I was sitting in the backyard of one of my friends’ house for a socially distant visit, and I was explaining to her husband how I “batch” my text messages throughout the day, and his mind was blown. He had never thought about blocking out specific times of the day for responding to text messages rather than just picking up the phone every time you get a notification. But this is my number-one productivity secret weapon. I love time blocking. It makes my life so much easier to manage. Rather than flitting from one task to the next from the moment I lift my head from the pillow, time blocking is the best way for me to effectively manage my time and squeeze as much as I can out of each day.

What is it?

Time blocking is a pretty straightforward concept where you segment your day into defined chunks of time. For example, instead of checking your emails every time you receive a notification, you set a block of time, say from 8 a.m. to 8:30 a.m., to clear your inbox and respond to messages. Once your inbox is at zero, you move on to the next task. Task batching is basically a cousin of time blocking, but if you already thrive off of batching your tasks, you’ll love time blocking. 

“A 40-hour time-blocked work week, I estimate, produces the same amount of output as a 60+ hour work week pursued without structure.” – Cal Newport, Author of Deep Work

The key to time blocking is organizing the tasks that need to be completed and then setting aside a specific timeframe to focus only on those items. This helps prevent multitasking and interruptions from derailing your day. How many times have we ended a day where we said, “I just feel like I didn’t get anything done even though I’ve been working all day”? It’s a morale suck to feel this way. Time blocking helps ditch distractions and focus on the important tasks at hand. 

Why does it work?

Time blocking applies discipline and order to your day. Think of it like this: when you add an event to your schedule, you build your tasks and to-do list around that event, right? Time blocking does the same thing, but for all of your tasks. It elevates your work—especially the highest priority projects—to an immovable event.

Time blocking also helps minimize distractions. Here’s a test: If you have an iPhone, go to your Settings → Screen Time → See All Activity. If you scroll down a bit, it tells you how many times you’ve picked up your phone over the course of the day. Those numbers can be scary. And below that you’ll see your number of notifications. The average person has 46 notifications a day, but mine currently says I have 84…85…86…and it’s not even 10 a.m. yet. Our life is a series of distractions these days. By scheduling time and grouping similar tasks together, you’re using the same area of your brain, as opposed from jumping back-and-forth. You’re more productive when you’re less distracted. 

Time blocking helps you do better quality work. Are you familiar with the phrase “deep work”? I quoted the book it comes from earlier in the post, and I’ll share more a bit when we get into the “how” of time blocking, but deep work allows you to create focused, meaningful, undistracted work. Ideally, these periods of deep work should coincide with your peak energy levels. You’re basically allowing yourself to create the ideal scenario for your highest potential. 

How does it work?

OK, now for the part you’ve been waiting for. How the heck do you time block your day?

Step 1: Identify your priorities

I personally like to time block my entire day, but if that feels overwhelming you can start with your work hours. First, you need to determine your priorities, both personal and professional. You need to decide what things are highest priority for the day and what you need to accomplish. Your schedule should flow out of and reflect your core priorities. 

Step 2: Determine your schedule

My most productive time of the day is from 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. This is the time that I really feel renewed, and am able to think deeply and get my best ideas. The important aspect here is not whether you are a morning person or a night person, but to realize when your most productive time is and maximize it. I usually bust out my most important work during these hours, and save the easier stuff for later in the day. Especially when the afternoon rolls around and my son is home for school, my productivity takes a nosedive. 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. are my golden hours, so that’s when I schedule my “deep work.”

It’s important to note that time blocking has two different types of time slots. Each specific day will have time blocks that are ‘fixed’ and blocks that are ‘variable’. A fixed time block is a chunk of time that is a dedicated slot for a specific event or task, and is typically non-negotiable. A variable time block is more fluid. You are essentially blocking off a chunk of time during your day for a group of tasks or event that can be moved to another time block easily if needed. These time blocks are can be used for your priorities that are important, but not urgent, and have flexibility to be moved around.

After you’ve determined your best schedule, use a time blocking app like Plan or HourStack or a spreadsheet to create your time blocks.

Step 3: Designate “deep work” blocks

OK, now let’s get into some deep work talk. When you’re involved in deep work, that’s the only thing that you’re focusing on. Emails, phone calls and knocks on the door all have to wait until you’re done. Just make sure that you let others know when you wish not to be interrupted. When I worked in an office building and designated these blocks, I had a hot pink sign that I’d put up on the door that said, “Only if the building is on fire,” and it was quite effective. It might sound dramatic, but eventually everyone in the office made their own and it was a whole camaraderie thing. We respected each other’s signs and boundaries.

Consider the following when scheduling your deep work blocks:

• Location – Choose a space that’s distraction-free and conducive to long periods of focus. In the absence of such a location, opt for noise-cancelling headphones that will shut out the world while you work and notify your brain that it’s time to focus. Try to be consistent with your environment; familiarity will allow you to get into deep work mode more quickly.
• Structure – Set structure for yourself and define what deep work mode looks like. For instance, will your phone be off or on? Do you need to set a lock on your browser? How will you measure the success of a block (i.e. pages read, lines coded, words written)? Whatever your rules, make them explicit and follow them for the duration of your deep work session.
• Requirements – After a few sessions of focused work, you’ll learn what you require to support your commitment to deep work. This may include a specific type of music, your favorite beverage, or a hot pink sign that says, “Only if the building is on fire.” Always have everything you need before diving in.

Always schedule an empty block of time in your calendar. You can use these blocks to meditate, go for a walk or just do absolutely nothing. Plus, it gives you a little wiggle room for if you have a client who is running late or you get stuck in traffic. Because, life happens, whether it’s time blocked or not.