--- title: "STYLE Savvy: Reclaiming Time (Again)" description: A change in her work schedule gave Lisa Hess an opportunity to rethink her routine. image: https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20210526%20LHess%202.jpg ---                                           [![catholic-mom-logo-v2](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/images/catholic-mom-logo-v2.svg "catholic-mom-logo-v2")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) [![search-icon](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/search-icon.svg)](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-reclaiming-time-again#) [WORK](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/tag/work) # STYLE Savvy: Reclaiming Time (Again) May 26, 2021 10:00:00 AM  |  by [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) ![featured image](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/20210526%20LHess%202.jpg) *A change in her work schedule gave Lisa Hess an opportunity to rethink her routine.* This week, I started teaching my first-ever fully online summer class. The prep has been ongoing for months, side-by-side with my spring classes, requiring enough work that I felt as though I was teaching an additional class. In the recesses of my brain, a little engine was chugging along, whispering a reminder to prepare (don’t forget to work on the summer class), and growing more urgent as the start date for class approached. Finally, last weekend, I woke up in a hotel room in Connecticut with the most urgent reminder of all.  Summer class starts tomorrow!  But … what does that even mean? Suddenly, I realized this was different from any other start to class. The only place I had to be was in front of my computer and I could show up whenever I wanted. Creating the modules and assignments had been the hard part and the lion’s share of that work was already done. My time was mine again. Maybe it’s because I’ve been reading about time, or maybe it’s because I feel as though I’ve had so little of it lately but the beauty of this opportunity to rethink my routine is not lost on me. I don't yet know what my days will look like, but here are three things I want to keep in mind. #### Body clock Listen to it! I’m not an early riser, and there’s no need to be, no matter what time the rest of the world sets its alarm. #### Boundaries Set them early. I have a tendency to stretch time (if that’s even a thing) and tell myself it’s not really that big a deal if I start half an hour earlier than I’d like or stay half an hour later and, before I know it, all of my free time has been eaten away. #### By the book Experiment with specific time frames for doing certain tasks, like grading completed work and answering emails. In *[Time Smart](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1633698351?pf_rd_r=9GYSE4FMM6604CDH8715&pf_rd_p=5ae2c7f8-e0c6-4f35-9071-dc3240e894a8&pd_rd_r=540b4f0a-66f3-4153-9b0c-1516441da372&pd_rd_w=2SrZb&pd_rd_wg=ZZzKU&ref_=pd_gw_unk),* Ashley Whillans talks about clock time people and event time people. I’m the latter – one who prefers time frames rather than specific times. If I plan to do certain tasks in certain time frames, I’ll quickly have a routine with flexibility built right in.   > [Click to tweet: > Ponder the beauty of an opportunity to rethink a routine. #catholicmom](https://ctt.ac/Ntd3e) We should all be so lucky as to have the chance to rethink time. If you had that opportunity, what would you do? ![20210526 LHess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/20210526%20LHess.jpg?width=1080&name=20210526%20LHess.jpg)   --- Copyright 2021 Lisa Hess Image: [Pixabay](https://www.google.com/url?q=https://pixabay.com/images/id-2587563/&sa=D&source=calendar&usd=2&usg=AOvVaw3mq1GdvGYGWYI9xoafpXE9) (2017) ### Share this article [![Share on Facebook](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/facebook-24x24.png)](http://www.facebook.com/share.php?u=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-reclaiming-time-again%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dfacebook) [![Share on Twitter](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/twitter-24x24.png)](https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?original_referer=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-reclaiming-time-again%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-reclaiming-time-again%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Dtwitter&source=tweetbutton&text=STYLE%20Savvy%3A%20Reclaiming%20Time%20%28Again%29) [![Share on Email](https://static.hubspot.com/final/img/common/icons/social/email-24x24.png)](mailto:?subject=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-reclaiming-time-again%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail%20&body=Check%20out%20https%3A%2F%2Fwww.catholicmom.com%2Farticles%2Fstyle-savvy-reclaiming-time-again%3Futm_medium%3Dsocial%26utm_source%3Demail) ** #### About the Author ![Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/Lisa%20Lawmaster%20Hess.jpg) ### [Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess) Transplanted Jersey girl Lisa Lawmaster Hess is the author of a blog compilation, three novels, and three non-fiction books, including the award-winning Know Thyself: The Imperfectionist’s Guide to Sorting Your Stuff. A retired elementary school counselor, Lisa is an adjunct professor of psychology at York College of Pennsylvania. She blogs at [The Porch Swing Chronicles](http://l2hess.blogspot.com/), [Organizing by STYLE](http://www.orgbystyle.blogspot.com/), and here at Catholicmom.com. [Read all articles by Lisa Hess](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/author/lisa-hess). [**](https://www.facebook.com/L2Hess/) [**](https://twitter.com/orgbystyle) ## Related Blog Articles [ STYLE Savvy: Travel and Lists and Hammocks -- Oh, My! Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2017/06/21/style-savvy-travel-lists-hammocks-oh) [ STYLE Savvy: No More Junk Drawer Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/style-savvy-no-more-junk-drawer) [ STYLE Savvy: Three Kinds of Time Read ](https://www.catholicmom.com/articles/2018/02/07/style-savvy-three-kinds-time/) ## Comments ## Donate now [![Support Catholic Mom](https://no-cache.hubspot.com/cta/default/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545.png)](https://cta-redirect.hubspot.com/cta/redirect/275132/10016573-1c5c-4aa5-baba-c2ac91fe7545) [![CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)](https://www.catholicmom.com/hs-fs/hubfs/CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png?width=1806&height=731&name=CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c%20(002).png "CatholicMom_hcfm_logo1_pos_871c_2728c (002)")](https://www.catholicmom.com/) ##### Subscribe to Catholic Momcast on iTunes or Spotify [![itunes-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/itunes-logo-black.svg)](https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/catholic-momcast/id1362352357)[![spotify-logo-black](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/logos/spotify-logo-black.svg)](https://open.spotify.com/show/15CoipHL7z61IDcYErV0b8?si=hqaQJSxDQgq7S1hxCwsoxQ) ##### CatholicMom on Social Networks [![facebook](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-facebook.svg)](http://www.facebook.com/CatholicMomCommunity) [![twitter](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-twitter.svg)](http://twitter.com/CatholicMomCom) [![instagram](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-instagram.svg)](http://instagram.com/catholicmomcommunity) [![youtube](https://www.catholicmom.com/hubfs/_catholicmom/icons/social-icon-youtube.svg)](https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCAuUqHCVPDzyMgSMaMZxxug?view_as=subscriber) ##### About Catholic Mom [Who We Are](https://www.catholicmom.com/about-us) [Contact Us](https://www.catholicmom.com/contact) [Support CatholicMom.com](https://www.catholicmom.com/support-us)   ##### Associated Links [Holy Cross Family Ministries](https://www.hcfm.org/) [Family Rosary](https://www.familyrosary.org/) [Family Theater Productions](https://www.familytheater.org/) [Congregation of the Holy Cross](https://www.holycrossusa.org/) [Father Patrick Peyton, C.S.C.](https://www.fatherpeyton.org/) [The Peyton Institute for Domestic Church Life](https://www.peytonfamilyinstitute.org/) ### **Stay connected!** Don’t miss a thing! 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