Typically when we hear people talk about decluttering we think about “Konmari-ing” our entire home, donating trash bags of clothing to Goodwill, and having less stuff. But how often do you think about the need to declutter your schedule?
The good news is that just like decluttering your home – decluttering doesn’t mean getting rid of the things that you love! It actually means getting rid of the “clutter” in order to have more time to enjoy the things we really love.
DO A TIME AUDIT
As you begin to declutter your schedule be truly honest with yourself about where your time is going. Are you watching 5 Netflix episodes every night? Scrolling social media for 3 hours? Pressing snooze 8 times? Maybe you’re participating in “productive” hobbies or commitments that aren’t bringing you any fulfillment.
Every single one of us is wasting time somewhere. It’s up to you to recognize where. And the reality is that you probably already know, you just have to admit it.
DECIDE WHAT IS IMPORTANT
When decluttering a closet, I always recommend to take every thing out first. Every single thing. Then clean the shelves, vacuum the floor, throw out any garbage. AND THEN put everything back in.
It’s the same when you declutter your schedule.
Take everything out (except that absolute essentials – eating, sleeping, working, etc). Then be honest about how you’re spending your time – “throw away the garbage” or in other words get rid of the commitments that don’t add value to your life.
I’d recommend really simplifying your schedule for a few weeks. Even more than feels comfortable. Take that time to recognize what things you miss, what commitments you are happy to not have, and how you want to spend your dream day/week/month.
YOU CAN’T DO IT ALL
We’re lead to believe that we can do it all. We can have a thriving marriage, clean home, successful business, enough sleep, daily workout, an hour of meditation, healthy homecooked meals, weekly girls nights…you get the picture.
The reality is that we have to decide what our priorities are.
Sometimes we have to recognize that there are seasons in our life where we have to prioritize one thing over another.
There might be a season where you do feel like you can do it all, and that’s AMAZING.
Maybe even after your time audit, the reality is just that you’re in a busy season. Maybe you’re launching a business while you have young kids at home. Those are two BIG things. Give yourself grace if fancy homecooked meals aren’t in the cards!
Maybe you know your marriage needs extra attention and you have to put friendships on the back-burner. That’s OKAY (just explain this to your friends instead of ghosting them 😉).
DON’T TRY TO JUGGLE ALL THE BALLS
We all know the analogy of trying to juggle too many things, too many balls, and then dropping them. Instead of stressing ourselves out by keeping all the balls in the air – PUT DOWN the “balls” that aren’t as important.
When we try to juggle all the things, we don’t get to choose which things get dropped.
But instead be intentional about your priorities, and choose which aspects of your life can handle being put aside for a season. You will feel so much less stressed, and you will actually thrive at the things you have chosen.
PS – I share all my productivity tips here!
BE WILLING TO DELEGATE
Part of decluttering your schedule may be learning to delegate.
I recognize that this isn’t an option for everyone! But figure out what is possible! Can you have a conversation with your spouse about splitting the household chores differently? Can a family member watch your kids one day a week? Are you in a position to hire help – a babysitter, housecleaner, grocery service?
Often we’re stuck thinking that it’s weak to ask for help.
It is NOT weak to ask for help. I repeat – IT IS NOT WEAK TO ASK FOR HELP.
If you hate cleaning your home and are in a place financially where you could hire a housekeeper – do that! If a friend constantly offers to watch your kids but you feel bad – accept the offer!
We weren’t meant to do everything ourselves. We were meant to live in community, help each other and each use our own strengths!
DESIGN YOUR IDEAL SCHEDULE
Ok, I don’t mean “breakfast in bed, sit on the beach, and daily massages” – because that’s my actual IDEAL schedule LOL.
But think about how you picture your ideal life in your current circumstance.
I really value having a clean and organized home. But I know that sometimes I can allow myself to waste time on social media instead of cleaning my home.
My ideal schedule includes “putting my kitchen to bed” every night. This is a habit I implement most days in order to reach achieve that goal.
Another one of my goals is a thriving marriage. I know that successful relationships don’t just happen – they take work. So in my ideal weekly schedule I set aside time to spend with my husband.
I say “ideal schedule” because I recognize that life still happens. There are going to be days, weeks or months where things don’t go how we want them to. But if we keep coming back those goals, we will slowly achieve them!
CREATE A SYSTEM THAT WORKS
Did you buy a planner in January but you don’t even know where it went?
Figure out a system that works for YOU. Not what works for your spouse, boss, mom, or a random blogger on the internet.
Personally I HAVE to use a physical planner. I’ve tried apps, Google calendar. But nothing compares to physically crossing off the items on my to-do list.
After trying out several different planners that I wasn’t loving, I actually created my own weekly printable planner. And I’m sharing it with you today!
REEVALUATE YOUR SCHEDULE OFTEN
Just like I believe decluttering your home is an ongoing process – so is decluttering your schedule.
Our lives are constantly changing, and so should our schedules! What worked for you in one season may not work in another.
Be willing to reevaluate + pivot often.
I hope you enjoyed these tips on how to declutter your schedule!
