Pete Alexander2x TEDx Speaker and best-selling author helping transform burned out workers into engaged colleagues.

Stress Relief Tool - Carve Out Time For Yourself

15 Jun 2022 · 1 min

Watch on YouTube

1:12

In this short talk, the speaker expands on the GYLO (Get Your Life In Order) approach, which involves carving out dedicated blocks of time in an electronic calendar for worries, chores, and focused work. By scheduling these tasks—ranging from mundane household duties to professional activities like lesson planning or blog writing—the speaker argues you gain greater control over your day, reduce multitasking, and boost productivity. The speaker also warns against over‑loading these blocks with too many items, as that can create additional stress rather than relieve it. The overall goal is to use structured scheduling as a self‑care tool that lowers stress and protects guilt‑free downtime.

Chapters

In previous blog articles, I've talked about the benefits of dedicating specific time for worry and/or chores. This has also been referred to as GYLO—get your life in order—practices when we let worry or mundane tasks interfere with our ability to enjoy guilt-free downtime. The key is to find a system that works for you. For me, I use my electronic calendar not only for meetings but also for tasks that I need to get done, both mundane chores and specific work like creating a new lesson plan, writing a blog post, or reviewing important documents. By doing this, it allows me more control of my time and allows me to focus on one project at a time and be more productive versus multitasking. Be careful not to overcrowd your dedicated time with too many chores or tasks. As that can become overwhelming. This activity is designed to help you with self-care through reducing your stress, not adding to it.