Time Blocking: Getting the Most from Your Daily Schedule to Increase Your Productivity

Time blocking refers to dividing the day into smaller slots and assigning a specific task to each slot. These time blocks can be different in size. For example, you can have a time block of 20 minutes for checking all the emails.

And then there can be a time block of 1 hour for doing the heaviest tasks of the day. There can also be time slots for browsing social media or having a cup of coffee with your colleagues.

What is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is the technique where you divide your day into time blocks and specifically assign different tasks to those blocks. This is far more efficient than just having a to-do list with endless handling tasks.

Rather than having an open-ended list, time blocking helps you focus on certain tasks at the assigned periods. This concrete schedule will let you work more efficiently without getting distracted by tasks that aren’t on the list.

How Does Time Blocking Work?

Time blocking makes you focus on one single task at a certain time rather than multiple tasks with an absent mind. As you can focus more on that specific task, the job gets done faster than you can assume.

This method can also eliminate shallow tasks or distractions for the day. As every block of time is related to a particular task, your mental energy is concentrated toward the task, knocking out less important or unscheduled tasks more efficiently.

With clear tasks planned according to the time, you can be more aware of how you spend the day. A general to-do list might have plenty of tasks, but we often don’t have track of what we are doing.

Time blocking allows you to track all those listed tasks and determine whether they are completed on time. Reviewing your task list from time to time helps you increase your efficiency.

You can have a better timeline of work with this method. As everything is planned beforehand, you can easily determine which task is going to take how much time.

How to Use Time Blocking?

Follow these steps to get the most out of this technique.

1. Put the most important tasks of the day in the bigger slots. Thus, you will get enough time to complete bigger tasks without disruptions.
2. You can create a template with this technique. If you are doing something frequently, try to put that on a certain block at the same time every day. This way, you will get accustomed to the schedule much easier.
3. Make room for both deep and shallow tasks. While deep tasks might take bigger slots, smaller and less important slots should be kept for shallow tasks.
4. Don’t forget to add breaks between the blocks so that you can get energized for the next block after completing a task.

Time Blocking with TimeCaptis

We are accountable to our to-do lists and calendars. The better you can manage your to-do lists and calendar, the better you can take back control of your time. If you are working on a specific task or planning long-term goals, dedicating a certain amount of time to stay focused will benefit your productivity. Make the best use of your time without using complex productivity tools - just a simple tool like TimeCaptis will help.