I’m going to admit it…. these last I don’t even know how many months since March and quarantine have been a rollercoaster. The day to day schedule changes, kids bouncing off the walls, too much technology, absolutely NO SCHEDULE, no routine even when you tried and all of it was downright exhausting and I KNOW I am not alone. So with back to school officially in full swing, what better way than to share a little piece of what keeps me sane and my weeks running smoothly when things are normal? This little thing is what keeps me on track when we all have places to go, people to see, work to do, mouths to feed… this little thing is called a time map! Not to be confused with a calendar ….
You’ve probably heard of the terms mapping your time or time blocks before … but, what exactly does that mean? Time Management used to be me writing down a list of all the things I needed to accomplish for the day and striking through them as I completed them. But, I found myself spending majority of my time doing the “easy” things first and leaving all the “hard” and usually most important tasks for last, which means they rolled into the next day and the day after that and the day after that…. so when a friend introduced me to “Time Mapping”, my life was forever changed.
“…my life was forever changed.”
So…what exactly is Time Mapping?
Exactly what it sounds like… a map of your tasks. You can use the time map for work or personal life, but I prefer to keep mine together so I can see my day as a whole. I know the blocks of times I reserve for certain tasks and I schedule them in those windows… its as simple as that. It allows you to be more structured and more in control of your day… and who doesn’t like being in control?
Now let me preface with, time mapping is a skill that you learn to adapt to, but obviously you have to be flexible too! For example, I am a realtor and although I’d love to stick to my daily Peloton ride that I schedule every single morning, if a hot lead comes in and wants to meet for coffee during my usual workout time— well then I definitely move things around! But, I use my time map as a guide…
As a working momma to two very young boys, I wear many hats and finding balance was a really hard thing for me to grasp as a new mom! I have it down pretty good now and the only thing that really helps is planning … it sounds simple… but planning your day down to the hour, to the minute, almost to the second is actually a true skill! Time mapping can be extremely helpful in organizing time for emails, phone calls, meetings, amongst many other aspects of work which need to be done alongside the meal prepping, the personal time, the Uber drive time to and from school and even taking a shower (I am not kidding!)
How to Create Your Time Map…
Grab a piece of paper, a pen and some highlighters. Write down everything you do on a day to day basis. Things like personal time, walking the dog, meal prep, checking emails, and even scrolling social media (lets be real, we all do it). Next, divide your tasks into different categories and assign each one a color, (i.e Family time in Blue, Personal Time in Green, etc).
While creating a time map it’s important to ask yourself some serious and realistic questions:
- How am I spending my time?
- Am I spending it the right way?
- What would I like to change in my day?
- Do I spend too much time on one task and not the other?
- Do I have balance?
- What is the perfect day in my eyes?
Next, assign each task that you do day to day during certain times of day and add it to a spreadsheet. The idea is that you should be spending your time on each task focused and without distraction. Time Mapping helps you reshape your day and be better organized which helps you complete all the things you need in a day and leaves more time for your family– its a win-win! Tweak it if the first attempt isn’t working for you…but I promise this skill is a game changer and what better way to get back on schedule than coming out of quarantine !
example of my Time Map: (personal time in turquoise, family time in green, work time in blue).
Check back in and let me know if its working for you!
xo
Ashley
