There never seems to be enough time in the day for everything we need to do. Add in the prevalence of social media and our desire to stay connected, plus the virtual offices in which many now work since the pandemic, and there’s a tendency for the workday to creep into the leisure hours. 

One way to get everything done in an eight-hour day — and manage private life, too — is with time blocking. 

What Is Time Blocking?

Time blocking, sometimes called calendar blocking, is a method for managing your time using a physical planner or an online template. It can be as simple as writing in a desk calendar or filling out an Excel form. There are also online templates and apps. 

Time blocking emphasizes single-tasking — concentrating on one task at a time — over multitasking, making it easier to maintain focus and avoid distractions.

Time blocking is similar to the idea of a to-do list but more specific. Instead of just listing things to do, time blocking assigns a specific block of time to work on each task during a weekly review. Tasks are scheduled based on priority, how long they should take, and how much time is available. 

There is no limit to how much time is in a block. Shallow work, such as checking your emails, may only merit 15 minutes. Deep work, such as planning a campaign, might need several hours. Billionaire executives Bill Gates and Elon Musk are said to break things down into five-minute blocks.

Benefits of Time Blocking

One reason time blocking is desirable is that most people underestimate how long it will take to complete a given task, even if they have done it or similar tasks before. It’s a common enough phenomenon to have a name: the Planning Fallacy. 

Overcoming this fallacy requires taking an outside view based on experience rather than an overly optimistic inside view. Time blocking forces you to be realistic about your time and work.

When a task is time-blocked, it leaves a base record for the next time. Even if you underestimated how long a task would take this time, next time you will have a better idea. 

There are other benefits, too.

Time blocking teaches you to focus on priorities

A to-do list incentivizes you to accomplish easy tasks first, with the result that difficult tasks may not get done at all. Time blocking encourages you to schedule your most important and difficult tasks when experience shows you have the most focus. Maybe that’s first thing in the morning or late afternoon. 

Tasks of lesser importance or complexity can be assigned to times when your concentration is lowest, such as right after lunch. 

Time blocking reduces procrastination and distractions

When faced with a difficult project, the tendency is to put it off until it can’t be avoided. Time blocking sets a schedule that you must follow or you risk throwing off your entire calendar. It’s more incentive to not give in to distractions.

Time blocking will make you find time for everything

Time blocking doesn’t just work for your job. Finding time for social activities, appointments (medical, accountant), chores, and hobbies also can be difficult. With time blocking, you can make sure you don’t neglect them as well. Schedule when to stop working and set aside time for family, friends, and yourself. 

Time blocking promotes focused “deep work”

There are at least two types of job-related activities: deep work and shallow work. In general, deep work is creative, strategic, and analytical. Shallow work is logistical and does not require deep thought. 

Time blocking promotes focused “deep work,” a term coined by Cal Newport in his book of the same name, subtitled, “Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World.” Deep work, Newport writes, is defined as “professional activities performed in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your cognitive capabilities to their limit … create new value [and] improve your skill.” 

Work that needs to get done but doesn’t help to fulfill your long-term goal is considered shallow work. Answering emails, returning phone calls, and online chatting with colleagues are often examples of shallow work, though there are exceptions. 

Shallow work is important but it can distract from deep work. For example, checking social media may divide your attention for up to 30 minutes. Time blocking helps you limit the amount of time you devote to shallow work.

Examples of Shallow Work vs. Deep work

Deep work: 

• Research;
• Analyzing data;
• Writing in-depth high-quality content;
• Researching; and 
• Developing a long-term strategy. 

Shallow work:

• Reading (most) emails;
• Checking social media (Twitter, Facebook);
• Scheduling meetings; and
• Communicating with colleagues on messaging apps (Slack, Microsoft Teams). 

It makes it easier to say 'No'

An important goal of time blocking is focus, and that means learning to say no. Entrepreneurs and politicians agree on the importance of saying no, but many people have a hard time doing it. Reasons include fear of conflict, fear of disappointing someone, and maybe even fear of being fired. 

Time blocking shows how your time is scheduled. When asked to take on a new task, having your time blocked out can give you the backing you need to say no with a clear conscience.

It discourages perfectionism

In 1955, C. Northcote Parkinson codified his famous law, “work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion.” One reason may be fear of running out of things to do, or laziness (Why work harder/faster than I need to?), but another is perfectionism: The more time we work on a project, the better it is likely to be.

That’s not always correct, but even if it were, we have other things to work on. Blocking out a set amount of time encourages you to spend just so much time on a task rather than trying to make it perfect. 

It encourages you to plan ahead

Sometimes, when we start a task or set a goal, we not only underestimate the time it will take but also the preparation and planning required. Putting it in writing and setting a firm deadline increases the chances you will complete the task on schedule.

Time Blocking Variations

Time blocking, as described above, isn’t the only way to manage your time. Here are some other methods, some very similar to time blocking or which can be used with time blocking.

The Pomodoro technique

This is based on the Basic Rest-Activity Cycle theory that the human brain can only remain focused for about 90 minutes before it loses focus and needs a 20-minute break or longer.  

With the Pomodoro technique, tasks are scheduled for 25 minutes at a time, followed by a five-minute break. Repeat four times before taking a longer break (15 to 45 minutes). Then start the cycle over.

The Eisenhower matrix

While it’s not a time-blocking method, the Eisenhower matrix, box, or schedule is a means of prioritizing tasks into four categories: Do first, do later, delegate, and eliminate. It can be used in conjunction with time blocking. 

Task batching 

One of the biggest distractions in the workplace is multitasking because it forces you to shift focus. If you group many similar tasks to work on at the same time, you minimize the need to shift focus. That’s task batching. 

Most batched tasks are shallow work. Complex tasks should not be task-batched. For example, rather than checking your email or social media constantly, schedule a couple of short blocks of time each day.

Task batching examples

You can sort different tasks for task batching by: 

• Type of actions needed.
• Level of effort required;
• Project; 
• Invoicing; 
• Meetings; and 
• Errands.

Day theming

Day theming is a variant of time batching in which each day is blocked for a certain type of activity. This is most useful for someone with a lot of different tasks, such as an entrepreneur or startup business owner, who doesn’t have a lot of (or any) support staff. One day might be set aside for sales calls, another for writing, and still another for planning the week’s schedule. 

Time boxing

Time boxing is a version of time blocking where the time for completing a task is blocked, not just the time to work on the task. 

How to Time Block Your Schedule

There are four steps to time blocking: 

1. Planning. List everything you need to do in a day or week. Break them up by type, complexity (deep or shallow work), and how long you think each will take. Maybe some can be task-batched. You may be able to break some big tasks into several smaller ones. Then, decide on which tasks are most important and when to schedule them. 
2. Block time. Once you’ve set your priorities, decide how long you need to or can afford to devote to each task. Some tasks will take longer than others, but there is a limit to how long you can work on a specific task without a break and still produce quality work. According to the theory of Ultradian rhythms, after 50-90 minutes, the brain loses focus and wanders or is easily distracted. You typically need 20-30 minutes to recover. 
3. Follow your schedule. Try to stick to the times and tasks you’ve scheduled. Use a time tracker app if you have trouble remembering to record precisely when you finish a task. 
4. Revise your schedule as needed. If the schedule in practice did not work — if a task took less or more time — make changes to the next schedule.