The Schedule That Actually Works
When You’re Tired of Fake Productivity
I spent two years color-coding calendars, downloading productivity apps, and watching “millionaire morning routine” videos on YouTube.
Result? I was more organized than ever… and getting absolutely nothing meaningful done.
If you’re tired of schedules that look perfect but feel impossible to stick to, this is for you.
Look, I’m not going to lie to you and pretend I’ve got this all figured out.
Right now I’m writing this at 6:12 AM even though my calendar said this newsletter should have been done yesterday.
Well… that didn’t happen.
But here’s what I’ve learned after months of failed productivity experiments, broken promises to myself, and enough scheduling apps to start my own tech company:
Your schedule needs to work with who you actually are, not who you think you should be.
Most productivity advice comes from people who already have their life together, telling you to wake up at 4 AM and optimize your circadian rhythms.
Meanwhile, you’re just trying to find two hours in your week to work on something that matters without feeling guilty about it.
So let me share what actually works when you’re building something meaningful while working a 9-5, living paycheck to paycheck, and trying not to completely burn out in the process
Start With What Actually Matters (Not What Sounds Important)
Here’s the question that changed everything for me:
“If I could only do five things this week, what would move my life forward?”
Not “What does my boss need?” or “What would make me look productive?”
What would actually matter in six months?
For me, it’s usually something like:
Work on my digital product
Write newsletter content
Stay healthy enough to think clearly
Spend real time with my wife (not just sitting next to her while scrolling)
Learn something that helps me serve my audience better
Everything else? It’s just noise disguised as importance.
Most people fill their calendars with 47 “urgent” tasks and wonder why they feel like they’re spinning their wheels.
Your five big things become your non-negotiables. Everything else gets scheduled around them, not the other way around.
Time Block Like Your Future Depends on It (Because It Does)
Forget about “finding time” for important stuff.
Time isn’t hiding under your couch cushions waiting to be discovered.
You have to steal it back from all the things that don’t matter.
Here’s what works for me:
Block your best energy for your biggest priorities. If you’re most focused in the morning, don’t waste it on email. Use it for creating, building, or learning.
Protect those blocks like they’re sacred. No “quick meetings.” No “just checking one thing.” During your blocked time, you’re unavailable. Period. Even to your phone notifications.
Start stupid small. Don’t block four hours if you’ve never focused for 30 minutes. Block one hour and actually show up. Build from there.
I block 5:45-7 AM for writing. Not because I’m some productivity guru, but because that’s when my brain actually works before my 9 to 5 drains me.
On days I skip it, everything else feels harder. On days I protect it, I remember why I’m building this in the first place.
The Weekly Reality Check (That Most People Skip)
Every Friday, I spend 20 minutes asking myself three questions:
What actually moved the needle this week?
What felt like busy work disguised as progress?
What needs to change next week?
This isn’t about judging yourself per se. It’s about staying honest.
Sometimes I discover that I spent three days “researching” when I should have been creating.
Sometimes I realize I was productive but completely ignored my health.
The weekly check-in keeps you from sleepwalking through months of fake "productivity."
It’s the difference between being busy and actually building something.
Work With Your Energy, Not Against It
Your schedule isn’t just about time—it’s about energy management.
If you’re trying to do creative work when you’re mentally exhausted, you’re fighting yourself and really biology.
Figure out when you’re naturally most focused, most creative, most able to handle difficult conversations. Then schedule accordingly.
High energy: Creative work, important decisions, challenging tasks
Medium energy: Admin work, responding to emails, routine tasks
Low energy: Planning, organizing, light research
I learned this the hard way after months of trying to create content at 9 PM when my brain felt like mush.
Now I protect my morning energy for creating and save the brain-dead hours for organizing files and updating my calendar.
Work with your natural rhythm, not against it.
Say No to Everything That Doesn’t Serve Your Future Self
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: if your calendar is packed with other people’s priorities, you’re living other people’s dreams.
Every “yes” to something unimportant is a “no” to your actual goals.
It was a hard lesson that I'm honestly still learning (and unlearning being a people pleaser)
What helped is understanding…
That meeting that could have been an email?
That’s 30 minutes you can’t spend building your future.
That social obligation you don’t actually want to attend?
That’s energy you can’t use for something meaningful.
Start small.
Say no to one unnecessary thing this week. See how it feels.
Your time is the only resource you can’t get more of.
Protect it like your future depends on it.
The 10-Minute Daily Reset
Every night before bed, I look at tomorrow and ask:
“What’s the one thing that needs to happen tomorrow for me to feel good about the day?”
Not perfect. Just good.
Sometimes it’s “finish that article draft.”
Sometimes it’s “have a real conversation with my wife.”
Sometimes it’s “go for a walk instead of doom scrolling.”
Then I plan my day around that one thing.
This keeps me proactive instead of reactive. Instead of waking up and checking what everyone else needs from me, I start with what I need from myself.
Make Sure Your Schedule Reflects Who You Want to Become
Here’s the question that’ll mess with your head:
If someone looked at how you actually spend your time (not your intentions, your actual calendar), what would they think you care about?
Would they see someone building toward their dreams?
Or someone living on autopilot?
Your schedule is a mirror.
It shows you what you actually value, not what you say you value.
If health matters to you but you never schedule workouts, your schedule is lying.
If your relationship matters but you never plan quality time together, your schedule is showing your real priorities.
Make your calendar reflect who you want to become, not just who you are right now.
The Simple Reality Check
Look, I’m not going to pretend this is easy.
You’ll skip your morning block.
You’ll say yes to things you should decline.
You’ll spend Tuesday afternoon researching productivity systems instead of being productive.
But here’s what I wish someone had told me:
Progress beats perfection. Showing up beats planning perfectly.
Your schedule doesn’t need to be Instagram-worthy. It just needs to move you forward.
Start with one protected time block this week.
One weekly review.
One daily question about what matters tomorrow.
Build from there.
Because the person you’re meant to become is waiting on the other side of intentional choices about how you spend your days.
Here’s my challenge: What’s one block of time you can protect this week for something that actually matters to your future?
And what’s one thing you need to say no to in order to make space for it?
Drop your answer in the comments. I read every single one.
This is Dexter, Signing Out.