What I Wish I Knew Before Trying to Time Block My Life

I once printed out a color-coded calendar, blocked every hour, and told myself this is it - I'm becoming 'That Girl'.

Spoiler Alert: That Girl didn't last the week.

Let's talk about time blocking. The glorified productivity hack that's supposed to turn your chaos into clarity. And to be fair... it kinda can. But not before it humbles you like a toddler ina tiara trying to host a TED Talk.

Here's what I wish someone told be before I tried to time-block my entire life like a Pinterest productivity queen:

1. It's Not the Calendar. It's Your Capacity.

I used to blame my Google Calendar for "not working" when really? I was trying to cram a 30-hour dream board into 10-hour day.

Your time block can't fix the fact that you said yes to too many things. It just makes you more aware of how little time you actually have. Which, honestly, hurts.

2. Creative Energy Doesn't Show Up on Schedule.

Some days I can knock out five brilliant ideas before 9AM. Other days, I spend two hours deciding what font feels like me.

And when your flow state finally kicks in, nothing kills it faster than a pop-up alert saying "30 mins: Inbox clean-up." Nope. Bye.

3. You're Not Lazy. You're Human.

I used to spiral when I didn't stick to the plan. Like, What's wrong with me?

Why can't I be more structured?

Turns out... nothing's wrong. My brain just isn't a robot.

Some people thrive on tight systems. Others (me) need flexibility, room to pivot, and the ability to ditch the whole plan if something magical - or urgent - shows up.

4. Verbal Commitments > Calendar Blocks

When I say out loud that I'm doing something, I'm 10x more likely to follow through. That's how I'm wired. So now, I anchor key tasks to spoken accountability, not just digital reminders.

Time-blocking tip: Schedule a real conversation around the task. Not just a solo checkbox.

5. It's a Tool, Not a Personality Test

You're not failing at life because you didn't stick to your planner. You're just learning what rhythm works for your brian, your business, and your bandwidth.

Time blocking isn't about rigid control.

It's about clarity, prioritization, and grace.

(Heavy on the grace.)

The Ally Edit:

I still use time blocks - but they look different now.

I keep them loose. Fluid. Anchored around high-impact windows and protected "no-fly zones" (aka, time to not be scheduled).

It's not perfect. But it's mine.

And honestly? That's the point.

DM me if you've been spiraling in your Google Calendar too. I've got a few tricks, and at least one iced coffee-fueled pep talk with your name on it.

(260)437-9968 | allybills@serhant.com