How to Make More Room for What Matters

I was recently supporting a client who has a lot going on right now.

Work is especially busy. They have several trips coming up, both personal and professional. They also recently started a passion project that matters to them and is taking up a meaningful amount of time.

They were feeling scattered, stressed out, and close to burnout.

As we talked, it became clear that the challenge was not only about time management. It was also about expectations, capacity, and choices.

What do they want more of in their life?
What do they want less of?
What is realistic in this season?
What has to give if they are trying to hold a lot at once?

Sometimes the issue is not only that there is a lot to do. Sometimes the issue is trying to do a lot of things thoroughly, all at the same time.

Often, that is not realistic.

So one of the questions we worked through was this: when a lot is happening at once, are you going to do more things in a less thorough way, or are you going to do fewer things in any given stretch of time?

We also looked at time blocking and calendaring. I supported the client in identifying actual times in their calendar when they needed to focus on certain things, instead of only carrying a long mental list and hoping it would all fit.

We talked about ways to make things easier and more sustainable, too. For example:

• learning alongside others when you are doing something new

• getting exercise, outdoor time, and connection with others into your week through practices such as walk-and-talks

• developing templates and checklists to make recurring processes flow with more ease

Many people who feel like they are struggling with time management are not only dealing with a scheduling problem.

They are often dealing with full lives, high expectations, competing priorities, and not enough space to step back and make clearer choices.

The goal is not to do everything perfectly.

The goal is to make more room for what matters in a way that supports your energy, your well-being, and your ability to keep going.

A few questions to consider:

• What do you want more of right now?

• What do you want less of?

• What expectations may need to shift?

• What could become more manageable with a little more structure?

What would help you make more room for what matters right now?

Warmly,
Erica Mattison, MPA, JD
Executive Coach