Do you ever feel like you just don’t have enough hours in the day to get everything done? Chances are, if you had more time you’d probably fill it up too! We are too busy being busy! A few months ago my therapist suggested I start blocking time on my calendar to create a schedule that will work for me, Olaf (my dog), and 30MoE – so that I could optimize my time and my energy! I had technically blocked out “no appointments” before on my schedule, but this time was different. I couldn’t squeeze someone in, sell my personal time, or work until 8pm because she was going to check my calendar! The pressure was on! It took me a few weeks (ok, maybe 5 or 6 weeks) to really stick to my blocked out times, but I love it! So what is time blocking?
Time blocking is a means by which you allocate time for getting things done in a day. You include your exercise, commute to work time, lunch time, grocery shopping, work time, etc. Everything that you need to do in a day needs to be scheduled and blocked out. If there’s nothing that needs to be done then block out “free time”! Life always comes up with distractions, but if you’ve addressed your most important things in the calendar first then you have less time to be distracted. Check out the calendar below. This is just an example of what time blocking can visually look like.
Time blocking can be done for personal and work related tasks/calendars. I use one calendar for both so I can see everything at all times. Mine is color coded so it’s also easy to see (red = a 30MoE class, green = an acupuncture patient, black = no appointments). If you’re not a planner or scheduler, this will probably frustrate you. It is very detailed. If you are a planner or organizer, you’ll love this way to organize. Here are some examples of things to block out:
- Exercise
- Personal time or free time
- Work schedule (or specific things to do at work)
- Kid schedules/events
- Meals
- Any appointments that you have
Of course everyone’s list to schedule will be different because it will be specific to you and your day. I block out things like:
- Exercise
- Morning routine
- 30MoE classes
- Lunch + walk w/ Olaf
- Personal appointments (massage, chiropractor, float, etc.)
- Dinner
- Office work
- Relax
You already know I’m anal and organized so it’s no surprise I blocked off time to relax. However, I’ve not done a good job at sticking to it. I will admit that if I let anything slack on that schedule, it is my relaxing time & office work. I never slack on my workout, 30MoE, or Olaf time. What is important to you is what you block off and stick to.
Time blocking works because it helps you focus. With times blocked out you are only focusing on one task at a time. Sometimes I do work in the other building vs my office because I can be distracted by my email pinging. The other building doesn’t have wi-fi so I can’t be distracted. Allocating one task for a period of time can also help you feel less overwhelmed by everything you have to do in a day. One task at a time.
If you’re having trouble getting everything you need to get done in one day, try time blocking. Remember, “need” is different than “want”. Your priorities for the day come first then you schedule the other stuff. As I write this, I can be honest and tell you that I let my “need” list go until the end of my week off and my “want” list totally took over. I’m not perfect, but I try damn hard. LOL! Go ahead, block out your calendar and give it a try.