To solve this I introduce to you the schedule. "BUT ENTPs HATE SCHEDULES!!!!" Yes I know this widely accepted as a main characteristic of the ENTP, hatred of structure and organization but bear with me because schedules how FAR MORE positives than potential negatives.
Reasons Why ENTP's (or anyone) Should Use Schedules
Reason #1: It gets us focused
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| Focus is great when reading about focus. |
As an ENTP when I first started contemplating to use a schedule to get things done I felt hestitation, fear and a willingness to think of anything besides schedules. SCHEDULES! I'M AN ENTP, I DON'T NEED REDUNDANT ORGANIZATION TO GET THINGS DONE; BESIDES I'LL BE JUST AS DISTRACTED ON THE SCHEDULE AS I AM RIGHT NOW WITH MY TO DO LIST. I was immeasurably wrong. On a schedule you have a set time to do something, you don't have to worry about doing it later or if doing something else at the moment is more important, it all relies in the schedule. This allows you to clear your head of all worry and really dig into whatever you're suppose to be occupied with and toss everything that your not into an imaginary waiting bin in your brain. "But I'm still not sure about this scheduling.....why not get a to do list with priorities...it has a certain level of organization but it's not so structured thus making it flexible...the best of both world's right....."
Reason #2: To Do List are Trash
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| Yep. The equivalent of most to do list out there. |
I relied on a to do list to get things done for a very long time, some days I'd actually be proud of myself and could go to sleep with a certain sense of euphoria because I had done most(rarely was it all) of the things on my to do list but MOST of the days I went to sleep stressed out, angry and restless because I had done the MINIMUM of what I was suppose to do on my to do list. If I was going to get any of my ideas implemented I was going to have to do MOST of the things on my to do list. I was going to have to not get distracted by things and ideas in my surroundings and in my brain. I had to know when things were to be done so I didn't put them off. I needed to be focused (reason #1) and the schedule just so happened to be the solution I was looking for.
I had tried everything too; meditation, pills, better nutrition...all of which I still use but none of them gave me the focus I was looking for, it's not until I discovered the schedule that I really started to get things done. Surprising once you start getting things done it's kind of hard to stop because....
Reason # 3: Schedules Keep you Busy
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| Busy, Busy, Busy, Busy, Busier, Busy, Busy, Busy. |
I was surprised at the success I found when I first adapted a schedule. I was getting things done in a fairly short amount of time and my days actually meant something. It was like the distractions that appeared most of the time in my mind and my surroundings have suddenly disappeared and that most minutes of the day are used productively to achieve my ambitious ENTP goals.
I was even more taken aback when I went on a vacation to my hometown and found that the need to be busy and use my time productively (not particularly working but doing something worthwhile) transcended from my home to my vacation. Sure without the schedule I slept a little bit more and wasted time just staring at the ceiling thinking (since I'm also an INTP) about meaningless stuff but for the most part I made sure that I was reading or enjoying time with my family, really making the most out of my day. So it turns out that schedules are not only an extremely productive way to go about your day but they are also are addictive and promote a more productive new you.
How to keep a Schedule
TimeTune
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| This is some dope ass shit. |
There are an infinite number of scheduling programs out in the world. I like the idea of utilizing a smart phone and saving it on a sort of cloud system so that it can't be lost. Enter TimeTune, a scheduling app for android that makes you schedule a "routine" and lets you keep track of your activities as the day goes along. I rearrange my schedule every Sunday keeping it up to date with what I'm doing each week.
A person shouldn't be constrained by a schedule either. You shouldn't get into a mindset that the stuff you scheduled for the day must happen or that they are immobile milestones that can be rescheduled. Life happens and most of the time schedules are quite flexible...ironically I find that I have MORE free time these days while on a schedule than I had when I was using my lack luster to do list.
What do you think about schedules? Are there any other scheduling programs out there better than TimeTune? What program do you use and what's your experience with schedules? Please leave a comment below!
