In a comment to my post about planning, Lynn rightly pointed out that dual-career (homemaking and outside the home job) girls have a hard time finding the time for the details.
Now, I’m not going to be the pot calling the kettle black. The past six months have been a time of tremendous overwhelm for me as I’ve struggled to find pockets of time. But I wanted to share with you some strategies I try to use to steal back time from the time vampires (and many of my clients have used these ideas with great success).
For the first strategy you need:
- An appointment calendar–the kind with the hours of the day with space next to the time slots to make entries. I currently use a one-page-per-day organizer by Daytimer but I’ve used computerized calendars and have also simply printed out a weekly calendar template I created with Word that started at 7:00 a.m. and ended at 9:00 p.m.
- Colored highlighters–a different color for each category or type of activity and responsibility in your life (school, daily routine, church, office, etc.)
Using the highlighters, block out time on the calendar, being sure to include transition, travel, and buffer time. For example, during the academic year, I teach a workshop every other week from 11:30-1:00. I add 30 minutes of buffer time before and after the workshop to talk with students and to set-up/clean up. However, it also takes me (depending upon the route and mode of transportation) anywhere from 40 to 90 minutes to get there. To be on the safe side, I assume I’m taking the train and then walking to campus. I plan on blocking out 90 minutes before and after the workshop (with buffer time). I take my green highlighter and block out 9:30 to 3:00 on my workshop days.
I also block out my other responsibilities–purple for personal health and homekeeping time, green for writing, coaching, and teaching time, pink for Honey time, etc. By doing this simple color coding, I’m able to see where I have some pockets of time and can be a better time manager.
Blocking out time also helps me stay on track throughout the day while also reducing the feeling that I have to attend to non-emergency issues right away. I don’t think women value their time as sacred as much as we should. In order to be considered good team players, we drop everything or rearrange our schedules and then we wonder why our own stuff doesn’t get done.
One thing I learned climbing the higher education ladder was that my male colleagues would simply say things like “I’m not available at that time” or “I won’t make that meeting” and that was it. No apologies or long explanations. Women, on the other hand, would cancel their research or writing time to attend short-notice meetings. When I encourage my clients to be more like the men, they are amazed that the world doesn’t come to an end, they feel more energized, and less frazzled.
Another thing I’ve learned is that 99.9% of email and/or phone calls don’t have to be answered right away. Going back to keeping blocked out time sacred, it is okay to say “I’m up to my eyeballs in something but I’ll get back to you by such and such a time.” I mean, come on, think about it. When I was meeting with a client at the university, I wouldn’t interrupt and put the meeting on hold to answer an email so why would I do it if I’m doing something else? Even if that that something else is soothing to my soul and may not be perceived as “important” (or so we think/assume) by others…no one else needs to know that the reason you are unavailable is because you’ve planned to take the children to the park.
Lately, I’ve turned off my laptop during most of the “workday” (the first drafts of my writing are being done long hand now). I’ve been amazed at how calm this strategy has made me. The urge to “just check in” is gone. And, when I do check in, I am more focused and not engaged in mindless web surfing.
Of course, I’m speaking in general terms and am trusting that you will do what is right for your circumstances. I’m just making the case for unplugging from a huge time vampire–technology that is designed to keep us always in touch and available. I don’t know about you but that constant availability exhausts me.
These are a few of my ideas. What other suggestions do you have?
PS: Have you taken a look at my blog devoted to vintage cooking and “eating like my grandmother in a modern world?” If you’ve enjoyed the recipes I’ve done here in the past, I think you’ll enjoy Betty Crocker and Me.
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-I currently have a planner where I can see all 7 days of the week on two pages – like an open book. I like this becuase I have a visual sense of what the week looks like, but I think I do need to switch to the day/page – so I can put the spec. in. I have so many unfinished projects – unless I put them in my calendar and take them as seriously as a Dr. appt, etc. they will not get done. The color coding has not appealed to me in the past but I will keep it in mind.
-Buffer time = genious. Saying no is also genious. I think sometimes we don’t even realize we have a hard time saying no. I have recently read an amazing book Boundaries by Dr.’s Cloud & Townsend. It has really changed my perspective on many things. It is a Christian self-help book – I can’t say enough about it in terms of learning to steer your own ship. I recommend it to everyone.
-I think you are totally right about taking our time seriously. If you take yourself seriously you will take your time seriously.
-I just got back from Hallow living farm – a farm that teaches farming tech. from the 1800′s in NJ – and got the book: Mama’s In the Kitchen – Weird & Wonderful Home Cooking 1900-1950 by Barbar Swell. It looks cool! Especially the sandwich section – I’ll let you know how I do with it!!!
Thanks for a great post!
Ann
Ann, I know what you mean about liking to see the entire week. I have my planner but My Honey and I share one of those desk pad calendars. I also make more general notes on it (especially if I think he should know about it) but my more detailed notes are in my planner.
Hmmm, when I was at UCLA, my appt. book had columns for each day with the week all on two pages. Maybe I should go back to using something like that–it was 8 1/2 x 11″ so I didn’t think about something like that for home use. *wheels turning*
Retirement brings another whole set of challenges. Nothing much pushes me and I don’t get a lot done, though I do have priorities. My goals tend to be “by myself” projects — sewing, reading, learning this or that, but living closely with my also retired husband who is physically active and thinking of things for us to do is a challenge. Just having him around and doing things is a distraction.
I know what Ann means about unfinished projects. I have that, too. I haven’t been successful in scheduling them, though.
Hi,
You are right about the calendar. After years with a purse sized planner (weekly), I have transitioned to a full size monthly planner (8.5 x 11, spiral bound)–bought at at college bookstore.
This great idea I borrowed from my extremely organized Occupational Therapist daughter-in-law who can organize a chimpanzee (or my son): I keep it OPEN at all times–OK, it’s big, but what else am I doing with my dining table? I paper-clip prescriptions and other time sensitive notes into the appropriate month ahead, and that way I don’t forget or loose them when their dates arrive (like taxes and such). It is important to find a good cover color too, as this becomes part of the home decor. (I tend to call my date book “my brain” when speaking of it).
–Jen