I used to be the type of person who would work extremely long hours every single day. When I looked back at what I accomplished, it was nowhere near as much as I would have liked. It wasn’t that I was lazy or that I couldn’t focus on work; rather, it was because I had horrible time management skills. Thankfully, I discovered time blocking. If I had to attribute my increase in productivity to anything, it would be to this.
What is time blocking? Time blocking is a method of time management that asks you to schedule your day in specific blocks of time. Each block has a specific task assigned to it and you have to get it done within that time you set out.
Time blocking allows you to know exactly what you should be doing and how long you have to do it. It acts like a target you have to work towards. The goal is to complete everything you need to in the day, one by one. It’s almost like having a game plan for the day!
Before we move on, let’s take a look at some different types of time blocking. You can implement any one that works best for you:
| Type | Explanation |
| Traditional Time Blocking | Splitting your day up into blocks. Each block has a task in it and only that task can be completed or attended to in that specific time block. |
| Task Grouping | Splitting your day up into blocks but instead of one task, many similar tasks can be done in a block. For instance: emails and phone calls can be grouped together because they are both types of communication and it does not take a lot of effort to switch from one task to the other. |
| Daily Theming | Taking each day of the week and dedicating it to one area of focus. Essentially batching all similar tasks into one day. For example: Mondays are research days, Tuesdays are dedicated to writing or content creation, Wednesdays are for traveling to customers and meetings, etc. |
How Does Time Blocking Improve Your Productivity?
We all think we can multitask. For a while now, it has been thought that the more things you can do at one time, the more productive you will be. This way of thinking has been disproven; multitasking simply does not work. What does work is staying focused on one task at a time and doing it properly.
When we give our undivided attention to a task, we achieve better results and end up doing it faster. This means we can move on to the next task quicker and will ultimately get more done.
You have probably been in a situation where you were focused on a project and suddenly you got an email notification. What did you do? Chances are you stopped what you were doing and went to check the email.
Checking that email means your mind is now divided between the project and the email. Your brain takes some time to switch from one task to another and then focus on it. So, even if you choose to reply to the email later, you would have lost time because your brain needs to get refocused on the project.
Time blocking is not about ignoring certain tasks but rather staying focused on the things that are important right now. You have a set time for the project and then a different time for the emails. This gives you the piece of mind that all your tasks have been accounted for and will get done at some point during the day.
You will also find you are able to enter into a state called deep work, which will allow you to produce better quality work. This video explains more about that:
It Helps You Prioritize
Time blocking helps you to prioritize what is important. Often, we get distracted by things that seem urgent but don’t actually help us reach our end goal. In the above scenario, the project was important but the email seemed urgent.
When you have a plan at the beginning of the day, you help prevent yourself from being thrown off course. You have a higher chance of sticking with the important thing and getting it done.
It Helps You Take Control of Your Day
When you use time blocking, you are in control of your day. Outside factors and events have a smaller impact on your productivity than they used to. Feeling more in control will boost your confidence and could, in turn, make you more productive.
Having specific blocks of tasks is like setting goals with a time limit. You have to finish it in the given time. When you are able to do that, you feel like you are actually moving forward and achieving something. Even if that something is checking your emails, it contributes to your daily goals and is counted as a win.
Steps for Creating a Time Blocked Schedule
Time blocking is used by many successful business people and entrepreneurs to manage their time and make sure they allocate their time in the right places.
Two of these prominent people are Elon Musk and Bill Gates. They schedule their time down to the minute. It is not necessary for the average person to do this, but making sure your day is planned efficiently will definitely lead to better results.
You can choose whether you just want to time block your work day or use it to plan the entire day. I personally suggest planning the entire day because you can set your priorities straight. Family time, relaxing, and working on personal projects are all important. When you use time blocking to plan from the first to the last moments of your day, you can be sure you will get to everything that is important to you.
Create a List
First things first, you need to know what you need to get done. Start by writing out everything you need to get done for the entire week. Include family commitments, personal goals, work projects, and even your exercise goals. This list is going to be your base point.
Start breaking up the bigger tasks into smaller chunks that you will be able to accomplish each day. Then create a daily list, including everything from checking emails to picking up the kids from school. Once the list is ready, you can move on to the next step.
Prioritize Your Tasks
Go though your list and place a star next to the things that are the most important. You should not have more than two or three things that you star per day. Having too many priority tasks gives you too much to focus on during the day and you can easily get overwhelmed or not make headway with them. Remember, your day is not just going to be filled with priority tasks. The smaller things will need to get done as well.
I touched on separating the urgent from the important earlier on. Here is a video that will help you prioritize your tasks in the most effective way:
Create Your Time Blocked Schedule
By now, you should know what you need to get done and what are the most important tasks you have to do. It is time to create your daily blueprint. You can use a regular notebook and pen or download a time blocking template to help you out.
Your priority tasks should take up your best and most productive times in the day. Think about whether you work better in the morning, evening, or afternoon. For most people, the morning is the best time of day to get things done. Afternoons tend to be the worst because most people hit an afternoon slump and brain fog sets in.
If this is you, then make sure you get all your important tasks done in the morning. Then in the afternoon, you can do things that require a little less attention and brain power. These can include stat meetings, replying to emails, filing, and planning for the next day.
You should also be realistic about the amount of time you will need for each task. This might be difficult at the beginning, but as you continue to create a time blocking schedule, you will see that it gets easier to do. You will be able to estimate more accurately and plan more efficiently.
Stick to the Plan
Once you have planned out your day and developed your schedule, it is up to you to make sure you stick to it. There will be times when distractions pop up and people come to you with ‘emergencies.’ This is when you have to resist the temptation to do what seems urgent so you can get the most important things done.
This is especially important to do when it comes to your priority projects. There is not much that is more important than these, so there is a high chance that whatever pops up can wait until later. Of course, if there is something that pops up that is more important, you would need to be flexible with your time to accommodate it.
Communicating with your co-workers and family members is extremely important. They will not understand why you are not available during these specific times unless you explain it to them. Once the people around you know the times in which you should not be disturbed, you will have far fewer interruptions and possible distractions.
Quick Tips for Successful Time Blocking
It is never easy implementing a new habit, especially one that means restructuring your whole day. Following these simple tips will make the process much easier and help you successfully time block.
Create a Buffer Between Tasks
Switching from one task to another will take some time. Your brain needs to readjust and refocus. Instead of packing your schedule to the brim, leave about 10 to 15 minutes between tasks. This will give you enough time to readjust and move onto the next task. It will also give you a quick break before jumping into the next thing.
Rest and Breaks Should Scheduled
Resting and taking breaks are just as important as all your other tasks. Not having them in your schedule means you will either never take a break or interrupt your workflow to take a break whenever you feel like it.
Having a break scheduled will also give you something to look forward to when you are done with a block of work. Not only that, but it will recharge you for your next task.
Taking a break is highly overlooked because we live in a world that is constantly moving on to the next thing. Having time for a proper rest in your day, week, and month gives you the energy you need to keep going and be your most productive self when it is time to work.
Pair Time Blocking With Other Productivity Methods
There are plenty of other productivity methods that can be used alongside time blocking. These can help you get the most amount of work done in the allotted time. Some suggestions are the Pomodoro Technique, in which you work for 25 minutes and then take a short break and then repeat this cycle, or the Don’t Break the Chain Method.
Overestimate the Time You Will Need
This is especially important at the beginning of your journey with time blocking. We tend to think we can do things much quicker than we actually can, and that is why it is always a rush at the last minute. The general rule should be to give yourself about 2 to 3 times as long as you think you need to complete the task.
As you start time blocking more and start paying attention to how long common tasks take you, you will be able to be more accurate. The more you time block, the better you will become at it.
Set an Overflow Time or Day
Having time dedicated to overflow is really going to help prevent you from getting overwhelmed by your work. You only have a set amount of time during the day to work on a task, so you will have to leave it to move onto the next one once the time has elapsed. This might create a backlog of work if you don’t create space to catch up on your work.
Depending on your schedule, you could set out a block of time at the end of the day to catch up on things you weren’t able to finish during the day or you could have a day at the end of the week dedicated to any overflow work. It is wise to set aside this time for yourself, but if you don’t need it on a specific day or week, you have the extra time to do something more fun if you wish.
Revise the Schedule If You Need To
It would be impossible to stick to the time blocking schedule 100% of the time. Life happens and being too rigid with the system might lead to you being very discontent and unmotivated.
Remember that you can always revise the schedule whenever you need to. When you write out the schedule, resolve to stick to it, but if for some reason you are not able to, be prepared to move things around.
Time Blocking FAQs
Are there any apps that will help me with time blocking?
There are plenty of apps that will help you to time block and create a schedule. Some of these are Plan, HourStack, and TickTick. Although it is not completely necessary to use one, apps definitely make life easier.
Is it necessary to plan out every single day?
If you want to be productive every day of the week, then yes. However, you can be a little looser when scheduling days that you don’t have much to get done. The great thing about time blocking is that you can make it work for you!
In Summary
Time blocking is an amazing tool for increasing productivity. You are able to get a bird’s eye view of what your days and weeks will look like. Knowing exactly what you need to get done for the day helps you to stay focused and motivated for the tasks ahead.
If you have never tried time blocking, then I suggest you give it a go. It might take some trial and error before you get a handle on it, but very soon, you will be a time blocking master!