Time Blocking

Do you ever feel like there just are not enough hours in the day?

Do you feel overwhelmed by all the tasks you must fulfill every day, week, month or year?

Do you wear so many hats that you are suffocated by the demands placed on you. The expectations to be all things to everyone.

Committing yourself to so many appointments, meetings, events, chores, tasks, work , family, extended family and friends leaves so little time for you.

Are you putting all others before yourself? Do you feel guilty for having coffee while your chore list is still growing? Sound familiar?

How about I give you an idea of how to slow down the overwhelm?

I know what you're thinking, something else to rob me of even more of my time.... Something else that takes an eternity to implement. I promise it is neither of these things.

Productivity is something I love to explore. I love finding new ways to move forward more quickly. I have probably tried and tested multiple versions of productive tools, from apps to software, pen and paper to journaling spreads, post its to A4 pads, you name it and I've probably tried it. Planners, journals , digital planners it seems it is a never ending list of new ideas and as I write for sure there is something new to distract us in an effort to be even more productive.

That said the one thing that I have come to understand is this . 24.

No matter who you are, your occupation, gender, lifestyle, career, home life. we all have 24 hours every day.

If you take 8 of those for sleep that leaves us with 16 hours. 16 hours to create and achieve everything per day. 16 hours is not a lot of time given that in there somehow we have to eat and prepare meals, so perhaps we are reducing that further to 12 or 13 hours. Just 13 hours to fit everything into your day.

This is where time blocking comes into play. My regular planner was split to an hour by hour list, which to be honest I try to stick to but more often than not I drifted, then got overwhelmed because I had not completed my task list. With time blocking it becomes easier to follow. Still interested ? lets dive in.

STEP 1 - TO DO LIST

The best time for me to do this is Sunday evening. A time when the day is done and planning for the week ahead begins.

I suggest you make a to do list of everything you have to do this week, that includes -

• meal planning

• appointments for you and your family

• meetings

• chores

• birthdays

Every single thing that you need to achieve this week. Don't worry about how long your list is. Keep writing until you have covered everything.

Step 2 - CATEGORIZE

Now that you have your extensive list we need to categorize each item on your list.

1. Must do

2. Important

3. Important not urgent

Use a different colored pen and categorize each item 1, 2 or 3. After each category, re evaluate your list, are all of these items absolutely your responsibility? Have a look again, look for things that can be delegated to someone else to carry out for you. Are there items on your list that can be moved forward to next week? Look for ways to decrease your list.

Step 3 - DAILY PLANNER

This is where we begin to block our time for the day. Your time blocks will be different to mine, we all work to different schedules so you get to make this your own. Make it as bland or as pretty as you need it to be, the important part is your blocks of time, so mine are as follows-

05.30 - 07.30

07.30 - 10.00

10.00 - 13.00

13.00 - 1400

14.00 - 16.45

16.45 - 18.00

18.00 - 21.00

23.00 - 05.30

23.00 - 05.30

Now slot in everything that you need to do on Monday for example. remember to allow enough time for each task.

Time blocking will make you realize that it is impossible to complete everything on your to do list right now, however it does make you prioritize, once you begin to make this your new habit you will be able to factor in more time for yourself.

Step 4 - FOCUS

If like me even after you have delegated and moved items to the next day, week or month you still have a lot of tasks to complete, it is important to remember there is only one of you. The world does not end because you do not complete your task. Don't be so hard on yourself, breathe.

Take your first block of time. Focus on the first four chores, put them on your notes on your phone, write them on a sticky note which ever is your thing, don't focus on anything else until these 4 chores are completed, this will prevent procrastination.

Set an alarm on your phone for 5 mins before the end of this block, this will remind you it is almost time to move onto your next block of time.

Now we repeat this for all the other time blocks of your day. Once you begin to make this your new habit for dealing with your daily tasks your day will be less overwhelming.

I hope this helps to re organize your day and free up time for you.

xx Lei

THE KEY IS NOT TO PRIORITIZE WHAT IS ON YOUR SCHEDULE, BUT TO SCHEDULE YOUR PRIORITIES - STEPHEN R.COVEY