Can you imagine what it would be like if your work week was just 20 hours?
Like, what would you do if you only had to work 20 hours per week?
How would schedule your week?
Would you drip it out and do 4 hours per day?
Or would you cram it into two, 10-hour days and then take 5 days off?
For me… I think I would work from 10am – 2pm each day.
I would take some extra time in the mornings for personal study, reading, and leisurely time with my boys before they start their school day. And then I would spend my mid-afternoons doing things like connecting with friends, going to the climbing gym (my new favorite workout), working on a new side-business or interest, or maybe just taking a nap.
Surely it would take a few months to “acclimate” to a 20-hour work schedule.
A sudden influx of significant free time — in perpetuity — is something that would take some getting used to. And, of course, I would want to use it wisely and not just flounder around.
. . . . .
I once read that — many years ago — analysts were predicting the future of modern work as being so efficient and productive that folks would be able to get done in just 20 hours what was currently taking them 40 hours.
The analysts assumed that, thanks to improvements in technology, efficiency, and productivity the future modern worker would be working less hours with the same output.
Well… here we are… decades later…. and guess what?
Sure… we have seen HUGE improvements in technology and productivity.
But has it reduced our workloads? Nope.
In fact…. I talk to folks all the time who are regularly working MORE hours (not less). They are doing 50, 60, and 70-hours per week.
And even with all those hours, many folks also feel guilty about any time they do take off.
. . . . .
What is a Hairball Schedule (and do you have one)?
When you think about your own schedule and routines….
Are things just piling up?
Do you have an ever-growing list of commitments, responsibilities, meetings, activities, and more? All the things you have to do and should do? And it just keeps growing?
And when you evaluate it all… you’re not actually sure what is working and what is not working…
If you are always adding and never cutting, then things get overwhelming very fast.
👆 That is what a life without strategy or clarity looks like.
With a Hairball Schedule you have no idea what is working and what is not working.
So you just keep trying to JUGGLE ALL OF IT in fear that you might accidentally stop doing the wrong things and not know until it’s too late.
If your life feels overwhelming and maxed out then chances are you’re spending a lot of time on things that are not producing meaningful results for you.
Because you can’t make heads or tails of that hairball schedule, you have to keep ALL of it in motion for fear of stopping the wrong things.
Now. Sure, there are some things you can try to help get your strategy back on track.
- Time-blocking your schedule to keep things in check.
- Talking to your boss about their expectations and communication.
- Not checking email on the weekends.
- Not checking your phone first thing in the morning.
- Planning ahead.
I love all of these approaches! But they only work in the long run if you can solve the Hairball Schedule to begin with.
Put another way, you wouldn’t want to time blocking a schedule that included useless meetings.
What does it look like to be more calm and clear?
This is what a life WITH strategy looks like:
Confident decisions.
Clear actions.
Calm, sustainable schedule.
Predictable results.
Getting here is simpler than you may think.
In fact, you can get going in just one day.
We’ve put together a compete structure and blueprint for what we call a Personal Retreat Day.
When I used to think about a personal retreat I would envision camping for the weekend. Get away from it all, you know? Go hiking, smoke a cigar by the campfire, be out with nature, come back home feeling refreshed.
But! As wonderful as that is, it’s not enough for getting clarity and eliminating your hairball schedule.
A true, personal retreat is different…
One piece is missing from my above outdoor scenario is your blueprint for breakthrough.
A Blueprint for Breakthrough
That’s why Mike Schmitz and I c-hosted a Personal Retreat Workshop.
This is a paid workshop where we give you a complete blueprint for what, how, when, and why to host your own personal retreat.
Register now: Personal Retreat Workshop
What: Personal Retreat Workshop: A blueprint for getting back and staying on track with your schedule, goals, time, and energy.
Where: Hosted live via Zoom
Price: Just $59
Includes:
- Full replay from the workshop
- Downloadable workbook with templates, sample schedule, checklists, and more for your retreat
Get Instant Access: Sign up here