A few months ago, I discovered SkedPal, a lesser-known app that has improved my productivity.
I love it because it evokes a feeling no other app has before:
SkedPal makes me feel accomplished by the end of the day.
I now end my day much more relaxed, knowing everything that needed to be done is done.
I don’t worry about unfinished tasks, or have the nagging feeling that I should be doing more.
The more I use it, the more I understand why it works so well.
But first, here is what SkedPal does in one sentence:
It plans your tasks on the calendar based on the parameters you’ve set.
So, imagine you’re a busy solopreneur with the weirdest work schedule.
You’d like to write only between 8am to 10am.
You only do calls on Wednesday afternoons.
You must go to the gym three times a week. Y
ou don’t want to spend more than 1 hour each week reading emails.
You don’t want to work after 6pm.
No matter how complex it is, SkedPal takes everything you just said, and without complaining, spits out a reasonable schedule for the day.
And if some tasks can’t be planned, the app gently tells you so.
This is the beauty of the app.
It’s like having an assistant that understands your work preferences.
Most task management apps want YOU to be the assistant.
So you have to decide whether you’re able to finish a task, based on:
- Your commitments for the day
- Priorities
- Meetings
- Deadlines
- Energy levels
- And many more considerations…
It’s mentally draining; even when done, the plan you created might not be optimal.
(Thanks to the Planning Fallacy, where we tend to overestimate what we can finish in a certain amount of time.)
Anyway, once SkedPal plans everything for you, there’s nothing else to do but to…
Do the work!
And so, these days, I just sit down, look at my calendar, and get started on the first task.
I can focus well because I trust SkedPal enough that everything else has been accounted for.
When I have clarity about what to do right now, I procrastinate less.
I avoid the trap of productivity too, where I often end up overthinking and constantly planning without getting anything done.
There’s something liberating about just following a plan that you know works.
Kind of like going to a personal trainer and just following whatever exercises you’re told to do.
And the reason why I trust it so much?
It plans based on my priorities
Many productivity methods, like “Eat the Frog” or the Eisenhower Matrix, emphasize prioritizing tasks.
SkedPal uses this principle in its scheduling, helping you focus on what truly matters daily.
So no matter how many tasks I add, how many meetings I have on my calendar…
I know that what needs to get done, the most important tasks for me and my business, are sorted nicely into the calendar.
So yes, usually I get most of the core work done by midday.
Of course, I’m a firm believer that:
- No app is a magic pill.
- Everyone’s working style is vastly different.
Plus, you still need to do the work.
That said, SkedPal makes doing the work much easier.
It’s unfortunate that SkedPal isn’t more widely used. Many say the learning curve is steep.
But I think that’s exaggerated.
Sure, the user interface isn’t the friendliest, but it only takes about an hour to set up.
If you’re willing to invest a bit of time to set it up, it’s worth it.
And if you’re ever stuck, their support page is extremely helpful.
It’s almost like a mini productivity course. (That’s when you know this tools is legit.)
There’s also an active Slack channel where the founder is very active in helping users.
To give it a try, click the link here. It’s my referral link. Or if you prefer, head to their website directly for a trial: https://skedpal.com/
