A better managed day
I’d like to talk to you today about steps you can take to a better managed day.
A big part of that is organizing time.
We all have 24 hours
Each day we are given 24 hours. How are you using that 24 hours?
When I began to look at how I spent my time during the 24 hours in a day, I realized I needed to make some major changes. This quote has stuck with me ever since I read it for the first time…
How you spend your day is, of course, how you spend your life ~ Annie Dillard
I realized I was procrastinating about lots of things I kept saying I was gonna do, that I wanted to do, but when I looked at how I spent some of my time, it wasn’t very productive.
Fifteen minutes here scrolling on Facebook, 25 minutes there doing something else, was amounting to hours in a week that I was “losing”…or better put, not governing the best.
I’ve read we must be good stewards over little before we may be awarded more. How good of a steward have you been of your time?
Plan your day
I made this Butterfly Daily Time Planner last week.
After studying myself in a day, I was able to come up with a routine for a better managed day that wasn’t too foreign to my normal activities. I made a list of my daily habits that keep me disciplined spiritually, like prayer, meditation, affirmations, yoga, etc. I’m offering it in my shop. I’m sure it will help you manage your time in a day better. And you won’t forget your self-love-spiritual routine either.
The neat thing about it is, it has been infused with the transformative power of the butterfly right there to inspire you to transform your goals into bite-size pieces you can accomplish every day.
Wait! Don’t forget to read on to learn about 5 Steps to Managing Your Day Better. These techniques are what I used to make this planner…
Steps to Planning Your Day & Being More Productive
1. Brain Dump.
Here you write down everything floating through your mind that you need to get done that day. Now, keep in my mind this step comes after you have created a structure for your life. Meaning, you know “where” you going and why you are going.
You have clarity because you have made a decision about what you desire in your life. If you do not have this clarity, it is more difficult to feel confident about your day and how it goes. So, be sure to spend some reflecting on your truest desires, aligned with your purpose and passion and then making a decision to own them and go for them!
Now, back to brain dumping. I find brain dumping so stress-relieving. When you have a bunch of “ish” floating in your mind that you are trying to not-forget, that is a burden to carry. So pour those burdens on the paper and allow the sheet to hold it for you. This will feel so good! Yay, I’m excited already! Are you? I just love anything stress-relieving…well not anything, but you know, within reason! Moving on…
2. Check the Daily Habits List.
I have listed some basic habits that could be included in your day that nurture your spirit. You may want to use those; they are my basic everyday musts. So, add any of your other daily habit that you don’t want to forget. Other suggestions are working out, drinking 8 glasses of water, doing your squats, pushups or crunches, reading a chapter of the book, tv time, or sacred bath time.
3. Block Your Time.
a. Think about what time you wake up, your work hours, etc., and block off time for these activities.
b. Next, frame your day by blocking time for your daily habits. Build a routine that will be easy for you to continue every day. For example, pray and meditate every morning when you wake up. Recite affirmations during your lunch break every day. Do what feels good for you.
c. Then, think of each hour as a container that you can use to hold space, space that provides an opportunity for you to accomplish a goal. Don’t you want to accomplish something?
d. Now, plan your day. Pull items from the brain dump and fill in whatever free times you have available.
4. Check in with your plan periodically during the day.
Scratch things off. I love scratching things off my list once I’ve finished them, it makes me feel like I’m making progress. You could just put a checkmark beside it if you like that option better. :-/
5. Review at the end of the day.
Write down who you need to call or what you need to do or get to keep your progress, progressing.
Prepare to do it all over the next day. Be consistent and disciplined with a freed-up and open mind, not a bogged-down mind with lots of stuff floating about. I know this will help.
