As we conclude July, let’s ensure that we are ready for the busy months ahead; so plan ahead.

Until I discovered hour blocking, I struggled to manage my time; I deemed every new task as important, trying to juggle it all became challenging.

Every day, you have 24 hours to deal with everything you must do. There is no extra time or do-overs, it’s all you have.

For this reason alone, you need to understand how to make the most out of every hour – and hour blocking is the right tool for the job.

You must take 5 minutes to read this 5-point article to understand how to manage your day in the most productive way possible. It’s a complete life-changer! 

1. Start with planning

Before you think about increasing your productivity, you need to figure out what you’re going to do. You need to sit down and write a to-do list; it can either be a daily or weekly list.

Making a to-do list helps in two ways: first, you’ll be able to keep track of your tasks; second, you’ll be able to prioritize the important tasks over secondary stuff.

There will be days where you won’t be able to do everything you want – and that’s okay! You need to understand what’s important and start there. For everything else, you’ll have another 24 hours tomorrow. 

2. Block your hours. Tips to ease a troubled mind.

Once your to-do list is ready, it’s time to figure out a schedule. If you simply write what you have to do, you’re bound to get lost. You’re always one distraction away from losing track of it all. That’s why you have an hour block!

Grab a piece of paper and draw one block per each hour in your day. Write what you’re going to do in each hour block and follow it thoroughly. For example, you read and respond to work emails at 10. You have a work meeting at 11. And so on.

Be rational with your blocks. If you have a meeting across town at 12, don’t write you’ll be at the gym from 10 to 11. Keep your blocks organized!

Another important thing is to keep one block open to rest and have fun. If you’re hammering tasks non-stop, you might be happy with your productivity levels, but you’re bound to burn out. Keep your blocks balanced!

3. Reduce distractions

Distractions are the productivity killer. Social media, video games, and many more things are out there to stop you from being productive. 

When you have free time, they are great – but when it’s time to work; you need to remove yourself from it all. There’s no way around this.

There’s another secret distraction you might underestimate: other people. They are not doing it on purpose, but people tend to distract other people. 

Whenever you’re busy, you need to politely explain your situation and go back to work. You can always designate a block to be social (in fact, it’s encouraged you do so!) – but always respect your work-related blocks. 

4. Keep the time blocks flexible

Nothing is set in stone – and neither are your hour blocks!

A great thing about hour blocking is that you can move the blocks around. Something came up and you can’t do your 2 pm block? 

Move it a little farther down the line, no worries! As long as you can get it done, a little block moving won’t hurt you.

You need to understand this. Otherwise, you won’t know what to do when something impedes one of your blocks. Remain flexible and you’ll remain productive. 

5. Review your time blocks to see when you’re the most productive and adjust accordingly

Once every week or every month, inspect your hour blocks. 

Figure out when you were at your best, and when you could’ve performed a little better. 

Reorganize your blocks according to your different experiences – remember hour blocks are not rigid!

Review your blocks until you have the perfect schedule going. In due time, everything will be incredibly smooth and you’ll have plenty of time to spare.

Conclusion

Getting the most out of your day is but a little planning away.

Figure out what you have to do, divide your day into hour blocks, and get ready to kill it! Keep in mind you can and should be flexible – no block is set in stone. A little review every once in a while won’t hurt either!

Once you master hour blocking, 24 hours will be more than enough for all your daily tasks!

Welcome to July’s post, this month is considered a slow month. We’ve all been guilty of falling behind and losing track of our goals; so finding the right balance is key to turning chaos into calm. So, take some time to get refreshed and get back on track. 

Modern living is incredibly hectic. We’re constantly running from one place to another, not sure about what we’re supposed to do most of the time.

This way of living leads to high levels of stress and anxiety. You’re bound to feel like life is nothing but chaos and disarray – and yet, it doesn’t have to be that way!

Fortunately, there’s something you can do to live away from chaos. It has nothing to do with the number of things you have to do; it’s all about how you manage your time.

If you follow these simple tips, you can turn things around, finding peace and the right balance in life and work.

1. Allow yourself to breathe

Breathing is of extreme importance in your life. You might think this is obvious – but it’s not about breathing itself (that you already do), but how you breathe (you might be doing it wrong!).

How you breathe dictates how you feel.

Try it yourself right now: take a deep breath and feel your belly with air. Sense how tense you are and how tensions leave your body as you take another deep breath. You need to learn how to do this whenever chaos creeps into your life.

Take professional fighters, for example, they take deep breaths between rounds; even if they know they are about to get punched in the face and pumped full of adrenaline, they are calm amidst complete chaos. 

2. Concentrate on productivity

You probably have a phone, a computer, a TV, and many more things right next to you. In a world filled with instant gratification, you’re bound to get distracted.

The more distracted you get, the less you will accomplish, and the more anxiety you’ll feel – that’s when chaos suddenly appears.

That’s why you have to kill the noise surrounding you. Turn off the TV, put the phone on airplane mode, and use the computer for work-related stuff only, at least until you clock out. When it’s time to work, you get to work!

3. Prioritize

Do you know how to juggle? Everyone can juggle two apples at once. Three apples at once might be hard but doable. 

Try it with four or five and you will drop everything on the ground, eventually. We’re not talking about apples here, it’s about your daily tasks.

You need to stop trying to juggle and prioritize! Take care of one thing and move onto the next one. If you try to do five things at once you’ll end up doing nothing at all.

Before starting your day, sit down and make a to-do list. Each time you finish with something, cross it off the list.

Not only you’ll keep track of things, but the sense of progress will motivate you to keep going. 

4. Ask for help

Sometimes, no matter how organized you’re, you will be overwhelmed. Fortunately, there’s a way to handle this. 

You simply have to ask for help – but you must ask someone you trust. Otherwise, it’s pointless.

Asking for help is both easy and hard. 

It goes like this: Step one; you ask for help (easy). Step two, you forget about the issue (hard).

If you can’t follow through with step two, it means you don’t trust whoever is trying to help you. 

Eventually, you’ll take over and do it yourself – you’re back to square one.

By delegating properly, you’ll be able to concentrate on the important stuff. 

This will automatically lighten your burden, allowing you to lead a more relaxed life.

Conclusion:

Remember: chaos is not normal. You can take control of your life right away!

All you have to do is take a deep breath, focus on productivity by shutting down the noise, and get your priorities in order. If things get hard, ask for help – but only to those who you can trust.

These 4 keys will open the door to calm. 

Let’s remember to slow things down a notch, as we conclude the month of re-focusing and re-engaging your yearly goals.

Are you feeling taxed and overburdened? Maybe you’re pushing yourself to the limit. Being in a constant hurry makes you lackadaisical and denies you of contentment. All you’re doing is ticking all the boxes off your list without significant interest. 

So, how do you achieve more unburdened? Well, the next time you’re in a rush; consider applying these 3 steps:

Do Less

1. Set priorities. Define what success means to you. After you’ve determined what success means to you, focus on those activities that matter to you. Decrease the number of insignificant commitments to your goals. Use discernment and say no to distractions.

2. Manage your time. Be practical about what you can complete each day. If you’re often behind schedule, it’s time to track how much time you’re spending on routine tasks. Time-blocking provides a cushion between engagements. You can use free time-tracking apps like TimeTag and actiTime to help better track your time.

3. Improve your standards. How do you measure what’s good enough? Maybe you want to aim for an A-plus in parenting, but you can live with a B minus on cleaning your home?

Be Mindful

1. Organize your day. It’s important to know how you spend your time. Move with intention rather than floating from one superficial demand to the next. 

2. Let go of the past. Give your undivided attention to what you’re doing. Put your phone on silent mode and control your impulse to check for messages. Be mindful of your environment and revel in your experiences.

3. Remember your purpose. Ignite your commitment by reminding yourself of the reasoning behind your choices. Does your job allow you to help others? Do you enjoy volunteering for a deserving cause or hanging out with friends?  

4. Get Fit. A strong mind needs a fit body. Schedule time to exercise regularly. When you incorporate more physical activity into your day, you’ll feel more energized and vigilant.

5. Take a break. 15-20 minutes of stretching or 5 minutes of meditation a day helps me pace myself.  Get comfortable taking a break.

Ask for help

1. Split the chores. Share household responsibilities with your family, as it creates a greater appreciation of family values. Work as a team with your partner, as it helps to complement each other’s strengths. Commend your kids for completing their chores. Even your toddlers can help put their toys away. 

5. Be specific. When asking for help, precision is important. Make clear what you need taken care of. 

As we conclude this month of re-focusing and re-engagement, remember to slow down and get more done. When you feel overwhelmed, adjust your plan, rather than accelerating. Take a few moments to relax and be patient. Slow down and your to-do list will look less intimidating, and you’ll be more productive.

How will you re-focus and re-engage to get more done? Leave us a comment below.