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Whatever the reason, our level of seniority or our profession, everyone can fall into the trap of taking “too much”. This is when you have to take control of your agenda, to manage your time, in other words to take back control of your life, is essential. <\/p>\n
I’m sure you know the impacts of overdoing it, and it’s always good to remember them.<\/p>\n
The potential impacts of losing control of one’s agenda (or life) (or putting work at the center of one’s life)<\/strong><\/p>\n I’m willing to bet that in all your life goals, these impacts are not part of it, but what you want is probably:<\/p>\n (in addition to achieving your ambitious goals!)<\/p>\n The following tips will help you regain control of your schedule. It worked for me. I have regained control of my life, and I manage to maintain them because they are simple and effective. <\/em><\/p>\n Zero banal. Requires a few minutes of hindsight. <\/p>\n For me, it was to have a better quality of life: I had less and less patience with my loved ones, or being patient required a lot of energy. I had less and less pleasure in general. And an appointment with the doctor and the scale were fatal! <\/p>\n The reason must come<\/strong> from you, not from someone who asks you to take more time for this or that.<\/p>\n The only way to take action is to raise awareness.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n In other words, take a step back.<\/p>\n If you never have quality time with yourself, how can you make awareness?<\/p>\n You do not have to self-isolate for 2 days. Take 5-10-15 minutes a day. Half a day per month. <\/p>\n If you are a leader, it is part of your role, your “tasks” to take care of yourself.<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n What your team and organization needs is someone who maintains a balance 80% of the time. He is someone who does not force breaks and holidays and who does not take them. They need a consistent leader. <\/p>\n Without hindsight, it’s impossible.<\/p>\n For my part, I have a coach, because I realized that I needed someone objective. Alone I influence myself and I haven’t found someone in my entourage who had an unfailing neutrality when I need to share what stresses me for example. <\/p>\n Here’s another action to regain control of your agenda: take a step back. I write the following items every week to regain control of my agenda: <\/p>\n It takes me a good 30 minutes on Monday morning. I make myself a good coffee and I go for it. It has been scientifically proven time and time again that writing for “real” allows your brain to integrate. <\/p>\n I don’t know about you, but I always have lots of ideas, an email coming in, people and requests that demand attention.<\/p>\n I got stressed for a while because I didn’t know how to organize myself. Where do I keep track of all my ideas, my tasks, my priorities? Outlook, an application, a paper agenda? <\/p>\n I fixed that. I accept to have 2-3 places where I record my ideas and tasks. Simply, I don’t let the mess set in… Because in my periods of hindsight, I put them in the right place. <\/strong><\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n My best trick? Every morning I take 10-15 minutes to adjust my day’s planning and do urgent follow-ups.<\/p>\n Every evening I take 10-15 minutes to look back on my day (the wows of the day, and one thing to improve).<\/p>\n Pratico-practical, if I realize that for the past 1 or 2 weeks what I have to improve is to be more realistic in my planning, I stop and take the time!<\/p>\n On Monday, I take the morning to do follow-ups, complete those I wouldn’t have done the week before, I organize my week. Some do this on Friday afternoon, others on Sunday. The idea is to keep a moment for yourself to establish what you want most in your week. <\/p>\n For me, cooking is relaxing, and I’ve always loved cooking on Sunday nights. I had forgotten how much, before starting again. <\/p>\n This makes mornings faster, because lunches are done, evenings are easy.<\/p>\n In fact, I cook two nights a week (every 3 days or so). I save so much time just wondering what we’re going to eat in the evening and it’s better for my health! <\/p>\n I started this during the summer. 15 minutes for personal social networks per day. 15 minutes for professionals. <\/p>\n And emails aren’t always “opened.” My phone is often on “do not disturb”. <\/p>\n I take at least two to three times 90 minutes a day of quality without being disturbed. To date, I haven’t lacked anything capital. <\/p>\n I still have the secret dream of finding 2 hours a day to exercise, but haven’t made it yet.<\/p>\n Until I find the perfect solution, I have put in realistic and effective strategies and I prefer small steps to doing nothing. For example, for the exercise: <\/p>\n Whether it’s to have friends over, do twelve activities on the weekend or do things out of “politeness”. I say no, I take responsibility for managing my time around my life, my needs, my values and my goals. <\/p>\n I don’t need to tell the whole world that I’m changing some habits! At the same time, I explain where I am when I say no to something I usually say yes. It brings understanding, and has a great impact on my relationships. By communicating my limits and my needs, not only am I more in tune with myself, it brings great awareness to those around me! <\/p>\n What the 10 tips to regain control of your schedule allowed me to do:<\/p>\n\n
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So here are the 10 simple tricks that I have put in place and that I manage to maintain<\/span>.<\/h2>\n
Tip #1: Know Why You Want to Take Back Control<\/span><\/h3>\n
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Tip #2: Put the chances on your side to generate awareness<\/h3>\n
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Tip #3: Manage daily stress<\/h3>\n
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<\/strong>I chose to have post-it notes everywhere (my car, my handbag, all the rooms in my house). I note what is coming as it comes. I put the post-it in my paper diary and I manage them… in my next thing. <\/p>\nTip #4: I organize myself every day<\/h3>\n
Tip #5: I keep my Mondays to myself<\/h3>\n
Tip #6: On Sundays I cook<\/h3>\n
Tip #7: I Have Restricted My Phone Use<\/h3>\n
Tip #8: I found simple strategies, aligned with my life, my values, my needs and my goals<\/h3>\n
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Tip #9: I set my limits<\/h3>\n
Tip #10: I communicate about my limits, if necessary<\/h3>\n
In conclusion<\/h2>\n