Productivity experts swear by planning, but here’s the truth: There is no one “right” way to plan your days for ultimate productivity.

The truth is, not only is everyone different, but YOU are different on different days.

There are some days you might feel completely motivated and excited to work on a particular project. On other days, you might feel a sense of low energy that makes it difficult for you to get anything started. Or maybe sometimes you want to make progress on something, but you’re feeling totally overwhelmed about where to start.

Gentle productivity means being kind to yourself and taking into consideration what feels possible for the day, without pushing yourself or making yourself overwhelmed.

Here are some unique methods you can use to plan a productive day and accomplish things gently.

1. Schedule your free time in first.

When you’re creating your plan for the day, schedule blocks of “free time” before you schedule anything else (besides things that are set in stone, like meetings or appointments). 

You should spend these blocks of free time doing something that you genuinely want to do. You can decide ahead of time what that is, but you don’t have to. 

I love to read, so in my scheduled free time, I’ll often cozy up with a book I’ve been enjoying. But, if I don’t feel like that in the moment, I’ll do something else. 

There are no rules, only that you should do something that you actually want to do.

That being said, I strongly recommend not using your phone during your free time, unless there’s something you plan to do on your phone that feels exciting and you’re looking forward to. Don’t let your free time come and, because you don’t know what sounds fun, you just pull out your phone and scroll. 

I recommend meditating and thinking for a few moments about what actually sounds fun to you. 

A fun-filled break will help you feel re-energized and ready to take on some more work. Plus, you can be looking forward to the next break. It’s a much kinder approach to yourself than forcing yourself to keep your nose to the grindstone and trudge through it.

As for how many breaks to schedule, that’s up to you. I usually give myself at least a 30-minute break in the morning, early afternoon, and later afternoon.

2. Randomize your to-do list.

If you’re craving some novelty and spontaneity, try this.

Make a numbered list of the things you have to do today. 

Then, use a random number generator to determine which number to work on first.

Work on getting started on that task. You don’t have to complete all of it. When you feel like you’re ready to move on or want a change in scenery, use the random number generator to choose another task.

When you complete a task on your numbered list, simply cross it off. If that number is chosen again, you can either generate another random number or go to the next task on the list.

Do this over and over until your list is done or until your work day is over.

3. Cycle through your to-do list, starting with 5 minute intervals.

Here’s a way to gently ease you into completing your most important tasks of the day. 

Make a list of the top 3-5 things you need to get done today.

Set a timer for 5 minutes, then start on the first task. It’s pretty easy to convince yourself to do something for only five minutes, so just gently push through any resistance you feel. Remember, you can stop after five minutes! 

After the timer goes off, switch to the next task and do that for five minutes. 

Once you’ve done each thing on your list for 5 minutes each, start the cycle again, but this time set a timer for 10 minutes each time. 

Hopefully, since you’ve already eased yourself into working on your tasks with the 5-minute timer, you’re more primed and ready to take on each task 10 minutes at a time.

After the 10-minute cycle through the list, move on to 15-minute timers, then 20-minutes, etc. I personally wouldn’t go longer than 20 or 25 minutes per task, but if that works for you, go for it.

You might find that once you get started on a task, you get into a flow state and don’t feel like switching tasks when the timer goes off. If that happens to you, feel free to keep working. 

Just notice when your attention starts to wander and you start slowing down or feeling resistance to continuing. At that point, go ahead and switch tasks and start the next timer.

Conclusion

So, there are a few ideas for you to try. Remember to respect how your body and mind feels, and maybe try to mix up your planning every once in a while. Like I said earlier, every day is different, so only embracing one type of productivity planning will only limit you.

By the way, I’ve learned a lot about gentle productivity, including these ideas, from Muchelle B. Check out her YouTube channel here!

Best of luck!