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Podcast launching. Books being written. And We Continued first Live being planned. Newsletter. School. Video creation. Other things. These steps are adding up and it’s all full steam ahead.
I mentioned before in a previous post that I love doing a lot of things. A full schedule is like a stomach full of warm, tasty food. One thing I noticed about having a full, unplanned schedule is that it is easier to be overwhelmed and burnt out. That’s why I went on my time management extravaganza to make things organized.
I have been doing that for a minute and I observed something vital.
I was trying to control every second of my day with time management. It wasn’t being a gentle guide like I learned I needed.
I am not entirely sure how to maximize my days yet. I tried out time-blocking everything I needed to do every day, and it worked out semi-well. I tried different apps like Asana and realized after setting it up, I haven’t touched it. I also learned the plain old calendar app paired with a habit tracker works well for me.
However, I want to revisit the soft disciplined, aligned way of doing things.
To set the tone of what I am talking about, let me reveal a bit of my current calendar.
This color-coded bad boy took me a full day to make. This color-coded bad boy also made me burnt out when trying to follow it. I built the thing with an AI assistant and tried to stick to it.
Did I manage to do it every single day? Nope. Did I manage to do it myself some days? Never, if I am being honest. I didn’t beat myself up when I didn’t. However, I need something I can hit consistently, something more human.
I do admit that admitting defeat made me feel… inadequate at first. I know girls that can do time-blocking like nobody’s business. They wake up at five am and are super productive. They can keep up with it all.
I am learning… that I cannot. A part of me wants to try harder, but another part knows that I have to move on to what is right for me. I am using my secret weapon to map out my next step. That secret weapon is…
My personality type!
I am huge fan of personality tests. I love all of them. The one that I use the most is Myer’s Briggs. I want to see what schedule will work best for me, an INTJ. I find that most time management systems are built for the xSTJs. If you have no clue what I am talking about, I would suggest checking out an article about Myer’s Briggs types.
I am trying to figure out how to work with my brain and not against it. The last thing I learned, and the biggest reveal of this whole process, is figuring out what is productive for me.
Ticking off a bunch of things that get me nowhere is not productive. Working for hours a day and not getting anywhere is not productive either. I want to work smarter and get further. That’s what I want to do, and that’s what we’re getting closer to figuring out.
Let’s learn and try out more things!
Sincerely,
Your Author Bayinnah
Check-In Chat
For this check-in, I want to know what kind of tasks and activities work with your body and not against it?
I am going to answer this question in the community chat myself. The only people who can access community chat are other paid members, so it is more intimate and filled with like-minded, supportive people.
If you want to share it in the chat community, great! If you don’t, also great! It is up to you and there is no pressure at all.
Journal Prompts
What about my current time management system feels draining?
What about my ideal schedule excites me?
What time of day do I feel most energized and focused?
How do I define a “productive” day?
What scheduling techniques have worked for me in the past?
What would my perfect balance between structure and flexibility look like?
How can I integrate more rest into my daily workflow without guilt?
🎯 Action Steps
😵 Assess What’s Not Working
Reflect on the systems you’ve tried and identify what parts felt overwhelming or unnatural. Let go of what doesn’t serve you.
🤸♂️ Experiment with Flexibility
Instead of rigid time-blocking, try task batching, themed days, or energy-based scheduling to see what feels most sustainable.
Trying things out and failing is useful. Every stumble breeds a stronger stride.
Sincerely, Sincerely,
Your Author Bayinnah