The Zen of Timeblocking II - How to Get Started

Congratulations!  If you're reading this then you've taken the first big step - admitting (like all of us) you have a problem.  The problem; Not enough time in the day to get everything done.  So let's see how to get started with the solution.

First, understand that your timeblocking schedule is going to be a continuous work in progress.  Initially you will be changing it often to fit your real daily activities.  Over time you will make changes far less often.  Here is the step-by-step:

1. Look at your 2012 calendar and put in all of your major vacation time.  Get your family and personal vacation time on the schedule now.  Here's a tip - if you don't book your vacation trips way ahead of time, you will not have the vacation that you want and deserve.  Life gets in the way and short-term business activities tend to supersede last minute vacation planning.
2.  Now, start with next month.  Put in all of your personal weekly recurring activities - Friday night date night with your significant other, kids games and school appointments, daily workout time, weekly days off.  Don't skimp on the days off.  The truth about off time is that, if you think you will work 6 or 7 days per week, you're wrong.  You may maintain this schedule for a few weeks or even a few months.  But eventually you will self-destruct.  When this happens it's not pretty.  When you're burning out, your clients seem to make you angry or frustrated more frequently, your business runs your life, and you are FAR less effective in all areas both business and personal.  Take at least one regular day off per week (same day each week).
3. Put in all of your weekly recurring activities starting with lead generation time.  Look at our Monday, Wednesday, Friday timeblock schedule.  Think of the things that you do in your business semi-regularly like fixing broken deals, update calls to Buyers and Sellers, working ON your business (like new mailings and marketing ideas).  Now make those activities into regularly scheduled activities on a weekly, monthly, or quarterly basis.
4. There are many, many great timblocking resources available to you to aid in getting a handle on your time.  Try them out.  See how you like them.

Remember - your timeblocking schedule is a work in progress and you will need to tweak it.  If you find that you are consistently starting your lead generation at 9:30am instead of 9am, go ahead and change your schedule to a 9:30am lead generation start time.  As long as you move the end time 30 minutes later as well, there's nothing wrong with it.  That is the little secret of timeblocking.  The blocks are movable within your day.

You can do it.  It DOES work for you.  Your day is NOT busier or different in some ethereal, mystical way that make it impossible for you to timeblock.  ALL highly effective business owners and leaders timeblock. The ultimate gift of timblocking will be a more productive business day, more consistent income, more personal time, and a more satisfying life!