For the last year, I have had several clients struggling with finding time for the things that really matter to them. They never feel like they’re getting everything done.
So, here is the Ideal Schedule exercise I’ve done with them:
- Create a separate calendar from your existing calendar. You can do this easily in Google, Outlook or iCal.
- Envision your ideal schedule in your mind. When would you ideally be working on certain things? When is your self-care time? When is your family time?
- Start building your ideal schedule on the new empty calendar. Personal non-negotiables go first, like family time, exercise, sleep (if you want to schedule it), etc.
- This is not meant to be a schedule that will be set in stone every week. Obviously we all have shifting lives. This calendar/schedule is just a guide to turn on and off when you feel like your time is out of alignment and you need to see why.
- Make the blocks of time you enter recurring every week so that you can easily compare your live calendar to your ideal schedule at any time. And remember when you make changes to change all events “in the series.”
- Every person is different as to how much they want to put on their ideal schedule. There is no right or wrong – go with your gut. If it feels overwhelming, don’t add any more to it or remove some of the granular details.
With this exercise, I have found that some clients immediately see where they’ve been going astray with their planning. Other clients will start to see things clearer after a couple of months comparing the ideal schedule to their calendar. And a few clients have discovered that they don’t have time for everything (that may be you!) These clients have had heart-to-heart discussions with significant others and family members to begin lessening the loads they’re carrying.
I was first trained in the ‘ideal schedule’ concept by Ellen Faye, a colleague who also specializes in productivity. Ellen calls this Time Mapping. Here is a link to her blog about the topic.
