Are You Overwhelmed By Your Crazy Schedule? 5 Tips You Can Implement Right Now to Maximize Your Time Blocking to Tackle Your Schedule & Love it!

Are you overwhelmed by your hectic schedule? I am about to say the dreaded phrase…time blocking. Can I be honest?? I hated time blocking. It felt too restrictive for my creative personality. I want flexibility. After all I am my own boss so isn’t that the point? I get to choose my own schedule. The only problem was that my schedule was running me. And I felt helpless to change it. But with the help of a great business coach and a good book, I have learned to embrace this. Here are 5 tips you can implement right now to maximize your time blocking to tackle your schedule & love it!

#1 – Determine Your Values

You must start here. Figure out what is most important for you for this week. Not the top priorities for all time, just the right now. I recommend 3-5 per week. Any more than that and nothing will be a priority. For one week it might be a special project at work or it may be family responsibilities. Whatever it is figure it out and write it on your calendar.

#2 – Start with a Clear Calendar

A clean calendar is critical for this step. I prefer to write my calendar out (this gets it out of my head & I remember it better). I use a white board so that everything is changeable. So when the unexpected comes up & it will, I can easily move things around within the week.

#3 – Time Block Values 1st

Grab that values list and put in in the calendar first. After all, those are the priorities. This helps you ensure that those things definitely get done. This will help you feel the most accomplished and the least overwhelmed at the end of the week. And that is the goal!

#4 – View Your Calendar in 3 Categories – Me / Family & Friends / Work (in that order)

This may be the hardest one for you (for all of us if we are honest). You must schedule time to take care of yourself. This could be time for workouts, doctor’s appointments or time for your favorite hobby. You have to take care of you so you have the energy to take care of all the people and things that need your time and attention. Once you have your time needs on the calendar you can add the family and then your work. This ensures that you keep the main things in their proper place.

#5 – Revise Often

This calendar is a guideline, not absolute. This is why I love the whiteboard calendar (works well with digital too). It makes it easy to move appointments around. But keep them in the same week. That way you get them accomplished without getting into the procrastination loop. Be flexible and hold your calendar loosely. Know that if you need to move something around it is ok. And sometimes necessary.

I have been using this system for a few months and I am finding that I feel so much less overwhelmed. I can decide what is most important for each week and create a plan to get it done. Now I am running my calendar instead of my calendar running me. What a game changer! You can implement these 5 tips right now to maximize your time blocking to tackle your schedule & love it! I hope it helps you as much as it has helped me and my family.