Journaling (Day 60 90-Day Plan)

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The Trouble with Tribbles and Schedules


There has been much discussion about creating and maintaining daily task schedules of late. I know, I've added to the discussion.

This is especially true if you're in Bo's GoGetters Group as Bo is a proponent of scheduling daily tasks down to the minute. He has shown us the minute timer that keeps him on task. I think he may have even shown it to us twice to make the point!

I too am guilty of participating in the discussion and supporting the movement towards scheduling daily activities down to the minute. I have shared my schedule in an earlier blog.


At the beginning of this week I wrote an article about how the schedule along with other tasks were pulling me in too many directions and that I felt I was about to break. When I added up my tasks from the WA training I'm trying to work through, SWAG tasks, GoGetters Tasks, and the unbearable encroachment of real life on my WA work schedule [how dare reality creep in] ....I was working like a maniac and going crazy.


Real Life Before WA - I Remember That, Maybe.


This morning one of those pesky real life activities took precedence and I had to deliver a document to Concord, NH about a 45-minute drive from where I live. Now, I'm not a great sports enthusiast but I have taken to listening to sports radio in the car mostly to hear the latest machination about our beloved and hated New England Patriots.

(For those in Canada and around the globe, we love them in New England and everyone else in the US hates them. It's the cross we bear for having the GOAT on the hometown team. Get back on track!)

During one of the discussion sections the talk was about our Boston Bruins 41 year old 6' 9" captain Zdeno Chára. Yes it should be no surprise to anyone that we love ALL our sports teams in Boston.


The talk was about a recent interview Zdeno did with Sports Illustrated. It may seem like I'm off course but stay with me for a minute. I was half-listening to the discussion as they talked about how his routine sounds much like that of Tom Brady, how well he's playing at age 41, and his over-the-top training routine.

And then the discussion turned to something that caught my ears.

It seems that Zdeno has kept track of every aspect of his training, even in the off-season, in extreme detail and has the proof going back many years right down to the amount of weight and how many reps he completed for each exercise.

Journaling - The KEY to Success


Yes, he has a "basic" schedule on the first page. The focus; however, is on the journal and keeping detailed track of what he does with the schedule.

"But more than hard work, Zdeno stressed working smart. And smart workers used journals." Prewitt, Alex "The Legend of Z: Zdeno Chara Remains Obsessed in His Pursuit of Outsized Excellence" Sports Illustrated, 4/3/2018.

How Are You Going To Know What To Do - If You Don't Know What You Did?


Words of wisdom from the now old P90X exercise program. This program was also a strong proponent of tracking the work in detail and using past effort to plan future effort to reach your goal.

Those of you who have been following this blog - my journal- know I've been doing just what Zdeno does. You have probably wondered why I was tracking everything I did during each day. I've wondered that myself. It's clear to me now. It keeps me on track and focused on the next set objectives on the way to my goal.


Some of you have sent encouragement especially on days when I didn't think I had done enough - thank you it's much appreciated. And a few have written that I've inspired them to start their own 90-day plan - great, you'll be glad you did.

Schedule v. Journal


This is not a case of using a schedule or journal. It is about how we use both, our schedule and journal, to complement each other and accelerate our success.

My recommendation is that we not be so fanatical about staying on our schedule but that we be consistent about tracking our progress in our journal and having our schedule reflect those successes and our objectives. Working together our schedule and journal inform each other adding depth and understanding to the work we are doing.

What About Those Tribbles?


Tribbles had one purpose in their life, to create more tribbles. Sometimes schedules can become self-perpetuating entities. It's by structuring our efforts based on our accomplishments that we make real progress.

With that in mind, I porpose emphasizing the journal a bit more and tempering the daily schedule with knowledge that helps us achieve our goals.


Let's start a discussion on the value of tracking our work in a journal versus the value of sticking to a daily schedule.

Which do you think is more important? The schedue? The journal? Do they equal value?

Would you forget the daily schedule if you thought the journal was helping you achieve your goals more quickly?

Please comment.

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Recent Comments

7

I think both a schedule and a journal is important. But I suppose having a schedule is the most important - we must plan to get things done - otherwise we won't have anything to write down in the journal.

I use to plan in the evening what I want/need to do the following day, writing it down in my agenda.

During the day I write down ideas and things to do in the near future on a papersheet. Just like Bo proposed.

On an Excel-sheet I have listed the most important tasks. Whenever one task is done I check it off with the date. It's kind of a journal, wouldn't you say?

The challenge is, that the more I work, the more work I find to do.
;-)

Thanks Steven for a great and inspirational post.
Want to learn how to work even more disciplined.

:-)

You bring up some interesting points and questions. I like the idea of having a schedule, as well as using a journal. Getting the format for these items has been my struggle. Maybe I am overthinking it.

I have tried various planners/organizers over the years in an effort to schedule all the parts of my life. I have also used separate notebooks for different topics in order to help organize the different compartments of my life.

Ultimately, all of them end up basically being journals. I do believe I stay on track better, though, by having a specific schedule to follow.

When I don't have a schedule and keep track of it, I end up with only vague ideas of what I have actually done (if anything).

Lydia

Hi Lydia,
Take a look at my Day 49 my schedule is in that post.
Hope it helps.
Steve

For me a schedule is plan of what I intend to do for the day. At the end of the day I journal about what I achieved with my personal thoughts about why I did or didn't do something and how I might approach challenges differently moving forward.

The schedule is what gives me direction but the journal is a personal reflective piece and only for my viewing that helps me to know how I am doing. I would be lost with either of these two tools.

~Mark :)

interesting. thanks, Mark

For me, it would be neither - no strict daily schedule nor journaling. Usually, I make a rough plan and try to stick to it, but since there are so many unpredictable variables in my routine, I have to take it as it comes. However, if possible, I would go for the journal if it felt mor helpful.

Give it a try.

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