn't really do it for me just like

the ding because it's just so easy to

swipe away but when I have this

obnoxious iPhone alarm and vibrating it

kind of just like wakes me up just like

a morning alarm would and actually gets

me out of my chair or gets me to stop

doing what I'm doing and start doing

whatever it is I need to do at that time

so I've got a few recurring alarms set

first one of course obviously I've got a

wake-up alarm at around 6 a.m and then

I've got another one around nine to get

up and make some breakfast so that I get

some nutrition in and don't just like

keep working all morning while starving

myself and I've got another alarm at 12

to go to the gym because I think that's

another sort of midday key checkpoint

for me where if I don't end up taking

that exercise break in the middle of the

day then my afternoon will feel kind of

sluggish and I won't be able to focus as

well and won't have as good energy and

of course I want to keep up my fitness

routine as well and I also have another

alarm set for later in the day right

before dinner to do my shutdown ritual

where I basically clean up my workspace

and get my plan and everything set for

the next day and then finally I have a

bedtime alarm later in the evening

around 8 45 or 9 telling me to get in

bed start winding down and go to sleep

so those are the recurring alarms but

then depending on the tasks that I'll

have to do for that day and this is

basically where I kind of work with the

time blocking system on level one is

I'll do my time blocking and I'll maybe

say okay at 7 30 I need to start filming

this video then I'll go in my alarms and

maybe set an alarm for 7 30 if I really

want to make sure that I actually go and

do that so it's kind of just reinforcing

the calendar notification in a more

obnoxious way that actually gets me to

do the thing so if you're like me and

sticking to some kind of schedule and

doing your tasks on time is kind of a

struggle then I would definitely try out

some of these techniques and also let me

know if there's something else you do do

to ensure that you not only plan out a

successful day in week but to actually

act on that plan and get the things done

without getting distracted by random

stuff as always do something today that

your future self would thank you for