Here is how the Time Blocking Planner began.
A few weeks ago I was feeling guilty–mom guilt is so real–for not spending enough time with my son now that I am back at work.
I decided to use a time-tracking app to document where my time was being spent for a few weeks.
Here Is A Screenshot Of One Of My Weekly Reports:
Pro Tip: I used the free Toggl Track App (Android) to track my time throughout the experiment.
After looking at where my time was being spent, I was actually happy that after work, most of my time was dedicated to ‘Family Time,’ with my husband, son, and dog (we can’t forget the fur baby).
I was unhappy realizing that I get the same amount of personal time (which, let’s be honest, is mostly just showering) as I put into household chores and cooking.
Looking For A Solution
I was surprised to see how much time I had for blogging.
Most of my blogging is done in short increments during naptime or after the baby goes to bed…
The chart is slightly skewed because I was ‘double dipping‘ by listening to blogging podcasts (Blog Time) while commuting to and from work (Work Time).
The amount of time I actually spend just blogging is probably 11-12%.
*I figured if I could squeeze in that much blogging in my week by really trying to maximize my time, I might be able to find some more time for myself and self-care as well.*
I made this Time Blocking Template PDF for myself for personal use for this project to find more time in my busy schedule.
This planner is perfect for any busy person who needs a detailed time-management system to organize their lives (and possibly find extra time for that special project you’ve been working on).
Pro Tip: Get more time in your day for whatever you are working on by listening to it in the car. Whether you are commuting or carpooling, listen to Podcasts and Audio Books (get 2 FREE here). Don’t waste any precious time with music and radio–unless it is therapeutic for you!
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What Is Time Blocking?
Time blocking is just a fancy word for mapping out your daily schedule.
With time blocking you give yourself specific start and stop times for all of your daily tasks.
By time blocking at the beginning of the week (my time blocking template includes both a Sunday and Monday start) you can make sure there is time for everything you want to do…
…And if there isn’t, you can re-arrange your schedule to fit it in, or move that task to the next week.
I actually time block every single day (yes, even on weekends!)…
I have included a Daily Time Blocking Template PDF that I use every day to hone in on specific tasks that I need to accomplish during each time block.
Finding More Time With My Time Blocking Template
After looking at the data from my Toggle experiment, the only major thing I wanted to change was finding some more time for myself.
This might include grabbing a coffee with my sister, going to get my hair or nails done, treating myself to an hour of shopping, doing a craft project, or even a quick workout.
To help myself ‘find’ more time, I created this Time Blocking Template so that I could map out what my schedule looks like now, and see where I can prioritize my self-care without losing any time with my family.
After mapping out my whole week (see image) I realized that I could steal the 30 minutes that I spend blogging before my son’s bedtime for 30 minutes of self-care during the week.
It’s not coffee, shopping, or nails, but it is a start!
Why My Time Blocking Template Is Better Than Others
- Most daily planners are not created with moms in mind.
- They start at 8 am and end at 5 pm. A mommy’s workday is NEVER only 10 hours!
My planner goes from 5 AM to 10 PM - They work in 30-minute increments.
My planner runs in 15 minute increments. - Don’t even get me started on half-page planners. How can I write the 60 things I need to do each day teenie pages?!
My planner is a full 8.5″ x 11″ page.
My planner also includes:
- Daily meal planning
- Daily water tracking
- Daily meeting and appointment reminders
- Daily to-do list
- Daily notes (for miscelaneous information)
Free Time Blocking Template Download
Grab your Time Blocking Template PDF to maximize your time and find time for whatever is important to you!
My FREE Time Blocking Template PDF Features:
- A full-color weekly Monday-Start Time Blocking Template PDF
- A black-and-white weekly Monday-Start Time Blocking Template PDF
- A full-color weekly Sunday-Start Time Blocking Template PDF
- A black-and-white weekly Sunday-Start Time Blocking Template PDF
- A full-color daily Time Blocking Template PDF
- A black-and-white daily Time Blocking Template PDF
- Starts at 5 am (where are my moms of littles at?!)
- 15-minute increments (life is too busy to live in 30-minute chunks)
- Ends at 10 pm (maximize those evenings after bedtime mommies!)
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