This week has felt like my first proper week of being fully self-employed. When I left my teaching job in July, although I knew I wasn’t returning, it mostly felt like I was heading into the summer holidays. It didn’t actually feel very different.
Now that the holidays are over and the schools have returned, it finally feels like I’ve left and I’m embarking upon my new adventure.
One thing I’ve noticed this week is that I’m struggling to structure my time. With the holidays over, I feel like I’ve thrown myself head-first into the list of everything I want to do but I’ve given myself very little time to breathe.
And that’s why, 7 weeks into the freedom diaries, I find myself writing a post about structuring your time when you’re self-employed.
Time Management SOS
I don’t have all the answers, in fact, I have very few answers. But my intention when I began the freedom diaries was to provide an honest account of my first year of transitioning into self-employed life. So this is the place where I figure it out and track my journey along the way.
I’m prone to over-working. I think it comes from 15 years spent in teaching, battling an endless to-do list and feeling like everything needed to be done yesterday. Any fellow teachers or school staff out there will probably know this feeling well. But I’m hoping to change this mindset over the next year and create a more balanced life.
Don’t get me wrong, I do manage to find balance and get into the flow of managing my time effectively and for a while everything is good. Then I start to take on a little bit more here and there and before I know it I’ve bitten off more than I can chew.
Overcommitment is an issue for me, and it’s something I need to be very mindful of as I embark on my new way of living. So I’ve come up with a plan to help me structure my time more effectively.
The Weekly Plan
My plan for this evening is to sit down and block out my time on a weekly calendar (I love using this one). I’ll start by blocking out my absolute commitments – the times I’m working with schools and my private tutoring sessions. Then I’ll block out some daily free time to do the things I enjoy, such as:
- Reading
- Meditation
- Writing
- Baking
- Gardening
I’ll also build in time to do those things that are important to me such as:
- Morning routine – journaling, work-out & yoga
- Family time
- Movie / game nights
- Learning / personal development
And then, of course, I’ll make time for those essentials that help keep life running smoothly, such as:
- Meal planning and prep
- Grocery shopping
- Housework – I’m not a fan of this but I do love the end results
I’m sure I’ll find that there’s something I’ve missed, but I’m hoping that creating a little bit of structure will help me plan my time and slow down.
After all, the goal of switching to being self-employed was to create a life I love. Sadly, I think I was just a bit too keen this week and haven’t given myself enough downtime between tasks. But it’s a learning curve – and I’m a keen student, so I’m prepared to experiment and make changes along the way.
I’ll update you with how it’s going next week, but right now I have a date with my time planner!
Image courtesy of Alexander Schimmeck.