The Weekly Checklist
Throughout my senior year I have had a bigger virtual course load than ever. As a result I needed to find a way to balance all of my classes and not lose track of time.
Every Monday, I sit down with a nice hot cup of coffee, and create a weekly checklist of everything that needs to get done. If a class has a certain deadline in the middle of the week I write that date directly next to the task. I combined this list with other productivity tips such as time blocking and the daily highlight to create the perfect productivity system.
Time Blocking
This is a technique used by productivity experts such as Elon Musk and Cal Newport. Conventionally, you would set time blocks in your daily schedule towards a specific task. For example, I would set up a time slot of 1:00pm to 3:00pm catered to studying for my Statistics exam. This is very useful because it blocks out time in your day that you might accidentally spend on irrelevant, unstructured free time (watching TV, scrolling through TikTok, etc.). It helps your mind stay on task, and focus on what needs to get done.
Although time-blocking traditionally organizes certain tasks in each time-slot, I found this too controlling and decided to come up with a more lenient alternative. To fit the weekly checklist, I block time out of my day to work on anything out of this checklist. For instance, some days I will work on Math and others on Biology, but in the allocated time slot I work on anything on the checklist.
As Cal Newport explains in Deep Work: Rules For Focuses Success in a Distracted World
“This critical shift from managing tasks to managing time can massively increase the amount of useful work you accomplish. It also provides an anxiety reducing sense of control over your schedule.”
The weekly checklist established all the work that needs to be accomplished. Then the time blocking method allocates time throughout your day to work on that pre-established checklist. It is a system where you control your time , and manage your tasks effectively.
The Daily Highlight
The Daily Highlight is a system where everyday you pick out one thing that needs to get done on top of everything else. If all else fails, this one thing gets completed. The logic behind it is that if you did one productive thing everyday for 365 days, that is a lot of tasks.
This technique was brought to me by productivity youtuber Ali Abdaal, and is easily applicable to the weekly checklist. My planner is organized with a weekly calendar one one side, and a sheet of lined paper on the other. I make the checklist on the right, and on the left I write down one thing I want to do everyday. This does not need to be on the checklist. In fact, it should be very un-work related; this includes hanging out with friends, going on a run, or even trying a new recipe. As long as it is something you want to do, it can be a daily highlight.
The logic behind this is ensuring that you can work on your other hobbies, on top of your necessary work. My highlights consist of hanging out with friends, working on this blog, or starting new programming projects. It is normal to get so caught up in your workflow where you do not have the energy to have personal goals. The daily highlight solves this problem, because your personal goal is the one thing you need to get done that day.
Conclusion
The weekly checklist is a simple idea, combined with a multitude of productivity tips. The use of lenient time-blocking enables you to work on your tasks during the week with more control over your time. As long as you are working on any task on the checklist, it counts as productive. Adding the daily highlight to your weekly plan, allows you to add your own hobbies and projects to your week.
- Create a list of every task you need to complete throughout the week
- Each day, pick out one thing that needs to get done (not work-related)
- Use time blocking to set aside time thoughout your day to work on any item on the checklist