Calendar Blocking Saved My Day!

After so many years in full-time employment, where most of your working day is predetermined by meetings, deadlines, tasks and other obligations, one the biggest challenges I had after jumping the corporate ship was time management. I was putting the hours in to get my business up and running, but I just never seemed to get anywhere, and so after taking hard look at how I was structuring my day, I realised that that I wasn’t completing tasks because I had zero focus and was so easily sidetracked. That is until I started using a game-changing tool which has transformed the way I manage my time: calendar blocking.

By blocking off specific chunks of time for each activity, I’ve created a structure that has helped me stay focused on the task at hand. It also amped up my efficiency and has forced me to be realistic about how long tasks can take to complete. This meant I didn’t overcommit to how much I wanted to achieve in a day and then get despondent when I didn’t complete my to-do list.

But one of the most significant benefits for me has been the power of prioritization and balance. With calendar blocking, I get a visual representation of my entire day. It's like looking at a colorful puzzle of my life, which I find deeply satisfying! This clarity allows me to prioritize tasks effectively and ensure a work-life balance.

But calendar blocking isn't about being rigid. It's about creating a flexible framework that can adapt to unexpected events or urgent matters. So if something pops up, I can easily shift blocks around to accommodate it without losing sight of my priorities.

If this sounds like something you need in your life, a quick search on YouTube will throw out a bunch of options, but I really liked this one from Rowena Tsai. Also, there's no right or wrong way to calendar block, just find what works for you, and I have some tips for you to get you started:

Identify Your Priorities

Start by listing your tasks and responsibilities. Determine what absolutely needs to get done and what you can delegate or ditch.

Chunk Your Time

Break your day into manageable chunks. Assign specific time blocks for different activities, such as work projects, meetings, personal admin (I even schedule my grocery shops!), breaks, and exercise. Be realistic about the duration of each block and leave some buffer time for unexpected events.

Theme Your Blocks

If you have recurring activities or projects, consider dedicating specific days or blocks to them. For example, you could reserve Mondays for brainstorming and creative work, Tuesdays for meetings and collaborations, and Wednesdays for administrative tasks. Whatever works for you!

Include Breaks and personal time

Don’t set-up back-to-back time blocks - give yourself some breathing space, and make sure to schedule time for exercise, meditation, coffee chats with friends, or whatever rejuvenates you. By scheduling in daily walks and gym time I’ve found I’m far less likely to give it a skip.

Reflect and Refine

At the end of each day or week identify what worked well and what needs improvement and adjust where necessary.

It may take some trial and error to find the rhythm that works best for you, and don’t beat yourself if you don’t stick to it at first. Trust me, it took a good few weeks before I got it right. But it’s so worth persevering, as consistency leads to habit and eventually your day will be humming along like a well oiled machine. I promise you, you got this!

If you’re poised to scale your business, then click here to book a no cost, no commitment discovery call. We'll get into the nitty gritty of your biz, chat about your goals and look at how I can help get you there as your OBM.