Get Away

When you’re juggling a lot of different stuff to get done every week, it makes sense to set a schedule in order to be more efficient with your time. However, I’ve found that while the schedule I’ve set does help me to be more productive, I also feel a little “trapped” by it. When I’m getting certain things done, it can feel like I’m “being a good little robot”. Perhaps that’s just the price to pay for complying with the directives of a schedule, or perhaps schedules are unnecessary?

When I think of dumping the schedule, it doesn’t make me feel happy because I’ve noticed how I get a lot more work done on personal projects by using one. It’s just so much easier to get started on a piece of work when it’s at a time I would usually do it. Habits seem to be very effective at removing the need for motivation to get started on something, and schedules are the overlords of building good habits.

Perhaps the best middle ground is to use a schedule, but to also push back against it. These two simple tricks have helped me a lot:

1) Schedule some unscheduled time.

There’s nothing on my schedule after 9pm on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings. I’ll typically just watch some TV or a movie, and just relax at home. Saturdays are also kept as “bendy” in that I don’t have anything I “must do” on that day: No working, studying, writing, or gym-ing. If I want to chill the whole day, or go out and see some friends, it’s totally guilt-free.

2) Get away!

Every now and then, flex your freedom muscles and completely rebel against your schedule! I took some time off recently and went on a week-long road trip, which just felt great :)