My secret Hack: Time Blocking

The start of a new year, the start of a month, the start of a week typically signify a time for reflection and making resolutions to lead the life you want. But is the idea of managing your time overwhelming?

This post will share the top tips for managing your time. And it all starts with blocking out specific chunks of time in advance during which you can work on your task (whether that's writing a book, getting organized at home, or designing that logo).

There's a common misconception that we have all the time to do what we want all the time. But unfortunately, due to a lack of planning and schedule management skills, we often lose focus and waste much of our precious time.

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Time is pre-programmed into your body, so even the smallest delays can feel like an eternity when you're not used to it. However, if you schedule your time efficiently and effectively, you'll notice a significant decrease in time spent waiting for things to happen.

An alternative approach is to use a software calendar such as Google Calendar or even one from Launchy that allows you to block out specific chunks of time in advance. So what do you block out?

Before setting the alarm on your iPhone for a specific time, "just check this one thing off" is a common expression. However, this statement is more than just a throwaway sentence. It's the result of time blocking and planning to make time management easier.

Depending on your lifestyle and the goals you have set for yourself, you could spend a few minutes blocked off every day on writing or coding. In the cases of others, it could be a simple routine of sitting down with a cup of tea and reading an email.

What are your goals for the year ahead? What must you do this week or this month that's been holding you back?

What times would you like to dedicate to your projects (creativity, relaxation, health)? What times would you like to spend with friends and family?

At first glance, time blocking seems like an obvious time management system. We all know the feeling of "the last thing I want to do is write today, but I have to finish that article for work." But does this statement apply to you?

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What's stopping you from writing today? Why don't you just grab a cup of coffee if that's what it will take to start writing?

Since we're using a software calendar, we can easily block out hours and days in advance. The key to making this work effectively is to structure your schedule and break down the various tasks you need to accomplish.

Let's say you know that you'll have around 30 minutes in a month for reading (we all have some reading time we haven't used recently). What other activities could be crowded into that 30 minutes?

Planning ahead is key, whether it be time blocking or using a software calendar. If there's something that you can't wait to do, then just start doing it. In addition to making time blocking easier, it also helps eliminate ambiguity.

We all feel this way sometimes—we would love to have more time in a day or just don't have enough hours in the day. But if you think about it objectively, on average, you have 20 minutes of free time each hour you're awake. And with the modern technology and culture that we live in today, there aren't enough hours available even during the week to do everything you need.

3 simple habits to get you on track with managing your schedule

Managing your schedule doesn't need to be an overwhelming task. Follow these three simple habits, and you'll be on the fast track to becoming a master of time!

1) Schedule everything in advance. 

2) Use a dedicated calendar (instead of integrating your day-to-day tasks with other apps).

3) Find time for solitude – doing too many things at once can overwhelm you and make it difficult to focus on what really matters.

It's not a difficult task to set a timer and stay on top of your schedule. However, the benefits go way beyond just better organization. You'll also find that managing your time is more satisfying when you're efficient with it, and the less time you spend feeling frazzled, the more enjoyment you'll get out of each day.

Below is a list of reasons you might not use your time the best way. It's not hard to see how these issues can be corrected… and you should!

You give yourself permission to ignore or procrastinate your schedule.

This is one of the worst mistakes in managing your time. Not only does it allow you to waste hours and hours, but it also causes almost-life-ruining results.

For example, I had a professor who was extremely strict with his deadlines in college. He told us not to put off anything until the last minute because there were too many things we could be working on at once.

As soon as he said that, I promised myself, I wouldn't do that again–and I didn't! However, with such a significant workload and many things happening between classes, I would find myself getting distracted and forgetting about assignments.

In a way, I let myself off the hook. I allowed myself to mess up without feeling too guilty because I had a valid excuse. (Everyone was too busy/I couldn't find the time/my brain was too fried.)

Don't do this!

Instead, make a promise to yourself that you cannot allow yourself to get behind on everything. You've got to keep on top of things no matter what! If you do get distracted, don't feel like it's okay.

You can do this!

See you next week!