Let’s be honest, juggling a full-time job, family responsibilities, and a growing knitting pattern design business can feel like trying to knit with mohair while riding a unicycle. I get it. You’re constantly wondering how to squeeze in just one more row, let alone find the time to write patterns, market your work, and handle the mountain of admin that comes with running a business. The question isn’t just “How can I fit everything in?” but rather, “Is it even possible?” When you’re perpetually feeling stretched thin and short on precious hours, it’s tough to make real strides in your business (I’ve been there!)
But take heart! There’s a way to inject some sanity (and productivity) into the chaos: time blocking. In this post, I’ll demystify time blocking and provide three crucial steps to crafting a time blocking strategy that actually works for busy knitting designers. My goal? To give you a practical roadmap so you can reclaim some of your time, dial down the stress, and finally relax a little and knit!
What is the perfect time blocking strategy for knitting designers with a lot on their plate?
Let’s start by a quick definition:
Time blocking is a time management technique where you allocate specific blocks of time for dedicated tasks or activities. It’s about intentionally carving out time for what matters most.
In other words:
Instead of flitting from task to task like a hummingbird on a sugar rush, time blocking helps you focus your energy on one thing at a time. This not only prevents the dreaded multitasking trap but also helps you become more intentional about how you spend your limited hours. The added bonus? You’ll likely discover you have more time than you thought—it’s just a matter of using it strategically.
The First Step – Ruthless Prioritization
Ruthless prioritization means making tough choices about what truly deserves your attention right now. It’s about discerning between what’s urgent and what’s truly important for long-term growth.
This is absolutely fundamental because, let’s face it, you can’t do everything. Especially when you’re already balancing multiple commitments.
Many designers, especially those new to time blocking, often stumble here. They diligently create a schedule, only to fill it with low-impact tasks that leave them feeling busy but not accomplished. They get caught in the trap of prioritizing easy tasks just for the sake of checking things off, even if those tasks don’t move the needle in their business. This is a habit that I’m trying my hardest to break!
And then they wind up feeling even more frustrated, wondering why they’re still not seeing the needle move in their business.
The secret to effective time blocking, particularly when you’re short on time, is to be absolutely ruthless about what makes the cut. Avoid the temptation to fill your schedule with “busy work” that gives you a false sense of productivity.
To get started, grab a notebook or open a digital document and brainstorm everything you do for your business. Then, ask yourself these tough questions:
- What are the 2-3 tasks that will have the biggest impact on my business right now?
- What can I delegate, outsource, or eliminate altogether?
- What can wait until later?
Use methods like the Eisenhower Matrix (urgent/important) or the Pareto Principle (80/20 rule) to help you prioritize. Focus on the high-impact activities that will truly move your business forward.
The Second Step – Crafting Your Time Blocks
“Crafting” your time blocks means intentionally scheduling specific time slots for those prioritized tasks. It’s about creating dedicated space in your week for focused work.
If you’ve spent countless hours trying various time management hacks but still feel like you’re constantly chasing your tail, this is likely the missing link.
Without dedicated time blocks, you might find yourself constantly reacting to urgent requests or getting pulled in different directions, leaving little time for deep, focused work.
What can you do?
A highly effective strategy for creating time blocks that actually stick is to categorize your tasks into thematic blocks. This allows your brain to shift gears more easily and prevents context switching, which can be a major time drain.
Here’s how I block our my busy calendar for pattern business related tasks:
- “Creative Spark” Block (30-60 minutes): This is for pure creative work: sketching designs, swatching, brainstorming new ideas. Schedule this when you’re most energized. Even short bursts of creativity can be incredibly productive. I’ve found Friday afternoons are NOT a good time for this!
- “Pattern Power Hour” (1-2 hours): This is for focused work on pattern writing, grading, charting, editing, and coordinating/following up on test knits.
- “Marketing Magic” Block (30-60 minutes): This is for social media engagement, email marketing, blog writing, or other promotional activities. I usually set aside three “marketing” hours a week – one to schedule all social media, one to write my weekly newsletter, and one for blog writing.
- “Business Brain” Block (30 minutes): This is for admin tasks, finances, emails, and project management.
- “Business Development” Blocks (2-4 hours): These hours are GOLDEN! I take these precious hours and dedicate them to only things that will move my business forward and make revenue. This is the time where I plan and coordinate summits, upcoming sales, freebie swaps with other designers, and all things growth related.
- “Knitting Time” (as often as possible): Whenever I have free time on my calendar, I have dedicated knitting time. This is usually about an hour a day – but I’ll sneak it in whenever I can.
Now, I know it sounds like A LOT of “blocks” – but it keeps my schedule flexible because they are themed but not rigid AND it only adds up to about 10 hours of work a week. If I don’t finish something one week, I just push it to the next week. This gives me plenty of time do to ALL the other things that I have to do each week (aka the laundry, dishes, playing chauffeur for my kids activities, and cooking meals, and finding time for myself!)
The Third Step – Consistent Review and Agile Adjustment
Consistent review and agile adjustment means regularly evaluating your time blocks and making changes as needed. Life happens, and your schedule needs to be flexible.
This is where the magic truly happens. Your time blocking strategy isn’t set in stone. It’s a living document that needs to adapt to your ever-changing circumstances.
Of course, this requires consistent effort and a willingness to experiment. It’s not about achieving perfect adherence to your schedule; it’s about continuous improvement.
The process you can use to review and adjust your time blocks is straightforward:
- At the end of each week (or even each day), take a few minutes to reflect on how well your time blocks worked.
- Ask yourself: Did I stick to my schedule? What challenges did I encounter? What could I do differently next time? Did I prioritize high-impact tasks or get sidetracked by easier, less important ones?
- Based on your reflections, tweak your time blocks for the following week. Be willing to experiment with different time slots, durations, and task categories.
Once you embrace this iterative approach, you’ll be well on your way to creating a time blocking strategy that empowers you to achieve your business goals without sacrificing your sanity.
Putting It All Together for Your Perfect Time Blocking Strategy (That Actually Works)
So there you have it! The three essential components of a time blocking strategy that works for knitting designers who also have full lives: Ruthless Prioritization (and avoiding the easy task trap), “Crafting” Your Time Blocks, and Consistent Review and Agile Adjustment.
It might seem like a lot to implement at first, but remember, progress, not perfection, is the goal. Start small, be consistent, and be kind to yourself. This will help you not only manage your time more effectively but also build a more sustainable and fulfilling business.
Let me know in the comments what you think! Does this strategy work for you? What do you do to most effectively use your time?
