Occasionally, I mess up.
A few Mondays ago, I played the role of an epic idiot. Typically, on Monday afternoon, I have a 1–2 pm meeting, which rarely lasts until 2, followed by half-hour appointments at 2, 3, and 4 pm.

On this particular Monday, I had scheduled a podcast recording (an activity I love doing) for the 2 o’clock slot, while rescheduling my original 2 pm appointment to fit into the 3:30 to 4 pm slot.

THEN, an opportunity arose to visit a group and talk about an amazing upcoming event (the Referral Accelerator, on June 14th). I was supposed to be there from 1:30–2.

Amid all these back-to-back meetings, I was striving not to feel overwhelmed. I kept reminding myself that I wasn’t busy, rather well-scheduled. However, that day turned out to be a bit too well-scheduled, especially when my speaking engagement ran over, making me late for my podcast recording. Fortunately, it was a recorded session, and the host was okay with my slight delay.

In the end, it all worked out. HOWEVER, this experience reminded me why I have certain boundaries in place.

With this experience fresh in my mind, it is time to reflect on the lessons learned and how to avoid repeating this in the future.

Here are my rules for maintaining my sanity and avoiding the ‘idiot’ tag:

I was reminded of WHY I almost always leave a 15-minute break between meetings. Occasionally, I do have back-to-back meetings, though they tend to spike my stress levels. I need to ensure I log off on time and promptly log back on, and that does not even account for standing up from my desk or refilling my water, among other things.

The calendar I use for online scheduling automatically includes this 15-minute gap between all my one-on-one meetings. This is also incredibly helpful when I’ve promised to send something after the meeting, allowing me to get it done before moving on.

If I’m going to have back-to-back meetings, then I need to ensure that it’s only a single occurrence, and not a wall of back-to-back meetings.

This practice is instrumental in maintaining my sanity, especially when sitting in a chair on Zoom for many hours a day (my Monday mornings are almost as well-scheduled as my afternoons).

What are your tips for making the most of your calendar, both with online meetings and when getting out and about?

And, if you want more tips and tricks on making the most of your time, join us in 1 week for the 5 Day More Time Challenge https://bit.ly/TKMoreTime