If you’re like many of my clients, you might be sitting at your desk right now surrounded by piles of post-it notes or notebooks full of to-do lists. There’s so much we need to get done in a day, and I don’t know about you, but in the past, I used to look up and wonder where the day had gone. I was in meetings all day, and then I would realize I had a to-do list that was full of things to do and no time to do them! Today, I will be teaching you about time blocking, a practice that is foundational to my massive productivity. If you do it consistently, it will get you closer to your goal of having the balance and the peace of mind you crave.
Time block is not time tracking. Time tracking is when you figure out how long something will take to finish. Time blocking, on the other hand, is when we block off the time in our calendar to get things done. We’re removing that disconnect between writing things down on the to-do list and actually making time to accomplish those things. When you block off time to complete tasks on your calendar - even 15 minutes at a time - it changes the game.
I’m going to walk you through how to do this real quick. The first thing you’re going to do is block off the things that you need to do for yourself and for your family. As an entrepreneur, you are the machine that keeps the business running, and if you don’t take care of yourself, if the machine breaks, the whole thing falls apart. You might need to block off time to eat or to exercise. You might even need to block off time to sleep. Make sure you block off these essential things first.
The next thing you’re going to do is block off the meetings and appointments you need to attend on your calendar. Make sure that all this time is accounted for, including the time it takes to drive to the meeting or appointment. Then, with the time you have left, look at your to do list and allot time to complete those tasks on your calendar. If you’re not sure how long it will take you to complete something, make your best guess. You can always add a block of time later. Add the list items to your calendar until everything has a time assigned to it. Now your mind doesn’t need to be anxious! You can just move from thing to thing on your calendar and know that you aren’t missing anything and that you have time to get everything done. It’s so freeing!
I know that if you try this, it will make all the difference in the world. This habit, this practice is what allows me to show up in all the areas of my life present and focused and with the confidence that I’m getting shit done. My challenge for you is to give this a try! Plan some time tomorrow to block out next week. You can be present and balanced and have a great weekend if you give this a try!
Key Takeaways:
“When you block off time to complete tasks on your calendar—even 15 minutes at a time—it changes the game. You know that you have allotted time to complete the tasks you need to complete.”
“Time blocking is the foundational practice and habit that turns your frustration into freedom.”