Make an Appointment with Yourself

time for me concept clock closeup

Image courtesy of istockphoto/donskarpo

Getting any time by myself seems to be impossible.  The pressures are just always there.  I never have an empty plate.  I never think, “What will I do today?”  My to-do lists are never ending.

To get that time, I have finally realized that I need to make an appointment with myself.  I have to get away.  When I do, I find that my performance everywhere goes up.

Here are 7 Steps for An Effective Appointment with yourself:

1.  Make an appointment with yourself.  Put it on the calendar and block the time.

2.  Have a specific goal in mind.  When you review your calendar for the upcoming week, your mind takes note of that upcoming appointment.  If you have a goal in mind, your subconscious begins to work on it for you.

3.  Turn off the mobile device.  (Gulp.  Gasp!  This one isn’t easy for me.)

4.  Turn off your Internet connection.  Your brain needs uninterrupted time.  If your email keeps coming in, you know you will open it.  It’s not just me, is it?  You know that unopened envelope in the corner or the little sound of the email as it whooshes into your inbox?  Irresistible, right?  Try a software program like Freedom, allowing you to lock out the Internet.

5.  Find a quiet place (or at least a place where you are less likely to be distracted).  Before I had an office, I would book a conference room for a meeting with myself.  I’ve been known to go to the library for this time, too.

6.  Give yourself 12 minutes.  One of the reasons blocked time on a single goal is effective is because you are tuning out the distractions.  It takes your brain a while to clear everything else and focus.  If something comes to mind that seems important for another project, write a little notation and think, “I will remember this later.  I am letting it go for now.  My goal today is to _____.”

7.  Commit.  Don’t cancel the appointment and move it at every chance.  And don’t set yourself up with some ridiculous goal like writing a massive report in an hour.  Just block the time and start.  The discipline will begin to develop for you.  I often spend time in a personal brainstorm.  A creative writing class I had in high school began with us just writing as fast as we could.  I’ve adapted that practice to work.  For instance, I may block an hour to write about the changing market, where it’s headed, and what we should do to adapt.  When I’m done, I review my ideas and may pick a few out to bring back to the office.

 

Do you make time for yourself? What techniques work for you? You can leave a comment by clicking here.
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  • Adam

    I love this post.  I often get this time before my daughter and wife get out of bed.  My trick is to delay checking email until I have accomplished what I set out to do.  I do my best writing and thinking during the two hours when the house is quiet.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      Adam, thank you. Appreciate that. And that’s a great strategy as long as you are a morning person!

  • http://danblackonleadership.com/ Dan Black

    This is such a good post and topic. Taking time for self is so important. I frequently take time for myself at the beach, walking and thinking, it does wonders.  

  • Steve Pate

    Like many people, my daily calendar is full of important meetings and project sessions, but the highest priority meeting is the one I have with myself first thing every morning.

  • http://www.thadthoughts.com/ Thad Puckett

    I have done this only occasionally, but I always had this guilty feeling if someone wanted to set a meeting for the same time allotted for the “time for me” appointment.

    Nonetheless, there is a huge need to get alone and simply do nothing.  We live far too cluttered lives.

  • http://dreamjobprogram.com/ Drew Tewell

    I like to use my mornings for things that are important. And the key for setting aside time in the morning happens the night before when I go to bed on schedule.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      Good to know what works for you. I’m so busy in the morning it’s hard to get time to think, but I know for many this is the best time. Thanks for commenting. I appreciate it.

  • http://www.jmlalonde.com Joe Lalonde

    I make time for myself early in the morning. I’m able to wake up earlier than my wife and focus on “me” time. 

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

       A great practice that obviously must play a role in you doing all that you do.

  • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

    Great post Skip! 

    Just to clarify, the appointment time you are talking about here is geared towards working on one specific goal?

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

      You did catch that I was vague on that point. It really depends on what your needs are each season. I find some time to work on a single task or to take some time to review my goals. It’s up to you how you use it, but it’s often shifts your priorities.

      • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

         I hear you.

        The keys will work on general ‘me-time’ or goal-focused appointment.

        Great thoughts.

  • http://www.donaldlafferty.com/about Don Lafferty

    Great advice, Skip. Often, my thinking time is relegated to those times when I’m in the car, riding the lawnmower, or sitting on the beach, but the sheer amount of quality thinking I’m able to accomplish  during these “disconnected” patches of time makes a good case for simply scheduling that time to fit into the typically hectic week.

    But who do I bill the time to? ;-)

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

       Just don’t bill me, Don!

  • http://cindyhirch.com/ Cindy Hirch

    Skip – this is something I have intentionally worked at doing the the past couple of years.  There is still an internal fight to not follow through, but it does wonders when you are actually able to decompress for a time. Turning off my mobile device is probably the most challenging for me.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

       Me too! I am excited about new technology tools that help with this. We cannot talk about personal power or leadership if we can’t master this though, right?

      • http://cindyhirch.com/ Cindy Hirch

         Absolutely Skip – we need to be the influence for others that shows we are striving to be what we profess.

  • http://www.lincolnparks.com Lincoln Parks

    Wow Skip, you had to hit me in the gut with this one today. Everything you listed here to do to take time for yourself I find absolutely difficult to do. Turn off my cell, not look at email.. Now you are killing me..

    However, this is the difference between those that get things done and those that don’t. A great friend of mine Chris Cooper just wrote a book on getting stuff done and I can’t wait to read his book. Its the tough things that we need to do that make us better people. Thanks for kicking me into taking time for myself. Now I need to actually go implement it.

    • http://www.skipprichard.com/ Skip Prichard

       Go for it, Lincoln. You are someone who is constantly giving, so taking some time to refresh will only maximize your effectiveness!

      • http://www.lincolnparks.com Lincoln Parks

        Thank you Skip, I will do exactly your steps as laid out above.

    • http://intentionaltoday.com/ Ngina Otiende

       Lincoln, it’s one thing to get kicked about, quite another to actually implement it, right? i feel you!

      • http://www.lincolnparks.com Lincoln Parks

        Absolutely Ngina.