Example: You are trying to complete your master’s thesis — basically a very long essay — which needs to be about 40,000 words. It will include an introduction, a literature review (in which you critically discuss other research that informs yours, and discuss your methodology), several chapters in which you put your ideas into practice using concrete examples, and a conclusion. You have 1 year to write it.

Keep in mind that your plan may change as you work toward your goal, so stay flexible. Make sure that your goals are S. M. A. R. T. to ensure that your plan is effective:[2] X Research source Specific - Be clear about what you want to achieve. Measurable - You can break down the goal into measurable checkpoints. Attainable - You are capable of completing the steps necessary to reach the goal. Relevant - The goal makes sense for your life and purpose. Timely - You have the time to work toward your goal and are progressing on schedule.

Being specific and realistic while planning a long project is all about pro-actively reducing stress that can accompany poorly planned projects such as missed deadlines and exhausting long hours. Example: To finish your thesis on time, you need to write roughly 5,000 words per month, which will give you a couple of months at the end of your timeline to polish your ideas. Being realistic means not placing the expectation on yourself to write more than 5,000 words each month. If you’re working as a teaching assistant for three of those months, you’ll need to consider that you may not be able to complete 15,000 words in that time, and you’ll need to spread that amount out over your other months.

Having milestones can help you — and if applicable, your team — stay motivated by breaking the work into smaller chunks and tangible goals so that you don’t need to wait until the project is completely finished to feel as though you’ve accomplished something. Don’t leave too much time or too little time between milestones — spacing them two weeks apart has been found to be effective. [3] X Research source Example: When writing your thesis, resist the urge to set milestones based on chapter completions, as this could be a matter of months. Instead, set smaller milestones — perhaps based on word counts — every two weeks, and reward yourself when you hit them.

If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a large task, you can help ease your anxiety and make it feel more doable by breaking it down into smaller, more manageable chunks. Example: The lit review is often the most difficult chapter to write, as it forms the foundation of your thesis. In order to complete your lit review, you need to do a significant amount of research and analysis before you can even begin writing. You can break it into three smaller chunks: research, analysis, and writing. You can break it down even smaller by choosing specific articles and books that you need to read, and setting deadlines for analyzing them and writing about them.

Example: By breaking your lit review into smaller chunks, you’ll know exactly what you need to get done, and can figure out a realistic timeframe for those tasks. Perhaps every one to two days you will have to read, analyze, and write about one key reading.

No matter what action items you choose for which phase of your action plan, it is essential that a time frame be attached to absolutely everything. Example: If you know that it takes you roughly 1 hour to read 2,000 words, and you’ll be reading a 10,000-word article, you need to give yourself at least 5 hours to complete that article. You’ll need to also account for at least 2 meals during that time, as well as short breaks every 1 to 2 hours for when your brain is feeling tired. In addition, you’ll want to add at least an hour onto your final number just to account for any possible unanticipated interruptions.

Keep this visual representation in an easily accessible place — even on a wall in your office or study room, if possible.

This is particularly important if you’re working with other people. If you’re working with other people, you might consider using a shared online document so that everyone can check in no matter where they are.

Ideas/Miscellaneous notes Daily Schedules Monthly Schedules Milestones Research Follow-up Individuals involved/Contacts

Although you want to stay persistent, you should also be flexible. It’s likely that unexpected events will come up that require you to shift your schedule or plan.

If this happens, do not get discouraged – revise your plan and continue working to meet targets and move forward.

Studies have shown that physically writing things down (i. e. with pen and paper) will make you more likely to do them. [4] X Research source For this reason, you may be best off using a physical planner to plan your time out. Keeping a planner also helps you relieve stress and feel calmer because it makes it less likely that you’ll ruminate on what needs to be done. Additionally, it helps your plan become more solid in your mind. [5] X Research source

When you have specific time blocks in which to work (many day planners literally contain hourly time blocks), you’ll also find that you’re less likely to procrastinate, as you only have an allotted time in which to get your work done before you must move on to the next scheduled task.

Do this for your whole week. Having a broader view of how your days will add up will help you refine your schedule to be as productive as possible. [7] X Research source Some experts even suggest having at least a general idea of what your whole month will look like. [8] X Research source Some people recommend starting at the end of your day and working backwards — so if you’re done work/homework at 5 p. m. , plan backwards from there, to when your day starts, for example, at 7 a. m. [9] X Research source

Sleep deprivation will kill your productivity. [12] X Research source Make sure that you sleep at least 7 hours each night if you’re an adult, or 8. 5 hours a night if you’re a teenager. Studies show that scheduling small, “strategic renewals” (i. e. workouts, brief naps, meditation, stretching) into your day will boost your productivity and overall health. [13] X Research source

Account for any work or social obligations you have; if you find your schedule is tight, you may need to drop some of your lower-priority plans. This doesn’t mean dropping social activities. It’s important to keep up with your good friends and to nurture your close relationships. You need a support network.

7 a.
m.
Wake up 7:15 a. m.
Exercise 8:30 a. m.
Shower and dress 9:15 a. m.
Make and eat breakfast 10 a. m.
Work on Thesis - writing (plus 15 minutes of small breaks) 12:15 p. m.
Lunch 1:15 p. m.
Emails 2 p. m.
Research and response to research (including 20 to 30 minutes of breaks/snacks) 5 p. m.
Wrap up, check emails, set primary goals for tomorrow 5:45 p. m.
Leave desk, go grocery shopping 7:00 p. m.
Make dinner, eat 9:00 p. m.
Relax — play music 10:00 p. m.
Prepare for bed, read in bed (30 minutes), sleep

Example: Maybe you only write and do research Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and on Thursdays you substitute writing with learning a musical instrument.

As you become more comfortable with your tasks, or if you already have a good sense of how long something will take, you can shave your time down, but it’s always a good idea to leave in at least a small buffer.

You may also find it helpful to spend a week or two recording what you do each day into a planner as you go. This will help you get a sense of how you spend your time and how much time each task takes.

This includes turning off your phone, if possible — at least for periods where you really want to focus on work.

One expert recommends not checking your emails for at least the first one or two hours of your day; this way, you can focus on your important tasks without getting distracted by the things that those emails may contain. [16] X Research source If you know you have a lot of small tasks to do (for example, email, paperwork, tidying up your workspace), group them together into a chunk of time in your schedule rather than allowing them to fragment your day or break the flow of other more important tasks that might require more concentration. [17] X Research source

In addition to being positive, you will benefit from surrounding yourself with positive people. Research has shown that over time, you adopt the habits of those with whom you spend the most time, so choose your company wisely. [19] X Research source

One expert suggests giving a friend money and telling them that they can only give it to you if you finish a given task by a specified time. If you don’t finish the task, your friend keeps the money. [21] X Research source

Recruit an accountability partner who knows your deadlines and will help you stay accountable to your goals. For example, they might text you and ask about your progress, or you might check in with them weekly over coffee.

Positive ways to start the morning are to do some sort of exercise (from light stretching and yoga to an hour at the gym), eat a healthy breakfast, and spend 20 to 30 minutes writing in a journal. [24] X Research source

Example: Step away from your computer, turn off your phone, just sit somewhere quiet and do nothing. If ideas come to you, write them down in a notebook; if they don’t, enjoy having nothing to do. [25] X Research source Example: Meditate. Turn off your phone’s ringer, turn off any notifications that you might get, and set a timer for up to 30 minutes, or however long you can afford. Just sit quietly and try to clear your mind. When thoughts come into your mind, you might find it useful to label them and then let them go — for example, if you think about work, just quietly say in your head, “Work” and then let it go, and keep doing this as the thoughts arise.

Many gurus who extol the virtue of living in the present advise to accept setbacks as though you chose them yourself. Instead of fighting them or getting upset, accept them, learn from them, and set to work figuring out how you’ll achieve your goal given the changed circumstances. [26] X Research source [27] X Research source

For example, if you want to make more money, you may discover that you actually want more freedom. Without knowing that, you might get locked into something that doesn’t serve your true goal, like landing in a job where you have plenty of money but no free time for your family or hobbies. Writing regularly in a journal is a great way to keep in touch with yourself and to keep up to date on how you’re feeling. Many people claim that writing helps them clarify how they feel and what they want.

Reach out to people who have achieved goals similar to yours. They can provide you with helpful tips about what works, as well as what to avoid. Online forums like Reddit are a great place to look for discussions on most topics — particularly if you want an insider’s view on specific careers. Example: While writing your thesis you’re beginning to wonder what you’ll end up doing with it. Read about what others have done with similar degrees to the one that you’re pursuing. This might even help you gear your thesis towards publications or other opportunities that can help further your career.