I know what I’m about to say is easier said than done. I still struggle with it. But if you can crack this skill, even slightly, it is so fucking worth it. I promise. 

That skill is time-blocking your calendar. 

Yep, a simple calendar habit will give you your freedom back. 

I didn’t always believe this. I actually believed for a long time in “calendar-free days.” I guess another way to say that is if my calendar had nothing on it, I was winning the day. 

Turns out I was flawed in that belief. It wasn’t the calendar I was fighting. It was unnecessary meetings. It was time wasters. It was feeling like I wasn’t in command of my own day. 

So, in the spirit of winning back my time, I went hardcore freedom - no calendar, damn the man. 

I didn’t have a calendar to worry about anymore, so what next? Then I had a to-do list. But those to-do’s sure started piling up. More and more and more and more. It felt overwhelming. 

That’s until Inside.com CEO, Jason Calacanis, introduced me to time-blocking. 

This was the perfect combination of what I was looking for. It was freedom and structure. 

While some might see it as a hectic schedule or too constricting, I see it as ultimate freedom and control over my day. 

Okay, Time Blocking… What is it? 

It’s when you have all of your day mapped out on your calendar - small, big, work, personal. Have it all on there. And give each of it a dedicated space to happen. For example, if I need to write a newsletter, I add it to the calendar to give myself a time, and time frame, to complete it in. 

Hell, I’ll just show you. Here’s what today looked like for me. 

You might look at this at first, and start to cry. Don’t. Breathe. It will be okay. By mapping out my day like this, I can not waste time thinking and just be in a constant state of flow with accomplishing my goals for the day. 

After doing this for a few weeks, you’ll quickly realize the benefits. So now I have a rule: if it isn’t on the calendar, it isn’t happening. 

After all, the greatest asset in life is time. It’s the one thing no one is making more of for you or me. We have what we have. And I want to be in control of how my time is spent. This is the best way to do it. 

Master the calendar, master your time. 

Give it a try. 

-AJM

p/alexmedick · @ajmedick