EN - 3 | Hack Your Calendar: Make Your Friend, Own Your Day!
Hack Your Calendar: Make Your Friend, Own Your Day!
Why let the calendar control you? Discover the viral time hack every 3% achiever from Arjuna to MS Dhoni uses to win their week.
ЁЯМЕ Golden Sunrise, Fellow Ascenders! ЁЯОЦ️
Ever opened your calendar and felt daunted—like you’re about to face a Chennai rainstorm in flip-flops? You’re not alone. In fact, Harvard researchers discovered only 3% of people use their calendar as a friend, not a warden. But that stops here. Between the “doom scroll,” family WhatsApp pings, and Chennai Super Kings matches, it’s no wonder the week becomes a thadai (obstacle) race instead of a smooth Dhoni chase. Ready to transform your calendar from prison guard to prosperity partner?
Here’s a confession most productivity “influencers” won’t make: I used to treat my calendar as public enemy number one. Appointments. Deadlines. The endless “Sir, please confirm” emails. You know what really gets me about this whole thing? Even the Gita has more clarity on action than most modern planners. (Harvard stats again: 81% of professionals admit their calendar runs them, not the other way around!)
So how do you go from feeling like it’s a jail to making your calendar your sahaaya (trusted ally)? First, let’s reframe the very idea of a calendar—not just as a record of other people’s priorities, but as your Sankalpa Manifestor.
In the Gita, Krishna talks of Sankalpa—a focused, heartfelt intention. For my Chennai family, think “oru saaram ezhuthinaal, oru vaarthai moondru kaalam” (a word written with conviction echoes for three generations). Instead of 365 days of “what next,” we build our week as a blueprint—where family, goals, and cricket all have their non-negotiable pitch.
Cricket metaphor time: If Virat Kohli spends more time watching highlights than blocking hours for batting nets, do you think he gets runs? What works for champions (and ancient kings from Artha Shastra) also works for you: time slots are a “family virtue,” not a selfish act. Every minute blocked for health, learning, or bonding is an investment in collective rise—they’re vanakkam (prayers) as much as plans.
Step into the “Calendar Hack”—the three rituals that make you the 3%:
- Audit your week: For seven days, treat yourself like your own boss. Notice where your time leaks—be it serials, WhatsApp voice notes, or spontaneous cousin visits. (Fun fact: our ancestors called this “Kaala Pariksha”—sacred time accounting.)
- Time block your sankalpam: Choose three parama mukhyam (highest priorities)—could be book writing, daily puja, or “no screen” family time. Give each a fixed slot, as sacred as Thalaivar’s movie release! Block it with color, reminders, and metaphorical rangoli in your planner.
- End-of-day review: At sundown, do a two-minute “calendar arangetram”—did you guard your chosen slots like a CSK fielder in final overs? Celebrate small wins with a namaste or “super machi!” If you didn’t, reflect—no blame, just resolve.
This isn’t just a productivity “trick.” It’s rooted in dharma—honoring your duties to self and family. The Bollywood/Kollywood lesson is clear: when heroes schedule what's sacred, even the villains (stress, distractions, impostor feelings) get out of the way.
While 97% of us let others fill our calendars and become “reactive warriors,” you can join the 3% who carve out legacy—even if life feels more like Mumbai traffic than MS Dhoni’s highlight reel.
Scarcity check: Before this time-hacking wisdom goes totally mainstream and your calendar becomes just another stress source, flip the script! Because, trust me, nothing builds family pride faster than honoring your own time and having your kids/partner cheer your “commitment blocks.”
Consistency triggers: If you falter one day, own it. If you win, share that “small victory” in your #AscentYouTribe or over that Sunday biryani. Your children learn rituals more than rules; your community mirrors your calendar. Move from being a “meetings victim” to a “legacy architect.” This one switch—making your calendar your friend—builds a ripple effect for years.
Ready to join the rare club? While others react, you’ll be the one orchestrating your week… and one day, your life story. The window is closing because everyone is busy, but true transformation begins the moment you open your calendar and declare, “This slot is mine—and everyone wins when I protect it.”
Calendar Power Ritual: Build Your Blueprint
- 7-Day Audit (“Kaala Pariksha”): For the next week, jot down where your time really goes. Hidden leaks? “Serial” hopping? Lunches that become 90-minute gossip? Make a calendar note each time you spot a drift. (Bonus: Share your funniest “lost time” with your accountability buddy for a laugh!)
- Block With Intention (“Sankalpa Rathna”): Choose three vital priorities (personal, family, dharma). Mark these as colored events—literally schedule them. This could be a 15-min “Appa & Me” walk, “Sun TV-free family tea,” or your “microlearning” YouTube slot. Treat these as festival invitations, not just another to-do!
- Evening Arangetram (Showtime!): Every evening, glance at your calendar. Did you honor your slots? If yes, celebrate—even a disco dance with your daughter counts. If missed, reflect (no guilt, only “next ball!”). Jot a single word: “Priya,” “Health,” or “Completed.” Patterns reveal more than pep talks.
- Community Step: Every win, share it. Start a “family scoreboard” or WhatsApp highlight. Show everyone that small, seen time blocks build grand legacy.
Remember the cricket wisdom: “Runs on the board matter, not intentions.” Your time blocks are runs toward your true legacy—don’t let them vanish into “someday.”
Your next step awaits, let's elevate!
Your Companion for Success - SARAVANA
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1: I’m a parent/leader—how can I keep my family/team “in sync”?
Family/squad success is built by modeling. Use your calendar in front of loved ones, invite them to create their “mini blueprints,” and celebrate together after each week—like a cricket after-match huddle. Collective ascent, always!
Q2: What if I constantly reschedule or “lose” blocks to others?
That’s normal. The trick is consistency, not perfection. If 60% of your priority blocks happen, you’re already in the top 5%. Share setbacks publicly and ask tribe members (see EN-2) for real-world fixes.
Q3: Paper, digital, or whiteboard—which works best?
There’s no “one size.” The Gita would say—adapt Swadharma (your own nature). If your Paati loves wall calendars, make it a family event; techies might prefer Google Calendar or Notion. Only rule: make it visible!
Q4: Can “ritualizing” the calendar backfire? (Overplanning, stress...)
Only when you treat it like another punishment! Make joy and celebration part of the ritual—Kollywood playlist, stickers, color codes, jokes. Ritual + reward beats routine every time.
Q5: My calendar is still chaos. Where do I go for more hacks?
Head over to the #AscentYouTribe links below, or revisit EN-1 and EN-2 for foundational resets. Remember: your first loyal community is your family—rise together, not alone!
- Books: The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People by Stephen Covey; Make Time by Jake Knapp and John Zeratsky.
- Tools: Google Calendar, a family whiteboard, or “pocket diary” to visualize your week. Invite the family in!
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About the Author
Saravana Kumar T L J is a personal development coach, motivational speaker, and founder of Sachsam Consulting — His program AscentYou is a transformative 52-step program helping millennials and Gen-Z overcome burnout and achieve personal mastery through Ancient Indian wisdom and modern psychology.
As a life coach based in Delhi NCR, Saravana combines ancient Indian philosophy with contemporary self-improvement strategies to guide individuals on their personal growth journey. His expertise in leadership development and mindfulness has helped people achieve mental wellness and goal clarity.
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ЁЯМР Website: AscentYou Blog
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