Boundaries: How Your Calendar Can Help Keep You on Track

IMPACT Academy

Apr 17

Written By Selena Ulasewich

Does your time and day feel like this messy, jumbled pile of sticky notes on the computer screen?

Are you jumping from place to place and task to task with no rhyme or reason?

Are others adding to your day without your approval or direction?

Are your work, home, and personal obligations out of sync?

I think we all go through seasons that feel a bit out of control, too hectic, or unfocused. But, we don't want to stay there long--it's stressful!

Instead, try using a couple of these tips to set boundaries around your calendar. It will not only bring the stress down a few notches, but it will make you feel like you have more time and give you a stronger sense of control.

Put EVERYTHING on one calendar. This includes:

Special work appointments
Kid's extra curricular activities
Doctor appointments
Evening meetings
Special church events
Birthday parties
Date nights
Even workout schedules and massages!!

**For us busy moms with a lot of people to manage, this can be especially important. If Glendon's dentist appointment is not on my work calendar, I'll double-book myself!

Reserve one day a week to look at the WHOLE week ahead. I usually do this sometime on Sunday, in preparation for the next week. Several of my clients choose to do this on Friday before they leave the office so they don't have to "work" on Sunday.

Think of your time as spread across the week instead of crammed into one day. Laura Vanderkam gives this helpful advice in her blog and several of her books. This will help you feel more harmony because you will, hopefully, see time for work, home, and personal needs within your week, if not included in every day.
CHUNK like items together. Our minds like to get into a rhythm. It saves time and energy. So, if you're scheduling a meeting, go ahead and do a few in a row. If you need to run errands, set aside a couple of hours one afternoon a week. If you need time to create, think, and plan ahead, block off the space in your calendar for just that purpose.

Make Your Calendar Your Gatekeeper

Remember last week how I described boundaries like a fence? And the gate as a way that you can monitor what you let in and out of your property?A well-organized calendar can make a wonderful gatekeeper!

When you have a clear picture of how your time is planned, it's easier to tell if you can add something or if you need to take something away. The questions shown here can be a wonderful tool to use when needed.