Take Back Control of Your Calendar With White Space

Just curious, you’re reading this blog, and what does your calendar say you’re doing? Does it say “Learning,” Development,” “Visionary Inspiration”… you get the picture. It probably says something like “Lunch,” or “Make Dr. appt.” As an entrepreneur and business owner, there’s nothing more valuable, or scarce, than your time. And its value is in large part due to the fact that you can’t buy more of it, it’s a finite resource. In this post I want to share with you a different perspective when it comes to time. I want you to slow down and pause for three deep breaths. It’s amazing how when we stop running from thing to thing, the dust settles and the path becomes more clear. If you want to start making more of your time, make better decisions, and get your creative juices flowing again, here’s how.

Shift Your Mindset

Business owners can be some of the most selfless people. They will make room on their calendar for everyone else to ensure their needs are met. Meetings, to dos, family time, you know – important stuff. But where is there time for yourself? And not just the 45 minutes of workout time, that you actually spend replying to emails. It’s a huge shift in our culture where we now equate being busy with being productive. But being productive doesn’t mean you’re making progress. How can you feel so busy, yet feel like you’ve barely made a dent? Shift your mindset to realizing that your time is valuable, and you choose how you spend it. Make yourself a priority and give yourself room to breathe.

Rethinking White Space

In marketing white space is exactly that. It’s the space between all the text and icons. It allows the content on the page to be in the spotlight and helps the user to focus on what you want them to do or see. Crowding a website with too much stuff will have visitors bouncing right off your site. The same rationale applies to your calendar. Without white space on your calendar, your brain has no place to focus on developing and growing new ideas, to refresh and clarify your mind. In fact, in the Entrepreneurial Operating System (EOS) this is part of running a business, taking Clarity Breaks. 

White Space is:

• Distraction-free
• Important
• Creating balance
• Energizing
• Essential
• Free-flowing

White Space is not:

• The first thing to get moved/deleted
• Selfish
• Time for emails, to-do lists, etc.
• Forced

Make It Stick

With New Year’s resolutions coming upon us, you might be tempted to wait until then to start this process. Don’t wait to make time for yourself important. Any new habit takes time to form and become a part of us. There’s no better time than right now, before the holidays, parties, and annual preparations, to make time to connect with yourself. I know when I have time to think and clear my head, I’m a better version of myself for me, my family, my friends, and my business.

Drop me a line and let me know how you feel about adding more white space to your calendar.