Hey friend, welcome to the REDEEM Her Time Podcast…
Just a minute…my hubby just landed and is texting me a question before he drives home.
Ok, I’m back. I’m so glad you’re here for another timely tip episode…
Wait, now my daughter is calling from college- you never know when she’s gonna call or what she needs, so I’ll be back in a second.
Ok, back again. True story. Today’s Timely Tip is about how to handle interruptions…don’t you love when God humbles you and gives you extra practice!?!? I must still have a lot to learn.
So what interruptions are popping up for you lately?
You’re not gonna believe it…my mom is calling now…hang on.
Seriously, I couldn’t make this stuff up if I tried!
Ok, back again and even more sure this is what you need today too. Today’s episode is in response to a question submitted by Danielle, one of my REDEEM Her Time Community members- not only does she get featured on the podcast, she also gets personal support inside the group to implement the solutions.
Speaking of which- are you in the community? If you’re a member you get daily inspiration, reminders and tough love to be intentional with your time…and if you’re not, what are you waiting for? Go check it out at redeemhertime.com/community. And while you’re there, check out the podcast page where you can leave a question via voicemail and get featured on the show too.
So here’s her question…
What are some good strategies when your schedule isn’t completely under your control? For example, I can plan and time block but right now I could also get that time interrupted for a house showing. Then everything gets flipped all around. How do I stay on track and purposeful with my time and yet remain flexible for the unplanned interruptions?
Great question. Interruptions are inevitable in life- for Danielle it’s the last minute house showing… for you it might be that text or phone call from your loved ones (I hear ya) or a sudden knock at the door or unexpected news or someone who’s sick or a thought that pops in your head…or a whole host of other things that demand your attention when you’re trying to focus on something else.
So what’s a girl to do to handle interruptions so they don’t throw her plans out the window? I’m so glad you asked Danielle…I’m sure others are asking the same question too. Here are 3 ways to handle those interruptions.
Actually, we’re gonna start even before the interruption intervenes…got your notes app ready?
- PLAN AHEAD. The biggest mistake you can make is relinquishing all control over your time and throwing your hands up in surrender because something may come up. In that case, you’ll be tossed back and forth by every little thing that appears and most of your time will be wasted. Instead, make a plan.
The first step is to identify your Top 8 priorities (we talked about how to Identify your WITH-GOD Priorities in Episode 98, so go back and relisten for help to identify yours in this season). If 8 feels overwhelming to start with, cut it down to just 3. And what’s your 1 Thing in this season? (see Episode 95 for more on how to focus on just your 1 thing).
If you feel like you need more support with this process, no worries, we’ll dive more deeply into your priorities and needs in the 8 key areas of attention inside the new REDEEM Her Time Program coming soon, so be looking out for it… and don’t forget to get your name in the drawing for $100 OFF by leaving a review.
Next, plan out your ideal week. I highly recommend you do it on paper or in a paper planner, but if you are absolutely a digital girl, use something like Google Calendar where you can see the whole week on 1 page. Trust me, it makes a big difference. Here’s the key- make sure your Top 8 + 1 Thing get prominent timeblocks on the calendar- that includes not just your work, but also your faith-walk, your relationships, your finances, your wellness, your passions and your dwelling.
So…what would your ideal week look like? (Don’t give up before you start thinking there’s no way it’s gonna happen…cuz you’re right! But having a plan will ensure most of it still happens, even if it looks different than you thought.)
PRO TIP: Try to put the most important things in timeslots where the interruptions are minimal- for example, in Danielle’s case, chances are no one is looking at a house before 9 or 10 am, so she might wanna put her most important work first in the morning. Or if you have kids that go to school or nap, plan to do those things you need focus for when they are away or asleep. Or for an empty nester like me, think about when your spouse will be around (not that mine ever interrupts me…literally just got asked mid-sentence to go take a picture for something he needed right away) Or if you know that you are a morning person or perhaps a night person, schedule the things that matter most when you will be at your best.
And once you plan your ideal week, put it where you can see it. I recommend doing it by Sunday night so you already know where to put your focus when Monday morning rolls around. Speaking of which, I’d love to hear how it feels to see your ideal week once you have it…
- PREP AHEAD. What can you do ahead that will help make it easier to do what you planned, especially if you have to make a last minute change? In Danielle’s case, she works from home, so my suggestion is to have a biz to-go bag already filled with paper, pens, pencils, post its…whatever you can have packed ahead of time so when the realtor calls, all she has to do is grab her laptop, planner, and a charger and head off to the coffee shop (or her car parked down the street). What kind of to-go bag could you have on the ready for your important things to happen somewhere else? Maybe you’re trying to eat healthy, so you keep a bag of healthy snacks in your bag so if something interrupts your plans to head home for a meal, you’re not at the mercy of the closest drive through.
Another thing that could throw Danielle, or any woman for a loop is not having your house (aka dwelling as we like to call it around here) “ready” at all times for someone to pop in. When the doorbell rings or you see your neighbor walking up the drive or the realtor’s number pops up on your phone, how do you feel when you look around? TERROR?
If you ever feel like you need to hide in the back room and pretend you’re not home (and pray the kids or your hubby doesn’t answer the door) or ignore the phone and let it go to voicemail so you don’t have to answer (not that I would know or anything…ahem), perhaps you need a better system for maintaining your home.
Cuz let’s be honest, even if it’s not someone swinging by unannounced, clutter around you can certainly be an interruption to the important work you need and want to do. So make sure 1 of the priorities you time blocked is cleaning up the main spaces in your home and then each morning and evening, implementing a reset routine to take care of the daily messes.
For example, we are going on almost a year of not having a dishwasher (really long story) so my dishes sit on the drying mats all night. While I’m waiting for my coffee to brew in the morning, I quickly put the dishes away, wipe down the counters and take care of any piles in the kitchen. Then I’m ready for coffee and my quiet time- and my kitchen is ready to entertain if need be at a moment’s notice and won’t cost me hours of cleaning up at the last minute.
Does that give you some ideas of how to plan ahead? I’d love to hear what you come up with for your season of life.
- LOOK AHEAD. With those first 2 in place, hopefully you can eliminate or at least control some of the interruptions that may come your way…but you can’t control them all, which is why you need the right perspective to look ahead. When that interruption comes, first take a deep breath.
Next remember the verse from Proverbs 19:21 that we recently shared on Episode 102 about making plans- Many are the plans in a (wo)man’s heart, but the LORD’s purposes prevail.
That interruption is a great opportunity to ask, “Lord, what bigger purpose do you have in this?”
For Danielle, getting another showing is a good thing, cuz it’s moving her closer to being in her new home full time and a buyer would be a huge answer to prayer. For me, getting a text or a call from my family is a good thing too, cuz it’s growing our relationship (we’ll talk on a later episode about how to set clear boundaries so others don’t interrupt ALL the time).
What bigger purpose is there for YOU in your interruptions? Thank God for it and embrace the bigger things He is doing in your life.
Last, look ahead and ask, “How can I adjust?” Remember, just because you had planned to write that email at 10 am and the phone rings at 10:07 does NOT mean all your plans went out the window. Where can you move that task later in the day to accommodate what needs your attention now? If it’s a longer interruption, would it be ok if you didn’t get back to that thing at all today? Give yourself grace if your kid suddenly got sick at school or the dog tracked mud all over the floors you just cleaned. Some days are like that.
Speaking of grace, I have some very important things to say about that on our next episode, so before we leave today, let’s do a quick recap.
When interruptions come (and they will)…PLAN AHEAD, PREP AHEAD, LOOK AHEAD.
And always do a heart check- I remember back in the day feeling really frustrated and even resentful when my hubby, one of my kids or even a stranger intersected my perfectly laid plans…it was easy to get myself into a tizzy or throw myself a pity-party.
Instead, what a perfect time to ask, what do my feelings in this moment reveal about my heart? Am I being prideful? Selfish? Uncaring?
Does this plan that I am trying so hard to hold on to really even matter in light of eternity?
Ugh. More often than not, it was me that was wrong.
Maybe that interruption was God’s way of getting my attention. Maybe He has something for you in your interruption today that you would have missed if you held tightly to your plans.
And if you find that you’re getting interrupted all the time, can I give you some tough love? Maybe it’s YOU that’s the problem. That’s actually a good thing, cuz that means there’s something you can do about it. Maybe you need to work with a Priorities Protector…did you know that’s part of my job title?
Head on over to the REDEEM Her Time website at redeemhertime.com to Schedule a 15 min Strategy Session , leave a question or review of the podcast or join the community…and let’s get you headed in the right direction
Thanks for growing with me on this Timely Tip episode.
Can’t wait to see you over in the Community where we’ll talk more about how to implement these 3 tips into our lives.
And until next time remember…
You DO have ALL the time you need to do ALL He has called you to.
Focus on who + what matters most to Redeem your Time in this season and in light of eternity…cuz you are here for Such a Time as This.
Visit the REDEEM Her Time Website at https://redeemhertime.com to
> Grab your free guide to REDEEM Your Time in 5 Min
> Schedule a free 15 Min Strategy Session
> Join the REDEEM Her Time Community (and get your first 3 days free!)
>>> or DO ALL-THE-ABOVE!
P.S. And don’t forget to leave a review to get your name in the drawing for $100 OFF!!!
