Domestic Engineering: Prioritizing Your Day with Time Blocking

Some days I try to control every aspect of my day to get my agenda done.

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Other days I plan my day with the goal of loving my family.

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Every day the Lord directs my steps in his perfect wisdom.

Last post I discussed how to create a daily time budget. Time blocking is a tool I started using this year to help me both simplify and schedule my days. Thus far it has proven to be my most effective time management tool.

Today we are going to talk about how to finish planning your typical day. Even though these steps are simple, that doesn't mean they are quick. Give yourself time to figure out what works for you.

The Two-Step Process

One of the reasons I love time blocking is because it's flexible enough to work for any season of life. The image below shows where we concluded in my last post. As you can see, I have three windows with several 30-minute blocks. Filling those windows is where my two-step process comes in.

  

Step 1: Task Batching Your Brainstorm List

A while ago I discovered a concept called task batching. The basic premise is that you group your to-dos into similar categories. After considering my brainstorming list, I came up with the following categories:

• Chores
• I track these monthly and aim to have one 30-minute time-block per day for these tasks.
• House Projects
• These range from posting craigslist items to organizing our office. Unlike chores, they tend to be one time tasks that need to get done.
• School
• The method we are using is based on time limits instead of page numbers so it's easy to schedule.
• Mommy Time
• Geoffrey encourages me to take an hour a day to do what I would like. This hour helps keep me refreshed physically and mentally. He has been out-of-town a lot this last month so I have been using this window primarily for naps. Under normal circumstances, this time also includes reading, blogging, attempting Pinterest projects, etc.
• Relationships
• This includes investing in friendships, playing games with our daughters, date nights, etc.
• Computer Tasks
• Some tasks will fall under your other categories but still need to be separated out. This was the case for me with the things I do on the computer.
• I quickly realized that they needed to become their own list for two primary reasons. To begin with, these tasks tend to need my undivided attention. As a result, I often plan them around my kids' outside or quiet times. Also, Geoffrey often uses our computer in the evenings, so I need to factor that in as well. 
• Errands
• Trips to the library, grocery shopping, etc. fall into this category.

The advantage of grouping tasks into similar categories is twofold. First, it makes crazy long to-do lists look and feel more manageable. Second, it helps me determine what I should focus on in the different spheres of my life.

Step 2: Implementing Your Chosen Tasks

It's easy for me to prioritize the urgent over the important. I've found that spending one planning evening out each month helps me guard against this. During this time, I evaluate how I'm doing with my "Big Rocks" for that month. I then plan out the next month by looking over my different categories of tasks to determine what I want to get done.

Once I choose what I want to accomplish I break those tasks down into thirty-minute blocks. This helps me be realistic about what I can get done. It also helps me see how I'll need to make adjustments to keep my "Big Rocks" a priority.

For example, I broke down selling items online into the following thirty-minute chunks:

• Take pictures. 
• Write up descriptions and pricing. 
• Post to Craigslist. 
• Post to Facebook. 

In my planner, a typical time-blocking schedule will look like the following:

A Reality Check

I tend to overestimate what I can get done during any given month. This often leads to me being overwhelmed and anxious about all the things I believe I'm failing at. In reality, I'm trying to do more than what God has given me the ability to do. 

I'm limited in both my physical strength and mental capacity. Only God completes all his to-do lists. Geoffrey often reminds me that it's better to do a few things well (my "Big Rocks") than to get a lot of things partially done.

I can't plan for when I will need to care for my girls' hearts. Believe me when I say I wish I could. If my thirty-minute cleaning time-block is spent helping resolve a conflict, it's ok. I have other time slots during the next several days to try cleaning again.

There are days I get angry when my plans go awry. I want to be in control. I want my will to be done, not God's. I think I know best. But I don't. God does. Which is why I often pray along the lines of the following prayer:

"Teach me to treat all that comes to me throughout the day with peace of soul, and with the firm conviction that Your will governs all. In all my deeds and words guide my thoughts and feelings. In unforseen events let me not forget that all are sent by You." 

~ Elisabeth Elliot, Through the Path of Suffering

Ask the Lord to help you love others and inform your planning with what his Scripture teaches. And if you're married, don't forget your husband's input. It's a gift from the Lord for you.

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* Photo by Kelly Sikkema on Unsplash.