Picture this: It’s 5:30 AM. You’re sipping coffee, staring at a blank calendar. Your toddler needs to be at daycare in a few hours. You have three client calls to schedule “sometime this week,” and your team is waiting on direction for two major projects. Parent-teacher conferences are coming up, and you just remembered that dentist appointment you’ve been putting off for months.
This was my reality a year ago—and it was absolute chaos.
As a solo parent building a business, I felt like I was constantly playing catch-up, disappointing someone (often myself), and missing the moments that mattered most. The endless juggle was drowning me, and something had to change.
The wake-up call came during what should have been a celebration. My dad was visiting from Japan, and instead of being present, I was frantically texting my team about a client emergency that could have been avoided with better planning.
That night, I made a promise to us: I would figure out how to be the entrepreneur I needed to be AND the parent my son deserved.
The answer wasn’t working less or scaling back my dreams. The answer was calendar blocking—and it transformed not just my business, but our life as a family.
Why Calendar Blocking Became Our Lifeline
For me, calendar blocking isn’t just about productivity—it’s about intentionality. When you’re managing a business and a family solo, every minute counts, and every decision impacts not just you but your child.
Here’s what I discovered: When I plan my calendar 1.5 months in advance, magic happens.
- I can coordinate childcare for important client meetings.
- I can block focused time to work on a specific project or on my business.
- I can ensure I’m present for school events, doctor appointments, and those precious after-school moments when my son wants to tell me about his day.
Most importantly, I can show up fully—whether that’s as a CEO in a boardroom or as a mom at bedtime.
The Practical Reality: How We Make It Work
Let’s be honest—implementing calendar blocking as a solo parent isn’t always smooth sailing. There are weeks when my perfectly planned calendar gets demolished by a sick child or an unexpected client crisis. But having that foundation makes all the difference.
Here’s how I’ve made calendar blocking work for our family:
- Planning with Purpose: Every Friday, I sit down with our nanny to review our schedules. She shares upcoming school events and her availability, and I share what my work week looks like. This isn’t just logistics—it’s a partnership. While my son is too young to participate now, I’ll definitely incorporate him into our planning in a few years.
- Color-Coding Our Lives: My calendar looks like a rainbow, and each color tells a story. Orange for client work, purple for sales activities, green for focus time, blue for team meetings, and pink for family time and personal appointments. My team can see at a glance when I’m available, when I’m in deep work mode, and when I’m in full “mom-mode.”
- Buffer Time is Sacred: I learned this the hard way—always build in buffer time. School pickup can take longer than expected, and you’ll want to hear every detail your child shares. And sometimes, clients just need a little extra time to talk about things they can’t share with anyone else.
- The Two-Week Rule: My team knows my calendar is locked at least two weeks out. This isn’t rigidity—it’s respect. Respect for my time, my son’s schedule, and our life as a unit.
The Ripple Effect: How Structure Created Freedom
What surprised me most about calendar blocking wasn’t just how it organized my days—it was how it freed them.
- When my team can see exactly when I’m available, they stop guessing.
- When our nanny and my son know when I have important calls, they feel included rather than pushed aside.
- When I block time for family dinners and playtime, those moments become sacred rather than squeezed in.
The structure didn’t cage us—it set us free to be fully present in each moment.
There are still challenging days. Last month, I had to reschedule three client calls because my son was feeling under the weather. But instead of panic, there was peace. My calendar was organized enough that moving things around didn’t create chaos—it just required some gentle adjustments.
The Lesson That Changed Everything
Here’s what I wish someone had told me when I first became a parent: your calendar is a reflection of your values—and those values might evolve.
When I look at my calendar now, I see a woman who’s building something meaningful while raising an incredible human. I see blocks for growth, blocks for presence, and blocks for rest. I see a life designed with intention rather than lived by accident—with the beautiful unpredictability that comes with loving a little person.
For Kazuki, growing up seeing me manage my time with purpose will become its own lesson. He’s learning that success isn’t about being busy—it’s about being intentional. He’s seeing that you can chase your dreams while still being present for the people you love.
Your Turn to Take Control
If you’re reading this while juggling a million things, feeling like there aren’t enough hours in the day, I want you to know: You don’t have to choose between your dreams and your family. You just need to be intentional about how you spend your time.
Start small. Block out one focused work session this week. Schedule one uninterrupted family moment. See how it feels to be fully present instead of constantly multitasking.
Your calendar can become your secret weapon, too. Not just for productivity, but for presence. Not just for business success, but for the kind of life that makes you proud when you look back on it.
What would change if you designed your days with as much intention as you design your dreams?
Here’s to building the life you want, one blocked calendar at a time.
With love and solidarity,
Yuko ✨
