February 18

What would you do if you had all the time in the world?

Your mind may initially run wild with ideas, but the reality is that most of us would simply fill that time with more of the things we are already doing. An object in motion, stays in motion. A schedule filled with busywork, stays filled with busywork.

Have you ever had a wide-open afternoon and thought you were going to accomplish so much only to get to the end of the day and wonder what exactly you did? This is what I’m talking about. It’s not that you didn’t do things; it’s that your time wasn’t organized to facilitate doing therightthings.

I find it incredibly helpful to schedule my time into themed blocks. If I know there are a number of administrative tasks that I need to accomplish, I’ll block an hour called “admin.” If I need to accomplish some writing, I’ll block forty-five minutes called “write.” I even have recurring blocks on my calendar for things like planning and interviews. Annie Dillard once said, “A schedule defends from chaos and whim. It is a net for catching days.”

Plan your work, then work your plan. It’s the surest way to follow through on the important priorities in your life.

Build a schedule, then work it.

What regular time blocks should appear on your calendar? What are the most important activities that might fall to the side if not scheduled?