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Dear Reader,

I’m writing today to share one of the most powerful productivity techniques I have learned in my journey as a female entrepreneur: time blocking.

But before I tell you what time blocking is and how it works, let me tell you a story:

A few years ago, when I was just starting my business, I was overwhelmed by the amount of work and responsibilities that I had.

I thought I was being productive and efficient, but in reality, I was wasting a lot of time and energy. I was constantly switching between tasks, checking emails, social media, and messages.

I was working long hours, but not getting much done.

The result? I was burned out, stressed out, and unhappy. I had no creative ideas or inspiration. I had writer’s block and couldn’t produce any quality content.

It was a mess.

That’s when I realized that something had to change.

I needed a better way to manage my time and energy. I needed a system that would help me focus, prioritize, and achieve my goals.

I then discovered time blocking.

And wow, there were so many benefits:

• I could now clearly plan my day and week ahead, so I knew exactly what I had to do and when
• I avoided multitasking, which can reduce efficiency and quality of work
• I set boundaries and expectations with myself and others, so I could say no to interruptions and requests that are not aligned with my goals.

Sounds great, right? But how do you get started with time blocking?

Here are some tips that I have learned from my own experience:

Start with your big goals and break them down into smaller tasks.

For example, if your goal is to launch a new product, you might have tasks such as researching the market, designing the prototype, testing the feedback, etc.

Estimate how much time each task will take and assign a deadline for each.

Be realistic and leave some buffer time for unexpected delays or changes.

Stick to your schedule and respect your blocks of time.

Treat each block as an appointment with yourself, and don’t let anything distract you from it. Turn off your phone notifications, close your browser tabs, and inform your colleagues or family that you are unavailable at that time.

Review your schedule regularly and adjust it as needed.

Sometimes things don’t go as planned, and you may need to reschedule or cancel some blocks. That’s okay, as long as you don’t make it a habit. Learn from your mistakes and improve your estimates and priorities.

I hope this newsletter has inspired you to try time blocking and see how it can transform your productivity and performance. I know it has done wonders for me.

If you have any questions or feedback, feel free to reply to this email or reach out to me on LinkedIn. I would love to hear from you.

Until next time,

Tulika