Time blocking
Give every hour of the workday a job before the day starts
Every block of the day gets assigned to specific work on a calendar, rather than worked off a task list, and the plan is rewritten whenever reality breaks it. The point is not rigid adherence but confronting how many hours you actually have. Practitioners report that the plan being wrong by 11am is normal and not a failure of the system.
Who backs it
Sorted by strength of stance
- Ali AbdaalDoes it
Doctor turned YouTuber · author of Feel-Good Productivity
Calendar blocks carry his week rather than a task list, and the plan gets rewritten as the week moves.
Source: aliabdaal.com: how to build a time management routine“Think of it like making a reservation at a restaurant. By booking a specific time for dinner, you ensure that you have a table waiting for you. Time blocking does the same for your daily tasks, providing a dedicated space for each one.”
aliabdaal.com: How to build a time management routine (opens in a new tab) · 29 Jan 2025 - Cal NewportDoes it
Computer science professor · author of Deep Work
Ten to twenty minutes each evening go on blocking out the next day, and he rewrites the plan whenever it breaks.
Source: calnewport.com: planning every minute of your work day - James ClearRecommends
Author · Atomic Habits
Scheduling the work beats listing it, he suggests, because a task without a slot rarely happens.
Source: 3-2-1 newsletter
Aimed at the same thing
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