Mastering Time Management: Reclaiming My Time (And How You Can Too)
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about how I manage my time. I think April and Spring in general have me considering how I spend it, protect it, and align it with my purpose. Over time with motherhood, partnership, employment, and just simply being a human, I have learned how to manage it pretty well. Right now, though, I am in a season of transformation. Between the desire to pour all of my energy into my family, home, and marriage and building a business that’s been in my spirit and heart for well over a decade, it’s been challenging to stay on top of everything without procrastination knocking on my door. I am learning so much and finding where it fits into my already full life.
If you are in a similar spot- balancing responsibilities, chasing goals, and trying not to lose yourself in the chaos- this post, my friend, is for you.
Overcoming Procrastination
Let’s be real- procrastination does not equate to laziness. For me, it often comes from unfamiliarity or boredom. I am either having to learn and apply something new or its a mundane or tedious task that I spend more time avoiding than it takes to even get it done. One recent example: This post right here. Learning how to run a website and consistently creating and sharing content. I kept putting it off because I’ve never done it before and the idea of the whole picture, designing and maintaining the entire website deterred me from doing the simple task of creating the blog post.
Here is what has helped me shift from stuck to starting:
Breaking tasks into tiny, manageable pieces: Instead of trying to finish everything at once, I gave (and continue to give) myself permission to just start with one part.
Checking in with my why: I try to remind myself often why I am here doing this and instead of looking at how much I have left to do I intentionally list all of the things that I have accomplished when I’m not sure if I am doing enough.
Using time-blocking with grace: I try to set up time blocks to get focused but also leave room for real life to happen. Structure keeps me grounded but flexibility keeps me sane and that’s what being a human is all about for me.
Even starting with just one small action has made a difference.
Avoiding Overcommitment
I used to think being busy meant being productive. But I have learned the hard way that saying “yes” to everything means sometimes sacrificing my own well-being and not only is that not in my best interest it is not in the best interest of my ripple. And by my ripple I mean the ones I care about around me. I can’t take proper care of those I love if I am neglecting myself with overcommitting.
The Moment I Knew I Was Burnt Out
I hit my breaking point when I started breaking down over the simplest of tasks. One significant moment I experienced was at a previous job. I was the go-to. I was good at what I did. I was good at juggling many things on and off the job. One day at work though, an easy smooth day at that, I broke down. I had a conversation with my boss about how I just felt like every time I turned around somebody was needing something from me, and I felt like I couldn’t even breathe. I went home and took 2 more days to feel recovered and return to work. Now, I understand not everyone has such understanding bosses or circumstances that enable them to take sick days for burnout. Burnout is just that though, burnout. Unaddressed it will continue to have a negative impact on your mental and physical health, your relationships, your job performance, your quality of life and your ripple. There is no “powering through it until it just goes away”. At that point I had been several years into my boundary building and I still found myself burntout and tired.
What I Learned From This Breakdown:
Setting clear boundaries around my capacity to do. Just because I am good at doing something doesn’t mean I have to say “yes” if it pushes me beyond my personal mental, emotional, or physical capacity.
Saying “no” to invites or requests that I would usually say “yes” to out of a sense of obligation.
Making space for simply being. Sometimes doing nothing IS something. Rest is essential to our health.
Now, I ask myself “Does this align with my priorities right now?” If not, I give myself permission to pass. And I tell you what, since doing this I learned that I had several habits that I was participating in that did not serve my higher good or align with my priorities. I was simply doing them on autopilot without a second thought and surprise, it was eating up a lot of my much valued time.
Building a Time System That Works for You
There is no perfect system, but there is a system that fits your life and goals. For me that looks like time blocks, to-do lists, automation, and record keeping (for accountability).
Right now, I am experimenting with time blocking because I want to be fully present and aware in my business AND my home with my family. I don’t want to be thinking about work when I am at home, and I don’t want to be thinking about home when I am at work. What’s working? Record keeping for accountability. What needs tweaking? My time blocks. I am easily distracted if I see something that would take “just a minute” to complete but I think that has to do with the procrastination thing that I am overcoming.
Friend, human, beautiful spirit, Give yourself room to try, grace, lots of grace, adjust, and try again.
Time management isn’t about squeezing more into your day- it is about using your energy with intention. If you’re ready to reclaim your time, start with one shift: Be intentional and say “no” to something that doesn’t align and “yes” to what matters, whatever that may be for you. You get to decide for this is your life.
Let me know what part of this post resonated with you. And if you want more tips, encouragement, or tools to support you subscribe to my newsletter and download my free Time Reclaim Toolkit coming soon!
