We schedule work meetings and calls in our calendar. How often do you schedule your personal agenda – time to read that book you borrowed from the library or to explore that new activity that caught your eye?

We seem to give importance to work commitments, enough to ensure that we don’t forget or double book. Why are we not doing the same when it comes to improving our personal lives?

There is another thing to note within just our professional lives. We are more intent on scheduling interruptions like calls and meetings than we are about blocking time for the real work like exploring a new technology or working on long-term big-picture things.

I recently started blocking one hour every night for reading and have found it to be pretty effective. Even on days when I can’t start on the dot, I still manage to read atleast for sometime. And pre-booking this slot eliminates any need for will power or decision making on when to read. Over time, I can also see a shift in mindset. As I see the value that this one hour gives to me, I no longer find myself grappling with guilt over prioritising it above other urgent commitments.

So, lets begin our weekly planning by first scheduling the important stuff – personal and professional – before we let immediacy take over.