How to Schedule Time for Peace and Productivity
There's never a good time to start a new schedule. It's always inconvenient, and the transition can be a little rough. But in the end, scheduling time for peace and productivity is a great way to stay focused, maximize your time, and maybe even earn some extra income.
In the fall, many people start working on new schedules. Even if no one in your household is going back to school this fall, the post-summer schedule reset is an opportunity to build new routines!
That’s why the September issues of magazines are full of tips for streamlining your mornings. You want to get out the door in less time, with less stress.
It’s not a bad idea.
We’d all be calmer if we kept our cell phones and keys in specific locations by the doors we generally walk out. Waking up to already-brewed coffee saves time and hassle. But in all this talk of streamlining schedules, we risk viewing mornings as things to be endured – one more unpleasant part of life to endure. I think this is a mistake.
As you think through your morning routine, it’s worth asking this question: what could I do that would turn morning hours into presents to myself?
Maximize Your Morning Time
If you love to read, claiming 30 quiet morning minutes to read whatever you like can start the day in a promising place.
If you and your partner don’t spend enough time together, early morning hours can be a chance for a daily date. If your days are full of meeting other people’s needs, a few minutes spent doing nothing can be equally grand.
Whatever your choice, these are minutes you can have for yourself, before the rest of the world takes over.
Begin with Bliss, End with Success
I find that if you start the day with something blissful. After all, the reason to get everyone moving and where they’re supposed to be is so you can focus on whatever you need or want to be doing.
You want to start accomplishing things, but if you’ve already accomplished something, then it’s all good! Morning by morning, all you need is there, propelling you through the day.
Make the Most of Your Evenings
Don’t stop at morning routines. What about the routines you have in the early evening when everyone is returning home? How do you handle dinner, homework and bath time?
Is it a time of stress and chaos or is it a pleasant and relaxing time with family getting things done in a calm and productive way?
Treat Yourself Throughout the Day
Every day can’t be pure bliss but if you find little gifts to give yourself (and your family members too!) the day becomes less about just trying to get through the week until the weekend and more about small moments that you want to savor.
How do you schedule time for peace and productivity?