Overwhelmed and Scattered? Try Planning Around Your Energy, Not Your Time
What If Your Calendar Aligned With the Way You Feel?
In our busy lives, we often search for new tools, systems, or hacks that can push us forward in our growth journey.
Yet, one tool sits quietly, right in front of us, but often goes unnoticed: the calendar.
Whether digital or paper, the calendar can be your most powerful ally in building good habits, measuring progress, and igniting your motivation to continue.
You’ve probably already experienced moments when looking at your calendar gives you that burst of energy, helping you take action.
But what if you could unlock that potential fully?
In this article, we’ll explore how you can use your calendar in a structured way to track your progress, test your growth, and build lasting motivation.
I’ll show you two approaches: one that’s free and accessible for everyone and another that builds on deeper coaching and paid tools for those of you ready to take the next step in your journey.
Part 1: A free tool to unlock your motivation - the calendar
The first step toward real growth is recognizing the power of the calendar you already own.
It’s not just a tool for scheduling appointments. It’s a tool for measuring your success.
Think of your time, habits, and focus.
You can visualize your efforts day by day, week by week. Start by making your goals in your calendar. This simple act of writing them down creates an immediate visual commitment.
The key here is to focus on small daily actions. Don’t overcomplicate things with grandiose goals that overwhelm you. Instead, break down the bigger vision into manageable chunks.
For example:
If you’re focusing on fitness, mark your exercise days on the calendar.
If you’re working on personal growth or mental health, set small milestones like journaling or practicing gratitude.
If you’re building a new habit, such as reading or meditation, check off each day that you commit to it.
This process does two things: it keeps your goals front and center, and it builds a visual reminder of your progress.
As you start checking off the days, you’ll feel a sense of achievement.
Even when motivation dips, seeing your calendar filled with consistent actions can reignite that fire to keep going.
But here’s where the energy of the calendar comes into play. Your motivation builds momentum.
It’s the emotional power of seeing your progress. It tells you, “Look how far you’ve come”. Even when the results aren’t immediately apparent.
This consistency over time becomes the key to transformation.
Next article question: How can you structure your daily habits to fit within your calendar, creating a seamless system that drives consistent progress without burnout?
Peak Performance, Naturally: The Science of Timing Your Tasks
Energy Levels & Work Performance:
Circadian Rhythm: Research shows that people's energy levels naturally fluctuate throughout the day. For instance, many people experience a peak in cognitive performance and energy between 9 AM and 12 PM, with a noticeable dip in the afternoon (commonly known as the "afternoon slump") from 1 PM to 3 PM.
Physical Energy & Tasks: People often perform manual labour or physically intensive tasks better when they align their work with their natural energy peaks. Tasks that require strength or stamina are typically more effectively done during the morning or early afternoon hours.
Motivation & Task Type:
According to a study from the Journal of Applied Psychology, motivation can increase with task engagement and self-determination. People who can align their work schedules with their natural energy rhythms tend to be more motivated and productive.
Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic Motivation: Research also highlights the difference between intrinsic (internal drive) and extrinsic (external rewards) motivation. People performing manual work under their calendar, where they feel in control of their schedule, are often more intrinsically motivated and show better long-term performance.
Part 2: Take it further: another tool for deeper progress
Now, let’s talk about taking things a step further. While the free tool of your calendar is incredibly powerful on its own, there’s a whole other level you can reach with more specialized tools, and this is where a deeper level comes in.
When you sign up for a personalized custom calendar, depending on your energy and what you like and what you don’t.
You’re not just getting advice. You’re gaining the tools and support to truly measure your growth.
This personalized custom calendar can help you identify the weak points in your system and provide strategies to optimize your progress. Here, you’ll move from passive tracking to active planning.