Block Scheduling

I’ve been pretty excited to write about this topic! It’s helped me to be more productive, organized, and simple in my daily living and I hope you enjoy this type of schedule as much as I do. 🙂

Seriously this is me! lol! I LOVE to schedule things!

Let’s dive into scheduling!!!

Have you ever feel like you have so much to do but don’t know how or where to fit it all in? Do you ever get sidetracked and never finish a task at hand? Or do you feel like your constantly coming back to something all day for it never actually be finished?

I can say yes to questions these often. It’s unfortunate because I don’t like looking back at my day and feeling like I’m not really sure what I accomplished–just happy I made it from nap time to bedtime. So I worked hard to help myself solve this problem.

One of the problems I found was I was distracted throughout the day by my phone and by things that seemed important but weren’t. And when/if I had a lull in my day trying to think of what I should/could do.

Above all the other things, I knew the one area of my life that needed the most help was household chores. I’m always disappointed when I get to the end of the day and that load of laundry folded, or not, is still not put away. Some may say it could be laziness but I say it’s being distracted and not having things in routine and place.

If you’re anything like me you’re not a huge fan of folding laundry/putting it away or really doing house chores but you LOVE to have a clean and organized house. Does anybody else wish they were a little like Hermonie Granger with a wand in hand? Wouldn’t a wand make chores just a little better? lol! Well, as far as I know, I won’t be asked to Hogwarts anytime soon, so I knew I needed to get a hold of my daily schedule and place blocks of time in to get things done like cleaning but also make specified time to spend with Caroline and John. So I created My Daily Block Schedule. There are lots of block scheduling ideas out there but I’ve made my own version and made it adaptable to my life and style. I encourage you to do the same.

Check it out here!

Before you print and start filling in all the boxes, I want to explain how I use My Daily Block Schedule. The first and most important part I believe is to sit down and write out all the things you do on a daily/weekly basis. I’ve provided a printable to give you a starting point.

Print this or take out a blank piece of paper and copy it. Now start filling in what you do for yourself in the personal category on a daily/weekly basis. You can be as detailed as you’d like. Some things I’ve listed are:

• Read Devotions
• Read a book/magazine
• Check personal emails
• Talk with friends/spend time with friends
• Workout
• Shower/get ready
• Rest

Those are just a few to name. Now continue on to Household and keep going. I’ll list my examples below.

Household

• clean bathrooms
• vacuum
• steam mop
• dust
• laundry-wash, dry, fold
• declutter/organize

Work

• blog- write new posts
• blog-check emails
• blog-write emails
• blog-web design
• Social Media

Family

• play with Caroline
• read with Caroline
• spend time with John
• pray
• go on a walk

Errands

• groceries
• post office
• gas

Ok, so once you’ve filled out your categories take out one of the daily Block Schedule sheets. I prefer the one with all the little blocks.

Start by filling in the times. I like to begin with the time I wake up till the time Caroline wakes up. Then I move down throughout the day. Here’s a look at my times

• 4:15am-6:00am
• 6:00am-8:30am
• 8:30am-11:30am
• 11:30am-2:30pm
• 2:30pm-7:30pm
• 7:30pm-10:00pm

Once you fill out your times, look back at the category blocks you filled in and begin to write down what you want to do in the time slots.

For example, in my first block, I have the personal, work, and errands categories filled in with things I can do, but I don’t have items in family or household because I’m choosing not to focus my energy on those categories during the 4:15am-6:00 am.

I’ve given you several different Daily Block Schedule printables to choose from so I wanted to tell you which one I like the best–I like the little box printable the best. I like to see a big X in a category that I’m not focused on. I don’t know why but I think it gives me the freedom to know that I’m focused on other things and not that area of my life. The big X shows me I have other things I’m working on and that will be a category I get to later.

It might be a mom guilt thing but I always feel like I need to be giving my attention to Caroline. But if I’m doing that in all my waking hours I’m not providing for her in other ways. So this big X helps me to know I will be spending time with her or that I did spend time with her and now it’s time for something else. The same goes for household, personal, work, and errands.

Now, keep going throughout your day filling in the boxes and be graceful toward yourself. Give yourself a break and don’t overdo it. This schedule is not meant to make you feel overwhelmed but is meant to give you the freedom to focus on different areas of your life. Because if I’ve learned one thing in motherhood we cannot be all things at all times or we will simply just burn out. And then we’ll be no good for anyone.

Nobody needs to be looking like this!

My Daily Block Schedule

I really hope you enjoy this Daily Block Schedule method. I find it so helpful for me and my productivity. I look at the schedule not as what I have to get done but what I’m allowing myself to do during certain times.

I really think you’ll like! Try it out! Take a chance on yourself, I bet you won’t believe how much you can actually get done in a day and how much quality time you can give to yourself and your family if you just have some parameters in place.

One last note! I don’t want you to look at this schedule as if you have to get all these items done every day. The blocks are helping you to stay focused on what you can do if you choose so. Some days aren’t meant for dusting and vacuuming, some aren’t meant for waking up at 4:15 am, and some aren’t meant for any of it but lounging with the ones you love. Trust me, I don’t do everything in each box every day! The lists in the boxes help me to stay focused and choose something to be productive with, instead of sitting around and thinking about what I should/could be doing. Side note from me, I don’t use this AT ALL on weekends. Those days are just so totally different and I like it that way. 🙂

XO,

holley

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