Life is full of many things to do. And we all have 168 hours a week, four weeks a month, 12 months a year, in which to fit it all in. So when a new task or opportunity comes up, I recommend that my clients ask themselves the following questions:
- Which of my big-picture goals will this help me achieve?
- Where in my calendar does this task belong?
- How long will it take?
Deep diving into each of these questions uncovers the fundamentals of time management and ensures that we make the most of our time, attention, and energy.
In a recent session with a client, we spent a lot of time discussing question 2.
Where in my calendar does this task belong?
We were going through their To-Do list (that we had severely decluttered) and were assigning the items to time-blocked sections of the week. This method works for a lot of people, not everyone, but a lot, and what I find fascinating is how different everyone’s template will appear.
It’s fascinating but not surprising as we all have our own unique relationship with time. It’s not as easy a thing as declaring that you are an early bird or a night owl and then setting your calendar template up to support that. But rather acknowledging that each item on your radar, whether that be personal or work-related, has a time that you’d PREFER to do it at.
In determining where in your calendar the task belongs, it has to align with two other elements: type and time. By ‘type’ I mean – what sort of brainpower is required? Solving an issue or tapping into creativity are two different energy demands.
Once you know the ‘type’, you must find your optimal ‘time’. And we do this through observation and allowing our inner knowing to come forth. Do you find it easier to write in the morning? Do you fill with dread when you go to do your bookkeeping in the afternoon? Does social media feel fun to you so you don’t mind doing it during ‘out of work’ hours?
And this applies to life admin items too. I know for myself that before popping something into my calendar, I’ll reflect on whether a life admin task feels like a ‘weekday job’ or a ‘weekend job’. The distinction here is the feeling. If something feels too much like adulting then that’ll determine if it’ll get done on a weekday afternoon or evening. But if it’s more in the pottering life admin genre I’ll plan to do it on a Saturday morning.
If this resonates with you let me know! What do you think about exploring your time this way?
And if you’re ready to do 2022 your way, let’s do this!
– Have more freedom
– Make more money
Book me in here.