Planning for the Unexpected: Turning Life's Curveballs into Smooth Sailing
Ever feel like life throws you a curveball just when you’re getting things together? What if I told you that the secret to handling life's unexpected interruptions isn't about avoiding them—it's about planning for them instead? In this blog post, I'll share a valuable lesson I learned in planning for the unexpected and how I've refined my process over the past ten years.
If you're reading this, you might be fed up with life constantly happening to you. You're tired of putting all this work into getting your life together, only to have an emergency, the unexpected, or even your boss turn things upside down.
I've been there—exactly where you are. And do you know what was keeping me there? The belief that I couldn't do anything about the unexpected, that life was simply going to happen to me anyway. You might believe the same thing, which is why you're here, wondering how on earth I overcame that terrible thought trap.
The Turning Point
A story from more than ten years ago sets the stage for my journey toward mastering the unexpected. As a second lieutenant in the United States Air Force, I thought I was a whiz at managing my calendar, organizing, and planning. But one day, I met someone who challenged me to change how I was doing things. Back then, I spent countless hours rearranging my schedule due to the chaos of the previous week, thinking I was saving time. In reality, I was consumed by anxiety over constant changes and guilt over falling behind schedule.
This changed when I got an invitation from my group commander. He was taking an hour out of his day to share with junior officers how he manages his calendar and inbox. Eager to learn from a Colonel, I attended, and he introduced me to the concept of maintaining white space on my calendar.
Implementing White Space
Being the productivity fanatic and efficiency-driven millennial I am, wasted time drives me crazy. However, I learned from Colonel Whatley the importance of white space—free time on your calendar to account for last-minute meetings and pop-ins. Implementing this involved not scheduling anything during certain periods, which posed its own challenges. My colleagues and leaders saw this as free time, often filling it with their own priorities.
Through further practice and learning, I discovered the art of scheduling blocked time from other Colonels. The challenge remained, though: what to do with the blocked time if no emergencies arose? I had no methodology behind this time, feeling it was wasted and encountering chaos when real emergencies hit.
Discovering a Strategy with 'Winning the Week'
A couple of years ago, I came across a book called *Winning the Week* by Demir and Carey Bentley, which presented a perspective shift. The concept of planning for unexpected, unplanned, unwanted work really resonated with me. By blocking time for unplanned activities based on past patterns, I started using excess time to get ahead on other tasks, pushing the deadline for white space instead of deleting it.
Though I don't fully agree with labeling everything unexpected as unwanted work—life can have delightful surprises too—the core idea transformed my planning. The key is to take the concept and personalize it, adding your own fun and quirky label to your blocked time or white space.
Applying the Concept
When it comes to implementing this concept, the first question is: How much time should I block off for life happening? Consider factors like the time of year, work, family, and your wellbeing. Track your time for a couple of weeks to establish a baseline. Once you've identified patterns, decide how best to spread out this time—whether a few hours each day or concentrated on specific days. The choice is yours, and adapting the technique to suit you is key.
My strategy? When unexpected time arrives and nothing urgent comes up, I focus on my top priority. I also emphasize the importance of recovery. While planning for life's curveballs, plan for your rejuvenation, too.
That's how I plan for the unexpected and minimize life's disruptions. Thank you for joining me in investing in your harmonious life—trusting me to help guide you on your journey to a happier, calmer, stronger you. Check out the next blog in this series, where I share my secret to staying organized when life feels overwhelming. Remember, I'm always in your corner. Until next time!