October 17, 2023 • 19 mins
Embracing the RV life means every day can be a new adventure. However, amidst the excitement, establishing routines is crucial.
This episode delves into the importance of creating consistent habits while on the road, from daily stretches to monthly vehicle checks.
The Limitations of Traditional Reminders:
- While there are numerous task management tools and reminders available, many lack the discipline to ensure commitment. Understanding these limitations can help listeners find what truly works for them.
Harnessing Google Calendar & Time Blocking:
- Google Calendar, when combined with the technique of time blocking, can be a game-changer. By allocating specific times for tasks, listeners can optimize their productivity and ensure they make the most of their travels.
- Time blocking also aids in coordinating with fellow travelers, ensuring that everyone's commitments are met and expectations are aligned.
Balancing Work and Leisure on the Road:
- Recognizing the different mindsets of part-time and full-time travelers can help in balancing work and leisure. Time blocking bridges the gap, allowing listeners to enjoy their travels without compromising on their responsibilities.
The Power of Recurring Reminders:
- Setting up recurring reminders for essential tasks, such as RV maintenance, ensures that nothing is overlooked. Integrating these reminders into time blocks can streamline task management, ensuring a smooth journey.
Practical Benefits:
- As an example, while doing laundry, one can use the time to deep clean their vehicle. This practical application of time blocking showcases how listeners can multitask efficiently, making the most of their time on the road.
About the Host:
Stuart has been a nomad since 2020, traveling in his 40-foot Super C and 24-foot Sprinter van. He is accompanied by his two cats, Camden and Izzy. You can follow his adventures on Instagram at Stuart Doing Stuff.
Connect With RVDreaming and Stuart:
Call our Hotline and Leave Us a Message: 714-623-0924
Follow Stuart on Instagram: StuartDoingStuff
Follow RVDreaming on Facebook: RVDreamingTV
Check Out Our Website: RVDreaming.tv
Affiliate Links From The Podcast:
Harvest Hosts | Boondockers Welcome | RVLife Trip Wizard
Want to be a guest on our program?
Reach Out! Stuart@RVDreaming.tv
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Stuart Doing Stuff (00:00):
People start the RV life or van life because
every day is a new adventure.
New places, new sights, new people, butbetween all of the new and all of the
exciting, there's still the routine.
Stay tuned as we talk aboutbuilding on the road routines,
daily, weekly, and monthly habits.
From sunrise stretches to monthlymileage checks, this episode will guide
you in creating habits that stick.
(00:22):
So pack your bags and yourbest intentions, and let's
hit the road to routine!
How's it going and welcome to RV Dreaming.
In this podcast, we help youprepare for life on the road.
Whether you're in a van, an RV, or inthe back of your car, we teach you how
to get on the road and how to surviveyour first year as a full time nomad.
(00:43):
RV Dreaming starts here.
Go anywhere.
My name is Stuart fromStuartDoingStuff on Instagram.
I've been a nomad since 2020, and Isplit my time between my 40 foot Super
C and my 24 foot Sprinter van, and Itravel with my two cats, Camden and Izzy.
Follow me on Instagram at StuartDoingStufffor more stories and videos.
(01:04):
So, as we talk about routines andgetting into the habit of stuff,
I think I've tried them all.
I've tried task management software,I've tried reminders, I've tried push
notifications, I've tried all thelittle gadgets free and paid that
come with your cell phone and onyour phones like notes and reminders
on your iPhone and stuff like that.
And...
(01:24):
I, I, I, I found that I just amnot that disciplined in using those
because I see a reminder, and I setit, and then I say, okay, I need to
make sure I do this by Monday at 9 a.
m.
I set a reminder at Monday at 9 a.
m., and then Monday 9 a.
m.
comes around, and then that snoozebutton, that postpone, or that change
is so convenient to where you just go,I just don't feel like doing that today.
(01:48):
And I'm just gonna, like, ignore it.
It doesn't have that push, you know?
You have to have a really bigself discipline to be able
to really make that work.
And unfortunately, I don't always do that.
Just because you're always on theroad and maybe you thought it was
going to be okay if you drive lateone night and you wake up and you're
like, Oh my gosh, I'm just so tired.
(02:08):
Or you end up meeting some friendson the road and staying out a
little later than you planned butyou wanted to get up and all that.
So anyways, I...
I use Google Calendar, and thisis really what my routine is.
Google Calendar is my best friend.,I use it, but I use it to get tasks,
and I use it for reminders andstuff, but Google Calendar is really
what I do, because I use this thingcalled time blocking in my day.
(02:33):
So I don't, I don't knowif you're familiar with it.
So every day, I try and do...
I
try to I try to keep the same routine.
So, no matter what time I go tobed, I always try and be up at 7am.
My alarm starts at 7am, I'mup at 7am, and I try and start
working just kind of right away.
(02:54):
I've always found that I'm freshestright in the early morning.
So I'll wake up, I'll put apot of coffee on, and I just...
Dive right into everything.
I need to do.
I'm fresh.
I'm motivated.
I'm energized.
And I just, I just kindof dive right into that.
And so I represent that inmy time blocking schedule.
So when I know I have to getcertain done things done.
(03:16):
Actually, let me back up a little bit.
My morning is when I work, becausethat's when I'm the freshest.
My afternoon is when I go out and play.
Uh, because I'm always traveling,and I want to go and explore a city,
I want to go see what's going on.
So, I know that from 7am until about noon,or 1, or whenever I'm I have that time.
That's when I know I need to bethe most productive that I can be.
(03:39):
I know that's when I need to get allmy chores done, all my work tasks done.
I need to record my podcast.
I need to do my interviews.
I need to respond to emails.
I need to do all of that stuff.
I go hard from 7am until like noonor until I start getting hungry
for lunch or something like that.
Cause by this time I'm on mysecond or third cup of coffee.
I got the little jitters and Iwas like, okay, that's about it.
So.
(03:59):
I really just sit down and I, Igo, this is what I need to do.
And I do the style of timeblocking, like I mentioned.
And if you're not familiar with timeblocking, time blocking is a time
management strategy that involves dividingyour day into smaller blocks at times.
So each block is dedicated to a specifictap or a group of similar tasks.
For example, you might blocktime in checking email or working
(04:21):
on a project or taking a break.
And that's important too, because Ido say I don't want to do anything
from this time to this time.
I do block out schedules on this.
But what I'll do is I'll say forthese two hours, from like 9 a.
m.
to 11 a.
m., I need to wash the van.
I need to check the tire pressure.
I need to get gas.
I need to, you know, and I kindof group all these little errands.
(04:42):
I need to go pick up an order from thestore or pick up an Amazon package.
You know, I know during that twohours, that's what I need to do.
I need to go get propane.
You know, I, I use that time blockto say these are my, this is my two
hours where I need to run my errands.
Other things might be during this houror during this, uh, two hour window.
I'm going to record and edit a podcast.
I'm going to work on research.
(05:03):
I'm going to respond to emails.
I'm going to work on a comingproject or something like that.
So I know that during that time,that's where my focus needs to be.
That's where I'm, I'm dedicated towards.
And, and that's what I'm lookingat as opposed to just having it
on a list where it's just a wholebunch of random thoughts and tasks.
I like to take those random thoughtsand tasks and give it groupings.
(05:26):
So I know that.
Everything kind of flows.
Easily.
And that everythingcomes together nicely.
So I do all of that and I try andmake one thing flow into another and
group everything that I need to do.
And I do have my routines.
I work early, get everythingdone because I want to play.
I want to go out andexplore wherever I'm at.
(05:47):
Every day after 12 or 1 o'clock, youknow, or if I'm going to travel, I'll
do it after that point, after 12 or 1or 2 o'clock rolls around and I know
I got a 3 hour drive, that's whenI'm going to go and take my drives.
I tend to not respond to work emailslater in the day, unless it's urgent.
I might see it and I might kind ofspan on it, but if my head's not in
that space where they're thinking it'snot an urgent task, I'll say, you know
(06:08):
what, I'll wait for tonight, or I'lldo it first thing tomorrow morning.
But if it's not an urgent taskand my head's not in it, you know,
it's really hard to shift gears.
From when you're out being fun and socialand exploring, to, wait, I need to, I
need to think this thing through becausemy decision here is going to affect
so many other different people where Ineed to make sure that I have my head
(06:29):
on straight and I can see it all the waythrough when trying to figure stuff out.
So heavy stuff, you know,things that require thought and
determination and stuff like that.
I tend to push off into the nextday or into the next morning.
Easy stuff is like yes, no, whatever.
Most of my team knows that in theafternoons, just text me if you have
a simple yes or no question or you'rejust not clear on something that's a
(06:50):
really simple thing, but for these heavydiscussions that you have, those always
get pushed off for me until the morning.
Another great thing that I use timeblocking for is it allows me to plan
my day when I'm traveling with otherpeople so some people say I'm too
organized and I'm a clock watcherBut here's my thing about that.
(07:11):
I, I want to know, like, if we'regoing to go off roading, or we're
going to go and explore a town, orwe're going to go do something, I want
to know what time are we going to go.
Because, if they say we'regoing to go at 2, and it's 1.
15, I don't want to start aproject that's an hour project,
and then push and be late.
And, and, and make everyoneelse late, you know what I mean?
(07:32):
If I know that it's, uh, it's 1.
15 and they say we're leaving at 2, I cango through my task list, I can go through
my emails, I can go through little things,and I can find something that will take
up, you know, these little nickel and dime5 minute, 3 minute tasks on my to do list.
To plug in that 45 minute hole or justdo nothing at all, you know, but my fear
is I don't want to start a project likeif I know it's 115 and we're leaving it
(07:55):
to, it makes no sense for me to breakout all of my recording gear, all the
video gear, all the stuff that I need torecord a 30 minute podcast and then edit
when we know we're leaving in 45 minutes.
I know that that's just not going towork, so that's why I like the time
blocking thing so I can easily coordinatewith other members of my group.
(08:15):
and other travel partners.
So that way, if we say we're gonna go attwo, at least I know I'll be ready by two.
There might be other people thataren't, but that's, I'm not going to
be the reason that we aren't off ontime or we miss a tram or shuttle or
reservations or whatever it is that it is.
So that's, that's why Ilike the time blocking.
(08:35):
So that way I don't overcommit my time.
When I know I have othercommitments down the line
the other reason why I kind of likethis method is I don't want my work to
get in the way of my travel plans andplans to explore I mean, I'm always on
my phone cuz I'm checking things justbecause sometimes people can't take the
next step until I respond back But ifit's a simple yes or no question, I can
(08:57):
make sure that they remain productiveBut sometimes when you're just out
and about, the last thing that youwant to think about is work, right?
Especially, so I travel with fulltimers and I travel with part timers.
One of the things I realized is peoplewho are part timers, or weekenders, travel
completely different than full timers.
So those part timers, thoseweekenders, they're on vacation mode.
(09:17):
You know, they're poppingup in a beer at 8.
30 in the morning or 9 o'clock, andthey're just out having a good old time.
Whereas I'm still justlike, hey, I still got...
Stuff I've got to do, you know, I'mat home, just like when you're at home
and it's a Saturday morning, you might,or a Sunday morning, you might have
the football game on or something likethat, but you still have to sweep and
mop and vacuum, so you might be doingmultitasking kinds of stuff, you know,
(09:37):
but these guys, they're on vacationand when you are on vacation, you're
in your hotel room and you're out and,you know, and doing this kind of thing,
you're in a different mindset too.
So it's hard to mergethose mindsets to be exact.
So that's why I likethe time blocking thing.
So that way I can kind of, yeah.
Schedule, and I can set myexpectations, and I know my, my
frame of mind is going to be at aspecific place at a specific time.
(10:01):
The other reason why I like thetime blocking mechanism and Google
Calendar, Is because it allows me toput recurring reminders in my calendar.
So, recurring reminders can belike, , Lubricating your slides.
If you have that, you know, everythree months or four months, you
need to lubricate all your slides.
You just pick a day, say January1st or March 1st or whatever.
And then you say every three monthsor every four months, it's just
(10:24):
going to pop up on that calendar.
And what I do is I see it on my reminders.
I see it on my recurringand then I insert it.
Into one of my time block sessions.
So when I see that, oh, it's coming upwhere I need to check my tire pressures
It's coming up where I need to checkmy oils and all this other kinds of
stuff I'll combine that with some otherRV tasks like lubricating the slides
(10:46):
or your windows or whatever that needsto be and then I'll take that chunk
and I'll plop it Into a two hour ora three hour window in my calendar
and that's what I know Hey, I'm goingto get all this stuff done today.
That's, that's my thing where I knowI'm going to be working on the rig.
This is my two hour or my three hourwindow to get all this stuff done.
It doesn't mean that, hey, October1st comes around and your little
(11:09):
reminder comes up and says,Hey, you got to do this today.
You mean you need to do it that day?
It's just telling you, build some timein for all of these kinds of things.
And as you kind of realize, as you kindof go through this process, you're going
to realize that certain tasks Just aregrouped together well when you do certain
things like here's an example when Igo and I do laundry And I head out to
(11:30):
the laundry mat I know that I've gotmaybe two hours at the laundromat And
that's also when I do a deep cleaningof the van because all my sheets all my
pillows all my stuff They're out of thevan so that allows me to get into nooks
and crannies to vacuum out crevicesto do a good sweeping and mopping of
the floors and so I know I do laundryevery, what, 10 to 14 days or so.
(11:52):
So I know that every 10 or 14 days,my van is going to get a really
good detail, a really good cleaning.
So nothing really ever lingers.
And that's where I think we fill.
As humans, we get so far behindon a task, you go, Oh my gosh, how
am I ever going to get caught up?
And so that task just kind of lingers outthere, and the problem keeps getting worse
(12:15):
and worse and worse and worse and worse,and then all of a sudden you're, you know,
you're living in a new reality where,Oh, this is just the way that it is.
Well, no, it's neversupposed to be that way.
It's not supposed to be that way.
You just gotta find the time tobe able to do it, and that's why I
utilize a time blocking mechanism.
I've tried a lot of other ones, this onejust is the one that works well for me.
(12:36):
Another thing when I'm out, most ofthe people who I know, that I work
with regularly, and communicate withregularly, they're either nomads,
Themselves so they understand the ifsand this and travel days and on all that
so we understand each other You know, wedon't need to explain each other But for
the other people who I work with thataren't that are maybe work from home
(12:57):
or going to an office still, you knowThey don't understand the whole process.
So I make sure I explain it tothem and especially if I'm going to
be gone Extended lengths of time.
Like if I'm out of the burn at Burning Manor somewhere deep into some boondocking
areas where there is no cell reception,maybe you're in a forest and you don't get
really good,, starling reception as well.
(13:18):
I let them know in advance.
I say, Hey, just so that you know,I'm going to be out of service in the
afternoons, but every morning I'm goingto drive into town from seven to 10.
And I'll make sure I'm alwaysavailable during that time.
But in the event that.
You need me after that?
There's a good chance I may not be ableto get your message until the next day.
(13:38):
So that gets them thinking too, about,hey, do I need to line up my questions?
Or, is this really a 5 minute phonecall as opposed to 40 different emails?
You know, so, we kind of...
Really get into that tune and that'staken me a while to get into as well But
for the most part people get it peopleunderstand it and I think in the end
(13:59):
more people appreciate it just becauseYou're being respectful of their time.
Don't you just hate it when you sendout an email to somebody and You don't
know if they got it, you don't know ifthey looked at it, you don't know when
you're going to respond, and you'rewaiting for an answer because their
answer is going to depend on what you do.
You know, this time blocking method andthis open communication on the style,
(14:21):
it really has solved and helped preventa lot of miscommunications, a lot of
problems, and a lot of time wasted.
Because, you know, the short of it is...
The summary here is even thoughevery day is a new day And we can
wake up in a different locationevery day and we can have different
experiences and meet new people Thereare still things that are the same.
(14:42):
There still are routines There are stillare things that we have to do in the
regular world because we're communicatingwith people We're working from the road
and just having that kind of standardset routine where people can know You
know your schedule, know your patterns.
It makes it easier for them.
And that's why I like this.
(15:03):
And I, I like to be organized.
I like to keep things straight in my head.
Where I know I'm notgoing to miss anything.
Or I can be in the right frameof mind to solve a problem.
And, and that's really the big thing.
I can't go from doing this marketing.
Project over here and learning more aboutthis business thing at the same time
trying to diagnose my solar and do itup on the top No, I need I want to be in
(15:24):
that mechanical headspace when I'm tryingto think solar when I'm trying to get my
hands dirty when I know that I'm gonnabe crawling up and down rigs and up and
down ladders and stuff like that I wantto be in that same headspace that time
blocking mechanism allows me to look atthat So when I go to bed at night and
I wake up in the morning and I look atthat calendar and I say, okay What I'm
doing tomorrow And I go, oh, it's podcastrecording day, or if I go, oh, it's van
(15:48):
work day, or oh, I'm going to be stuckin front of a computer doing emails and
stuff like that today, or I even get intothis habit, it's a two hour or sometimes
it's a one hour block of learn somethingnew, dive deeper into SEO, like for me,
dive deeper into SEO, dive deeper intopodcast marketing, dive deeper into AI,
you know, this helps keep me On track andfocused and the reminders and the tasks
(16:15):
and all the things that are on your phone.
Uh, like I used Asana, I've used alot of other project management and
time, they just, they don't havethat, that sense of, um, urgency,
I guess is the best way to say it.
That, that I need and thatI've come to appreciate.
So, that is my secret on how I...
Have a routine, how I create my routinesdaily, weekly, and monthly, how I
(16:39):
track my business side, how I trackmy travel side, how I communicate with
people from the outside world who arestill in their sticks and bricks, and
that's how I kind of move forward.
Now, every day is a new day, not everyday is the same, but for the most
part, I like to be up at 7, I liketo be able to start my day with some
(17:00):
coffee, jump into the news, and juststart on the hard stuff right away.
I don't want big headaches,big projects, following me into
the afternoon and the evening.
That's just my style, everyone has theirstrengths on what works best for them,
and as you start developing your habits,when you get onto the road, you're
gonna find that certain things workgreat for you, and certain things don't.
(17:24):
Now, here's the other thing.
I am probably going to need tochange some of my habits pretty soon.
Because as the days get shorter, I liketo be parked in my campsite before dark.
Like, I don't want to rush, I don'twant to go into dark campsites,
especially if you're boondocking orgoing into a place you've never been.
(17:46):
So, right now, during the summer, Icould leave a campsite or a boondocking
spot at like 2 or 3, drive for 3 or 4hours, and still have plenty of daylight
to be able to do what I need to do.
But coming up here in just a few weeks,we're going to be changing our clocks, and
now it's going to start getting dark at 5.
Which means I can't leave at 2 o'clock inthe afternoon and get a 4 hour drive day
(18:09):
in without it being dark upon my arrival.
So everything's going to haveto shift back for a little bit.
So if I have a 4 hour drive, I'm going toneed to leave no later than 11 or 12 to be
able to get to a spot where I want to be.
Get settled before thesun starts going down.
So always having some adjustments,always having some, you know, changes
(18:29):
and some tweaks here and there.
And I don't know about you,but I am not happy about this
whole daylight savings thing.
I am not, I want longer days.
Like, I want, I want light upuntil 8 or 9 o'clock at night.
It just makes everythingso much more fulfilling.
That's just me talking though.
Anyways.
I hope you got somethingout of this podcast.
(18:50):
, and, and I appreciate you taking a littlebit of time to, for me to share my day.
And how I organize and how I think.
Um, and tackle certain projects.
But again, it's gonna bedifferent for everyone.
Utilize the tools that I talked about.
I really believe in thattime blocking thing.
It's working well for me I've beendoing it for about a year now and it's
really been the easiest thing for meWhen trying to manage my life on the
(19:12):
road So now thank you for listening tothe RV dream podcast If you like what
you heard or you got something out ofthis episode Please take a moment and
leave us a review on Apple podcast orSpotify It really helps us get more
exposure and it helps more people justlike you thrive on the road Until next
time Enjoy your travels, make them safe,make them fun, and make them memorable.
(19:32):
RV Dreaming, start here, go anywhere.
I'll see you in the next episode.
People start the RV life or van life because
every day is a new adventure.
New places, new sights, new people, butbetween all of the new and all of the
exciting, there's still the routine.
Stay tuned as we talk aboutbuilding on the road routines,
daily, weekly, and monthly habits.
From sunrise stretches to monthlymileage checks, this episode will guide
you in creating habits that stick.
(00:22):
So pack your bags and yourbest intentions, and let's
hit the road to routine!
How's it going and welcome to RV Dreaming.
In this podcast, we help youprepare for life on the road.
Whether you're in a van, an RV, or inthe back of your car, we teach you how
to get on the road and how to surviveyour first year as a full time nomad.
(00:43):
RV Dreaming starts here.
Go anywhere.
My name is Stuart fromStuartDoingStuff on Instagram.
I've been a nomad since 2020, and Isplit my time between my 40 foot Super
C and my 24 foot Sprinter van, and Itravel with my two cats, Camden and Izzy.
Follow me on Instagram at StuartDoingStufffor more stories and videos.
(01:04):
So, as we talk about routines andgetting into the habit of stuff,
I think I've tried them all.
I've tried task management software,I've tried reminders, I've tried push
notifications, I've tried all thelittle gadgets free and paid that
come with your cell phone and onyour phones like notes and reminders
on your iPhone and stuff like that.
And...
(01:24):
I, I, I, I found that I just amnot that disciplined in using those
because I see a reminder, and I setit, and then I say, okay, I need to
make sure I do this by Monday at 9 a.
m.
I set a reminder at Monday at 9 a.
m., and then Monday 9 a.
m.
comes around, and then that snoozebutton, that postpone, or that change
is so convenient to where you just go,I just don't feel like doing that today.
(01:48):
And I'm just gonna, like, ignore it.
It doesn't have that push, you know?
You have to have a really bigself discipline to be able
to really make that work.
And unfortunately, I don't always do that.
Just because you're always on theroad and maybe you thought it was
going to be okay if you drive lateone night and you wake up and you're
like, Oh my gosh, I'm just so tired.
(02:08):
Or you end up meeting some friendson the road and staying out a
little later than you planned butyou wanted to get up and all that.
So anyways, I...
I use Google Calendar, and thisis really what my routine is.
Google Calendar is my best friend.,I use it, but I use it to get tasks,
and I use it for reminders andstuff, but Google Calendar is really
what I do, because I use this thingcalled time blocking in my day.
(02:33):
So I don't, I don't knowif you're familiar with it.
So every day, I try and do...
I
try to I try to keep the same routine.
So, no matter what time I go tobed, I always try and be up at 7am.
My alarm starts at 7am, I'mup at 7am, and I try and start
working just kind of right away.
(02:54):
I've always found that I'm freshestright in the early morning.
So I'll wake up, I'll put apot of coffee on, and I just...
Dive right into everything.
I need to do.
I'm fresh.
I'm motivated.
I'm energized.
And I just, I just kindof dive right into that.
And so I represent that inmy time blocking schedule.
So when I know I have to getcertain done things done.
(03:16):
Actually, let me back up a little bit.
My morning is when I work, becausethat's when I'm the freshest.
My afternoon is when I go out and play.
Uh, because I'm always traveling,and I want to go and explore a city,
I want to go see what's going on.
So, I know that from 7am until about noon,or 1, or whenever I'm I have that time.
That's when I know I need to bethe most productive that I can be.
(03:39):
I know that's when I need to get allmy chores done, all my work tasks done.
I need to record my podcast.
I need to do my interviews.
I need to respond to emails.
I need to do all of that stuff.
I go hard from 7am until like noonor until I start getting hungry
for lunch or something like that.
Cause by this time I'm on mysecond or third cup of coffee.
I got the little jitters and Iwas like, okay, that's about it.
So.
(03:59):
I really just sit down and I, Igo, this is what I need to do.
And I do the style of timeblocking, like I mentioned.
And if you're not familiar with timeblocking, time blocking is a time
management strategy that involves dividingyour day into smaller blocks at times.
So each block is dedicated to a specifictap or a group of similar tasks.
For example, you might blocktime in checking email or working
(04:21):
on a project or taking a break.
And that's important too, because Ido say I don't want to do anything
from this time to this time.
I do block out schedules on this.
But what I'll do is I'll say forthese two hours, from like 9 a.
m.
to 11 a.
m., I need to wash the van.
I need to check the tire pressure.
I need to get gas.
I need to, you know, and I kindof group all these little errands.
(04:42):
I need to go pick up an order from thestore or pick up an Amazon package.
You know, I know during that twohours, that's what I need to do.
I need to go get propane.
You know, I, I use that time blockto say these are my, this is my two
hours where I need to run my errands.
Other things might be during this houror during this, uh, two hour window.
I'm going to record and edit a podcast.
I'm going to work on research.
(05:03):
I'm going to respond to emails.
I'm going to work on a comingproject or something like that.
So I know that during that time,that's where my focus needs to be.
That's where I'm, I'm dedicated towards.
And, and that's what I'm lookingat as opposed to just having it
on a list where it's just a wholebunch of random thoughts and tasks.
I like to take those random thoughtsand tasks and give it groupings.
(05:26):
So I know that.
Everything kind of flows.
Easily.
And that everythingcomes together nicely.
So I do all of that and I try andmake one thing flow into another and
group everything that I need to do.
And I do have my routines.
I work early, get everythingdone because I want to play.
I want to go out andexplore wherever I'm at.
(05:47):
Every day after 12 or 1 o'clock, youknow, or if I'm going to travel, I'll
do it after that point, after 12 or 1or 2 o'clock rolls around and I know
I got a 3 hour drive, that's whenI'm going to go and take my drives.
I tend to not respond to work emailslater in the day, unless it's urgent.
I might see it and I might kind ofspan on it, but if my head's not in
that space where they're thinking it'snot an urgent task, I'll say, you know
(06:08):
what, I'll wait for tonight, or I'lldo it first thing tomorrow morning.
But if it's not an urgent taskand my head's not in it, you know,
it's really hard to shift gears.
From when you're out being fun and socialand exploring, to, wait, I need to, I
need to think this thing through becausemy decision here is going to affect
so many other different people where Ineed to make sure that I have my head
(06:29):
on straight and I can see it all the waythrough when trying to figure stuff out.
So heavy stuff, you know,things that require thought and
determination and stuff like that.
I tend to push off into the nextday or into the next morning.
Easy stuff is like yes, no, whatever.
Most of my team knows that in theafternoons, just text me if you have
a simple yes or no question or you'rejust not clear on something that's a
(06:50):
really simple thing, but for these heavydiscussions that you have, those always
get pushed off for me until the morning.
Another great thing that I use timeblocking for is it allows me to plan
my day when I'm traveling with otherpeople so some people say I'm too
organized and I'm a clock watcherBut here's my thing about that.
(07:11):
I, I want to know, like, if we'regoing to go off roading, or we're
going to go and explore a town, orwe're going to go do something, I want
to know what time are we going to go.
Because, if they say we'regoing to go at 2, and it's 1.
15, I don't want to start aproject that's an hour project,
and then push and be late.
And, and, and make everyoneelse late, you know what I mean?
(07:32):
If I know that it's, uh, it's 1.
15 and they say we're leaving at 2, I cango through my task list, I can go through
my emails, I can go through little things,and I can find something that will take
up, you know, these little nickel and dime5 minute, 3 minute tasks on my to do list.
To plug in that 45 minute hole or justdo nothing at all, you know, but my fear
is I don't want to start a project likeif I know it's 115 and we're leaving it
(07:55):
to, it makes no sense for me to breakout all of my recording gear, all the
video gear, all the stuff that I need torecord a 30 minute podcast and then edit
when we know we're leaving in 45 minutes.
I know that that's just not going towork, so that's why I like the time
blocking thing so I can easily coordinatewith other members of my group.
(08:15):
and other travel partners.
So that way, if we say we're gonna go attwo, at least I know I'll be ready by two.
There might be other people thataren't, but that's, I'm not going to
be the reason that we aren't off ontime or we miss a tram or shuttle or
reservations or whatever it is that it is.
So that's, that's why Ilike the time blocking.
(08:35):
So that way I don't overcommit my time.
When I know I have othercommitments down the line
the other reason why I kind of likethis method is I don't want my work to
get in the way of my travel plans andplans to explore I mean, I'm always on
my phone cuz I'm checking things justbecause sometimes people can't take the
next step until I respond back But ifit's a simple yes or no question, I can
(08:57):
make sure that they remain productiveBut sometimes when you're just out
and about, the last thing that youwant to think about is work, right?
Especially, so I travel with fulltimers and I travel with part timers.
One of the things I realized is peoplewho are part timers, or weekenders, travel
completely different than full timers.
So those part timers, thoseweekenders, they're on vacation mode.
(09:17):
You know, they're poppingup in a beer at 8.
30 in the morning or 9 o'clock, andthey're just out having a good old time.
Whereas I'm still justlike, hey, I still got...
Stuff I've got to do, you know, I'mat home, just like when you're at home
and it's a Saturday morning, you might,or a Sunday morning, you might have
the football game on or something likethat, but you still have to sweep and
mop and vacuum, so you might be doingmultitasking kinds of stuff, you know,
(09:37):
but these guys, they're on vacationand when you are on vacation, you're
in your hotel room and you're out and,you know, and doing this kind of thing,
you're in a different mindset too.
So it's hard to mergethose mindsets to be exact.
So that's why I likethe time blocking thing.
So that way I can kind of, yeah.
Schedule, and I can set myexpectations, and I know my, my
frame of mind is going to be at aspecific place at a specific time.
(10:01):
The other reason why I like thetime blocking mechanism and Google
Calendar, Is because it allows me toput recurring reminders in my calendar.
So, recurring reminders can belike, , Lubricating your slides.
If you have that, you know, everythree months or four months, you
need to lubricate all your slides.
You just pick a day, say January1st or March 1st or whatever.
And then you say every three monthsor every four months, it's just
(10:24):
going to pop up on that calendar.
And what I do is I see it on my reminders.
I see it on my recurringand then I insert it.
Into one of my time block sessions.
So when I see that, oh, it's coming upwhere I need to check my tire pressures
It's coming up where I need to checkmy oils and all this other kinds of
stuff I'll combine that with some otherRV tasks like lubricating the slides
(10:46):
or your windows or whatever that needsto be and then I'll take that chunk
and I'll plop it Into a two hour ora three hour window in my calendar
and that's what I know Hey, I'm goingto get all this stuff done today.
That's, that's my thing where I knowI'm going to be working on the rig.
This is my two hour or my three hourwindow to get all this stuff done.
It doesn't mean that, hey, October1st comes around and your little
(11:09):
reminder comes up and says,Hey, you got to do this today.
You mean you need to do it that day?
It's just telling you, build some timein for all of these kinds of things.
And as you kind of realize, as you kindof go through this process, you're going
to realize that certain tasks Just aregrouped together well when you do certain
things like here's an example when Igo and I do laundry And I head out to
(11:30):
the laundry mat I know that I've gotmaybe two hours at the laundromat And
that's also when I do a deep cleaningof the van because all my sheets all my
pillows all my stuff They're out of thevan so that allows me to get into nooks
and crannies to vacuum out crevicesto do a good sweeping and mopping of
the floors and so I know I do laundryevery, what, 10 to 14 days or so.
(11:52):
So I know that every 10 or 14 days,my van is going to get a really
good detail, a really good cleaning.
So nothing really ever lingers.
And that's where I think we fill.
As humans, we get so far behindon a task, you go, Oh my gosh, how
am I ever going to get caught up?
And so that task just kind of lingers outthere, and the problem keeps getting worse
(12:15):
and worse and worse and worse and worse,and then all of a sudden you're, you know,
you're living in a new reality where,Oh, this is just the way that it is.
Well, no, it's neversupposed to be that way.
It's not supposed to be that way.
You just gotta find the time tobe able to do it, and that's why I
utilize a time blocking mechanism.
I've tried a lot of other ones, this onejust is the one that works well for me.
(12:36):
Another thing when I'm out, most ofthe people who I know, that I work
with regularly, and communicate withregularly, they're either nomads,
Themselves so they understand the ifsand this and travel days and on all that
so we understand each other You know, wedon't need to explain each other But for
the other people who I work with thataren't that are maybe work from home
(12:57):
or going to an office still, you knowThey don't understand the whole process.
So I make sure I explain it tothem and especially if I'm going to
be gone Extended lengths of time.
Like if I'm out of the burn at Burning Manor somewhere deep into some boondocking
areas where there is no cell reception,maybe you're in a forest and you don't get
really good,, starling reception as well.
(13:18):
I let them know in advance.
I say, Hey, just so that you know,I'm going to be out of service in the
afternoons, but every morning I'm goingto drive into town from seven to 10.
And I'll make sure I'm alwaysavailable during that time.
But in the event that.
You need me after that?
There's a good chance I may not be ableto get your message until the next day.
(13:38):
So that gets them thinking too, about,hey, do I need to line up my questions?
Or, is this really a 5 minute phonecall as opposed to 40 different emails?
You know, so, we kind of...
Really get into that tune and that'staken me a while to get into as well But
for the most part people get it peopleunderstand it and I think in the end
(13:59):
more people appreciate it just becauseYou're being respectful of their time.
Don't you just hate it when you sendout an email to somebody and You don't
know if they got it, you don't know ifthey looked at it, you don't know when
you're going to respond, and you'rewaiting for an answer because their
answer is going to depend on what you do.
You know, this time blocking method andthis open communication on the style,
(14:21):
it really has solved and helped preventa lot of miscommunications, a lot of
problems, and a lot of time wasted.
Because, you know, the short of it is...
The summary here is even thoughevery day is a new day And we can
wake up in a different locationevery day and we can have different
experiences and meet new people Thereare still things that are the same.
(14:42):
There still are routines There are stillare things that we have to do in the
regular world because we're communicatingwith people We're working from the road
and just having that kind of standardset routine where people can know You
know your schedule, know your patterns.
It makes it easier for them.
And that's why I like this.
(15:03):
And I, I like to be organized.
I like to keep things straight in my head.
Where I know I'm notgoing to miss anything.
Or I can be in the right frameof mind to solve a problem.
And, and that's really the big thing.
I can't go from doing this marketing.
Project over here and learning more aboutthis business thing at the same time
trying to diagnose my solar and do itup on the top No, I need I want to be in
(15:24):
that mechanical headspace when I'm tryingto think solar when I'm trying to get my
hands dirty when I know that I'm gonnabe crawling up and down rigs and up and
down ladders and stuff like that I wantto be in that same headspace that time
blocking mechanism allows me to look atthat So when I go to bed at night and
I wake up in the morning and I look atthat calendar and I say, okay What I'm
doing tomorrow And I go, oh, it's podcastrecording day, or if I go, oh, it's van
(15:48):
work day, or oh, I'm going to be stuckin front of a computer doing emails and
stuff like that today, or I even get intothis habit, it's a two hour or sometimes
it's a one hour block of learn somethingnew, dive deeper into SEO, like for me,
dive deeper into SEO, dive deeper intopodcast marketing, dive deeper into AI,
you know, this helps keep me On track andfocused and the reminders and the tasks
(16:15):
and all the things that are on your phone.
Uh, like I used Asana, I've used alot of other project management and
time, they just, they don't havethat, that sense of, um, urgency,
I guess is the best way to say it.
That, that I need and thatI've come to appreciate.
So, that is my secret on how I...
Have a routine, how I create my routinesdaily, weekly, and monthly, how I
(16:39):
track my business side, how I trackmy travel side, how I communicate with
people from the outside world who arestill in their sticks and bricks, and
that's how I kind of move forward.
Now, every day is a new day, not everyday is the same, but for the most
part, I like to be up at 7, I liketo be able to start my day with some
(17:00):
coffee, jump into the news, and juststart on the hard stuff right away.
I don't want big headaches,big projects, following me into
the afternoon and the evening.
That's just my style, everyone has theirstrengths on what works best for them,
and as you start developing your habits,when you get onto the road, you're
gonna find that certain things workgreat for you, and certain things don't.
(17:24):
Now, here's the other thing.
I am probably going to need tochange some of my habits pretty soon.
Because as the days get shorter, I liketo be parked in my campsite before dark.
Like, I don't want to rush, I don'twant to go into dark campsites,
especially if you're boondocking orgoing into a place you've never been.
(17:46):
So, right now, during the summer, Icould leave a campsite or a boondocking
spot at like 2 or 3, drive for 3 or 4hours, and still have plenty of daylight
to be able to do what I need to do.
But coming up here in just a few weeks,we're going to be changing our clocks, and
now it's going to start getting dark at 5.
Which means I can't leave at 2 o'clock inthe afternoon and get a 4 hour drive day
(18:09):
in without it being dark upon my arrival.
So everything's going to haveto shift back for a little bit.
So if I have a 4 hour drive, I'm going toneed to leave no later than 11 or 12 to be
able to get to a spot where I want to be.
Get settled before thesun starts going down.
So always having some adjustments,always having some, you know, changes
(18:29):
and some tweaks here and there.
And I don't know about you,but I am not happy about this
whole daylight savings thing.
I am not, I want longer days.
Like, I want, I want light upuntil 8 or 9 o'clock at night.
It just makes everythingso much more fulfilling.
That's just me talking though.
Anyways.
I hope you got somethingout of this podcast.
(18:50):
, and, and I appreciate you taking a littlebit of time to, for me to share my day.
And how I organize and how I think.
Um, and tackle certain projects.
But again, it's gonna bedifferent for everyone.
Utilize the tools that I talked about.
I really believe in thattime blocking thing.
It's working well for me I've beendoing it for about a year now and it's
really been the easiest thing for meWhen trying to manage my life on the
(19:12):
road So now thank you for listening tothe RV dream podcast If you like what
you heard or you got something out ofthis episode Please take a moment and
leave us a review on Apple podcast orSpotify It really helps us get more
exposure and it helps more people justlike you thrive on the road Until next
time Enjoy your travels, make them safe,make them fun, and make them memorable.
(19:32):
RV Dreaming, start here, go anywhere.
I'll see you in the next episode.
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