So, what’s on your plate today? A little bit of this and a little bit of that? Or maybe a lot of this and even more of that? The busier we get, the more it makes sense to plan each day.

Taking a moment to plan your day is an excellent way to prioritize an overwhelming workload. For most of us, there will always be more work than we have time to accomplish. A daily plan is a good reality check about what truly requires our attention.

Planning our day involves clearly defining what we plan to accomplish, why we’re doing it, and when we’ll do it.

What? Ask yourself to clearly define what you want to accomplish today. “Finalizing the financial projections” is much more effective than “work on the business case”. These clear goals also enable us to add the oh-so-satisfying check mark once we’ve completed each task.

Why? Ask yourself why you are doing something. A great answer would be: “because this activity clearly links to my strategic priorities”. You may want to reconsider the task if your answer is something like “because I committed to it before knowing the full scope”, or my personal favourite, “because I feel guilty”.

When? Ask yourself when you’ll work on it that day. The best of intentions are tough to follow through on if we have not set aside a specific time for them.

Planning your day can be as simple as making a list on a post-it note. It could be done first thing in the morning or at the end of each day (in preparation for the next). Regardless, I suggest planning your day before you dive into a project, open your e-mail, or rush off to a meeting. Your plan may evolve throughout the day, but it is a crucial foundation to build upon.

The simple act of planning your day can take as little as two minutes, but will have a profound impact on your productivity. It not only structures your work, but it also helps you to visualize what you’ll accomplish that day. There’s definitely a reason why daily planning is common practice among high achievers – including CEOs, corporate presidents and professional athletes.

I encourage you to consider adopting this quick yet effective planning process. You’ll be amazed at the difference you’ll see in just one day.