That's why you should plan your day

I've realized on my journey that many of us, including myself, tend to think that planning each day isn't all that necessary. We believe we can simply wake up and tackle tasks as they come, doing what we feel like in the moment. We assume that since our work often feels unstructured, there's no real need to organize it. But that's a mistake.

Planning our day is actually imporant—it gives our mind direction, helps us track what needs to be done, and shields us from distractions. Let’s say you start your day working on a project. It might feel productive at first, but without a clear plan, you can easily end up watching YouTube or TikTok videos, losing track of time. By the end of the day, you might think, “Well, I worked, and I relaxed too, so that’s okay.” But often, all you’ve done is something trivial—like tweaking a layout—without a real sense of progress.

When you plan your day, you set specific goals, and that clarity keeps you focused. Even if you get sidetracked, your mind reminds you of the tasks you committed to, pushing you back on track. Planning also gives you a way to reflect and measure: Did I complete what I set out to do?

To make this even more effective, log your time as you work. Tracking your hours helps you see how long tasks actually take and lets you adjust future plans for better accuracy. Plus, it gives you a clear picture of your productivity, so you know how much you're truly getting done.