if you're a creative who resists structure because you don't wanna lose your flow. This one's for you. In today's Thrivent five, I'm showing you how to use time blocking to support your inspiration and not stifle it. Welcome back to Thrive in Five, where I give you a quick burst of motivation and productivity in five minutes or less. I'm Cindy, your host, a self-made entrepreneur, busy mom, and a business coach. I've built and sold several digital businesses ranging from five to six figure successes. So when it comes to managing time and priorities in both life and work, I get it. I've been there and I am here to help you thrive. Let's talk about the myth that structure kills creativity. If you're a writer, designer, content creator, coach, whatever your version of creative looks like. You might avoid planning your day too tightly because you want to keep that freedom. But here's what I've learned and lived without structure. Your creativity can drown in distraction. Ideas need space to breathe, but they also need a container to actually be, become something, and that's where time blocking for creatives comes in. It's not rigid, it's not robotic. It's a way to protect your energy so that it doesn't get eaten up by endless tasks or decision fatigue. So here's how to structure your day to work with that creative flow. Time block by energy, not just task. Ask yourself, when does your creativity peak? Is it in the morning, the late afternoon? Block off that time for your most creative work and protect it. No meetings, no admin. This turns your calendar into a support system instead of a checklist. Give your creativity a warmup. Don't expect to jump into deep creative work, cold. Start each block with a short ritual, like a playlist, a walk, journaling, or rereading your last idea to get into that creative flow. Think of it like stretching before a workout. Your brain needs to transition into that create mode. Build in buffer blocks. Creativity can't be forced, but it can be nurtured. Leave white space between focus blocks so that your brain can wander and connect ideas. This can be a 15 minute break or an entire creative thinking block that isn't task based, just idea focused, this works because time blocking helps creative people focus without pressure. It creates boundaries around your creative time so you're not squeezing it in between Zoom calls and grocery runs. And when your schedule makes space for the flow, you create more and stress less Let's recap how to time block in a way that supports your creativity. Block your day based upon your energy and not your tasks. Start creative blocks with a warmup, ritual or routine. Add buffer blocks to keep your inspiration from feeling forced your action steps to implement this today is to identify your most creative time of the day and block it off for the rest of the week. Choose a creative warmup that you know will help you get into the flow. Add one buffer block into your schedule to give ideas. Room to breathe Structure doesn't kill creativity. Distraction does. With the right rhythm, you can stay inspired and organized. Thanks for tuning into the Thrive in Five podcast. If you found value in today's episode, I'd love for you to leave a review. It helps more listeners discover the show and don't forget to subscribe so you never miss a dose of productivity, motivation, and success tips. And hey, share this episode with a friend that could use a little extra inspiration. Until next time, keep thriving. And remember, you've got this.