When the Calendar Takes Over and Why Planning Saved Me

A Week Where Meetings Took Over Everything

This past week was busy on a whole different level. I am used to heavy meeting days on Tuesdays and Thursdays, with Mondays and Wednesdays being a mix of meetings and blocked work time. This week threw that structure out the window completely.

I was booked with meetings all day Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. Morning to evening. On several nights, I was still working until around 8-10 PM, depending on my energy level and how much follow up work came out of those meetings.

It was great in the sense that business is thriving and clients are moving fast. But it also meant there was almost no time for deep, focused work during the week. Every day felt reactive instead of proactive, which can be mentally exhausting when it stacks up.

The Friday That Was Not a Catch Up Day

Going into Friday, I thought, perfect, this will be my catch up day. I had planned to finally knock out some focused work and get ahead before leaving town. That plan did not last long.

Friday turned into a full day of logistics. I had to wake up early, get everything packed, get Jett packed, drive to appointments, and take care of last minute errands. On top of that, we dropped the cats off at my parents’ house so they could be taken care of while we are gone.

By the time I got back into town around 4 PM, it was clear that Friday was not going to be a productive workday. It was just one of those full life days, and I had to accept that.

How I Planned a 14 Hour Workday Without Losing My Mind

Friday night, instead of stressing about everything I did not get done, I sat down and made a plan. This is one of the biggest pieces of advice I give clients when they are heading into a heavy workload.

I took every single client task and project and estimated how long it would realistically take.

One hour, thirty minutes, five minutes, and so on. I rounded everything up, added buffer time, and then totaled the hours.

The number landed at 14 hours.

Instead of panicking, I worked backward. I set my cutoff time at 7 PM and figured out exactly when I needed to start working to make that happen. Saturday became a long but intentional workday.

It was busy. It was focused. I did get sidetracked for a bit while deep diving into a finance issue involving a $3.57 discrepancy that turned into a much bigger system question. We still have not fully resolved it, but even with that detour, the day felt incredibly productive.

There is something powerful about knowing exactly what you are walking into and choosing the structure instead of letting the chaos decide for you.

Busy Does Not Scare Me Anymore

As I write this, I have another full day planned with about seven and a half hours of work. My goal is to start early, stay focused, and end the day earlier than Saturday.

With back to back meetings Monday through Thursday, the number of projects and to dos coming from clients is intense. ABJ is insanely busy right now, and honestly, I have never felt more blessed.

This is the first time I can truly say I am not stressing about cash flow at all. There is so much work, everyone on the team is busy, and clients are trusting us with more than ever. That feeling is hard to explain unless you have built something from the ground up.

Busy used to scare me. Now it feels like confirmation.

Preparing to Step Away the Right Way

We are only a few days away from leaving for Disney, and I am so excited. Not just for the trip, but for the quality time with Jett and the opportunity to capture content for my travel business.

I want to learn everything about navigating Disney with a family, baby care centers, transportation, stroller logistics, and what actually matters when you are traveling with kids.

That knowledge directly helps my clients, and I cannot wait to share it.

Part of why this past week has been so heavy is because I am trying to leave with a clean slate. I do not want to be working while I am gone. That means prepping ahead, closing loops, and making sure nothing urgent is left hanging.

It is a lot of upfront work, but it is worth it for true time off.

Looking Ahead

This season is fast, full, and demanding, but it is also incredibly rewarding. The meetings, the workload, the long days, they all point to growth.

If there is one takeaway from this week, it is this. When your calendar explodes, do not guess your way through it. Plan it. Break it down. Give every task a home.

Busy does not have to mean chaotic. With the right structure, it can be energizing.