Control and Flexibility

November 7, 2023

I need to free myself from my schedule. Not dive deeper into my schedule.

How do I practice this?

Following up on my previous post, "Scheduling," I have been practicing my upper left and lower left exercises for about a month now, and as expected, change has come from an unexpected source. The exercises had me practicing how to relate more with myself and with others. The results were that I slowed down and looked for messages coming to me. In doing that, I found two key resources that have provided me with new perspectives on how to view this problem in a way I couldn't see two years ago. First, there is the book "Laziness Does Not Exist" by Devon Price, Ph.D. In this book, they discuss the "Laziness Lie" and how it contributes to the hustle culture prevalent in Corporate America in the US. They explain how this culture started with the Puritan religion. In that faith, members believe that if you work hard today, you will be rewarded in the future. The author goes on to connect this belief with how the salves were treated in the US. The slave owners promised good fortune for their slaves in the future, even if that meant after death, if they worked hard today. It doesn't take a considerable stretch to get from that to the corporate culture today, which says, "Work hard today so that you can rest and enjoy your retirement in the future." This book and these connections helped me realize that my work ethic and struggle to get out of my "productivity" mode after leaving the workforce are not struggles unique to me. Most people today are in the same battle, whether they are currently employed or not. What I also appreciated from this perspective was that when I try to do something different, meaning I focus on doing something fun and relaxing instead of productive, I find that it's hard to talk about it with others because I feel that I'll be judged for being lazy. I now understand that this feeling is because I'm doing something against the corporate culture. It's not a personal judgment against me. 

The second resource was a podcast I listened to called Mindful in 5 Podcast. In the episode "Flexible Routines: Structure Without Stress," I learned a method that the host uses to schedule her day. She plans for blocks of time during the day, but she does not attach those blocks to the clock. I have implemented this by setting aside 1.5 hours in the morning to write, read, and do what feels right for me to start my day. I can do this anytime between 8:30, after my son leaves for school, until noon, when I stop and eat lunch while watching the news. I might receive an unscheduled call or run an errand, so the 1.5 hours could start at 9:00 or at 10:21. It's up to me to use the time as I see fit, while fitting in the important tasks I want to accomplish in the morning. Scheduling only 1.5 hours of my 3 hours in the morning gives me that flexibility. In the afternoon, have a similar block, but this one is 2.5 hours long, set aside for productive tasks such as working on non-profit work, personal finance items, and coaching calls. Again, it is not connected to a set time. It can move between 12:30 and 4, leaving flexibility in case something comes up, such as my dad coming over to schedule a time to golf together. This way of blocking time has been a game-changer for the last two weeks. Most days when I have implemented this, I feel more relaxed, more open to possibilities of what I can do, and more in control of my time. It has reduced the stress of feeling over-scheduled and unhappy.

These resources have unlocked something meaningful for me, giving me a sense of control and flexibility in my schedule that I’ve never experienced before.

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