I don’t know about you, but for a long time, there has been no white space on my calendar. And it’s been exhausting.
Before the pandemic, there was time between meetings to get from one place to another. It also created time to shift gears, mentally prepare, stop in a restroom, grab lunch, check in with a friend, just think.Â
But now, we didn’t need to go anywhere so those spaces in between weren’t required. And in my case, I took on a huge three-year project, so I was oddly grateful at the possibility of fitting even more into my day.Â
But while a space between two meetings might not be necessary, no space between three or four got to be untenable. A few months ago, I realized I needed time to breathe, and so I blocked an hour every day for me, for whatever. At first, it was disruptive, and a few people had to wait a few days to meet.Â
But then, it was amazing. I was so much more productive simply by having a little time to think and process during my day. It also meant I spent fewer evenings on my laptop – I had time during my day to write.Â
It’s not perfect but it has made a big difference.Â
Julie