In this episode, Cheryl B. Engelhardt dives deep into one of her favorite topics: time management for musicians. She shares a game-changing strategy that challenges the traditional use of to-do lists and instead emphasizes the power of a calendar system. Cheryl explains why to-do lists can often become overwhelming and how shifting tasks into a structured calendar can create more time, reduce stress, and ultimately help you become more effective in your music career.
Key Takeaways:
- Ditch the To-Do List: Cheryl highlights the limitations of to-do lists, which often become overwhelming and lead to a sense of constant pressure. Instead, she advocates for transferring tasks directly into a calendar, where they can be managed in time and space.
- Embrace the Calendar System: By scheduling tasks in a calendar, you can alleviate mental clutter, trust your future self to complete tasks, and create a reliable structure that supports your goals.
- Flexibility within Structure: Cheryl discusses the importance of being flexible with your calendar, allowing yourself to move tasks if needed, but with a rule: don’t move a task more than three times. This helps maintain integrity with your past self and keeps you accountable.
- Prioritize Your Own Goals: Cheryl encourages musicians, especially those who are prone to people-pleasing, to prioritize their own goals in their calendars. She discusses the common pitfall of only scheduling commitments for others and not leaving room for personal projects.
- Align with Your Champagne Win: Focus on doing at least one thing each week that will move your career forward. Cheryl emphasizes the importance of small, consistent actions that lead to progress over time.
- Overcoming Emotional Blocks: Cheryl provides tips for overcoming emotional resistance to completing tasks, such as fear or procrastination, by building a strong relationship with your calendar and honoring your commitments.
Actionable Steps:
- Try It Out: For one week, ditch your to-do list and use a calendar system instead. Schedule every task and honor those commitments as they appear in your calendar.
- Create Boundaries: Ensure that your calendar reflects your priorities, not just the needs of others. Schedule time for your personal projects and goals.
- Set Weekly and Daily Goals: Each week, set one goal that will move your career forward. Break it down into daily actions that you can realistically achieve.
- Be Gentle with Yourself: Adjusting to a new system takes time. Be patient and give yourself grace as you transition to this new way of managing your time.
Quote of the Episode:
"The best calendar system is the one that you use. It’s about creating a system inside your calendar that lets you thrive, not just survive."
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