No Meetings Monday/Friday

About six months ago, I started experimenting with "no meetings Monday morning" and "no meetings Friday afternoon."

I began blocking off my calendar on Monday morning and Friday afternoon (then all day Friday) as OOO (out of office).

I work during these times, but I do everything I can to NOT schedule meetings.

Why?

I find the "warm up" time on Monday morning is invaluable for setting the tone for my week.

I use Monday mornings to get a few substantive tasks out of the way, building momentum for the rest of the day and week.

I use Friday afternoons to review the week and prepare for the next, making sure all loose ends are tied up.

This allows me to make a decision about whether I need to work over the weekend.

It also allows me to take a break if those loose ends aren't loose.

Yes, sometimes, I have to have meetings--or Court and hearings--during those blocks.

It also took a good four to five months for it to work consistently and actually create those open blocks of time.

I'm so glad I didn't give up.

It's been pretty magical to create this space in my week and I'm never looking back.

How do you experiment with time blocking on your calendar to make space and protect your time?

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