The daily agenda helps you carry out activities on schedule, for example, to fulfill important appointments, complete tasks, do fun activities, and complete work on deadlines. However, forming a habit of using an agenda every day is not easy because you have to regularly take notes and carry it everywhere. Read the following instructions to get used to using the agenda as part of your daily routine in an easy and efficient way.
Step
Part 1 of 2: Choosing the Right Agenda
Step 1. Consider what you are using the agenda for
There are various agendas according to the profession and personality of the user. When selecting an agenda, you can use a lined notebook or a printed agenda that provides tables for recording various tasks. Think in advance why you want to use the agenda and for what. If the agenda will be the only means for planning daily activities, use only one agenda. Using more than one agenda tends to be confusing and less useful. To determine the most appropriate agenda, consider the following:
- Do I need to put a phone number on the agenda?
- Am I going to use the agenda only to record the meeting schedule?
- Do I need an agenda that lasts more than a year?
- Can the agenda replace the notes that I usually use, for example: daily task schedule?
- Will I use a regular notebook or a multi-featured, tabular agenda?
- Do I need a small agenda that fits in my pocket or an agenda large enough to keep track of meeting minutes?
- Am I going to jot down the schedule every day or is it just for weekend activities?
Step 2. Choose the agenda as needed
Look for an agenda at a store that sells office supplies, stationery, calendars, or online. The price of the agenda is very varied. In addition to considering the aesthetic aspect, prioritize the distribution of books and table formats in the agenda. Choose an agenda that you like according to your lifestyle and daily activities.
Step 3. Consider the aesthetic aspect
In addition to prioritizing function, an attractive and pleasing agenda makes you more happy to use the agenda. You can choose a simple agenda with a plain black cover or a colorful cover with attractive pictures and designs. The aesthetic aspect will be useful if it is in line with the work ethic prevailing in the company.
Also pay attention to the aesthetic aspects of the agenda, not just the outside. Many people prefer agendas with plain pages over lined pages. Others require symmetrical tables or an easy-to-adjust layout. You yourself may need a different agenda with a certain look. Choose an agenda with a nice-looking cover and inside to get you excited about using your agenda every day
Step 4. Prepare a pen and pencil
The agenda will be more useful if it is used for taking notes. Have a pencil and pen ready where you will write or put your agenda, for example:
- In your briefcase or laptop bag
- In the handbag
- At the desk in the office
- At the desk at home
- Near the telephone
- If you often lose your writing utensils, keep a pencil in your organizer just in case or use an organizer that has a pencil holder.
Part 2 of 2: Using the Agenda Effectively
Step 1. Intend to use the agenda every day
People who are strongly committed tend to be better able to fulfill commitments. Changing habits isn't easy, but you can form new habits by telling yourself that you intend to do little things in new ways.
Keep in mind that good habits are easier to form if you focus on one particular habit at a time. Don't form new habits that overwhelm you. For now, focus on forming the habit of using an agenda
Step 2. Tell a friend that you want to use the agenda
People tend to adopt new habits more easily in communities that know their resolutions and support each other. Share your intentions with a friend or coworker. If your friends want to form the same good habits, you can remind each other to take notes regularly.
Step 3. Put the agenda in the same place every day
Use the agenda as the only calendar at home and at work because you will find it difficult to organize a schedule if you use two agendas. However, this also requires consistency because you have to record all activities at home and at work. So that you don't have to search around, choose one place in the office and another at home to put your agenda. Consistency is the determining factor for forming this habit, so don't put your agenda elsewhere.
- A great place to put your agenda at home is next to your phone, in your briefcase, near your cell phone or car keys.
- The right place to put your agenda in the office is on your desk, in the main drawer of your desk, next to your phone, or in your briefcase.
Step 4. Make a note to remind you to always carry an agenda when going to and from work
It's possible to leave your agenda behind at home or at work when you just started using the agenda. To prevent this, write down reminders and place them in a visible place in your home and office. Based on research, one effective way to shape certain behaviors is to use reminders written on small pieces of paper. Do the same for yourself by setting a reminder: “Did you bring your agenda?” in a visible place, for example:
- On laptop
- On the table
- Next to the telephone
- At the door
- On the kitchen table
- In the mirror in the bathroom
- Let go of reminders if you're used to carrying your agenda with you to and from work.
Step 5. Put all the information into the agenda
Once you have an agenda, you have to record a lot of information, for example: scheduled meetings, unfinished tasks, and other activities that were planned in advance. Set aside 1-2 hours to record all this information. This method also makes you accustomed to using the agenda correctly and being able to make a good schedule. Things to note on the agenda, for example:
- Contact information of family members, friends, colleagues and clients
- Meeting schedule at the office
- lesson timetable
- Deadlines for office work or schoolwork
- Work schedule (if working hours change frequently)
- An appointment with a general practitioner or dentist
- Birthdays of loved ones
- Important activities in the office
- Special private event
- Important dates for a hobby or extracurricular activity, for example: a piano recital date or a yoga practice schedule
Step 6. Read the agenda each morning
Every morning before leaving for work, take the time to read the agenda to determine the schedule for meetings, meetings, and tasks that you must complete. Set aside time to remember if there are any tasks you need to add to your schedule, have been completed, or need to be rescheduled. Check your schedule every morning so you can make the most of your work time once you get to the office.
Step 7. Read the agenda before leaving work
Make sure you have completed all daily activities as planned by reading the agenda one more time before leaving work. Think about whether there's anything you need to jot down for next week. Get in the habit of updating the notes in your agenda to make it easier for you to fulfill your work responsibilities.
Step 8. Use positive reinforcement to motivate yourself
Think of the agenda as a positive thing in daily life, not as a burden or obligation. Use an agenda to reward yourself after you've finished a task. In the end, you'll be trying to complete a task because you want to feel how nice it is to cross out a completed task schedule. Do some of the following as positive reinforcement:
- Cross out completed tasks and meetings. If you're not feeling well, reread all the activities you've completed and be proud of what you've done.
- Reward yourself for completing some tasks. For example: enjoy your favorite coffee or take a leisurely walk after you have completed 5 tasks or reached a certain goal. This will make you more motivated to use your agenda and complete tasks as best you can.
- Do something fun while reading the agenda. Instead of feeling overwhelmed when checking the agenda, use the agenda as a tool that supports work productivity. Get used to reading the agenda while doing fun activities so that you feel more positive and eliminate negative feelings. For example: every time you read your agenda in the morning or before coming home from work, enjoy a cup of coffee, chocolate, or listen to your favorite song. This method makes the brain associate the agenda with something that fosters positive feelings.
- Give a special reward if you manage to use the agenda consistently for one week. People who are just starting to use an agenda usually need extra motivation to get used to carrying an agenda and taking notes every day. If you can do this for a week, give yourself a special gift, for example: enjoying ice cream, watching a movie, or drinking coffee with a friend. After a few weeks, you will get used to carrying and using the agenda.
- Write positive things like taking notes on an important task. To make new habits easier, use the agenda to remind you of plans for fun activities (lunch with friends, for example) and less enjoyable activities (for example: consulting the dentist).
Step 9. Get in the habit of updating to-do notes as needed
When checking the agenda in the morning and evening, take note of any new information, for example: tasks to be completed, meeting schedules, appointments, and deadlines. Also take notes every time there is a new task. Updating your agenda regularly will make it easier for you to manage your time and feel calmer. In addition, you don't have to remember the tasks that have been recorded so that you are free from worry and doubt.
If there are tasks that are very burdensome, make a separate schedule so that you can complete it according to your ability. Don't let your motivation get lost because you think about unfinished tasks while doing your workday routine
Step 10. Be patient
It will take you 1-2 months for the new habit to run its course. Be patient and forgive yourself if you ever leave your agenda at home or you forget to write down your schedule because new habits will form after some time. Remember that minor omissions do not diminish your ability to form new habits.
Prepare a backup plan in case you forget to bring your agenda, for example by writing down the meeting schedule on a small piece of paper and sticking it on your desk at the office. To remind yourself of important schedules and deadlines, use an online reminder app on your phone or laptop to make sure you're always up to date, even if you fall behind on your agenda
Tips
- See the agenda as a useful tool, rather than a burden. You will find it easier to organize your daily activities if you use an agenda. In the long run, you can save a few hours by saving a few minutes each day.
- Consistency supported by positive reinforcement plays an important role in forming new habits. To maintain motivation, use the agenda regularly, focus on the positive things you get from using the agenda, and reward yourself if needed.
- Choose an agenda that you like and according to your needs. Purchase an agenda that provides a tabular format so you can jot down all the important information and schedule your daily activities.
