In an earlier post, I mentioned that I often get two reactions when I show my calendar to others.
One is:
“Ah! I could never live like that!”
or
“I’m glad I’m not the only one! I love colour blocking!”
This post is here to further support the use of colour blocking in calendars.
The Pressure of a Packed Calendar
Planning ahead is crucial, but I often see with clients that it can also be a source of stress. When we see every hour of the day accounted for, it’s easy to feel trapped by our own planning. For some, this rigidity can lead to anxiety—not just about the tasks themselves, but about the idea of failing to adhere to the plan. “If I don’t stick to the proposed schedule, it feels like I’m letting myself down, like I’m out of integrity or something” is something I hear often. This mindset often leads people to only schedule the absolute necessities, leaving the rest up to chance.
Reframing Your Calendar: It’s Okay to Move Things Around
Here’s the thing: your calendar is a tool, not a taskmaster. It’s okay to move things around! If you’ve estimated that a project needs about three hours of work, and you’d originally blocked out some time at 10am on Tuesday but on the day of, that timing doesn’t work out, you can shift it to another time. The key is to understand that while the time slot may be flexible, the task itself is still important. You might not know exactly when you’ll get to it, but you know it needs to happen between Tuesday and Thursday as it’s due on Friday, and that’s what counts.
This is where a visual difference in your calendar can be a game-changer. By colour-coding your commitments, you can easily distinguish between tasks that are locked to a specific time and those that have more flexibility. For example, you could use different colours to show “locked” tasks (like ‘meetings with others’ that really need to happen at a specific time) and more flexible ones (like ‘meetings with yourself’ that can shift if needed). Commitments versus Intentions, if you will. This visual difference can make it easier to see what’s non-negotiable and what can be adjusted, helping to reduce that feeling of being a failure. At a glance, you can see what can be moved around and what needs to stay put. This approach not only reduces the pressure but also empowers you to manage your time more effectively.
Another tip is that when scheduling meetings with yourself, you could add the due date in the title. For example, “Due: Aug 20 – Respond to Brief.” So, say you’ve planned to work on this task on Tuesday, August 13. If something comes up or you’re not feeling up to it, you can move it around to the next best spot, knowing that August 20 is the absolute deadline. Once you realise that scheduling isn’t about locking yourself into a specific time but about making sure the important things get done within the timeframe that you’ve set for them, it becomes a bit like playing a calendar version of Tetris.
Finding Peace in a Balanced Schedule
The next time you’re planning your week, remember that your calendar is meant to serve you, not the other way around. It’s okay to be flexible. It’s okay to move things around. Lunch at 11am because you’re hungry? Go for it. Move that recurring event to reflect what’s going on for you each and every day. Reschedule that 10am slot to write if something more pressing comes up. The important thing is that you’re managing your time in a way that works for you.
By embracing this mindset, you’ll find that you can plan your week with more confidence and less guilt and anxiety. You’ll be able to focus on what truly matters, without feeling like a failure if things don’t go exactly as planned. After all, life is unpredictable, and your schedule should be able to bend without breaking.
Got this!
So, the next time you’re faced with a full day on your calendar, take a deep breath and remind yourself: it’s all flexible. You’ve got this!
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