It’s no secret that I want to be as productive as possible. I have goals I want to achieve, and it’s important that I’m making progress and getting closer to those goals. It’s also no secret that my priority is to find a way to increase my efficiency and the amount of things I am able to get done each week. Sound like you, too? If so, then I have the perfect solution for you – time blocking.
How I discovered time blocking
In early 2019, I transitioned from a more traditional 9 to 5 job, to running a business from home. I thought I had it all planned out. I would wake up early in the mornings before everyone else to work, use nap time to get more done, and then, I would have two full uninterrupted days dedicated to work while the girls were at daycare. Sounds perfect, right? Obviously, reality was a bit different than I had planned.
As someone that works from home that is also a mother, I’ll be the first to tell you that it’s extremely hard to be productive. Period. Especially if you don’t have any type of boundaries set in place. Even with the best of intentions, things can get a bit chaotic. It doesn’t take much to throw your entire schedule off track. I had tried everything I could think of and nothing seemed to be helping to get anything done.
That’s when I heard about time blocking from someone in a Facebook group, and everything changed. I figured I’d give it a try. I started using time blocking to plan out my weeks about 9 months ago, and haven’t looked back. Now, this scheduling technique isn’t something that works only for those that work from home. Anyone and everyone can benefit from time blocking.
What is time blocking and how does it work?
Never heard of time blocking or unsure of what it even means? Essentially, time blocking is creating blocks of time throughout your day and week to devote to certain tasks. Since you know what your priorities and responsibilities are, you can use the time blocking strategy to dedicate time to each of those, and ensure you complete everything you need to.
My suggestion would be to set up your time blocking schedule using some form of a digital calendar. I set up mine using Google Calendar. You can use any digital calendar you prefer for this (iCal or other). I think it’s best to use a digital calendar vs a paper one for this exercise to allow for easy adjustments.
Every Friday, I take about 10 minutes to plan out my upcoming week so that I make sure I’ve set aside time to get everything done that I need to. Why on Friday and not Sunday you ask? I feel Fridays are best for planning. That way, I have my week mapped out, and I’m free to enjoy my weekend instead of all of my to-do’s rolling around in my brain all weekend.
First, I enter in anything non-negotiable. All of my meetings/appointments/etc are added in, including a block of time each morning to get the girls ready and drop them off at daycare. From there, I enter in blocks of time for any client work. Google Calendar is great because you can color code things (different colors for different types of tasks) and set reminders, so you never miss anything. This is especially helpful for me because if I don’t set a reminder for myself – I WILL forget, thanks to my mushy mom brain.
Here’s a sample of what a week of my calendar looks like using time blocking:
My sanity, regained
Once I discovered and started using time blocking, I was so grateful! Not only do I feel organized and in control of my schedule, but I am able to get things done and be extremely efficient doing it. Before time blocking, I would wake up in the morning and start creating a running list in my head of everything I had to do. When something came up, I would pause my list and go back to it when I could. This left me only completing a small portion of my list each day, and becoming super frustrated in the process.
I don’t know about you, but when I don’t have things planned out, I feel crazy overwhelmed, and time blocking helps me regain control. Now, I’m able to focus my energy on one thing at a time. I know if I’ve dedicated an hour to finish an article for a client, I don’t have any other tasks to worry about during that time. I’m able to focus on the task at hand and complete it before moving on to the next. Since my calendar is digital, I can move things around as needed.
Whether you stay at home, work from home, or work in a 9-5 setting, using the time blocking strategy to plan out your week could be hugely beneficial for you and take a big weight off of your shoulders. In my opinion, it’s the best way to plan out your time, be your most productive, and take control of your schedule and your life.
If you have any questions about time blocking or need any help setting it up, feel free to reach out – I’m happy to help!
