Stop by a shoe shop, meet two customers, buy a new pair of trousers for a child, buy home groceries for the arrival of guests, prepare a festive dinner ... and so on ad infinitum. Every day we have such a mass of different things to do that all the planned events can hardly fit in our heads. And hardly anyone can boast of an ideal memory and the fact that not a single task for a day, week or month was forgotten or not fulfilled. In fact, the work of our brain is far from ideal. And it doesn't matter if you are an office worker or a manager big company- each person should have an attribute for planning his time and his name is a diary.

What is a diary for?

In addition to the fact that we remember information better while recording, the ability to view a list of our tasks can significantly save time and effort. Why do you personally need a diary? Here are just a few great reasons to get one:

  • Recording important and small things helps your brain clear itself of unnecessary information and, accordingly, work better;
  • the diary is the best reminder of important matters;
  • using the diary, you can plan your time for a week or a month in advance;
  • thanks to the diary, you can analyze the effectiveness of your work and even find mistakes in your actions or actions.

If you have never used this wonderful attribute modern man, naturally you will have a question what to write in the diary? Surely, many have already come up with an excuse that they plan not so many things for the day in order to fix them somewhere else. However, try to do an experiment - on the eve of a new day, write down almost all the things that you have to do. From important meetings to trifles, such as calling a friend and buying bread. Be sure that after you see the entire list, you will no longer have a question about what you can write in your diary.

So, the main goal is to get a paper assistant for every day. Now you need to figure out how to work with the diary so that it really helps you.

How to keep a diary?

Considering that your goal is to plan your time, energy, and possibly your life, then for such control you need to do something like this: get a binder cover with rings that unfasten, blocks of clean checkered paper and adhesive page dividers, and then separate your diary into 5 subsections:

  1. Thoughts, ideas (here you will write down thoughts that spontaneously appeared, for example, read a book, plans for the weekend, or what you can give to a friend).
  2. Plans for the day (in this section there should be no more than 5 tasks that need to be completed per day). It is not worth planning more than 5, because. various sudden situations that are bound to happen will prevent you from doing more.
  3. Plans for the week (general tasks that need to be completed during the week, as well as those plans that you fixed for yourself to complete for the month, plus tasks that arise during the course of work).
  4. Plans for the month (here you can record important, but not urgent, or other plans that relate to the implementation of your global goals).
  5. Current plans (in this section you can write down phone numbers, notes about meetings, calls, purchases and other little things).

Many people believe that only those who have own business. In fact, this is an erroneous opinion. A diary should be kept by every person who wants to achieve something in the future. “How can a diary contribute to this?!” - you ask. The article below will answer this question and provide guidance on how to how to keep a diary.

Why keep a diary?

  • First, having a diary, you do not need to remember a large number of information, no need to try to keep everything in your head. All the necessary information will be recorded in the diary.
  • The diary will always be able to you remind you of upcoming important events that you might have forgotten about without having it.
  • The diary will help you properly organize your time, schedule your day. After all, time often goes nowhere. With a diary, you can large quantity cases per day than before.
  • Keeping a diary, you can always review your past and future activities without trying to remember this or that information.

  • It has already been proven that by keeping a diary, people are able to achieve their desired goals faster than those who do not keep a diary.
  • Having a diary, you will always be keep before your eyes the goals and objectives that are in front of you. But sometimes we forget about it!
  • The diary will help you avoid many unpleasant situations. For example, your boss asked you to do something on a certain date. Having a diary, you have entered information there, and you can be sure that you will not forget about it. And if you don’t have a diary, you can get into an extremely awkward situation.

What is the best way to keep a diary?

  • Buy yourself a diary that you will really like. You must take it in your hands with pleasure. It is best that it be paper, in a beautiful cover. An electronic diary is not a very convenient thing, because you cannot make a note at any time. You should not start a notebook under the diary - buy a real diary.

  • Never commit completing your diary to anyone else. Always do it yourself. In the end, it will take you no more than fifteen minutes.
  • Make a beautiful cardboard box that will serve two of your purposes at once. First, it will act as a bookmark in your diary. And, secondly, on it you write your main goals and plans for the year. By opening the diary every day, you will constantly have your goals in front of your eyes.
  • The best time to fill out the diary is in the evening, before bed. Firstly, you are not particularly in a hurry, and secondly, you can calmly analyze the past day. And, thirdly, make a plan of affairs for tomorrow.
  • There are two ways to keep a diary. You can write every day only those things that you need to do, for example, go to the store, pay the rent. Or you can schedule your entire day, including getting up, lunch and entertainment.

  • Take a few separate sheets in your diary on which you write down your close-ups for a week, month, year or even five years! And when the diary ends in a year, you can see how far you have progressed in solving your problems. And in the next diary you will already transfer the information that such and such a business is half completed.
  • Come up with a designation for your tasks in the diary. For example, you can designate a new task with an empty circle. When you begin to complete this task, the circle is crossed out. When the goal is halfway completed, fill in half of the circle; when fully completed, fill in the entire circle. A circle crossed with two lines - the task was canceled. An exclamation point in a circle is a priority. A dot in a circle is a task that requires constant attention. You can use this notation, or you can come up with your own.
  • If it's more convenient for you, you can break down long-term tasks into categories - family, finances, school.
  • In most diaries, there are lines on one sheet that indicate a specific time. And there are lines without indicating the time. You can write on the first those tasks that should be completed clearly on time, and in the empty lines - things that are not tied to a specific time.
  • Bet specific tasks and cases. Let your notes be more specific. For example, don’t write “increase revenue” for annual goals, write “increase revenue by 25%”
  • Always divide global tasks into several small tasks. Do not write in the plan for the day: "Do a bathroom renovation", because tomorrow you will not finish it, and it can be considered that the task is not completed. Write more specific goals - paint the ceiling in the bathroom, tile the floor in the bathroom.
  • If most of your days follow the same pattern, you can fill out the diary for a week at once. But, nevertheless, it is not worth doing this. Since if you make a plan for each day you have more options for adjusting this plan.

  • Every morning, before you go to work, go through your diary, see what goals you have for today. Get ready to complete your tasks.
  • Always carry a diary with you, otherwise it is no longer necessary. You should always be able to see what you have planned for the day, week or even month.
  • Carry out assigned tasks according to the principle of priority. Having completed the most important plans in the first half of the day, you will feel an inner uplift and a feeling of comfort.
  • Those things that are global for you, and which are scheduled in your separate list, should be divided into stages. That is, you set a goal, think through the stages of how you will go towards this goal, and plan at least one thing a day that will bring you closer to completion. main task. Mark such a task with a bright color so that it stands out from the rest.
  • Reward yourself. Looking through the diary every evening, mark the completed tasks with a marker, put a tick next to them, a plus sign, in a word, anything. And if you fail at a task, be sure to make a note of why it happened. You can be honest, this is your diary.
  • Set clear, specific goals, objectives and plans. As much as possible specify the information recorded in the diary.

  • View past time information every month. Carefully review which tasks were completed immediately, which were not completed on time, and which were not completed at all. Review your notes, why did you not cope with this or that task, how can this be corrected?
  • At the end of the day, you can write down in your diary an interesting thought that came to your mind during the day. It can be useful, remind you of past situations.
  • Evaluate objectively your abilities and the fact that there are only twenty-four hours in a day. Don't plan too many tasks for one day. You still can't handle them, and that fact will depress you. The same applies to long-term planning. Calculate how long it will take you to complete a particular task.

By keeping a diary and carefully planning every day, you will free up a lot of time for yourself, which you can use to your advantage. Also, don't forget that all successful people have a diary. And, if you want to become one of them, you should definitely get it.

Good luck with your planning!

Especially forlucky girl. en— Vitalina

Will you write down your inventions there? Or ideas for a play, novel, or poem that you will one day write? Will you capture ideas for any project? Or do you just need a place to write down your to-do or shopping list? Some people write down their thoughts or family information in a notebook, others take work notes or notes from events. Someone uses a notebook as a repository for all sorts of ideas that appear in their heads.

Choose the notebook that's right for you. There are many types of notebooks, so take the time to choose the one that works best for you and don't be afraid to spend a little. more money. After all, your immortal work may appear in this book! Here are some selection criteria:

  • Size and portability. Notebooks are most useful when they are always at hand. Pick one that's large enough for your notes and small enough to take with you everywhere you go. Where do you want to store your notebook: in your pocket, purse, bag, backpack?
  • Conditions for keeping records. Will you need to take notes standing up? Or on the way? Then you need to choose a notebook with a hard cover so that it is comfortable to hold it in one hand while taking notes with the other. Should it be used in specific environments: in a kitchen, in a factory, on the street, in a boat?
  • Target. A notebook with blank sheets and a colorful floral cover might inspire you to keep a journal, but it's unlikely to match a business event. The spiral notebook can be fully unfolded, and the cover will not interfere with you while writing. Do you need lined paper or Blank sheet, or maybe fields? Some notebooks even pre-print musical things.
  • Separators and markers. Do you need to divide notebook areas into different categories, for example, Housework, Ideas, Reflections, To-Do List? Or is a free-form notepad better, such as for keeping a diary? You can buy notebooks with ready-made dividers or separate them yourself with stickers, flags, bookmarks, and so on.
  • Legality. If your notebook contains information that you would like to patent in the future, find a padlocked notebook with numbered pages. Learn the rules for using a notepad for such purposes.
  • Make notes in a notebook. Develop your own method of making use of the notebook. Use it in the way that is most convenient for you. There are many situations in which it is useful to take notes in a notebook:

    • When you receive an assignment.
    • When you think of an invention or a new idea.
    • When you receive a compliment, they give you a recommendation or good advice.
    • When you hear something funny or unusual.
    • When you want to remember something.
  • Organize your notes, at least minimally. Even if it doesn't seem to matter to you, the time spent categorizing your records will save you much more time and effort in the future that you would otherwise spend searching for the information you need.

    • Date each entry.
    • Number the pages.
    • If possible, add titles to your posts.
    • Record contextual information, such as who attended the meeting.
  • Keep it readable. Write legibly enough that you can read what you have written. You should be able to make out your handwriting. If you make notes for public reading, make sure others can read it too.

  • Keep records regularly.

    • Write consistently and consistently. Write around the same time every day, if possible. If you're a morning person, early morning can be the most productive time for note-taking, as your brain is fresh and flexible, and these activities help shape the day ahead. Owls are more suitable for keeping records evening time; it is helpful to take some time before you leave work or school to mark the important points of the day and make plans for the next. Either way, writing daily will help make note-taking a habit.
    • Take short breaks while you're standing in line or waiting for your next event, for example.
    • Write as soon as you have some thoughts. Ideas come and go, and if you don't write them down, they can be forgotten. Remember the historian's approach: What is not written down was not.
    • Sometimes it's useful to just splash out on paper - write everything that comes to mind until you reach a "useful" thought. Your "splash" can turn into something important!
  • Surely, every person who wants to increase their productivity and labor efficiency thinks about the question of how to properly keep a diary.

    You can read about the very basics and key points of keeping a diary in the article.

    And in this article we will analyze how to properly write a list of weekly tasks in your diary. After all, personal effectiveness is just the sum of such skills as skillfully compiling a list of weekly tasks.

    Order in the head = Order in business

    To achieve order in your head, you need to correctly make a list of tasks.

    We all have tasks that require daily effort. They are not part of any project. These are activities that should be carried out on a regular basis.

    For example, working with e-mail, phone calls and so on.

    You also have to deal with casual meetings, events, and personal commitments. All of these items should go in a diary called "Weekly Task List".

    Current tasks make up the bulk of the day, so it's important to plan them out and add them to your diary. However, it's important not to fall into the trap of being busy every minute of your day. Otherwise, this approach will turn your weekly list into a grueling routine that creates unnecessary stress.

    How to keep a diary

    To properly keep a diary - write down three types of notes in the list of weekly tasks:

    • tasks in the current mode,
    • tasks that require extra strength (like new habits, scheduled appointments, meetings, personal commitments)
    • important tasks within your projects.

    To illustrate this concept, let's look at each type of note.

    No. 1. Tasks in the current mode (current affairs).

    A weekly to-do list is not your typical to-do list. This is a cluster of routine tasks that require daily performance. These tasks are important to managing your professional and personal life, so it makes sense to cross them off the list as you complete them in a sort of ritual. This list forms the coming week.

    Once a week, sit down and plan the next seven days (Sundays, for example). Start by scheduling time for things like:

    • repetitive work tasks
    • physical exercise,
    • assignments,
    • time with family
    • housework,
    • paperwork (both personal and professional),
    • Email,
    • phone calls
    • Cooking.

    What happens on this list is up to you. The key here is to set aside time each day for the current activity. It also helps in understanding how long it usually takes to complete each task. For example, processing Email can take less than an hour a day, so you can always leave enough time for current affairs.

    It also helps to combine, group things, which allows you to increase the efficiency of each day. For example, every week you need to visit the grocery store, post office, and hardware store. Then it makes sense to group these tasks, giving them a single period of time. Performing these tasks together allows you to carry out your current activities in the most efficient way.

    Finally, there is a reason why it is necessary to start with the current activity - it shapes the entire next week. If you are like most people, you are often attacked emergencies or random tasks. Without a set schedule, you won't be able to figure out exactly what you'll be sacrificing when you say yes to someone asking for your time.

    No. 2. Meetings and gatherings.

    In addition to daily tasks, you also have appointments, meetings, and personal commitments.

    You should consider this because your ability to complete important tasks depends on how much time you spend on other activities. It's better to know in advance that your productivity will be limited due to an earlier appointment.

    In addition to the weekly to-do list, it's important to use a digital calendar that sends a reminder of an upcoming event. This will work as an additional reminder of important meetings.

    Majority mobile phones are equipped with these functions, and you can also use or office software(eg Microsoft Outlook) that have a built-in calendar. You can use Google Calendar, it syncs with Gmail and is accessible through any device with Internet access.

    No. 3. Tasks within the project.

    The last items to include in the weekly task list are tasks from the “project task list”. This can be challenging because you want to focus on important tasks while avoiding the temptation to over-commit yourself in the next seven days.

    Only include tasks on the list that are nearing deadline or that are critical. importance to complete the project.

    As for the rest of the project's to-do list items, only work on them when you've completed everything else.

    How to make a weekly task list

    We have already discussed the three types of tasks included in the weekly tasks list. So how to keep a diary using such a list? More precisely, what does this list look like? The easiest way to explain this concept is to offer you a simple action plan.

    Get started by opening the weekly page and dividing it into sections by day of the week. If you are one of those who work better in a certain part of the day (for example, in the morning), then divide each day of your activity into the morning part and the evening part. If you are actively working on weekends, be sure to include them in the list of days of the week. If the weekend is for relaxation, you can create a five-day schedule. That's a total of 10 or 14 time slots.

    Now plan three types of activities: current activities, appointments and meetings, tasks from the “project task list.” Exactly when you schedule your tasks depends on your work and living space. It is important to use this list to create a simple structure for activities for the next seven days.

    To illustrate, I will give you the following list of tasks for one of the days:

    Monday

    Before lunch:

    Working with video (5).

    View projects and tasks (4).

    Update tasks (4).

    Thinking about the next book (4).

    After lunch:

    Article writing (4).

    Letter processing (3).

    Updating projects (3).

    Blog comments (3).

    There are many tasks on this list. Some of these will make sense in the context of the three task types we've discussed, but others can be a bit confusing.

    Better not clutter your weekly task list long list affairs. It is necessary to include only mandatory tasks and current affairs that require additional effort. So as not to feel overwhelmed.

    Next to each task is a small number in the range from 1 to 5.

    This is an estimate of the level of energy that needs to be expended to complete this task:

    (1) a very small amount of energy, and (5) a very large amount of energy.

    Schedule all your important tasks for the part of the day when you are most productive.

    Responsibility will help you stay focused on the important things. Try to join online with a group of people working in your field to exchange ideas or get feedback. This will help instill responsibility in you, as you will make commitments (to yourself and others) to complete something by the next meeting.

    You can take Saturday off work, but schedule completion on Sunday evening paperwork and processing new ideas. Then write a list and use it to check your current activity. This to-do list is the basis for the next seven days.

    I hope this example helped demonstrate how to create a weekly to-do list.

    Just remember one thing: this list should be a guideline for what needs to be done. Life can always throw surprises at us, so it's best to look at these challenges as helpful tips rather than mandatory tasks.

    To be honest, life is too short to torture yourself for not doing a couple of things.

    Here are some tips on how to properly keep a diary. Use them and increase your productivity!

    Planning and keeping a to-do list is a whole science. The now popular direction of the time manager is studying various techniques that make it easier to make plans and control their execution. Special techniques will make the process efficient, as well as ensure the effectiveness of daily planning.

    Why you need a diary:

    • Definition of priority tasks. Having sketched out a to-do list, you can immediately visually evaluate the important ones and weed out the unnecessary ones. In addition, you can immediately calculate the approximate time to complete and the reality of the task.
    • Reminder for regularly recurring plans. A novice accountant must know the dates for the submission of all reports, and planning in the current month must take into account weekends and non-working days and possible postponement.
    • Leave time for rest. Estimating the approximate volume daily quests possible overtime or downtime can be excluded. Your work schedule will be as optimized as possible, which will also allow you to devote time to family and leisure.
    • Describe the algorithm challenging tasks. It is known that any business, even requiring maximum concentration, can be divided into several stages. This will allow not only to complete the task successfully and quickly, but also not to burn out professionally.
    • The motivation of actions improves. Even a glimpse of the list of completed tasks can be encouraging and boost self-esteem. In addition to routine tasks, allocate a page for personal achievements, in which you enter your successes, even if they seem insignificant to outsiders.
    • Efficiency increases. By highlighting and completing the most important tasks of the day, you will have much more time than without prompts. It is important to start with the most complex and lengthy projects so that you can later switch to easy ones, and not vice versa. Also, professionals recommend starting the day with the most unpleasant thing (in the terminology of the “frog” time manager). After completing it, your mood will immediately improve, not only because everything went well, but even from the realization that the “frog” is over and everything is over.

    It is advisable to keep a notebook next to you at all times. If necessary, write down here important contact information, sample documents, links to sites. Keeping all necessary information in one place, you do not have to waste time looking for a piece of paper that was accidentally lost or disturbing colleagues.

    How to keep a diary

    Clear rules and boundaries for recording important cases are best avoided. It is more convenient for each person to stick to their own vision of planning, even if we are talking about the business diary. Usually, it is most productive to make plans for a month, but keeping records for a year or more is also practiced. You can try to first fill out a list of urgent and regular plans for a week or two, and then expand and supplement your list.

    Important points for keeping a diary:

    • To maintain a list of important plans and tasks, any recording method convenient for you is used. It can be a business organizer, an electronic notebook and even a school notebook “in a box”, the main thing is that the list is always at hand and updated regularly.
    • Regularly it is necessary to check with your plans, cross out those already completed and add new ones. This will help free up memory for really important information and not keep all the dates and events in your head. It has been proven that our brain (with the exception of prominent examples: Caesar or Einstein) can simultaneously be busy thinking about no more than four to seven tasks. For a modern accountant, this is completely unacceptable, because every day you have to perform many diverse tasks at the same time. That is why putting the planned tasks on paper will help you focus on doing the work, and not planning it.
    • Be sure to prioritize. It is advisable to set one or two important things for each day (occupying a decent amount of time), as well as a few additional ones. Keeping a diary will help you avoid time pressure at work, as well as correctly allocate time for completing tasks.
    • Without timely monitoring, keeping a diary becomes meaningless. It is advisable to check your progress daily, and in case of failure to put notes on the reason and postponement. Gradually, this will develop one of best habits- bring everything to an end.
    • Planning tomorrow start today. It is best to make a to-do list for tomorrow in the evening, in which you can transfer all outstanding items.

    Special techniques allow you to evaluate your progress in long term. It can be a list of plans for a month or even a year ahead, not only in the personal sphere, but also for professional activity.

    Examples of such plans:

    1. List of books for reading.
    2. Course of lectures or seminars.
    3. Learn a foreign language.
    4. Visit certain places (cities, restaurants, museums).
    5. visit distant relatives or friends.
    6. Improve your professional qualifications.

    Together with production tasks you can also set aside time for personal achievement. The diary is your personal space where you can mark all the dates that are important to you, plan a vacation and make notes about the birthdays of loved ones and friends. It is also good to allocate space for general information, for example, write down a to-do list for "after work", daily shopping, appointments or trips.

    Keeping a diary helps develop self-discipline, as well as increase the efficiency of your professional activities. It is very important for an accountant to keep the reporting dates under control, as well as to correctly allocate working time. This will help to avoid rush jobs, as well as give due time to family and rest.