It’s not unusual to reject the feeling of being boxed in. It’s one of the reasons people have resistance to scheduling their time in 30-minute chunks and committing to firm plans. You worry that rigidity will squash your creativity, stifle your imagination, and take away your free time. 

It turns out the opposite may be true. 

Here’s the thing…

You can enhance all of those things when you create a daily structure in which to play. This means: 

• Determining your priorities and the order in which you’ll tackle them

• Giving each task a time window 

• Carving out designated timeslots for everything from work tasks to time with family and friends

In the same way that healthy boundaries help keep children and pets safe, a robust, granular schedule that organizes your daily life will give you more freedom to explore what’s most important to you. 

The idea that you’ll find more freedom in structured time schedules can feel like a paradox! 

So if you’re still unconvinced, keep reading because I’m going to share some tips so you can make this concept work for you.  

1. A daily schedule removes decision-making

Your brain is at its best when it’s in a creative thinking and problem-solving mode. When your mind is joining up the dots, making new connections, and innovating, you’re in the perfect mindset for uncovering the one idea that may change your life. 

Your brain can also store and recall information and make decisions, but these activities drain your creative energy. 

This is where a daily structure is your best friend. 

When you know what you’re going to do and when you’re going to do it, you reduce the number of decisions you have to make. 

When you finish one task, you don’t have to invest brainpower trying to figure out what you’re going to do next. Instead, you just look at your plan and carry on. 

[Insert Picture of a daily schedule if we have one]

Fewer decisions mean less brain fog; leading to increased productivity and creative output. 

2. Structure clarifies expectations and roles

Have you ever held back from taking action or implementing a brilliant idea because you weren’t sure if you had the remit or not? 

Structure can also clarify your permissions and boundaries. 

When you know where the edges are, you can push as hard as you want within those constraints. You don’t have to second-guess yourself or worry if you’re stepping on someone else’s toes. You know exactly where you stand, which means there’s no need to limit your thinking or your actions. 

When you know your playground, you get the freedom to play all out in that space. You get to take calculated risks, try out new ideas, and discover your hidden strengths and capabilities.

It’s a great place to be that’s going to inspire your best self. 

3. A daily structure sharpens your focus

A robust schedule empowers you to focus on what matters most - in that moment and environment. 

For example, if you designate Wednesday afternoons for deep work, you don’t have to worry about the other things on your to-do list during that time. Instead, you can switch off all distractions and double-down on the task at hand. 

Similarly, if your workout slot is 8:30 every morning, you can forget everything else and focus entirely on your fitness routine. 

In this way, structure stops you feeling guilty that you should be doing something other than the thing you’re doing currently!  

When you know your daily time schedule has everything covered, you can relax and be more present. 

And with less energy wasted, you’re going to get more done. 

4. Reduce stress and overwhelm 

A hefty to-do list is enough to bring most people out in a sweat! You can’t help but worry when and how you’re going to fit it all in. In turn, your productivity and quality decline because it’s harder to focus and concentrate.  

Your daily schedule helps eliminate this overwhelm because you can see how everything will get done. It’s how your plan creates security and confidence that you won’t get behind. 

In turn, you have the freedom to crack on and make amazing things happen. 

Don’t be afraid of structured time schedules! 

Your daily structure has the power to: 

• Boost your productivity 

• Sharpen your focus

• Increase your creativity

• Make you more present in the moment

• Strengthen your problem-solving skills

• Reduce stress and overwhelm 

• Deepen your work 

• And more! 

So get into the habit of planning your time robustly. Not only will you get more done in fewer minutes, but you’ll unleash your creativity too. 

And who knows where that’s going to take you…