Striving for Simplicity: Managing My Schedule

I have always had too many things going on. Over the years I’ve tried to scale back but as soon as I make a little bit of room in my schedule something comes along to fill the space.  A former supervisor of mine wrote in an evaluation that I “tend to take on too much and hence is not always effective.”   That was a long time ago yet still rings in my ears.  I didn’t believe it to be true then and even now I balk at it.  But then, I look around my home office and moan a big sigh of overwhelm. 

I’ve come to realize it’s true, and I’ve known it.  I do take on too much.  Learning to say no has been the longest wrestling match of my life!  So how does one rise above these past habits and simplify their to-do list without adding more? 

Well, I for one would like to know!  Maybe you have the answer.  I don’t.  In my quest to organize all the things, I have tried (almost) every planner, organizer, and app I could afford.   Those things have only resulted in more clutter and more things to do.  

Finding balance

After I quit working a 9 to 5 and begin staying home, I felt guilty. I needed to stay busy so I could justify working at home.   There was, and still is,  plenty to do even without the guilt!  It’s as if staying busy is some sort of badge of importance and I wear it proudly.  What I really want is to be able to cuddle up in a cozy chair with tea and a good book without guilt.  Or finish a sewing project that might take a few days. 

In my search to find balance in this area, I have begun to apply some principles of minimalism in my life.  (Don’t judge me in this, my house is far from minimalist!  It is cluttered with beautiful things.)  It is the mindset of minimalists that I’m looking for.  Being okay with saying no to things and letting things go, physical or otherwise.   Joshua Becker, Author of The More of Less, said in a recent podcast, “Busy has become the default state for many of us.  But is this state of being busy improving our lives?  Certainly not.  Being busy and being productive are two very different things.  A busy life is often an unexamined life, and an unexamined life is rarely worth living. You can apply the principles of minimalism to your life by aligning your commitments with your values.”

I started to examine my life.  My schedule in particular.  Are my commitments in line with my values? 

How I’m changing

This is what I am doing now:   I’m making it a point to put God first.   My bedtime comes earlier, and my alarm is set to give me extra time in the morning.  I spend more time talking with Him and reading his word and it just puts my mind right for the day.  In the course of doing this, one thing I ask of God is to show me what needs to change in my life so that He would be glorified.  Simple as it seems, a consistent bedtime and rise time are important to a successful, simplified life.

Routines are a big deal in my life too.  Simple but important.  Especially the nighttime routines that set me up for the next day.  Things like laying out workout clothes.  Usually, it takes less than a minute to gather my stuff.  When I dress for working out as soon as I get up, I am more likely to do it.

Something else that is helpful is to think about what meals I am making tomorrow.   What can be done ahead to help with that?  Maybe it is packing a lunch or taking the frozen meat out to thaw.  Again, it doesn’t take much to accomplish, and I feel a step ahead.     

I’ve also begun to block my time.  For instance, Tuesdays are for writing.   Wednesdays and Thursdays are when I set appointments and run errands.  Mondays I clean my house.  I stay flexible but I try to hold on to the blocked schedule the best I can.  There are some things I do every day and then what is blocked for that day I make sure to spend time on.   It is not a perfect schedule but I feel like it’s working and it’s simple.  

How about you?  Do you relate to any of this?  Are you too busy? Do you have good time management skills?

Proverbs 21:5 The plans of the diligent lead only to plenty,

but everyone who is hasty comes only to poverty.