Do you have a set schedule? Or is one day usually different from the next?

Do you have certain days for certain activities, or do you tend to sort of do things when you notice them?

I think that as ADDers, we have a tendency not to want to be tied down. We prefer a more spontaneous way of life, feeling that schedules and structure are too confining.

But we all know how well that works for us, right?

Simplifying your schedule can make a big difference in productivity as well as your quality of life.

The cute printable in the background above is from Cleanmama.net. It would be a useful tool in simplifying your schedule.

So what are some ways to simplify your schedule?

Well, for one, I schedule all of my hair and nail appointments a year in advance. You might think that’s extreme, but really it saves me time and aggravation.

I have a bad habit of putting things off, especially making appointments. By having them done in advance, I can plan anything else around them.

I also have a standing day and time for my appointments; usually 1:00 on Saturday afternoon. That works well for me.

If you find that a year in advance is too much, or if the provider is unwilling to schedule that far out, at least make a habit of scheduling your next appointment before you leave.

Just as I have a designated day for my salon appointments, I have one as well for household things.

Meal planning is done on Thursdays and I try to get to the shopping on Friday before the crowds get bad.

Most of my weekly cleaning is done on Sunday afternoon. It just works for me and allows me to get all of the trash emptied out of the house before Monday’s pick up.

As I mentioned yesterday in Simplify Your Time, batching similar tasks together is more productive than just getting to them whenever you get around to it.

So bill paying gets done on Fridays and if someone needs a ride to an appointment or someone is coming to the house for a repair or something, that’s done on Mondays.

See how easy it is to work through your days when you have a plan?

You could even extend this further.

My mom always made a roast of some kind on Sundays, even during the summer. (She had an electric roasting pan she would put in the garage.)

That way, we had a nice meal on Sunday and leftovers on Tuesday.

Maybe you want to make Sundays laundry day so that you have clean clothes and towels for the week.

You could designate crock pot days on days when you know you’ll be working late or doing something in the evening.

And don’t just think of the week, either.

Maybe the second Tuesday of the month is girls night out.

When you start adding a pattern and structure to your days and weeks, you begin to simplify your schedule.

What do you do on a regular basis?