This Habit Relieves Stress…

Today I am excited and grateful for time blocking, and that I have come up with a time blocking schedule that works so great for me!

Truth is, I have tried many time blocking schedules, and often quickly abandoned them because I just couldn’t make them work.

Then, as often happens to me and I ascribe to guidance from God, I got a flash of obvious and made one that I ran by my wife and my assistant, and they both agreed it was perfect for me.

So I set out to executing and, at least for the week or two I’ve used it so far, I’m loving it!

If you don’t know what time blocking is, it’s a way of telling your time where to go in advance, instead of letting your day happen to you and then wondering where your time went.

As promised in the subject line of this blog, this not only makes you more effective and efficient, but also relieves you of so much stress!

or, at least, that’s what it does for me.

Before time blocking I always felt like I had more to do than I had time to do it, and I was always reacting to whatever and whomever got my attention next.

But time blocking helps me feel in control and, when I’m in control, I feel less stress.

I don’t know, is that the same for you?

Now as to how to do it…

I’ll caveat and tell you that there are more ways than mine; this is just the one I found that works for me.

Also, conditions determine exactly how you will be able to use the tool. What time you get up, what hours you work, the nature of the work you do, when you are most effective- i.e. I am a morning person and do well starting at 0600, but I have friends who do their best work at night…

but, after you take all of those things into consideration, you budget your time. For sake of illustration, I’ll share one sample weekday– probably a Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday, because I stay later to teach Blackbelt Leaders on Monday, and I have date nights on Friday unless I am teaching a seminar or something that particular night, and I teach mornings including instructor training on Saturday.

The point is, the plan isn’t rigid; it’s just planned.

So on a typical Tuesday, for example, I do my personal sword sharpening from 0600-0900.

This is true every weekday, and includes prayers and Gratitude, a couple of modules of the course I am studying, my morning exercise (knowledge walk 3 days, straight two and martial arts two), goal setting and then coffee time with Barb before get showered, shaved and dressed and off to work.

0900-1200 is my marketing time.

Now this varies slightly day to day, but i fit all my blog writing, video content, emails, social media, podcasts and all other meetings or activities around marketing into this block.

OK, maybe not all… but most.

1200-1500 (3pm) is my sowing block. I have airplane time (my quiet planning time) the first hour, one-on-ones with a different member of my team each day at 1300 (1pm) and Team KMMA Training Monday & Wednesday, Mastermind group Tuesday and Budget Committee meeting Thursday at 1400 (you guessed it, 2pm).

The next block, from 1500-1800 (3-6) I call growing.

Starts with the Team KMMA power meeting (brief for night’s operations) at 3:30, followed by sowing students and evaluating classes, progress checks and/or renewal conferences and other “work” to serve my tribe before I go.

6-9 (1800-2100 for those of you who have grown to love the military time i was using to this point- I like to change things up) is my time for rest and relationship, and I spend time with my wonderful wife.

9pm I write my goals again, do any of the days training I failed to do during the first block, plan and prep for the next days and get to bed by 10 for a great night rest so I’m super-productive the net day again.

2200 for you military time people 😉

That schedule works for me, but it may look totally different for you.

The specifics aren’t the important part; telling your time where to go instead of wondering where it went is. 

Try it and let me know how it goes for you.

You can do so at The Official KMMA Facebook page or, if you’re an entrepreneur or small business owner, at Self Defense for the Small Business Owner.

And, speaking of telling your time where to go, training and great investments in your future; are you training with us yet? It relieves stress too, by the way.

If not, START HERE. 

Prepare To Live; Empower To Lead!

Grand Master Stephen J. Del Castillo
Founding Master Instructor, Krav Maga Martial Arts
TampaKravMaga.com         StephenDelCastillo.com