Time Blocking isn't sexy, but its LOWKEY saving my NERVOUS system
I’ve been quietly experimenting with time blocking since January, not in a hyper-optimized, color-coded productivity influencer way, but in a “I cannot keep living like this” way.
It was actually one of the goals I set coming out of a business retreat in January with Renee Bush and Brooke Stoll. At the time, I didn’t realize how much it would shift things.
And I have to say… It’s working.
The biggest shift isn’t that I’m getting more done (I am). It’s that I finally trust that things will get done. That low-grade anxiety of “when am I going to do this?” has started to disappear. Which, if you run a design business, you know, is kind of everything.
My time-blocking structure
Mondays
Internal work only. No one from “outside”, no meetings, no Zooms. Just space to think, plan, follow up, and actually move projects forward with my team and me.
Tuesdays–Thursdays
Client-facing or vendor-facing days. Discovery calls, presentations, site visits, anything that requires me to be “on.” These are the only days I offer to vendors or reps.
Fridays
Podcast + internal work. Another day of no “outside” meetings or Zoom marathons. I’ve said it’s okay to still have quick calls (15 minutes or less), but the goal is to keep it light. I’m doing this to set up my Summer Fridays for success again, so from Memorial Day to Labor Day, I can start my weekends earlier.
Some daily boundaries that helped
I don’t schedule anything before 9:30am or after 3:00pm.
Which means I now have built-in buffer time at the start and end of every day to deal with the stuff that inevitably comes up: emails, client requests, return calls, follow-ups, all of it. Instead of those things hijacking my entire day or spilling into my evenings, they now have somewhere to go.
And the time after 3pm? That’s been unexpectedly life-changing.
Besides helping me keep up on those random to-do items, I’m also using that time for all the personal stuff that used to get squeezed in, avoided, or pile up—haircuts, doctor appointments, getting my car fixed, life admin. The things that aren’t work but absolutely impact how I show up for my work.
For the first time in a while, my work and personal life feel balanced in a way that reminds me of when I first started my career—when I had fewer clients, fewer demands, and more space. Except now… I have more work and somehow more freedom at the same time.
That’s new.
Even my body is feeling the results
I’m also noticing that my brain isn’t rattled from context switching, I’m having fewer energy crashes, and overall a much more regulated nervous system. I’m not bouncing between deep work and performance mode all day long, which used to leave me fried (and also weirdly unproductive).
It also makes boundaries easier to hold. When someone asks for a Monday meeting, it’s not a negotiation with myself anymore. Can I still get what I planned to do finished, while still having that meeting? It’s an easy no, because I already know which days and times I can offer instead.
If you’ve been feeling scattered, behind, or constantly in reaction mode, this might be worth testing. Not because it’s the “right” system, but because having any system you trust is what usually creates relief. I like to have freedom, but it can easily let tasks fill an entire day.
Turns out, having structure isn’t restrictive; it’s what’s giving me my brain back.
Fizzles & Sizzles
Rebecca's Fizzle
Why do trips always cluster themselves? Three weeks of back-to-back travel sounds glamorous until you’re actually living it (and have to break it to your clients). Work trips, fun trips, and zero downtime in between have me feeling overwhelmed again. But also excited!
Rebecca's Sizzle
Spent a few days at Norwalk Furniture’s dealer open house. We toured the factory, soaked up the education, and I came home more inspired and confident than ever to help clients create their perfect custom upholstery.
Shaun's Fizzle
I’ve dreaded it my entire life, but I fear I really am entering my Early Bird era. I’m not rushing out into my day, but I’ve loved watching more sunrises, catching up on my reading, or journaling when the world is still quiet.
Shaun's Sizzle
I scheduled a day with a designer friend for the day after a big presentation. The day after is usually when my creativity and energy are at their lowest. Planning to do something fun gave me something to look forward to and refilled my energy instead.
