Post it Big

When you are first forming your schedule, post it where you can see it. It doesn't keep you motivated to only see your schedule once a day when you glance at your planner. Get a big poster board and put your schedule on it. Post it in the busiest part of your house (most often that would be the kitchen). A key to staying motivated is realizing that you are probably going to change your schedule up, especially as you discover your own strengths and weaknesses and how much time it takes you to actually do things. Just because you didn't keep your schedule one day doesn't mean you should scrap it. Change it up just a little at a time until you work out the perfect schedule. Stay motivated by putting your least favorite jobs in the time that you are most productive. Hone your schedule so it is more pleasurable for you to keep. The more enjoyment you get out of being efficient and productive, the more likely you are to stay motivated to keep a schedule until you have developed the habits that make you a better you.

Allot Time for Fun

The biggest mistake most people make when first trying to keep a schedule and the one that breaks motivation is that they don't allot time for fun. Make sure you have flexible time in your schedule that gives you enough time to play, relax, and be a real person rather than a machine. You know this works because some governments have work related laws to how many breaks people should take during the day. A fifteen minute break can go a long way to helping you stay motivated to keep a schedule. When you make your schedule, pencil in some grey area. This gives you a chance to keep a schedule but still be spontaneous. If you have an open amount of time, you can keep yourself motivated to keep the rest of your schedule by looking forward to your allotted time for fun. Sticking with a plan is not a bad thing. It helps you be efficient and more productive, but you can't do that all the time and stay sane. You need to schedule breaks that will keep you on track.

Reward Yourself

One of the best things you can do to motivate yourself to keep a schedule is to reward yourself for doing a good job of it. You can have your daily reward of fun time, but sometimes that isn't enough to really help you stay motivated to create new habits. Make a plan to reward yourself once you can keep your schedule for a month, three months, six months, and a year. Take yourself to the spa, plan a family dream vacation, buy that item that has been on your wish list, do something that you truly see as a reward. Rewards are motivational, so reward yourself frequently for keeping your schedule.