Sometimes, even the most organized of us can stumble in the face of an overloaded schedule. A few Mondays ago, my day was a perfect example of a scheduling snafu.
Typically, my Monday afternoons consist of a 1-2 pm meeting, which generally concludes a bit early, followed by half-hour appointments at 2, 3, and 4 pm. However, on this particular Monday, I added a couple of things to my schedule.
I had booked a podcast recording – an activity I absolutely love – for the 2 o’clock slot, shifting my original 2 pm appointment to the 3:30 to 4 pm gap. Just when I thought I was set, an opportunity to visit a group and discuss an amazing upcoming event, the Referral Accelerator (https://bit.ly/RAbniNC) on June 14th, popped up. This required me to be present from 1:30 to 2 pm.
Faced with a series of back-to-back meetings, I found myself striving to maintain composure. I kept repeating to myself – I was not “busy,” I was “well-scheduled.” As it turned out, that day was a tad too “well-scheduled,” especially when my speaking engagement ran overtime, causing me to be late for my podcast recording. Fortunately, it was a recorded session, and the host graciously accommodated my delay.
This hectic day served as a reminder of why I have certain boundaries in place when it comes to scheduling my time. It was a wake-up call that prompted me to reflect on the lessons learned and consider ways to prevent such missteps in the future. (and I know better!)
My rules for maintaining sanity and avoiding scheduling issues are:
1. Always leave a 15-minute buffer between meetings. This reduces stress and ensures that I have time to prepare for the next meeting or even take a quick break.
2. The calendar I use for online scheduling automatically builds in this 15-minute gap between all my one-on-one meetings, which proves to be invaluable when I need to send something after the meeting.
3. If I must have back-to-back meetings, I ensure it’s a single occurrence and not a continuous string of meetings.
4. Prioritize self-care. Sitting in a chair on Zoom for many hours a day can be exhausting. Taking care of your physical health is just as important as managing your schedule.
I’m curious to hear from all of you. What are your tips for making the most out of your calendar, for online meetings and in-person engagements?
Also, if you’re looking for more insights and strategies on time management, join us in a week for the 5 Day More Time Challenge! https://bit.ly/TKMoreTime
#TimeManagement #Productivity #WorkLifeBalance #Asentiv #ReferralAccelerator #MoreTimeChallenge