In my head, I’ve planned this and many other posts, but I’ve had a block. We’ve all heard of—and many of us have experienced—writer’s block. But what I had was something different: a time block.
Most yearbook advisors and creators aren’t just yearbook advisors and creators—they’re also teachers, parents, coaches, holding other jobs, taking care of family members, and juggling countless responsibilities. This time of year can be particularly demanding as we transition from summer break to back-to-school. Whether it’s getting your own kids organized, organizing yourself, or simply adjusting to a new schedule, finding the time to fit in all the extra tasks required during this period can be a real challenge.
So, what exactly is a time block? According to Google, it’s a segment of time in a day reserved for a specific task or set of tasks—a time management technique that helps you stay organized and productive by dividing your day into blocks. This method works well for some people. But how do I define a time block in my context? To me, it’s the inability to find the time to complete my to-do list because other things constantly pop up, taking away those blocks of time I need to focus. I have too many things all demanding chunks of time—some short, some long, some repetitive, some spread out, and some all at once. My lack of uninterrupted, focused time to write blocks my ability to accomplish everything. So, it’s really time itself that’s blocking me. Honestly, I think a time block is just as bad as a writer’s block.
I have ideas in my head but no time to write them down. I’ve tried taking a notebook with me, but my downtime is usually spent driving or talking to people. I’ve tried using my phone to voice record, but I definitely write differently, and proofreading isn’t my strength—once I hear it or see it, my brain marks it as done, and I often miss the mistakes. I’ve even tried taking an iPad with me, but I’m always interrupted, and my thoughts become disorganized.
Google’s definition states that each block is dedicated to a specific task or group of tasks, helping with productivity, prioritization, reducing cognitive load, and preventing procrastination. That’s all well and good—until interruptions disrupt the plan, steal away chunks of time, or you don’t even have time to plan ahead. When this happens, I struggle with prioritization and motivation. My brain shuts down, and I get easily distracted or end up tending to immediate, smaller tasks. The jobs I do require immersion and focus, but during the hectic fall schedule, I only have short spurts of time. Each time I step away, I have to restart that mental immersion. I often end up not starting at all because I know I’ll be interrupted and won’t be able to finish, so I tackle quick tasks while the bigger ones get pushed aside.
It’s safe to say I get overwhelmed. Then I struggle to prioritize, so many times, it’s whatever is the loudest or has the nearest deadline that gets my attention. Sometimes, I can juggle everything, but other times, I can’t, and I need a mental break. Sometimes, my brain makes the decision for me and just shuts down. That’s how August has felt for me in most of my roles.
Finding time to organize my thoughts and plans during this time of year usually means I push certain things to the bottom of the list. Every year, I tell myself I’ll be more organized and plan ahead, knowing it’ll be the beginning of the school year before I know it. I know planning is the best tool to avoid this, but finding time to plan is also a challenge.
It didn’t just impact this blog, but all my jobs. Now that I’m settling back into the routine of having kids at school, and their scheduled games and practices, I’m starting to find my way back to writing and organizing my plan for the year. I will have a backlog of ideas and things I want to write about, and I’ll need to untangle and organize them, plan, and again find uninterrupted time to write. In all honesty, as guilty as I felt not keeping on track in August, it was nice to have a mental break from one part of my life.
When planning and organizing for the new yearbook year, it’s important to create a system and a kickoff plan you can rely on when you’re overwhelmed by life—whether it’s the beginning, middle, or end of the year. This is essential for your own sanity.
I’m still working on it—on big-picture planning that can help keep me on track and prevent that overwhelming feeling. Maybe you’ve had those times too, when you just can’t focus or the lack of time blocks your ability to get things done.
How do you help yourself when this happens? Do you use templates, forms, resources, or plan in advance to allow yourself some grace when focus is hard to come by?
Yearbook Groupie is working on some great printable or digital planning resources gathered from some of our advisor friends. If you have suggestions or ideas for something we can create or find, please let us know in the comments!