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Today, we’re talking about how to actually manage your time in a way that honors your values, your weirdness, and your brain. You know, so you can actually make time for that spontaneous D&D session, a surprise library haul, or just…laying on the floor listening to a Lord of the Rings soundtrack while contemplating the state of your existence. (No judgment – I that quite a bit.)

Let’s break this all down, piece by piece, so you can start reclaiming your time and your joy.

I didn’t always get this time management thing right. In fact, for a long time, I completely sucked at it. Like, full-on chaotic energy everywhere levels of suckage.

I had zero boundaries. My boss needed something last minute? Done. No questions asked. Kids needed something? Of course – stop everything and go. Partner? Family? Random internet acquaintance asking for a favor? Yep. Just call me your local people-pleasing time martyr.

It took a full-on emotional breakdown at my last job for me to finally realize – wait a second – why am I burning myself out for everyone else… and getting absolutely no joy, peace, sanity, or space for the things that actually make my brain happy?

Spoiler: it was because I wasn’t living in alignment with my core values. I didn’t even know what they were, let alone how to build a schedule that honored them.

So… that’s where we’re going today. We’re going to dive into how to get your shit together by syncing up your time, your tasks, and your actual, real, weird, beautiful life.

Let’s start with getting a better understanding of our disconnect between our tasks and our values.

There’s a lot of stuff we think we have to do.

Like, if you wrote down every single thing floating around in your brain at any given moment – things you “should” do, things you feel guilty about not doing, things someone on TikTok said would change your life – you’d have an entire encyclopedia set of tasks. (Remember those? No? Just me being old?)

Now yes, there are the non-negotiables of adulting: eating food, paying bills, not letting your laundry evolve into sentient beings… the usual. But outside of that?

We get stuck doing crap we think is important, but that actually has no connection to what we value or what our gut says is meaningful. And when something doesn’t feel right? You procrastinate. You avoid. You spiral into watching YouTube deep dives on extinct amphibians or trying to figure out what ever happened to your CD-ROM copy of the Encarta Encyclopedia.

That resistance you feel? That “ugh” in your gut? That might be your values screaming, “Hey!! This task doesn’t fit here!!” And when you don’t listen… bum bum buuuumm…burnout.

So start noticing: which tasks keep getting pushed off or feel like a straight-up energy suck? That’s a big, blinking sign that something’s out of alignment.

Which brings us to the big question… what actually matters to you?

This part can be tricky, especially if you’ve spent your whole life being the “yes” person or the “do-all-the-things-for-everyone” human.

But your gut knows. Seriously. It knows.

Try this: think back on a few recent situations – good or bad or meh. Moments where you were super proud of how you handled something, or super frustrated with yourself.

What were you feeling in those moments? What were you fighting for? Maybe you stood up for someone. Maybe you felt seen. Maybe you felt totally ignored. When you think of those moments, what are the common themes that keep coming up? The threads that tie all of those situations and reactions together in some way, shape or form?

Those common threads in those stories? Those are your values.

Maybe it’s creativity. Maybe it’s safety. Maybe it’s freedom, or connection, or curiosity, or even just having quiet time to read fantasy novels in peace. There are no wrong answers here.

Once you know what really matters to you, you can start sorting through the chaos with a little more clarity.

Alright, now we know what matters to you, let’s figure out how to sort your never-ending to-do list in a way that doesn’t make your brain explode.

Ask yourself:

• Do I usually do things based on what’s easiest?
• Do I chase the dopamine hits and ignore the boring stuff?
• Do I let my emotions steer the whole damn boat?

These are all legit ways to navigate tasks – we just need to figure out how your brain works. Then, we can experiment.

Try starting your day by asking, “Which task feels most aligned with what matters to me today?” Not which task feels easiest, not which task you’ll get praise for – but which one feels like a step in the direction you actually want to go.

Maybe you even break it down into three filters:

1. What does my brain want to prioritize?
2. What does my gut say is most important?
3. What does my schedule say is most realistic?

If all three align – bam, green light. Get going! If not? That’s okay. Start with the one that your gut is saying is most important. I’ll bet that that task is the one you’ll get the most satisfaction from completing, the one that is truly in alignment with your core self.

You can always adjust from there.

This next step might be the hardest one.

Because saying no doesn’t just mean telling other people “nah, I’m good.” Sometimes, it means saying no to yourself.

No to that one more task you know you don’t have capacity for. No to signing up for the eighth online challenge this month. No to creating a perfectly organized Notion dashboard that you will never actually use.

And yes, it’s hard. Especially if you’re neurodivergent or a recovering people-pleaser like me. (Or both. Raises hand.)

So start small. Set a mini-boundary with yourself. Then try it with someone you trust. You don’t have to go full-on “no is a complete sentence” mode from day one. Practice makes progress.

Every “no” to something misaligned is a “yes” to something that is aligned. Like your sanity. Or that Hobbit marathon you’ve been putting off.

And now, my friend, we come to the good stuff.

Once you know your values… once you’re prioritizing and saying no to the crap… you can finally breathe.

You get to have space in your schedule again. Time to re-read Lord of the Rings without guilt. Time for impulsive crafting projects. Time for literal or metaphorical dance parties in your kitchen.

Because guess what? That spontaneous joy? That nerdy weirdness? That’s part of your values, too.

So give yourself the room to be flexible. Maybe Mondays are strictly for admin, but Wednesdays? Total chaos magic. It’s your life. Your schedule. Your damn rules.

So before we wrap this up – here’s your mini-mission for the week: Look at your current to-do list. Seriously. Pick one task. Just one. Ask yourself: Does this actually line up with my values? If not – can you delay it? Delegate it? Delete it from existence?

Free up even a little bit of space for something that truly feeds your soul, and you’ll start feeling the shift.

And if you’re feeling brave – come share your “I said no to this and it felt AMAZING” story with me. DM me on Instagram @that_weirdnerdymom or shoot me an email at hello@thatweirdnerdymom.com. I want to cheer you on like Samwise cheering on Frodo.

If you want to keep learning how to align your weird, wonderful life with your beautifully nerdy brain, make sure you’re on my email list or come join us for Monday coworking sessions. We’re building a cozy, chaotic little corner of the internet, and you belong in it.

You’ve got this, friend. Your time, your values, your fun – it all matters.

Until next time – get it together, weirdo.

*Some links on this page may contain affiliate links, meaning that if you purchase anything from those links, I would make a small commission. There’s no additional cost to you when you purchase, it just contributes to the building of my home library 😉

Read all of my blog posts about organizing.