This post originally appeared on Substack in September of 2023.

Several years ago, in another blogging format, I’d routinely summarize lessons I’d learned each month and link up with Emily P. Freeman’s monthly roundup. The practice was personally insightful and reflective and it seems like the act of writing about those lessons helped them to stick.

As I am beginning again with more long-form personal writing, I decided that recording similar monthly lesson recaps here would be meaningful for me (and hopefully helpful for you).

As September wrapped up I found myself feeling incredibly overwhelmed and frazzled. It was the first full month of back-to-school routines, we had a very fun but full weekend traveling to Athens for a UGA college visit and gameday, and we hosted my in-laws for several days. All wonderful things, but also things that needed execution amidst other responsibilities.

In August, I asked, “Do You Have a Rich Life?” and fleshed out how important it is to know what it is in life that we are pursuing. In early September, I shared about my own professional and life pursuits and how this school year would take shape.

By the end of the month, all of that was still true but I was struggling to fit it all in and remain sane in the process. I took to my journal, as one does. I used an age-old tool and began mapping out an improved time management strategy.

You’ve likely heard the analogy that our priorities in life are like jars. We have big rocks, pebbles, and sand. The order and approach of filling our jars matters. What I’d done throughout most of September was fill my jar with lots of sand and pebbles. I was overwhelmed that I didn’t have the oomph to wedge in my big rocks.

I did a huge brain dump and came to the conclusion that one pain point I was encountering was that many of the things I could choose to do anytime we actually getting done at no time.

This was particularly true with adhering to some writing deadlines. I was waiting until the last possible minute to wrap these pieces up and then leaving myself absolutely no margin. Any tiny little need from my family or hiccup in my day when I was under such pressure sent me spinning.

In my mind, I could substitute teach several days per month and get writing work done there. However, the lived experience was that the writing wasn’t actually happening when I was subbing.

After sketching out my big rocks, my pebbles, and my sand obligations and responsibilities, I determined that I needed to take back control of my weekly schedule.

In about 15 minutes I created a weekly rhythm that included some blocked-off time at home a few days a week to allow myself to get into a deep workflow with my writing. I designated one afternoon as an errand and appointment time. One block would be for household cleaning and administrative tasks. This left two days in my week open for subbing, CASA volunteer work, and MOPS ministry. I made sure I also created a block for fun and meeting up with friends.

We all know the incredible benefits of single-tasking when it comes to productivity, yet we continue to multi-task ourselves into oblivion. Within a few days of this new routine, I felt like I was back to living with peace, and order, and pursuing a rhythm that suited my life.

Best of all, this Monday-Friday routine allowed me to tackle what needed to be done around the house without leaving it to the weekends. After all, the rest of my family was able to enjoy fun on Saturdays and total rest on Sundays. Why not create that for myself?

Perhaps all of this sounds simplistic and obvious, but for me, I needed to have a visual reminder and refresher on what mattered most. I needed a plan to hold myself to. I needed schedule boundaries to help me say no to the things that don’t matter so that I can say yes to those things that do.

My big takeaway in September: I needed my schedule to help me set and keep task and time boundaries.

How about you? Do you ever find yourself feeling like your schedule and your priorities aren’t aligning? Let’s talk about it in the comments.