Planning for Rhythm, Capacity, and Momentum
Creative Blocking
and ways to approach it.
You ever find yourself saying, “Next week I’ll get to it”?
Then next week comes and the junk drawer still hasn’t been touched, the charger cables are hiding in 47 different places, and you’re still mentally rearranging your life in the shower instead of actually enjoying it? Yeah, Same!
But what if your to-do list wasn’t a guilt trip?
What if your week invited you into alignment with space for your ideas and your real life?
You know those people who look like they have it all together? If they actually do, they’re probably Creative Blocking. But here’s the thing, it’s not just for artists and entrepreneurs.
It’s also for the overwhelmed middle manager, the parent navigating 10 calendars, the person who wants to feel like they’re driving their days not chasing them.
Let’s break it down through the lens of the C.A.L.M. Framework:
Clarity: See What’s Actually Asking for Your Energy
Creative Blocking isn’t just about time. It’s about attention.
This week, I finally cleared out the junk drawer, organized the rogue charger cables, and decluttered under my bathroom sink. Not because I suddenly had more hours—but because I gave myself emotional capacity to finally see what was leaking energy.
Here’s the thing:
I wasn’t just avoiding chores.
I was deferring clarity.
And every time I opened that drawer or tripped over a loose cable, a little drip of energy spilled out.
So I made a list of seven energy-sapping tasks I’d been quietly carrying. Assigned each one to a different day.
Thirty minutes a day = seven long-standing stressors gone in one week.
That’s clarity in action.
That’s Creative Blocking doing its quiet magic.
That’s how we start leading with intention even if we’re just starting with a junk drawer.
Mini Practice:
Name one area of your life that’s quietly draining you.
Can you assign it a 30-minute Creative Block next week?
Adaptability: Plan With, Not Against, Your Energy
One of my 1:1 clients, a mid-level corporate leader, came to me burnt out and buried in unexpected demands. Together, we used Creative Blocking to design her week around her actual energy, not some ideal productivity model.
We scheduled:
High-focus work during her alert hours
Admin catch-up in her afternoon lulls
Open windows for last-minute tasks or fire drills from upper management
Here’s the beautiful thing:
When nothing urgent popped up, she didn’t waste the time—she moved her priorities up and got ahead. And when urgency did hit? She had breathing room.
That’s adaptability with intention, not reaction.
Mini Practice:
Look at your next workday. Where can you block a 60-minute window labeled “Buffer + Breath”? (Yes. Literally call it that.)
Leadership: Lead Your Life Like It’s Worth Following
Leadership isn’t just about leading others. It’s how you lead yourself.
Creative Blocking is a quiet, radical form of self-leadership. It’s how you say: “My time matters. My clarity matters. I’m allowed to protect my energy—even from myself.”
And let’s be honest, sometimes the thing that makes strategic sense might also emotionally break you. Your calendar isn’t just a scheduling tool. It’s a boundary tool. A recovery tool. A commitment to the future version of you who doesn’t want to lose her damn mind trying to find a chip clip. That’s leadership.
Mini Practice:
Try this Grab your Free Priority Checklist + Week at a Glance DL
Fill in your must-dos. Then layer in one thing that feels like soul fuel.
Now protect that time like it’s your job. (Because it kind of is.)
Momentum: Build Progress Without Burnout
The best part of Creative Blocking is that it builds momentum that doesn’t cost your peace.
You’re not just “staying on top of things.” You’re reclaiming space for the mental, emotional, and logistical.
The open time blocks you schedule for emergencies, could …
Double as rest.
Or ahead in the day
Or creative play.
And the projects you thought were “someday” ideas? Suddenly, you’ve built a rhythm where “someday” becomes Tuesday from 10 to 12.
You’re not hustling harder. You’re leading smarter.
So Where Do You Start?
Creative Blocking isn’t about stuffing more into your calendar. It’s about claiming space for what matters and giving your energy a place to land. Here’s how to move in a way that builds clarity, not pressure:
Notice When You’re Most You
Are you a morning spark or an afternoon slow-burner? Watch your natural rhythms for a few days. When do you feel most clear, energized, or focused, even if it’s just for 30 minutes?
You’re not trying to force focus. You’re learning when your body already leans toward it.
Block It In—Like You Would for Anyone Else Who Matters
Start small: just one or two 1-hour blocks a week. Treat these blocks like sacred appointments with your future self.
Name the time.
Show up.
Close the tabs.
Turn off the notifications.
Tell people you’re unavailable.
This isn’t about being productive. It’s about being present with what you want to create, clear, or complete.
Prep Like It’s a Gift (Because It Is)
Gather what you’ll need before you start. Not to be fancy just to reduce resistance.
A journal, your laptop, the messy corner that needs sorting, the pitch that’s been living in your brain… Whatever you're honoring in that block, prep for it like it matters. Because it does.
Set a Clear Focus (But Let Yourself Roam Too)
Choose a goal, even if it’s just: “Get the messy first draft done.” But if your creativity veers in a new direction mid-block? Let it. You’re practicing momentum, not perfection.
Reflect, Adjust, Repeat
After each block, take 3 minutes to check in:
What worked?
What got in the way?
What do I want more (or less) of next time?
Creative Blocking isn’t a rigid rule. It’s a rhythm you get to refine.
A Few More Tips That Make This Easier
Start light. One block is better than none. Build slowly.
Pair it with Pomodoro. 25-minute sprints and breaks can reduce burnout.
Protect it like a priority. Rename your calendar slot “Meeting with CEO” if that helps.
(Spoiler: the CEO is you.)Mix it up. Some blocks can be for visioning, others for tidying, others for deep creation.
Reward yourself. You followed through. That’s leadership. Celebrate it even if it’s just with a stretch, a snack, or a quiet “heck yes.”
When your time reflects your values, your life starts to feel like it’s yours again. Creative Blocking isn’t a trick. It’s a shift.
From reactive to intentional.
From scattered to sustainable.
From “I can’t keep up” to “I get to show up.”
Your week doesn’t need to be perfect. It just needs to make space for you.
