We’ve all been there. We’re all guilty of saying things like, “There’s never enough time in the day” or “I wish I had time for that.” With the COVID-19 pandemic basically controlling everything in our lives, one thing we forget more often than not is, we still have control over our time!
Are you working from home? Are you too busy to stay productive? Most of us are trying to cope with the new normal which is a crazy combination of trying to fit in video meetings, work deadlines, homeschooling, and that’s if you’re fortunate enough to still be employed! If you have a flexible employer or role that has allowed you to adapt to work from home, congratulations! You’re among the many that are now attempting to come to terms with this huge life change and sometimes messy routine! In all the uncertainty, one fact remains the same - time can be your saving grace if you are willing to put in a little effort to make managing your time a priority before anything else! Incredible things can happen! Done right, time blocking can be so rewarding in your personal and professional life, you just have to have a little self-discipline.
“Done right, time blocking can be so rewarding in your personal and professional life, you just have to have a little self-discipline!”
There’s no special secret to it, you just have to make time for the goals you want to accomplish, no matter how small. And stick to it. Thats the KEY. Time blocking is where you plan out your day in advance, dedicating a specific block of minutes or number of hours to accomplish a specific task or three. You then add each task you want to achieve to your calendar and set out to complete each task. I know for a fact time can fly by having kids thrown into the mix, so this strategy is now more crucial to me than ever before! Things changed for me when I really implemented and I've never looked back.
Here are 6 ways time blocking can make you way more productive, which will turn out to make you so much happier! Read on...
You will gain a better understanding of how much you can actually accomplish in the time it's actually taking to do because you scheduled time to do it.
It gives you more flexibility. As an example, if you are now working from home and also have homeschooling on your to-do list like many of us, with adding specific tasks to your calendar these can be moved to another time and day if something else comes up at the last minute! Which they always do! You then avoid forgetting about it as the day goes by.
It will structure your day, kids respond better to routine, and believe me as a parent, I need this routine just as much as them! You can add in meal and snack times (and then the time to eat for everyone) if you have a heavy workload and deadlines to complete. We all know hanging out in the kitchen can quickly turn into a two-hour session so I always have an hour in my calendar to make and have lunch. Another example is quiet time. If I don’t have that reminder popping up mid-afternoon telling me it’s 3:00 pm then I’d lose track and all of a sudden it would be time to make supper! This is all personal preference depending on your situation, that quiet time for at least an hour in the afternoon is important to me to get an hour to myself.
Uninterrupted time. The benefit of having a structured, planned-out day is you have more uninterrupted time rather than trying to tackle things all at once. The same goes if you plan an activity with your kids, they too can have your full attention because you are making time for it. I could go on here about multitasking as I once thought I was the Queen of multitasking, and thought I was being productive. To this day I’m not saying I’m not. I would only say it depends on the two tasks are that you are trying to accomplish. The same goes if you plan an activity with your kids, they too can have your full attention because you are making time for it. Uninterrupted time equals more productivity in my book.
Rewarding. With your time managed and this structure in place, you will generally feel happier and satisfied. With our lives so hectic we want to feel like we have control and this makes it that much easier! You are more productive, accomplish more tasks and fit so much more into your day, without wasting away time. The rollover effects of this are huge! I find there's less stress caused when I have my week planned out and it makes me happier as a person which makes everyone else around me so much happier!
Motivation is maintained. Procrastination and the feeling of being overwhelmed and stressed gradually disappear. From this then comes improvement in all areas of your daily life. Mental health is improved. Patience levels are renewed and you feel way more relaxed like you can take on anything! For me, my creativity comes back, I feel empowered and my life is just happier! Honestly, it works!
Hope this helps and motivates you to get planning your workweek one task at a time. Here's my final tip. Have 3 goals to accomplish each day - everything else is a bonus!
Thanks for stopping by! Check out my Instagram for my FREE weekly planner download or and printable including a daily planner with tips for staying productive! I also have a 30 Day Content Planner to get you started on your Social Content! @stellarlogicva
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