Hi my loves and happy Thursday!
I know right now time can seem irrelevant. Our calendars are empty and it can be so easy to default into "None of this matters I can do it tomorrow" .
But you have to stop this thinking if you are going to make it thru this quarantine.
I am not saying you have to be the most productive person during this quarantine. Personally, as an Enneagram 3 being productive and showing up for my community (even on the bad days) is what is getting me out of bed everyday.
However, I understand not everyone is wired like me and will choose to spend this time differently. Which is okay. There is no handbook on how to do this. But regardless if your brain is wired like mine, I still believe you should try and schedule out your time.
Here are my top tips for scheduling your time when time is irrelevant.
1. Change your mindset.
Time for a wake up call friends! How many days have you been in quarantine? Odds are you are approaching 50 something days stuck at home. 50 days is getting really close to two months in quarantine.
And what have you done in those two months?
This is not to shame you on your level of productivity. This is just to remind you that even though we are in quarantine, you are still alive. It can be extremely easy to push things off right now because there's "so much time". But this is your life you are letting pass by without a second thought.
One day or day one.
Your choice.
2. Use a calendar or planner to plan a daily schedule.
If you've been in my community long enough, you know how much of a paper planner person I am. And I'm not here to sell you a planner right now (if you want recommendations thought feel free to dm me). You can use a scrap piece of paper or a paper towel for all I care. But I believe writing down a daily schedule is paramount to your success.
Here's a breakdown of my schedule followed by a plan for you to schedule your day.
9 AM Wakeup
9-9:30 AM Breakfast , Coffee, Start Today Journal, Priority Planner
9:30-10:30 AM Get Ready, Educational time
10:30-11:15 AM Fitness time
11:15-11:30 AM H20, change, emails, prep for task 1 of the day
11:30-1:00 PM Task 1
1:00-2:00 PM Lunch Break
2:00-3:00 PM Task 2
3:00-3:15 PM Smoothie Break
3:15-4:15 PM Task 3
4:15-5:15 PM Day Wrap Up
6:00 PM Dinner with the family
7:00 PM-11:00 Free Time
11:30 PM Bedtime
Now it's your turn.
I have personally been using a hourly breakdown because I get easily distracted and this makes it easier to hold myself accountable. Below I dive into further detail and I have bolded what I recommend when you go to schedule your day.
First up...
Wake Up Time/Bedtime
Maybe you are a superhuman. Maybe you will easily be able to flip the switch and immediately start getting back up at 8am for work when you've been sleeping until 2pm each day during quarantine. But I'm guessing probably not. Plan what time you are going to wake up everyday and actually wake up. Pro tip: this means actually going to bed at a decent time.
Morning routine.
My morning routine is the most important part of my day. And quite honestly my favorite. It sets up how successful I will be the rest of the day. I sit down and look at my schedule for the day and try to get my brain going by listening to an online course or podcast. My morning routine is quite lengthy right now, but creating these habits now will make it easier to keep up when I get back to work.
Breakfast.
Breakfast is the most important meal of the day and I'm currently on a mission to eat something healthy every morning to give me the energy to wake up. So far I've made breakfast sandwich, breakfast burritos, and smoothies. What's your favorite morning meal?
Fitness.
My current fitness time usually involves a walk around the neighborhood with my family. If it's raining we do yoga or an online video class. Nothing to fancy, but I am making sure I move my body and don't become a bump on a log. I personally prefer to get my workout done in the morning so I have the rest of the day free. The later in the day I try to push it, the less likely I am to do it.
Task One
So as a blogger/ dreamer I constantly have projects I am working on for my community. For you this can look like anything. Cleaning your room, reading a book, doing a puzzle. I personally am more focused in the morning so I tend to try and prioritize tasks in order of importance. I usually pick a task for a long term project (i.e. a new launch) for my task one.
Lunch/Break
Scheduling your meals is crucial. I tend to get so wrapped up in a project and I will let hours pass by without eating. Scheduling my meals helps eliminate the chance I will miss a meal.
Task Two
For me this task tends to be a shorter term item for me. It usually still requires focus and involves writing but takes a little bit less time. My weekly blog post, taking on online course, or drafting my weekly emails are some examples of tasks that might be my task two.
Snack Break
I tend to take a snack break and stretch my legs a bit between task two and three. I'll pick up my room, take a social media break, or play some candy crush to give my mind a well deserved break.
Task Three
Task 3 is usually my more mindless tasks. It tends to be getting my social media photos, thinking of captions, or having brainstorming sessions. I tend to be a little fried at this point so I like to leave the tasks I enjoy the most to wrap up the day.
Day Wrap Up
This is when I tend to send my emails, recap my day, and figure out my plan for attack the next day. I tend to keep my week Monday-Friday (allowing myself Saturday for cleaning/ anything I may not have finished and Sunday completely off). Friday's I also tend to look ahead to the next week and see what I want to accomplish and share.
The rest of the evening I use to read, facetime with my friends, watch television, play Candy Crush, shower and binge Outer Banks before finally calling it a night and going to sleep.
3. Show yourself grace.
Do not get mad at yourself for not accomplishing your three tasks. If you are enjoying a task, keep at it, even if originally you had planned to move on. Get an upsetting email ? Take a break and eat some ice cream for lunch (#truestory). Planning your time is a tool to help you make it thru quarantine and is not a reason to be beating yourself up even more during this difficult time.
A few additional pointers:
Schedule in breaks. These are crucial to keeping your brain working.
Blue Light Glasses. I'm investing in these soon and I've never been more excited. Send recommendations my way please!
Change your view. I've been sitting at my desk all week so I decided to switch it up today and sit on the floor next to the window with a makeshift desk. It helps break up the sense of dejavu.
Drink lots of water. One because it's good for you and two because drinking water fills you up so you won't mindlessly snack when you get bored.
Have an accountability partner. Someone who checks in on you and you can cheer each other on. Need someone? I got you.
Make it work for you. Some people are more productive in the afternoon so maybe your task list looks a little different. Adapt this so it makes your life easier!
At the end of the day, we will eventually get back to the new version of our lives. This will include going back to our cities, going back to work or school, and being with our friends. And it isn't going to be easy and our priorities will be different. However, the people who fight to use this time to make them stronger- whether it be physically, mentally, or emotionally- are going to have an easier time transitioning to this new normal when we finally get let back outside.
If you want more advice or an accountability partner, please message me on Instagram and I'll be happy to assist you!
Much love always,
💜Chels
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