I am in month #2 of an Unstructured Time Experiment …

There’s a gradual transition underway before this new schedule will be in full effect.  To honor my agreements with those who were scheduled prior to my “new” schedule kicking in to gear, I still have a few client sessions during my Unstructured Week – but only one day during the week, is this the case.

When the idea was first “seeded” and I started to consider putting this into place … I had *ALL KINDS* of resistance rise to the surface!  All kinds of “not enough” stories and who-do-you-think-you-are questions.

Can you afford it, Tara? I mean, really … Who are YOU to decide it’s ok to be less available for new clients? And if prospective new clients have to wait, sometimes 3-4 weeks for a Dream Discovery session, you’re going to miss the chance to work with them … They’ll go find another coach! They won’t *wait* that long. Pfft!  AND – with a team to pay and your expenses being higher than ever, you really have no business even *thinking* about doing such a thing. Utterly arrogant. It’ll be financial sabotage…. And what will you DO with this time exactly? Follow creative inspiration?!? You’re not sure exactly?? Maybe you’ll organize your office? Go to the gym every day that week? Sit in cafes? Pfft! Sounds like playing hooky to me, Queen Tara. An all around terrible idea!

And on and on it went …

But I figured, what the heck, I’ll give it a few months.  I can always go back to my “old” schedule.

In full transparency, my “client time schedule” over the 10 years I’ve been in biz has changed over time, in phases …

Phase I: Anytime, 7 days a week, as long as I’m not sleeping.

Phase II: Monday – Saturday, as long as I’m not sleeping.

Phase III: M-F, as long as I’m not sleeping.

Phase IV: M-F, 9am-6pm.

Phase V: M-F, 9am-6pm, except Wednesdays which start at 11am.

Phase VI: Monday-Thursday, 9am-6pm, except 11am start on Wednesdays, and Fridays available for VIP Days.

Phase VII: Tuesday – Thursday, with 11am start on Wednesdays, and Fridays available for VIP Days.

And now …

Phase VIII: Tuesday-Thursday, with 11am start on Wednesdays and Fridays available for VIP Days, 3 weeks out of the month….

And so far so good!

I’m really learning how important Unstructured Time is for me.  How it allows for creative ideas and inspiration to bubble up. How sometimes I want to write, and sometimes I want to organize, and sometime I want to collaborate, and sometimes I want to play, and sometimes I want to revamp an old something into a new something, and sometimes I want to be in nature, and sometimes I want to be in a public library or a museum, and sometimes I want to take a nap, and sometimes I want to wake up early, and sometime I want to go to bed late.

Here are just a few of the results of my two-month Unstructured “Week 4” Time:

• Revamped and restructured an old program into a new and up-leveled more streamlined version that better serves my clients and my team.
• Followed an in-the-shower inspiration … connected with a colleague and pitched a collaboration idea and, after just a 1-hour “on fire” phone call, wheels are now in motion for a very fun “on the stage” event that we foresee will be duplicated, city after city…
• Reflected and reviewed how I’m spending my time and as a result have reached out and started interviewing to hire a new Create Your Life! team member to take a time-consuming task off my plate.
• I had an idea for a brand new business all together and conversation is underway with an interested partner.
• The closet in my bedroom is organized like never before which makes getting dressed everyday a delight.
• Plans for a dream trip is in the works.
• Hot baths in the middle of day, because I can. (And with more frequent gym-time, what used to be a luxury feels more like a need.)
• Leisurely lunch dates.
• Long walks with my pup….

And, for the record, NONE of my fears have proven true. Revenue has gone up, not down. I’ve even started to wonder what Phases 9 & 10 might look like!

Thanks for reading. I felt like sharing. And I had the time to do so.

I’d love to hear from you … What does reading this inspire for YOU?

My hope is that you too might look at new ways to schedule your time, allowing for more Unstructured Time and the emergence of a new kind of productivity in your life and your work.

Carpe diem.

May your dreams always inspire more than they intimidate,