Starting the day out right is essential to any position, large or small. Business owners, receptionists, HR managers, and janitors alike can begin their productive and fulfilling workday day using one simple tool. This is your first organizational step of the day - that of writing out your plan for the rest of your day.
Daily planning is skipped by many, leading into a day of drudgery where nothing seems to get accomplished. Every day at work should feel as if it leads to an overarching goal - not just a clock in/clock out grind.
When daily planning isn’t skipped, employees often simply jot down in a list of generalized bullet points that don't incorporate the smaller steps needed to accomplish tasks. Another common theme is a day ruled only by a calendar, which often hustles one from meeting to meeting and doesn't allow for other daily actions necessary to meet future deadlines. There is a better and more effective way to plan out your day!
How to Write an Effective Daily Plan
Before sitting down to write your plan for the day, consider what you are hoping to accomplish this week and month. Perhaps you are hoping to reach a particular sales goal, or you want to make sure every customer you encounter is happy. You may have specific metrics that monitor your job which you’d like to improve. Or you may be working on a particular project that needs to be completed by the end of the quarter. Whatever your overall goal is, your first action is to write out a plan to get there. This will likely take you far beyond just today. Once you know how to accomplish your goal, review the overall plan and introduce the first step or steps into your daily plan. Let’s say your goal is to launch a new print marketing campaign via postcard. Your daily plan may go something like this: Monday: Goals: Start working on the postcard plan. Get the customer satisfaction rate on social media up by a percentage point. Get my week started with the usual actions Plan:- Set up a planning meeting with Bob, Sara, and Melanie to brainstorm design ideas for the new postcard. (15 mins)
- Research and come up with four quotes for companies to print the postcards. (1.5 hrs)
- Create my powerpoint for the weekly marketing meeting. (Be sure to include the A/B testing we just completed and add in the three online successes from December) (1.5 hrs)
- Present powerpoint. (45 mins)
- Zero out my email “in” box. (30 mins)
- Sort out glitch with auto marketing software by calling customer service. (1 hr)
- Write outline for weekly webinar. (1 hr)
- Go through all daily notifications on social media platforms. (1 hr)
- Answer all emails and questions on social media platforms. (30 mins)
