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Time blocking is a time management technique where you divide your day into specific blocks of time, each dedicated to a particular task or group of tasks. Instead of working from a to-do list and hoping to find time for everything, you schedule your tasks directly into your calendar, allocating a set number of hours to each activity.
Think of it as organizing your to-do list in a meaningful, time-allocated way. By breaking your day into dedicated blocks, you create a structured schedule that helps you prioritize effectively and stay focused on what matters most.
By breaking your day into specific blocks of time, you can give your full attention to one task at a time without feeling guilty. You avoid constantly switching between tasks, which reduces the cognitive switching penalty where your brain expends energy loading, flushing, and reloading contextual information for each new task.
Time blocking brings a sense of control into your life. When you create a schedule and systematically allot time to important projects and activities, you get the feeling that you are on top of all the important things in your life. You'll feel more at ease doing tasks, knowing that you have allotted sufficient time for other important tasks as well.
Deep work involves creative, focused, deeply human work that requires sustained concentration. Instead of hoping to find some time for deep work, time blocking gives you the power to create dedicated time for it. By scheduling blocks for focused work, you ensure that important, high-value tasks get the attention they deserve.
You can allocate specific blocks of time for specific tasks, be it work, exercise, or spending time with friends and family. Time is the most important resource you have, and time blocking helps you think about how to distribute it across competing priorities in a way that delivers optimal outcomes.
Time blocking helps reduce procrastination by making tasks more concrete and scheduled. When you have a specific time block dedicated to a task, it becomes harder to put it off. You can even block time specifically for your go-to procrastination activities, which signals to your brain that there's already time allotted for those, so you can get back to your important work.
You'll start noticing that you're getting more things done when you start time blocking. While 100% task completion is impossible, time blocking helps with thoughtful prioritization and completion of tasks that bring maximum value. It's about improvement from your previous level of productivity, not perfection.
Time blocking helps you set better boundaries. When your schedule is blocked out, it's easier to say no to requests that interfere with your planned work. You can confidently decline meetings or requests that conflict with your scheduled blocks, protecting your time for what matters most.
Time blocking is an effortful activity. It takes thinking and prioritizing to plan ahead, and it requires discipline and commitment to stick to. Especially when you begin, it may feel unnatural because you're not allowing yourself to attend to multiple activities as you please. The effort involves both deciding time blocks and activities, as well as sticking to the activity during that time.
Time blocking can limit the degree of spontaneity you can have with your daily activities. It can be difficult to be flexible and go with the flow if you have your day planned out to the minute. However, this can be mitigated by not being too rigid with your schedule and leaving some blocks flexible for unexpected tasks.
Time blocking is an excellent productivity technique if you can find the right balance between flexibility and efficiency. Be mindful of the usual pitfalls, such as the desire to plan every minute of your day, which can render this technique counterproductive.
Tips for success:
You may have to experiment a bit to find the right balance that works for you. Remember, the goal is to improve your productivity and sense of control, not to create a rigid schedule that causes stress.
This Time-Blocking app is designed to make time blocking simple and effective. With features like:
Start by creating a few blocks for your most important tasks today, and gradually build the habit of time blocking into your daily routine.
This content is based on research and insights from: