Free Daily Schedule Template: How to Use + Examples

Sometimes it feels like you don't have enough hours in the day. When this happens, it can be helpful to think of a day not as a single unit but as 24-hour-long blocks of time. By separating out each block, you can dedicate specific time for working, socializing, eating, and creating.

When you have a clear understanding of how you're using your time, you won't always feel like you've run out of it. In this guide, you'll learn how to create and use a daily schedule template, explore different ways to arrange your schedule, and see examples that fit various needs. With daily planning, you can set yourself up for success, even on days when you don't feel all that productive.

What is a daily schedule template?

A daily schedule template is a reusable framework that helps you plan and organize your tasks, appointments, and activities for each day. Instead of starting from scratch every morning, you copy the template, fill in your tasks, and get to work.

Every day, you go through a routine set of tasks at work and in your personal life. Juggling this mental to-do list is exhausting and rarely helps you get the work done. A daily schedule template provides a consistent structure for booking time for everything you need to accomplish in the next 24 hours.

If you prefer a simpler option that emphasizes completing tasks, try using a daily checklist template to keep action items more manageable.

Why is a daily schedule important?

When you create a daily schedule, you do more than outline your tasks for the day. A daily schedule template can improve your mindset, help you prepare for upcoming events, and set the tone for your entire week.

Some benefits of creating a daily schedule include:

• Forms good habits: Repeating a consistent routine each day builds positive behaviors over time.

• Creates structure: A clear plan removes uncertainty about what to do next.

• Prevents procrastination: When tasks are scheduled, you're more likely to start them.

• Increases productivity: You spend less time deciding and more time doing.

• Reduces stress: Knowing your plan for the day brings peace of mind.

• Saves time: You eliminate wasted minutes figuring out what's next.

• Improves focus: Dedicated time blocks help you concentrate on one task at a time.

Research shows that routines benefit our well-being. "Carrying out routine activities reduces stress by making the situation appear more controllable and predictable," says Indumathi Bendi, M.D., a primary care physician at Piedmont.

Free daily schedule template

Use the daily schedule template below to organize your to-do list. If you're creating a weekly schedule template, copy this template for each day of the week.

While this daily schedule template uses general time blocks, you can make it more detailed if you want. For example, you can assign Task 1 between the hours of 7 a.m. and 7:30 a.m. to practice morning meditation. An hourly template can help you form good habits and hold you accountable for your goals.

How to create a daily schedule in 6 steps

Regardless of the online scheduling tool you choose, follow these six steps to create an organized, beautiful daily schedule template.

1. List to-do items

Before you can organize your to-dos, you first need to make a list of all the items you need to do for the day. You can add these items one by one to your scheduling app so you know you've recorded them, or use a technique like the Getting Things Done (GTD) method to systematically capture everything you need to get done.

Include recurring tasks on your list, such as meetings, exercise, and appointments. Also include one-off tasks like deadlines or phone calls. You can decide how specific to get with your task list.

Tip: It's OK if you don't know every task coming up this week. You can always add more to-do items to your list as they arise.

2. Prioritize tasks

Don't fret if you feel overwhelmed after creating your to-do list. Your list will feel more organized once you prioritize. When you prioritize work, you gain a clearer sense of what needs to get done when.

To prioritize your work, begin by marking each task as high, medium, or low priority. Some questions you can ask yourself when sorting through your tasks include:

• Which tasks have strict deadlines?

• Which tasks must I complete on specific days?

• Which tasks will I stress about if I don't complete them soon?

• Which tasks do I want to complete next?

• Which tasks can wait?

Tip: If you have tasks that conflict, consider which is most urgent. When deadlines conflict, ask your team members and your manager for help. See if there's any work you can delegate or defer.

3. Note deadlines

If you haven't already, go through your online to-do list and make sure every task has a deadline. If you aren't sure what the deadline should be, select one that makes sense for now; you can always update it later.

Like priorities, deadlines tell you which tasks are most important and when you need to get your work done. Without clear deadlines, you risk missing critical deliverables, even when you have plenty of time to complete the work. In fact, unclear processes are the second-largest contributor to missed deadlines.

Tip: Deadlines don't only apply to work projects. You can create your own deadlines for personal tasks to hold yourself accountable.

4. Identify recurring events

Once you've noted the deadlines in your online to-do list, highlight any recurring events. These events may include weekly team meetings, a monthly book club, or client phone calls.

Then, use project management software to program recurring events into your daily schedule. This way, you won't have to keep track of rescheduling items each week or month. A schedule template can make this even easier by providing a structured, repeatable framework for recurring tasks, shifts, or workflows.

Tip: Now is also a good time to do a quick audit of your recurring events. Is there anything you do regularly that you should stop doing or delegate to someone else?

5. Order items by time, priority, or deadline

The big moment has arrived; now it's time to take the items on your to-do list and order them by day and time. You can also order your daily tasks by other criteria, such as priority or deadline.

As you add your items to your daily schedule template, consider the steps you performed above. Your high-priority items should occur first, while low-priority items can happen later in the day or week. Scatter your recurring events throughout your calendar template accordingly.

Tip: You can switch your to-do list to calendar view to see how full your calendar is. If your schedule seems too full, remove any tasks that don't feel necessary, so you have breathing room to rest or make changes.

6. Stay flexible

Now that you have a clear vision of your daily schedule, you can get to work. It's important to remain flexible throughout your day and week, because the schedule you start with likely won't be the exact events that unfold.

The best part about a digital planner is that scheduling tasks becomes easier, and future changes become less burdensome. Clients may shift deadlines, and your weekly Monday meetings may be switched to Wednesdays. These changes will be less stressful when you can adjust your daily calendar with a click.

Tip: You can use project management software as a stand-alone scheduling tool. Most types of project management software focus on organization, customization, and visualization.

How to use a daily schedule template

A daily schedule template serves as a structured guide for outlining your tasks and appointments. Here's how to use one effectively to boost productivity and reduce stress.

Choose the right template

Identifying the right daily schedule template is the first step towards creating a schedule that aligns with your lifestyle and goals. Consider what format works best for you, whether it's a simple to-do list template, a weekly planner mobile app, or a printable daily planner template.

If you're a student, you might prefer a daily schedule template that includes sections for your class schedule, study sessions, and breaks. A professional might opt for a daily work schedule template with an hourly breakdown to manage meetings, project schedules, and emails efficiently.

Customize according to your needs

Once you've selected a template, the next step is to customize it to fit your daily routine. This means adding or removing sections to match your specific needs, making sure it's a functional tool you can rely on every day.

You may want a daily schedule template with a minimalist design and options for bullet journaling. Or perhaps a cloud-based daily planner with integrations for Slack, Google Docs, and Google Sheets.

Imagine you're a freelancer with flexible work hours. You could customize your daily schedule template to include blocking time slots for client work, personal projects, important tasks, and administrative duties.

Prioritize your important tasks

Decide which tasks are most important and allocate time slots for them accordingly. This ensures that you focus on high-priority items that contribute significantly to your goals.

 If completing a project report is your top priority for the day, schedule it during your most productive work hours. This way, you ensure that you allocate your best energy and focus to this critical task.

Incorporate breaks

Incorporating breaks into your daily schedule template helps maintain productivity while avoiding toxic productivity patterns. Breaks prevent burnout, refresh your mind, and boost creativity.

 If you work from home, you might schedule short breaks every hour to stretch, grab a cup of tea, or step outside for fresh air. These breaks help you tackle each item on your daily agenda with renewed energy and focus.

Review and adjust regularly

A daily schedule is not set in stone. It's important to review and adjust it regularly as priorities, deadlines, and personal commitments change.

Review your daily tasks from the entire week to see what worked well and what didn't. Perhaps you found that you're more productive in the mornings than the afternoons. Use this insight to adjust your hourly schedule for the following week.

Reflect on your day

Reflection is a powerful tool for continuous improvement. At the end of the day, take a few moments to reflect on your daily activities, what you accomplished, and the challenges you encountered.

Example: If you noticed that a particular task took longer than expected, consider allocating more time to similar tasks in the future. Alternatively, if you accomplished more than planned, think about how you can leverage this efficiency going forward.

3 ways to arrange your daily schedule template

There are various ways to arrange your daily schedule template. You may prefer to focus on a timeframe when you work, or you may be more task-oriented. Consider the options to format your daily schedule below:

Hourly

An hourly planner is the traditional way to organize a daily schedule. To create an hourly schedule, follow the steps above and assign times for your important tasks. This schedule provides a clear structure for each part of your day.

By priority

If you prefer an untimed daily schedule, you can list your tasks by priority and work through them throughout the day. Your priorities will change based on meetings, errands, events, and appointments that happen on that day.

Below, you'll see a daily schedule sorted by priority using Asana's work management software:

By deadline

Sorting your daily agenda by deadlines can bring a sense of urgency to your day. Seeing what projects are due will tell you what should come first in your daily planner. Each morning, you'll need to review your to-do list and add any recurring events or one-off commitments.

Choosing the best daily schedule template

Are you overwhelmed by the array of daily schedule templates and unsure which one best suits your lifestyle and goals? The right template can streamline your day, boost productivity, and transform your approach to time management.

Let's explore how to make that choice by considering your daily habits, preferences, and the complexity of your work schedule. Understanding your own workflow is key to selecting a daily schedule template that enhances your productivity.

Paper vs digital daily planner templates

The choice between a paper and digital daily planner reflects your personal workflow. Here's how they compare:

Paper planners offer a tangible experience; writing tasks down can help you retain information and give you the freedom to doodle and highlight. Digital planners are ideal for those who juggle multiple projects or need to collaborate with others.

Apps and tools

Once you've decided on the format of your daily schedule planner, choose the apps and tools that will serve you best. Options range from simple to-do list apps to comprehensive planning systems that integrate with your email, calendar, and project management tools.

Apps like Asana offer powerful customization, from simple date and time entries to complex project planning features. These tools help you manage your daily schedule and your overall project workflow.

Unlike a written daily schedule, a scheduling app offers these benefits:

• Prioritizes tasks and events: Sort by deadline, priority, or custom tags.

• Provides room for context: Add notes, attachments, and subtasks.

• Shareable with team members: Collaborate on schedules in real time.

• Always accessible online: Access your plan from any device.

• Multiple calendars in one place: View personal and work schedules together.

Choosing the best daily schedule template is about understanding your personal productivity flow and matching it with the right tools.b If you're looking for an online scheduling tool, try Asana. Asana is a work management platform that helps you organize your work so you know what needs to be done and when.

Daily schedule template examples

A daily schedule template can be adapted for any role or lifestyle. Here are a few examples of how different people might structure their day.

Daily work schedule

A professional might use a daily schedule to balance focused work with meetings and collaboration. Time blocks could include answering emails, attending team stand-ups, working on high-priority projects, and taking short breaks to recharge.

Daily student schedule

For a student, a daily schedule is key to managing classes, study sessions, and personal time. A template might outline class times, set aside specific hours for homework, and include time for extracurriculars or relaxation.

Daily employee schedule

A team manager can use a daily schedule template to organize various work schedule types, shifts, and responsibilities. The template provides a clear overview of who is working when, what tasks are assigned, and when breaks are scheduled.

Master time management with a daily schedule template

Creating a daily schedule is a great way to master time management and feel more in control of your life. With the right daily schedule planner, you'll gain structure in your day while still having the flexibility to make changes as they arise.

You don't have to choose how to arrange your daily schedule when you use project management software. If you want to see your schedule sorted by deadline or priority, toggle each option at the top of the page. You can also view your schedule as a monthly calendar and collaborate with team members on their calendars.

Ready to take control of your day? Get started with Asana and build a daily schedule that helps you and your team stay focused on the work that matters most.

Frequently asked questions about daily schedule templates