How I Timeblock My Days as a Multipassionate Person
How I timeblock my days as a multipassionate person
I do… a lot of different things. This is always demonstrated most clearly when I’m asked the dreaded question: "So what do you do? I usually laugh and stutter a little and then start with “Well, I do a lot of different things.” and depending on the setting, I will edit the list accordingly.
But if I were to truly share it all, it would sound something like this: “I work a 9-5 as a fundraiser for an art and design college where I direct annual giving programs, I run a business as a freelance book editor, I direct a local contemporary dance collective and also dance professionally myself, I am a published award winning poet and try to find as much time for my poetry as possible, and I also create content on TikTok and YouTube showcasing the healthy, creative, balanced lifestyle that I try to strike between all of these things. And that list just includes jobs, professions; we haven’t even gotten into hobbies.”
So how do I “do it all”?
I use a method called “time blocking ” where I physically create blocks of time on my calendar for everything I want to do.
I know many of the folks following my journey are similar to me. Even just balancing a 9-5 and a side hustle while you get it off the ground can be incredibly overwhelming. In order to do it all, it's very important to make the most out of your days, and also prioritize rest, recovery, connection and things that bring you joy. Use a paper planner, your google calendar, or even a Notion layout to schedule out your daily routine hour by hour. Try to align this with your own patterns and needs, such as knowing if you’re more creative in the morning, or prefer to grind out your work at night. For me, a typical work day goes something like this:
● 7 AM wakeup
● 7:15 AM morning pages, write down priorities in my planner
● 7:45 AM work on poetry, read a book
● 8:30 AM edit and post tiktok vlog
● 9 AM start working 9-5 from home
● 11 AMish once I finish initial tasks from my 9-5, I work on customer service/answering messages for freelancing as well as any emails for content creation
● 11:30 AM I like to go to the gym midmorning if I can (usually on no-meeting days)! If I have more limited time, I do cardio or yoga at home – if I wait to the end of the day it’s much harder for me
● 1 PM lunch break, freshen up from workout
● 5 PM finish working 9-5 from home but stay at desk
● 5 PM work on freelance book editing or my business in another way
● 7:30 PM cook homemade dinner or order takeout
● 8:30 PM relax and unwind, sometimes work on freelancing another hour or so if needed, but usually do not
● 10 PM absolute logoff time, I never work past 10 PM to have good sleep hygiene and ensure I have time to relax and hang out with my husband!
This is a typical week day. On weekends, I spend more time tending to the dance company I direct and connecting with friends and family. I also spend that time reading books for longer periods, spending time outside, or catching up on work I wasn’t able to finish throughout the week.
It’s also worth noting that if I’m having an off day, I don’t necessarily stick to these time blocks. If I feel burnout coming on, I make sure to commit to less freelancing projects or extend deadlines so that I can rest more after my 9-5 is done for the day. Many times on Fridays, once I log off around 5pm, I’ll order takeout and watch netflix with my husband, or grab dinner or a drink out.
I guarantee that if you add these time blocks into your schedule, your freelancing work or side hustle will take off. 1-2 hours of work each day may not seem like a lot, or not enough to truly get a business going, but I promise, those hours add up if you’re consistent. Time blocking on a physical calendar makes it far more likely that you will actually commit to that block of work, bringing you closer to whatever it is your multipassionate, beautiful soul wants to accomplish.
