{"id":32601,"date":"2016-04-13T04:45:15","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T09:45:15","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/michaelhyatt.com\/?p=32601"},"modified":"2016-04-13T04:45:15","modified_gmt":"2016-04-13T09:45:15","slug":"dial-back-crazy-spring-cleaning-calendar","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fullfocus.co\/dial-back-crazy-spring-cleaning-calendar\/","title":{"rendered":"Dial Back the Crazy by Spring Cleaning Your Calendar"},"content":{"rendered":"

It\u2019s that time of year, right? Spring cleaning. It\u2019s an annual tradition that goes back forever. And most of us get a piece of the action. Seven in ten Americans participate every year<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n

I\u2019ve seen dozens of spring cleaning checklists, tips, and shortcuts. But there\u2019s one thing most of these lists miss, and it\u2019s usually far messier than any other area of our lives: our schedules. <\/p>\n

Calendar Clutter<\/h3>\n

Nothing gets filled up with useless odds and ends like a calendar. I\u2019m a planner by nature, and this is seriously the hardest challenge I face. I bet many of you struggle with the same thing.<\/p>\n

You know the story: past commitments that don\u2019t fit our present circumstances; too many yeses to other people\u2019s projects; breakfast meetings, lunch dates, and dinners with clients, colleagues, and old friends you were never close with to begin with.<\/p>\n\n

Between work, kids, friends, church, and our own desperate need for sleep, it feels like there just aren\u2019t enough hours. We get 168 a week, but it usually feels like we\u2019re trying to get by on half that.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s time to clean this mess up.<\/p>\n

Reclaim Your Schedule<\/h3>\n

Whatever your worries, trust me: You\u2019ve got this. As Daniel Harkavy and I detail in our new book, Living Forward<\/a><\/em>, there are really only four steps to finally find the breathing room you need.<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Get clear on your priorities.<\/strong> We do what we value. Sometimes we list things\u2014downtime, family meals, weekend rest\u2014as priorities. Meanwhile, our late-night emails, drive-through windows, and hectic Saturdays tell a different story.\n

    When we\u2019re clear about our priorities, we can honestly assess what\u2019s worth doing and what\u2019s not. There will be costs to reassessing. But there will also be major gains. FOMO is real, but it\u2019s not worth very much.<\/p>\n<\/li>\n

  2. Triage your calendar.<\/strong> Once you know your true priorities, you can start cleaning up the rest. There are three aspects to calendar triage:\n