Give yourself small, small blocks of personal time
Datum: 2025-11-04 08:47
One way to make more time for the tasks you do not automatically have time for is to reserve time for them in your calendar. You simply book a meeting with yourself to work on the things you really want to get done that you never seem to have time for.
For you who prefer listening to reading, this post is also available as an episode of the ““Done!”” podcast:
If it is time-dependent, it should be entered into the calendar
This is completely in line with my rule of thumb that says that anything time-dependent should be put in the calendar. If something is to be done at a specific time, it should be in the calendar. If it is to be done at some point during a certain day, but it does not matter when during the day, it is better to put it on the to-do list instead, with that particular day as the due date. Then you can be more flexible during the day with what you do and when. In this case, when you need to decide on a time on a certain day that you are working on a specific task in order to make time for it at all, you make the task time-dependent — and it belongs in the calendar.
But, if you do, you have to do that particular task at the scheduled time.
Time by yourself is too often neglected
I meet many clients one-on-one within the framework of my personal structure training service. Strikingly often, getting time for something other than meetings becomes the most topical theme in such conversations.
It turns out that many prioritize a new meeting that pops up over the time set aside to just work alone on something important. Even if the person who needs more time for certain tasks has decided not to remove these bookings of alone-time but instead move them to another time within the same week, everything can fall apart when there is no free space later in the week to move to. The reason is often that the block of free time is large and the gaps between meetings are small — albeit many in number.
Several small ones instead of a few large ones
If you often have to cancel your own time despite having booked it, divide it into smaller portions so that you can more easily find another place for it if necessary. Instead of booking a block of two hours on Wednesday mornings, book four half hours together at the same time. If you have to rearrange your calendar because a very important meeting comes up, you might be able to find three free half hours every now and then on Thursday and Friday, and maybe even half an hour on Tuesday. You get your own time, just not where it was initially booked.
Here’s what to do
If you recognize that you often need to remove booked personal time, try dividing it into smaller parts.
If this sounds reasonable to you, look through your calendar and divide the alone-time bookings that are there today into smaller slots. You can keep the total time, but make smaller portions of it. You can leave them together. Only spread them out if and when you need to.
Of course, do not overdo it and split the booking into such small fragments that it is hardly worth starting on the task you had in mind, but surely it can be split into smaller parts than it is today.
More personal time than you would otherwise have
If you “pre-divide” your own bookings when you make them in the first place, you will be able to move them around more easily if and when you need to. You are more likely to keep the time you want and get more of the important, yet non-urgent, tasks done in a more timely manner. In addition, you can more easily make yourself available for emergency appointments when it really matters.
How do you do it?
What tricks do you have to maintain your scheduled personal time? Write and tell me!
(Does it sometimes feel hard to piece your workweek together? Try to compose your ideal week!)
Do you want even more ideas?
If you want more tips on how to create good structure at work, there are many ways to get that from me - in podcasts, videos, books, talks and other formats.
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