I read an interesting article earlier this year about an author and speaker who took back his productivity by carving out one day a week that he labeled, “untouchable.” He allowed no calls, no texts, and no interruptions. He planned for these weekly events sixteen weeks in advance. He analyzed the results of his untouchable days, and he was 10X more productive each week. He has a wife who cared for the kids, so children were not part of his schedule during work hours.
Mothers don’t really get untouchable days, but I have learned that while a whole day may be great, even a few hours alone and untouchable can be helpful. The key for this author and for me has been to make a good plan for the time. Last year, when I wrote my book, my schedule allowed for about three hours a day for personal time. (This many hours was unheard of when I had all the kids at home.) I used one hour for scripture study and two for writing. Years ago, in an Ensign article, a man wrote about his mother who found her productive time was one hour before her ten children got up each day. This was never something I could do without regretting it by 10 am. My untouchable, personal time needs to be in the late morning, after I have done a few jobs around the house so my mind can focus.
I guess with school back in session, I am thinking a lot about productivity and creating good habits. New this year are the little cell phone baskets in the kitchen and we have each made a list of things we want to accomplish with all the time we will have because we are giving our phones a rest. On my list is to write another book and pick up the violin more often. There is a phrase that circulates through the Church of Jesus Christ, and that is that we are trying to raise a “sin resistant generation.” This is a different version of the idea of being “untouchable,” but I believe that taking back our personal time is one way we become spiritually resistant to sin, or untouchable.