A meeting scheduled for an hour may bring work before and after it. If only the meeting reaches the calendar, the preparation still has to happen somewhere.

Describe one complete commitment

Choose a recurring meeting. List the information you review beforehand, the contact itself, and the follow-up it creates. Use a recent example rather than an idealized estimate.

Find the missing container

Ask where preparation and documentation currently happen. If the answer is “whenever I can,” make that visible in the workload conversation. Do not assume every open-looking calendar space is available for more appointments.

Decide what needs adjustment

You may need a clearer agenda, an earlier information deadline, a different meeting length, or protected work time. Some changes require a supervisor or organization decision. Name that dependency instead of treating it as a personal planning failure.

At your next review, examine whether the commitment fits more honestly. The goal is a calendar that describes the work you are responsible for.

For a bounded discussion of a week that no longer fits, explore The Busy BCBA mentorship options.

Educational planning guidance for clinicians. Individualize clinical decisions with the learner and family.