Schedules! Do they work for you?
I’ve been resisting the idea of making a schedule for months, even though I’m not getting things done as well as I’d like. So it surprised me this morning when I started writing one in my journal while doing morning pages.
First I decided to write a blogging schedule. I did this because the day before I meditated on my problems with keeping blogs updated, and got the inspiration that I should update each blog once weekly. So . . . I made a little schedule to tell me which blog to update and on what day. The day for this blog is Monday — the top of the work week!
After a few more minutes of writing reflection in the journal I found myself writing a daily schedule to make room in my busy life for all the things I need to do.
Here’s what I came up with:
Today’s run-through with the new schedule was perfect. It helps immensely that my life partner, Bob, supports me in this effort. In fact, he’s been urging me to make a schedule for months, but I didn’t because they have never worked for me in the past. Why set myself up for failure? That’s what I was thinking… but now I’m willing to give it a try because I think it is the only way I’ll get everything done. Also it helps that Bob now knows exactly what hours I won’t be using the computer – so he can come in and read the news.
This morning after printing the schedule and posting it on the wall, I managed to write a post about the movie, K-Pax, on my Mystic Movie Reviews blog. I love that movie! We watch movies almost every night of every week, so I’ve decided to post a review every Monday of the movie I liked best from that week. That was done at noon. I hit publish and walked away from the computer – to go make an onion and tomato sandwich – which I took out to the screen house for a little picnic. While there I took off my shoes, watched my vegetable garden grow, and read a chapter in a time management book.
At 1pm I came back inside and spent a happy hour critiquing three chapters in a novel for a writing friend. Next I worked on my latest Squidoo lens — Chives – Cultivation and Medicinal Uses. I’m making a series of lenses about herbs and gardening. My new niche! I was thrilled to hit publish on that project too! I got it done just after 4 and by then I felt drained — so I lay down for an hour (couldn’t sleep) and then went downtown to get the mail.
I had a lovely evening with Bob and now, here I am, finishing up the day’s work… not feeling pressured by having too many other things to do. I feel I’ve done my share for the day. Probably the schedule has the effect of lifting the burden of work stress. Now instead of thinking that I’ve got a ton of work I didn’t get done today – I’m thinking – I achieved my goals for the day and kept to my schedule and everything worked out great. I hope this wonderful feeling lasts! By this time next week I should have more to say on the subject.
Okay, this has been fun… and I’d just like to know (in case someone reads all this) . . . how do you feel about schedules? Do they work for you?
Hi Linda!
I think that making a schedule can definitely help you to get organized and get more accomplished. I find that the trouble is in sticking to them (that’s my problem when it comes to dieting too!) because I never allow enough time for unplanned events that happen on any given day. I also find that I don’t have enough hours in the day to do everything I want to because I go to school for 22.5 hours a week (most weeks); I work as an office temp for Kelly Services sporadically; I run my own business from home (at least 50 hours per month) which means that I’m on about 10 different social networking websites; I write book & CD reviews; and I try to maintain a happy social life. Just dealing with email alone is enough to take up every single morning I have, and trying to follow everyone’s blog I’d like to follow, etc. is impossible. So, rather than get overwhelmed by it all (I admit, I still do sometimes), I simply do what I can, when I can and hope that my family and friends know that I’ll find the time for them whenever I possibly can.
As long as your schedule works for you, it’s a very positive thing!
Comment by Christine Bode — June 23, 2009 @ 7:02 am
Christine, you sound as busy as I am! However do we manage? Thanks for taking the time to stop by my humble blog!
Day one of the schedule went well. Day two – I’m running behind a little and am disappointed that my morning blog post isn’t finished yet. However it is a big long blog posting — so I’m excited about that. I’ll finish it this evening, after choosing some YouTube videos to include in it.
The reason I’m running behind … well it started when I woke up half an hour late, at 7:25. I dressed and left the house – and walked around the block. Our block is rural and we live on a hill so it still was a longish walk that included climbing back up the hill at the end. I think that’s good exercise. Then I watered the plants and came back into the house almost exactly at 9, right on schedule. Next – eating and morning pages. It was all cool except that my S.O. (significant other) then wanted to play cards with me and I made time for him which put me an hour behind on the morning blogging time.
Plus this afternoon he wants me to take time off to go do some herb harvesting with him… so I need to realize that even though the schedule is on the wall – I’ll also have to be flexible and realize that not everything will always get done. I think that’s where I fail with schedules, because my black and white thinking takes over. I think that if I fail once I’ll always fail. If I take a day away from the schedule or even a few hours, I’m a total failure who can’t stick to schedules! Instead I should be thinking that it’s all okay and I’ll get back on the horse and ride it the next day.
Comment by LindaJoMartin — June 23, 2009 @ 11:46 am
When I was in school, they gave everyone a little red “assignment notebook” aka day planner that were were to keep track of everything in. They insisted upon it, and checked it for a grade each Friday. The thing is, not everything works for everyone. I had a system. It worked for me, and it did not involve carrying an extra book all day and having to open it up 30 times a day.
People work their own ways.
Comment by kab — June 23, 2009 @ 7:34 pm
Kab, so good to see you here! I agree, schedules aren’t for everyone. In the past I managed by building habits instead. For example, making a habit out of doing the dishes every night before going to bed. Or making a habit out of taking a walk every evening an hour before sunset.
But now, I think I need more structure. The main problem is that I’ve got three money-making things I’m doing: blogging, writing novels, and creating Squidoo lenses. In March of this year I spent the entire month focusing on a revision for one of my novels. Then starting in April, I got into Squidoo more, neglecting my writing and blogs. What I’m trying for is BALANCE. I want to devote some time to each of my three areas daily… or almost daily, leaving time occasionally for taking a day off.
So this schedule thing is an experiment for me. Can I do it, or can’t I? I’ll keep updating this page to record my successes or failures.
Yesterday I got off track in them morning as I mentioned, and was behind all day. I wrote a great blog post but didn’t get it finished enough to post. I did mangage to get some work done on one of my Squidoo lenses that needed to be finished before the end of the month: Homeschooling Tips: Curriculum and Eclectic Lesson Planning. I’m being considered for the Giant 100 Club at Squidoo at the end of the month and this was a half-finished lens that needed attention. I have one more like that to fix…
So though I was off on the schedule, I feel I got a lot done. And today’s scheduled work is going better.
Comment by LindaJoMartin — June 24, 2009 @ 12:57 pm
I agree that making schedule is one helpful tool to manage or time. Time management really works, My organizer and my desk calendar is the things I always look for each morning so that i will be reminded of the things I need to accomplish for the day and interject some more works if needed.
Comment by Ferienhäuser Sardinien — June 27, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
Way to go, Ferienhäuser! I would love to have a desk calendar like the one I used to use at work… back in the old ‘work outside of my home’ days. So far, the schedule experiment is working out splendidly… I’m very pleased with the way it is going and the changes in my life because of it.
Comment by LindaJoMartin — July 5, 2009 @ 8:34 am