Time Blocking: How to Use Time Blocking to Manage Your Time

Time blocking is a time management technique that divides your daily schedule into specific blocks of time dedicated to particular tasks. Some people use time blocking to partition their workday; others use this time tracking technique to partition their entire day, including personal time as well as work time.

Time blocking may involve using a calendar app and breaking an eight-hour workday into segmented chunks of time, each dedicated to a single task. You can also get more granular and add time blocks for making phone calls, or cordon off a half hour to catch up on email. The key is setting a level of specificity that you can adhere to without experiencing burnout.

Time blocking works by dividing an entire day into individual time blocks, each of which designates a specific amount of time for specific tasks. For instance, you can begin your day by blocking off thirty minutes to wake up and shower, followed by thirty minutes for breakfast and thirty minutes for your morning commute. Your time blocking will shift once you reach the office, where you can devote specific blocks to specific important tasks and project management duties. Other blocks can go toward smaller tasks. To avoid burnout, set aside time for relaxation; a chunk of free time can recharge you and give you energy to take on new tasks.

Note that time blocking is slightly different from task-batching, which is the process of completing similar tasks all at the same specific time. It also differs from the Pomodoro Technique, which breaks up workflows into small time segments. The Pomodoro Technique and task-batching can, however, be part of a broader time blocking strategy. In this scenario, you would set aside dedicated time in your calendar to work on a particular task list (task-batching), or you would note that a time block exists to accomplish important work tasks using the Pomodoro Technique. You would note these specific approaches on your work calendar.

Use the following tips to wade into the practice of time blocking.

• Use a calendar app. Use a calendar app to partition your day into individual time blocks. You may wish to use notifications to remind you when one time block is ending and another is beginning.
• Schedule high-priority tasks in the mid-to-late morning. Research suggests that people are most productive in the mid-to-late morning, and their productivity lags toward the end of the day. With this in mind, schedule your most important tasks for the morning hours and save more shallow work for later in the day.
• Select an appropriate period of time for the task at hand. Important tasks require deep work, which is work that you immerse yourself in without outside distractions. Try giving major tasks at least one hour, which will help you truly immerse.
• Consider day theming. Some people benefit from dedicating entire days to related tasks and creating a theme of the day. This can be particularly helpful when balancing multiple projects that involve different teams and different objectives. Giving each project its own dedicated day can streamline your workflow and keep you focused.
• Set aside extra time for catching up. The best time blocking plans often go awry, and not every task gets completed in its allotted time. To counter this, time blocking adherents schedule extra time at the end of the day, or the end of the week, to catch up on what they may have missed.
• Set limits on your workday. In 1955, British historian Cyril Northcote Parkinson famously articulated an idea that is now known as Parkinson’s law: Work expands to fill the time you make available to complete it. Take Parkinson’s law to heart and put limits on the amount of time you spend working each day. Program in free time and recovery time to stave off burnout and to keep you emotionally grounded throughout your career.

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