A Good Life Checklist For Time Management

 Hey fam, Sazan here! I wanted to take over the journal today to share something I’ve always been really bad at. And that’s managing my time. One of my favorite quotes that Jim Kwik shared on our podcast a few years ago that sticks with me to this day is this: "Work smarter, not harder."

Before Stevie and I had kids, I would wake up whenever I wanted, work whenever it felt convenient, and be okay with pulling all nighters. Looking back, WHAT WAS I DOING WITH ALL THAT TIME!? ha I always felt busy there’s no doubt about that. I realize now though (especially after having two kids) that busy doesn’t always mean good. Busy is not the same thing as productive. I really had to figure out a way to tackle this personal problem of mine (and really I had no choice) because I knew that if I wanted to accomplish my goals and dreams all while being an intentional mom and wife, I had to get it together. What motivates my work time is my “freedom time” (ie. Hanging with the girls, enjoying my marriage, having my me-time). If I can manage my time and do it well enough, come 5pm and I’ve checked off the most important things on my agenda, then I’m off to races! 

Working from home is a blessing and a curse. I get so easily distracted. From the kids, to the dishes in the sink, to the drilling sounds from the renovations in our master closet. I really needed to get a work from home structure down. Something to provide some discipline and a structure that I could take with me wherever I go because life happens wherever you go.

I started this process probably 2.5 years ago. It was after having our first baby and I felt like the way I was trying to go back and operate my life wasn’t cutting it. I had to figure out a way to navigate my new journey as a mother and also continue to build and fuel my dreams. Every season I learn something new. I feel like I get better and better with time management. Now that we have two children, I’m currently putting to the test a version of my structure that I’ve fine tuned / tweaked and so far, so good! 

It’s not perfect but it has tremendously helped me create the life I want to live. A life that is intentional in self-care, motherhood, marriage, and work. Success to me is not having to compromise one for the other. All of these things are important to me and are necessary for me to water, to thrive, and grow as a human. One of the questions I get asked now more than ever is, “How do you do it?” And while some might say “You have the perfect life” - that’s not true. I believe there is a such thing, however, as an intentional life. A life that you can love everyday, despite the challenges. There’s a lot of daily challenges I face, just like anyone trying to cultivate their good life. I think the secret is in the systems you create to protect the peace in your life. Never losing sight of the things that matter most. What is success if you aren’t enjoying your life? I want to inspire you to create a life you love.  You asked me to share more of my tips around this topic so I put together a checklist of 7 easy things you can do to jumpstart your time well spent.  Keep reading...

  • Take a 10-15 minute “power hour” at the start of everyday (or night before) to mentally prep and write down a schedule for the day ahead (both personal and professional to-do’s!) 
  • Once your day is planned, set alarms on your phone to keep you on track and when the alarm goes off,  IT’S ILLEGAL TO SNOOZE! 
  • Make sure you’re giving yourself at least an hour break throughout your day. Whether it’s a solid hour away for lunch or you split your breaks during the day.. take time to move your body and reset! 
  • If you work from home, create an environment / space where you can truly focus and knock things out. 
  • Create your own “Do not disturb” mode. Be intentional with technology. It’s so easy to get distracted so create some boundaries that work best for you. (Like how often you can check emails, social media, responding to texts, house chore limits if you WFH.. etc) 
  • Stay hydrated with water.. not caffeine! Seems simple, but it’s easier said than done. Our brain is mostly made up of water and it needs lots of it to thrive!! 
  • Create a “clock-out” time and make it your goal to stick to it 90% of the time. There will be instances where you have to stay late or have a power hour session in the evening, just don’t make it a habit. Your personal life needs you too! 

 

It’s amazing what a little structure can do for you! These 7 things have really helped me in my journey with time management.  It’s also helped me through the days when I’m in a rut and don’t know where to start. 

So remember the road map is key! When you walk into your day with a map in hand, you will feel like you’re conquering your day versus the day conquering you! Everyday won’t be perfect so give yourself the permission to breathe, learn from mistakes, and simply give yourself grace. Life will throw you some curve-balls, but when you manage your time efficiently you will pick yourself up so much quicker versus trying to navigate in the fog!

 

And as a result, you’ll feel less overwhelmed and will be more present in your personal life. So where do you start? A great place to start is writing things down. I love sitting with my calendar and writing down my weekly schedule of assignments / tasks / goals and then using a daily agenda sheet everyday to track my schedule by the hour.  It’s so helpful! I created one for our S+S fam and I think it will be good for you so print off a ton and keep them on your desk. You can download it for FREE here. 

Enjoy!

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