While we all like to think of ourselves as proactive, the reality is that we tend to run around doing all the most urgent things first. At the end of the day there is usually little, if any, time left over to do those important things such as planning or self-development. But if you want to prevent the fires from starting in the first place, regularly taking the time out to organise yourself will be necessary.

Treat your important planning and development tasks as though they were urgent appointments. Schedule blocks of time for these appointments as if you had to attend a meeting. You are just as important as anyone else, so make sure you keep your own appointments.

Scheduling some thinking or planning time early in the morning before you start working, or late at night before you go to bed, is a good way to ensure you will not be disturbed. Doing your most important tasks in the morning has the additional benefit of acting as a springboard for the rest of the day and ensures your priorities get met. If you plan to do your most important tasks at the end of the day, be careful that they don’t get put off ‘until tomorrow’.

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