Three steps to create white space in your life

Take "paws" for white space...

Wow, where does the time go? I knew I hadn't posted in awhile but had no idea how long it had been. But to frame it in a positive way, I created some "white space time" in my life, away from this column - and now it's time to return to regularly scheduled programming.

So what is this white space time, you ask?

It's not a new concept, but one that I finally "heard" this past week, from two of my favorite speakers at an eWomenNetwork lunch in Seattle.  They are Sara Harvey Yao and Michele Lisenbury Christensen from the consulting and training firm Working With Power, and when they speak, I definitely listen!

As they describe it, white space time (WST) is "a block of time you are committed to protecting, and has NO pre-set agenda."  So what do you do with this WST?  Whatever you are supposed to do. Gee thanks, what does that mean?  It means whatever it's supposed to mean, at any given time.  Okay...

As busy, professional women - or men, for that matter - we often stuff ourselves to the gills with things to do, and then wonder why we can't get anything done.  We are exhausted, out of gas, frustrated and not living the fulfilling life we had planned - am I hitting home with anyone?

So the answer is to "schedule" some WST - yes, you are to schedule time to do "whatever", which perhaps might be "nothing"!.  There is no to-do list, no must-get-done  task, no toll to pay, etc.  Scary, isn't it?  But there is a plan, so here are the three steps they recommend:

1. Find a block of 1-4 hours that's not already committed and reserve it.  Take it from "blank" on your calendar to an appointment - with yourself.
2. If any other uses for the time come up, deflect them.  Tell others you are busy.  Remember that this time is important for you, even if it feels indulgent
3. Show up

That's it - you show up and ask yourself what you really feel like doing at that moment.  I've noticed this is the moment when most women roll their eyes or have the "deer in the headlights" look, wondering what in the world they would do if they got to decide - rather than being obligated to something.  But rather than operating on auto-pilot and clinging to your list of duties, your WST is for you to do what you need to do, right then, for you.  It might be a nap, it might be shopping, it might be cleaning your car.  Who knows?

Sara and Michelle related a story about a client who really needed a breakthrough marketing idea - but what he really wanted to do was go to the golf driving range.  So he created the WST in his schedule, went to hit some golf balls, and the idea he'd been waiting for popped in his head while taking a shower a few days later.  It's the act of freeing up your mind and relaxing, so you can be available for the good things that you are just waiting to pop through if you'd give them a space to emerge.

Graphic designers use white space to give your eye a "rest" from all that's on a particular page; it helps give the piece balance. Get it? It's intentionally left blank (no scheduling!) to achieve balance (what you want in your life!)  Can you imagine trying to read a magazine or view a website that didn't use white space?  It would be one big mish-mash of colors and shapes and text, and we wouldn't really know where to focus or what was important.  It would be madness! This is your life...

Are you ready to take the challenge? Could you commit to creating 2-3 blocks of white space time in your week (more or less, you decide!) and see how productive you might actually become?  And remember, you must fight the temptation to fill up the time or pre-determine what you'll do - just show up and honor what YOU want to do at that moment. 

It might be scary,  It might be fun.  It might just be the best thing you've ever done for your business. I can't wait to hear what happens - come back and let me know in the comments below!