Why Schedules Are Important to Living the Good Life

I heard once that each month you should budget every penny you are projected to make before one cent goes in the bank. I tried it for a while, and ended up with more savings than I have ever had before. I budgeted everything from how much I wanted to save to how much I wanted to spend on coffee. I was no longer living out of the mentality that if it was in the bank, it was fair game to spend, and it changed my spending habits.

Instead of locking my finances in a ‘no spend zone,’ it gave me the freedom to spend (or save) my money according to what I had allotted for myself. I didn’t feel bad about spending $4 on a latte, because I knew I could spend $35 on coffee for the month. It simply gave me boundaries for my spending, not a tedious list of do’s and don’t's I was enslaved to follow.

The same principle applies to scheduling your time. For some, a schedule can seem restricting and confining; a quick way to stomp out your ‘creative spirit’ or make everyday seem like a workday. I’ve found the opposite to be true, and here are a few reasons why:

·      Scheduling my time actually helps me tap into my creative juices faster. I don’t have the luxury to go out and find creative inspiration, so it becomes a practiced talent. I know some creatives are scoffing at this, and sometimes a walk in the park or visit to the town library is just what you need to find your next great idea. I’m talking about on the days when time isn’t allotted and you’re expected to produce. Scheduled brainstorming sessions and creative writing times will sharpen your skills and ability to call on your creative side more easily.

·      It will allow you to do the things you really want to do. We all have that secret drawer where all of our hopes and dreams are stowed away. It can be as simple as, ‘learn a new recipe every week’ that we never seem to have enough time to do. I have the beginnings of a book sitting on my external hard drive because I never ‘get around to working on it.’ Silly.

·      Your days will be more fulfilling and worthwhile. This doesn’t mean every minute has to be scheduled to have a life worth telling stories about. There is always room for the surprises off the beaten path brings. But for the normal day, that sense of accomplishment always seems to follow when you’ve had a productive day’s work and play, all on the same schedule.

·      It helps you narrow down what’s important to you. If you catch yourself slipping into hours of TV watching, only to realize Ross indefinitely will end up with Rachel, chances are you’re missing out on what you really want to do. Schedules don’t permit mindless time wasting and encourage doing things that you truly love. I love to write and I know I need to be constantly improving, so if stalking Facebook is eating away at my writing time, something needs to change. Boredom is not an excuse for inactivity.

The truth is, successful people live scheduled lives. Not demanding, air-sucking schedules filled with deadlines and ‘do or die’ subject lines, but times slots that are wisely and thoroughly thought out to help you truly live the life you want to live. It’s surprisingly a freeing feeling!

Do you have anything you desperately want to squeeze into your schedule? What scheduling tips have worked for you? I’d love to read about them in the comments.