“Either run the day or the day runs you.” - Jim Rohn

Life steals time from all of us one way or another. You feel it every day — the work life, family life, holiday season, and unexpected events have you in a funk where exercising and eating healthy is just not at the top of your plan. Exercise and nutrition are fading from the "to-do" list faster than you can write it down on your ever-expanding to-do list. Imagine if life's demands did not prevent us from maintaining good nutrition and exercise? Imagine actually having time to do nothing at the end of the day. It can be done with time blocking.

Time blocking is a method of planning your day, week, and month that helps you focus on what needs to be done and achieve it. It can be especially beneficial for people who often find themselves distracted by work or personal life demands.

Order and Structure

When you time block, you set aside specific times to focus on your chosen tasks. This can be as simple as blocking off an hour in your day when you'll work on a project or go for a walk with friends. It doesn't matter whether those things are work-related or not—as long as it's something that needs to get done and won't get done unless you plan for it. This way, it's much easier to focus than be distracted by other

responsibilities that might come up during the day. If you don't already have one, make sure you create a calendar where you can record all of your appointments and meetings for the week ahead (this will also help with time management).

Keep the End in Mind

Start with the end in mind. I book-end my days by scheduling my bed and wake-up times and making

them consistent daily. From there, I have a clear idea of what I want to accomplish and how to plan on

doing it. For example, I schedule deep work time as a priority because this is how to get the hard things done that require absolute concentration with no distraction.

Perfection is the Enemy of Progress

The idea of perfection may sound good, but it's not realistic or productive. Time blocking will help here.

You don't need to be perfect to get things done; instead, focus on being good enough. This will allow you to move past procrastination and start working on what matters most.

Expect and Plan for Interruptions.

Life is full of distractions, and getting caught up in them is easy. Instead of letting interruptions derail your productivity, expect them and plan for them. For example, if you know that a family member will be stopping by at 3 pm every day to ask you something, then schedule this as an hour-long meeting. Or, if you know by Wednesday you are running low on nutritious food, and it's time to hit the grocery store, schedule that into your day.

Time is one of our most valuable resources, and it's easy to get caught up in the day-to-day tasks that can prevent us from having any free time. Instead of letting work monopolize your schedule, create a buffer between meetings and appointments so that you have some flexibility during the day. This will allow you to be more productive when working on deadlines or projects.

Take Time for Yourself!

You're not the only person who relies on you. Your family and friends need you to be healthy and happy, so it's important to schedule time for self-care. This could include taking a walk after work or eating lunch outside on nice days. When scheduling these things into your day, don't forget to include some downtime that doesn't involve anything but relaxing!

Rinse and repeat as necessary because life can and will find ways to steal your time if you allow it. It's important to note that time blocking is not a quick fix but will help you find balance in your life. This is the first step to making sustainable changes and allowing yourself to focus on other areas of your life.

If you feel like you need more help making the time to take care of yourself, grab one of our freebies or book a whole health optimization call with us HERE.