Time Blocking: Your Secret Weapon for Getting More Done
At the start of last week, I felt overwhelmed by several tasks on my to-do list that I just couldn’t make enough progress on. Sessions of work on varying tasks felt fractured, as I tried to multi-task items, which ultimately left me falling short.
A technique that has improved this situation is time blocking.
If you are looking for ways to schedule specific tasks, then time blocking will be of benefit to you too.
What is Time Blocking?
Time blocking is a management technique used for scheduling tasks into specific time slots across the day. If you have clarity over what needs to be done, you can time block into the future, such as weekly time blocking schedules.
The idea is to set out the available time in your day and create blocks, with clear items that you will work on within each time zone. For example, this week I set a morning block from 8am-1pm working on my company accounts and admin, then from 2pm until 5pm researching information for a residential development project.
Why use Time Blocking?
Key benefits associated with time blocking include:
- Improved Focus: By taking a single task to work on, you remove the potential for distraction.
- Increased Productivity: Planning your day enables you to work efficiently and complete important tasks.
- Prioritised Workload: Asking yourself to plan one task to complete means prioritising the work which will have the greatest benefit to progress.
- Supporting a Good Work-Life Balance: Time blocking includes planning meals, breaks and time for rest, meaning that it encourages you to make time for yourself.
5 Steps to Use Time Blocking
- Make your list: Write down the tasks that you want to progress.
- Prioritise: Select the priority tasks that you will aim to block sooner and dedicate more time to.
- Create your timetable: Fill your day with time blocks, dedicating time to focus on the selected tasks.
- Block out distractions: Ensure that your environment is clear and clean, whilst removing any ways that you could be swayed from the task at hand.
- Review and Experiment: At the end of each day and week, take the time to identify what worked and what could be improved. Continue to explore new ways of time blocking that will improve your productivity.
Challenges of Time Blocking
Whilst time blocking is a great tool to increase productivity, here are some challenges that may be faced, with suggested ways to overcome them:
- Missing a Time Blocked Zone: The key is not to be too hard on yourself and review the schedule you have in place, making adjustments as necessary.
- An Urgent Matter Arises: If something needs to take priority, adjust the schedule you have made and prioritise the new item, as required.
- Under or Overestimating Task Timings: This is a skill which will develop with experience, so appreciate that in the early days of time blocking you may get timings wrong and need to review your schedule.
Build Your Blocks
Time blocking has been a useful tool for me in prioritising tasks and setting my schedule. This has helped give my days much needed structure and clarity.
If you are looking to gain a similar clarity, then I recommend implementing time blocking. If you do use this technique, then we would love to hear from you!
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