Schedule Schmedule
A peek into my tidy paper planner and my messy brain
I am a sucker for watching TikToks of people outlining their morning schedule. It always seems so weird an unattainable, parents of small children waking up at 5 to have a smoothie and workout, while I’m sleeping in until my cats have to check and make sure I’m still breathing. Yet it’s so compelling to think of how everyone can find order and wellness through a well-organized life.
This social media construction is faulty. Do not be like me and find yourself seduced by the meal preppers and careful journal keepers and cleaning queens.
Do, instead, what is life-giving for you.
This is an important caveat because I’d love to share what works for me, but in the least persuasive way possible. I’m not trying to convert you to my system. I just want to be transparent enough to show you how my multiple vocations fit together. I get loads of questions about scheduling. It’s less mysterious than you think.
One of my key weekly tasks is writing out my schedule in my trusty paper planner. I’ve used the moleskine planner for a few years now1 and it tends to be simple and compact enough for my needs. I do also keep track of most my important scheduled things in google calendar. But there’s something about taking time each week to sit down and dump it all out into my paper planner that I find satisfying.
If like me, you enjoy watching timelapse videos I hope you enjoy this little recording of me actually filling out my schedule for the week. You’ll notice a few things. One, I (sometimes) color code to keep track of the different categories. It helps me see quickly if I have church things every day or not enough scheduled time off. Plus it just looks nice.
The other major thing I do each week is note how many hours per day I plan on spending on church activities. I mark it just with a little circled number for each day. This helps me see if the activities are lining up to be something close to twenty hours a week. I find this most helpful on weeks that I have more church work toward the end of the week. Do I have a Saturday training scheduled for four hours? Then I don’t worry if I only work one or two church hours at the beginning of the week. This isn’t anything revolutionary, but without it I end up following my feelings of what I think I should be doing. As it turns out I just work weird hours and feel guilty when I don’t set up even a loose schedule at the beginning of the week.
More than a set system, I’m an advocation for any time of accountability. This could be self-imposed or shared with others. Writing it down tends to be enough for me. In the absence of a 9-5, it’s easy for work to consume your life 24/7. If you don’t work a 9-5, be sure you’re only working a 7-10 and 4-9, or 12-8, etc.2 Add up those hours, they tell a story of priorities, purpose, and overall well-being. If keeping to a 40-hour work week just isn’t working turn to those around you. It’s not a moral failing if you can’t keep everything organized. You might just need a friend.
I’d love to know what your scheduling looks like—share if you’d like!
Piano tip of the week
I’ve been welcoming small children to play at my piano lately, which means the piano keys have gotten a little sticky. Never fear, whether it’s your own piano at home or church piano there is a way to clean them. Do not use cleaners or disinfectants! Do use gentle soapy water. Get a whole run down about how to safely clean piano keys from our friends at Yahama.
What I’m listening to
Longtime favorite band Nickel Creek is on tour after releasing a new album and what a time it is to be alive. Take a listen to the album Celebrants. It deserves a straight listen through—it tells a story that way and has just the loveliest cohesion. But if you want just one track to listen to I like the rhythmic melancholy of Holding Pattern.
Glory to every true love As it once was As it is now and just might have to be forever
What life looks like
I quick built a cute little fishing hut in Minecraft with a whole backstory and everything this week. It makes me happy.
I used the Passion Planner for a little while and liked it well enough, but would get overwhelmed by the need to always have another goal. Sometimes I just wanted to chill, you know?
The 8-hour work day is hard-earned—pay attention to the advocating and protesting and labor efforts that have led to it.