With life slowly getting back to normal and summer feeling like it’s officially here, it seems many of us are experiencing a post-lockdown burnout.
We’re cramming in the dates and meet-ups in excess and struggling with feelings of over-commitment and the pressure of keeping EVERYONE happy. So how can we actually manage our time better and set some boundaries that people actually respect?
“Safeguarding the white space in your calendar is your responsibility. Often we feel victim to our workload but we have more control than we admit,” says Jodie Rogers, human behaviour consultant, founder of Symbia and author of The Hidden Edge: Why Mental Fitness is the Only Advantage That Matters in Business.
Here, she shares her tips for protecting your most precious commodity – your time.
Label It
Block two hours every week with yourself in your calendar and use a unique project or event title. Use this time for deep thinking or focused work. You can even set up recurring workshops and brainstorm sessions with yourself under that same unique project title.
If you title the meeting “Focus Time,” guarantee that’s the first thing you’ll remove or reschedule in your diary.
Reflect
Be a ruthless editor of meetings, errands, and “quick coffees”, if you find yourself walking away from a situation or person and regretting having scheduled that meeting – take note. Learn your lesson and don’t say yes to meetings or relationships that drain you. It’s important to reflect on bad dates so that you don’t repeat mistakes.
Judgement-Free Zone
Don’t feel bad when you take time for your mental fitness. In the micro it might feel indulgent but in the macro you are making the right move. In fact, the research shows that creativity and problem-solving functions of the brain are at their most productive when we are idle. Resting and recharging is indeed valuable and effective. It deserves your time.
Up-Front Communication
Saying “no” is often uncomfortable and scary. Whether we’re afraid of being judged or not seen as a team player, it’s easy to fall into the “yes” cycle.
Break the cycle by having better conversations upfront. Use clarifying questions to truly understand what the person needs. “If I do this quick task for you, it will actually take me almost 3 hours – do you still need me to do it?”
The asker in this scenario might not understand that the task is indeed complicated so you are qualifying and communicating. Well done. Find a solution that meets their needs but doesn’t mean sacrificing your focus. Try phrases like “not yet”, “not me,” or “not in this way”.
Outsource Yourself
You don’t have to be all things to all people. It’s perfectly acceptable to get help with meal prep, house cleaning, and anything else that is monopolising your time.
Ignore the stigma and the little voice in your head that says you are the only one that can do it just so.
There are a million ways to skin a cat or, in this instance, prepare a dinner. Get help with tasks that are taking up time that could be better spent. Permission to hire a nanny, chef, PA, gardener…granted!
Pick Your Words Wisely
You teach people how to treat your time. Saying things like “I won’t move my workout” or “Picking up my daughter is my priority today” sets the tone that these things are non-negotiables for you that demand respect.
This change in tone will also become a healthy habit that will remind you to speak with conviction and honesty when it comes to protecting your time.
Break Old Habits
You will be tempted to say “yes” many times. In the moment, you will feel like your time is the crucial link between success and failure or happiness and disappointment.
That is the old you with bad habits and she has turned over a new leaf. The new boundary-conscious you knows that protecting your time means protecting your health and those around you.
Follow the 15-Minute Rule
Schedule 15 minutes between every call or engagement. This will allow you time to breathe, stuff an apple in your mouth, finish a task, or send a quick text. Back-to-backs do not allow for bathroom breaks, food, or transit time. You can’t live like that so don’t pretend you can when you schedule your time.
You teach people how to treat and your time. Prioritize yourself, plan realistically, and speak with conviction when it comes to your calendar and availability.
Bonus tip: Make sure to quickly intercept any kid birthday party invites that come home in the school backpack and chuck them straight away before your child sees them. After all, you are a master of “no” and a warrior of the watch. Take no prisoners.