Banish Overwhelm with Time Blocking
It’s Monday morning. You wake up and your brain immediately shifts to the “hectic” week ahead: 3 proposals due, multiple client calls to prep for, and a constant flow of emails and IMs that will lead to notification mayhem. And, oh yeah, you have to get the dog to the groomer (poodle mom life).
Have I stirred up that old familiar overwhelm sensation? Maybe you just broke out in an anxious cold sweat just picturing it?
We’ve all been there. The giant list of to dos you seem to only add to and never actually check anything off of.
We’ve glorified “busy” as a badge of honor. And often compare war stories of who worked the most hours last week and who got the fewest hours of sleep. Winner winner! Wait…what’s the prize for this competition…
Listen my friends, I’ve got you. I promise it doesn’t have to be this way. It is possible to wake up knowing exactly what you will get accomplished that day and not question whether you’ll be able to get it all done. Because you know you will.
Prepare yourself for the magic of time blocking. A mystical world where you schedule each and every task of your day and actually get it done. Sounds riveting, right?
Hear me out. Give me 5 minutes of your time. Worst case, I will have helped you procrastinate that overwhelming list of to dos just a bit longer. Best case, I’ll give you a new tool and send you on the path of taking back control of your time. Let’s see how it goes.
What does “time blocking” even mean?
Time blocking is a time management tool where you set aside blocks of time on your calendar to devote to accomplishing specific tasks.
Basically, you schedule a meeting invite with yourself to commit to getting something done. We can also call it the Overwhelm Zapper Technique (I just made that up. Might need some work…)
With this method you will know exactly WHAT you are going to get done and WHEN you’re going to get it done.
So, when Doug in Sales asks when he can review a copy of deck for next week’s presentation? You can confidently respond: “Wednesday at 3 PM.” And actually mean it…
I’m too busy, why would I do this?
Remember that Monday morning overwhelm? We want to eliminate this, right?
Scheduling your time allows you to be deliberate with what you are accomplishing with your life.
Planning ahead gives you a chance to align with your priorities and break down the “how” to get there. You’ll feel more in control and less like you are at the whim of someone else’s wants and needs.
It also gives your brain some space and relief to just focus on the task at hand instead of worrying about all the other things you “should” be doing. This focus will help you provide a more valuable end product, in less time, with less overwhelm.
“Every minute you spend in planning saves ten minutes in execution”, Brian Tracy, self-development author.
While putting some time up front in planning may seem like just one more thing to do, the return on that time investment can be huge.
Okay, I’m convinced. But how do I do it?
Alright, you’re still reading this, so maybe, just maybe, you’re onboard. Or maybe you’re realllllly sticking with this procrastinating thing. Stay with me, you can always jump over to Instagram in a minute. Either way, here’s the breakdown.
1. Create a master to do list
This is going to be a list of all the things you need to get done. These to dos will come from emails, IMs, your big goals for the year or even just random thoughts that pop into your head.
Write them down in a single spot. This is your brain’s external harddrive. Get it out of your head (you’re running out of storage up there.) Now you don’t need to worry if you’re forgetting about something. Because it’s all documented.
2. Pick a day to plan your week
I like to do my planning at the end of day Friday. Then I can go into my weekend stress free. And I can come in ready to rock it come Monday morning.
But do what works best for you. Maybe you like to prep for the week on Sunday night. Maybe it’s Monday morning. Maybe it’s Wednesday afternoon! You choose.
3. Prioritize your tasks for the week
Yes, yes, that “P” word again. We’ve all heard it. But don’t get too stuck in your head on what’s the “right” priority. Just look at your master to do list and pull forward the tasks that would make up your ideal week and set you up for success. For example:
Look ahead to the following week to see if there are specific meetings you want to make time to prep for. Include those as tasks for the week.
Evaluate if there is anything time sensitive on the master to dos. For example, maybe that proposal’s due on Thursday. Include that as a task for the week.
Break any tasks from the to do list down further, as needed. For instance, that proposal is likely 4 tasks: create proposal draft, review proposal with internal team, finalize proposal, send proposal to client.
In addition to these time sensitive items, pull over the to dos that will be the most impactful for your top goals. I.e. Make sure you are including your “want” to dos. Not just your “have” to dos.
4. Schedule it out
Now’s the fun part. Start to build out the calendar puzzle. Create a meeting invite with yourself for each of the tasks you’ve decided on for the week. Schedule the task directly on your calendar for when you’re going to make it happen.
Include scheduling personal time. For instance: when do you want to take breaks throughout the day? What time are you calling it quits to head to the gym or a date with Netflix?
Include scheduling blocks where you will check email or IMs. (Hint: you are not going to be instantly responding to every email and IM that comes your way. These will have designated times as well.)
Now, most importantly, schedule flex time! Actually create a meeting invite called “Flex Time”. You can assign the invite to a specific task when you have it. Maybe you want to give that proposal a final run through to really perfect it. Maybe a client’s site went down and it’s all hands on deck! The amount of flex time you give yourself will be your personal preference and how “unpredictable” your days can be (though they’re probably more predictable than you think…) But ALWAYS include some sort of flex time each day.
5. Do it
This is the hardest part. Monday morning will roll around. You’ll feel confident knowing you’re going to get all the things done this week! You have a perfectly planned, beautiful calendar. What can go wrong?
Well…your calendar invite is going to pop up to create the proposal draft…and…
Ick. Anything but that. Surely you should be working on something that’s a higher priority. Is that a text message you just heard? Better check. Maybe something really earth shattering just happened on Instagram. Gotta go there. How was Becky’s weekend? You should send her a quick IM.
Basically, you are not going to want to do it. You are going to feel this resistance in your body and think the version of you who planned this calendar was just not aligned with the person you are today. Or some other story you’ll make up.
Too bad. Do it anyway.
Give yourself two options: Do the task. Or sit and stare at the wall. That’s it. As interesting as that wall might be (should I consider an accent color in here?) you’re going to get bored. Your brain is going to want something to do. So, just write that first sentence of the proposal. Now that that’s done, you might as well write the next sentence. And the next. And the next. And before you know it, you’re in that flow state and the task is done. Send it off and move onto the next!
You still with me? Have I inspired you to stop procrastination and regain control? Deliberately planning your time can truly be the secret to eliminating overwhelm in your life to live the life you want.
Try it this week. Surprise yourself.
Are you tired of struggling with managing your time effectively? Do you feel like there are always important tasks left undone, hanging over your head? It’s time to take control of your productivity and prove to yourself you can accomplish anything you put your mind to.
Check out the 7 Days: Consider it Done! guide to transform the way you approach your to-do list.
Say goodbye to procrastination and unfulfilled goals and hello to a sense of control and reignited passion for life. Consider it done!
