Time management.

Since we were kids, we were told we need to learn to manage our time: do our homework, go to volleyball practice, yearbook club, and wake up for school without being late. Then college rolled around. We were on our own. No parents or siblings to say “get up!” We had to push ourselves and manage our time…a little more wisely. And that includes the afternoon naps we took, long morning after brunches with friends, shopping for that perfect outfit, and other times we procrastinated from work we probably should have been doing. And then…there’s the real world. If you didn’t sprint off to grad school you entered a whole new time management obstacle.

You think without school, you would have SO much more time on your hands. Wrong. All of a sudden you have these ridiculous chores and grown up tasks like grocery shopping every week, cleaning the apartment, doing laundry in a civil amount of time. And there’s the things you used you push off like dentist appointments, working out, and budgeting. All of these things take time. So where did all that time go and how can we do it all?

Reign it in. You got this.

I’m a notorious planner, which is how I try to time manage my crazy life. I use my google calendar  like it’s my best friend.

Step one: Plan time for yourself and your health: aka the Gym. Whether you work in an office setting or for yourself, find time 4-6 times a week that fits your schedule. Some days may only be 30 minutes. Some days you can make up for it and put in some extra time. Even when you only have 30 minutes, make them quality 30 minutes. Pencil those into your calendar so you see when it will be done. If you skip, reschedule it – like you would any other meeting.

Step two: Find one day each week that allows you to get the boring stuff done. For example I use Sunday mornings to do laundry and grocery shopping. If I have plans on Sunday that are way more fun, then I shift that to Sunday night instead. Either way it gets done.

Step three: Find 1-2 nights a week to see friends or significant others. It’s necessary.

Step four: Take 15 minutes each week to budget. Are your activities leaving your budget diminished. Look ahead to the following week and see how you can do less expensive things.

Step five: You don’t have to live and die by your calendar (or to do list). It’s a way to be organized, and can always be shift/changed/enhanced.

And of course similarly can be done for when you’re at work. Schedule in time for a break each day. If you’re burning yourself out, you wont’ be as productive. A couple times a month schedule coffee or lunch dates with coworkers to get to know them better as people. It allows you enjoy your workplace more, and your work relationships will grow stronger too.

Time isn’t always an enemy. Change your lens.

#radiatedaily