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We’re diving into a topic that I think hits really close to home for a lot of us: how to reclaim your time and actually align it with the shit that matters to YOU.

And spoiler alert – it probably isn’t what society told you should matter. Shocking, I know. 🙃

Here’s the deal. We need to talk about how we set priorities. Like, our actual priorities. Not the ones we think we should have. Not the ones we were taught to believe are “correct.” Not the ones your second cousin Judy told you were important at that one family BBQ where she tried to sell you on a multilevel marketing scheme. (Obviously I have some repressed trauma from my own time being sucked into the MLM cult world. Oops).

No. I’m talking about your real, raw, deeply personal priorities – the stuff that aligns with your values, your goals, and your actual life. The things that make you feel good inside, even if you’re the only one who gets it.

Because when we don’t start there – when we don’t get honest about what really matters to us – we wind up spending our energy checking off to-dos that don’t mean anything. And then we wonder why we feel drained, disconnected, and vaguely irritated at our Trello board.

So let’s fix that.

Tell me if this sounds familiar: You sit down at the end of a long day, look at your list of accomplishments, and… nothing feels satisfying. You were “productive,” technically. You did the laundry. Sent emails. Sat through that mandatory webinar on workplace synergy or whatever corporate word salad we’re serving this week.

But when you look at what you actually did, it doesn’t feel meaningful. It feels hollow.

Yeah. Same.

There was a long stretch of my life where I made goal lists and schedules based on what I thought would earn me a gold star. What my job wanted. What my parents wanted. What I assumed society wanted from a competent adult.

Spoilers…I didn’t stop to ask what I actually wanted.

So I ran around like a nerdy little hamster on a wheel – organized chaos, lots of motion, but not a whole lot of intention.

And that’s what we’re here to untangle today.

Step one is to understand your priorities and eliminate what distracts you.

Before you can reclaim your time, you’ve got to figure out what you’re reclaiming it for. If we don’t know what we value – what actually lights us up or makes us feel like ourselves – we’re just gonna keep defaulting to the loudest, most demanding tasks. Which, in all honesty, are usually someone else’s priorities entirely.

So here’s what I want you to do:

1. Identify your core values. What truly matters to you? Connection? Creativity? Stability? Adventure? Think about what makes you feel aligned with yourself – not the filtered, polished version, but the real you. The weirdo version.
2. Reflect on how you’re spending your time. Are you procrastinating by reorganizing your fridge for the seventh time when really, you just don’t want to face that scary-ass creative project? Been there.
3. Audit your schedule. Seriously. Look at your calendar, your planner, your digital sticky notes – where is your time actually going? Is it matching up with your values?

If not, don’t panic. This isn’t a shame spiral. It’s just data.

Once you’ve done your values deep-dive, let’s talk about distractions.

Make two lists. One for the things on your to-do list that feel aligned, and one for the ones that feel off. Then do some quick math: how much of your time is spent on unaligned stuff?

Yeah. It’s a little ouch-y. But it’s powerful. Now you know what’s getting in your way.

Now you get to experiment.

Test out different tools and methods to reduce distractions. This is the phase where we get messy, nerd out with time blocking, try noise-canceling headphones, or even just physically move the distractions out of our space.

Experiment. Adjust. Repeat.

Step two is to align your time with your goals – let’s try time blocking (the nerdy way).

Now that you’ve got a clearer idea of what actually matters and what’s just noise, it’s time to align your time with your goals.

Start by breaking those big, dreamy goals into small, bite-sized pieces. We’re talking realistic, doable chunks. Not “write a novel in a week” – unless your brain thrives in chaos and caffeine, in which case…hi, let’s be best friends.

But for most of us? Start small.

Set a SMART goal or something close to it – just be specific. Want to write more? Set a goal to write for 10 minutes every Wednesday. Want to finally sort through your digital files? Block out 15 minutes every Sunday.

Then, enter my favorite thing: Time blocking.

Set aside little time blocks – tiny ones! Five minutes. Ten. Enough to dip your toes in without activating your flight response.

And don’t forget to block time for REST. I’m looking at you, my burnt-out perfectionists. Breaks are not a reward for doing enough. They’re a part of the plan.

Step three: ditch the guilt and embrace the experiment.

Okay, now here’s where it gets a little twisty: you’ve set priorities, made blocks of time, and then… suddenly… you’re scrolling Threads and wondering why you didn’t start the thing.

Hi. Welcome to procrastination and guilt-ville, population: most of us.

First off – you’re not broken. You’re human. And society has really done a number on us with all the “rise and grind” crap that makes us feel like rest equals failure and small steps equal not being good enough.

Let’s unpack that.

When you catch yourself procrastinating, get curious. What emotion are you avoiding? What story is your brain playing on a loop? (Mine is usually something about being lazy or disappointing someone – even if no one’s watching.)

Try gentle strategies to reframe the moment. Maybe it’s a body-double session with a friend. Maybe it’s giving yourself permission to take one tiny action instead of the full task.

And celebrate. Every. Damn. Win.

Sent the email? Celebrate. Sketched out one idea for your big project? Celebrate. Got out of bed and thought about doing the thing? STILL COUNTS.

Also – your priorities? They will change. And that’s okay. That’s growth. You’re not flakey. You’re evolving. Welcome to being a glorious work in progress.

For step four, let’s seek support and accountability (and yes, that even means you – you hermit alpaca, you).

Listen. You don’t have to do this alone. Reclaiming your time is hard – especially when you’re neurodivergent, overwhelmed, or just constantly being pulled in a thousand directions.

Find your people. A coach (hi), a coworking group (Mondays, anyone?), a friend you text your goals to.

Say them out loud. Share them. Let someone witness what you’re working toward.

And if it’s feeling heavy – really heavy – please don’t be afraid to talk to a therapist or mental health professional. Asking for help isn’t weakness. It’s a badass move of strength.

So, here’s your task for this week:

Take one small step. Just one. Reflect on your current schedule. Identify something that’s not aligned – and one tiny action you can take to shift your time back toward what does matter to you.

It doesn’t have to be huge. In fact, it shouldn’t be. Small steps are sustainable. Small steps become habits. And small steps help you get your shit together – on your terms.

You’ve got this, weirdo. I believe in you.

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Read all of my blog posts about organizing.