Time blocking: Tips and strategies to improve time management

If time management were easy, most of the stresses that we encounter from one day to the next would vanish. We’re all busy, with lots of tasks that scream for attention each day — and often, it feels like there’s no way we can possibly get to all of them.

But don’t worry — there is a way to find balance. In fact, there are lots of ways you can bring balance to your schedule, and time blocking is one of them. Time blocking is a time management technique that can not only help you improve time utilization, but also team culture.

Ready to get started? We’ve put together a guide to show you all about time blocking. Read below to learn more.

What does “time blocking” mean?

For most people, there are lots of smaller things that make up the whole day. Meetings, emails, time to work on your project, lunchtime, social media time, prep for the next day, and so on. And if you’re like many, it’s sometimes a scramble to tend to each of these things.

Ever found yourself in “putting out fires” mode, trying to get to the next most important task before it’s too late?

Yeah — that’s not an uncommon thing. Time blocking aims to solve this problem. On a basic level, time blocking means that you set aside chunks of time to tend to each task on your daily list.

In a time-blocked schedule, you create firm chunks of time for each task. So rather than tending to a project here and there throughout the day, you’d instead set aside, say, three hours from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m., to work on the project.

It's all about organizing your schedule to improve focus rather than jumping between things. By sticking to one task at a time for larger chunks of time, you’ll get more done and your day-to-day routine will feel a lot less stressful and chaotic.

Why is time blocking so important?

Time blocking is crucial because these days, there is so much that pulls at our attention. When we can’t focus on a particular task for any amount of time, it starts a cascade of problems. Soon, we’re having trouble getting work done on time — and that leads to anxiety, which makes it even harder to work effectively.

Its biggest purpose is to eliminate distractions. A recent survey underscores how big this need is. Researchers find that many workers admit to feeling distracted at work, with many saying they’re nearly always distracted. Phones constantly buzzing, people popping into the office, coworkers pinging on chat apps — even meetings — are one of the many culprits of this distraction-heavy way of life.

When team members carve out larger chunks of time devoted to a single purpose, they can more effectively eliminate these distractions. When given space to shut off notifications, close the office door, and simply do what needs to be done, people can access that "deep work" zone where they’re most efficient and productive.

Who benefits from this time management technique?

In short: Everyone does!

No matter the types of people who make up your team, most will benefit from time blocking in some way:

  • Team members who frequently try to multitask may find themselves getting sidetracked.
  • Team members who need help focusing and reducing distractions will find that time blocking makes it easier to set aside emails and notifications.
  • Team members who like to be intentional about their time and energy at work can use time blocking to organize their workday.
  • Team members who need a clearer sense of where their time is going will benefit, too.
  • Team members that struggle with overworking could use a little help achieving a better work-life balance.

How does time blocking work?

One of the great things about time blocking is that it’s easy to get started. Use a planner, a bullet journal, a calendar app on your phone or desktop — whatever format works best for you. Then follow the steps below to map out your day.

Identify what you need to work on

Decide whether you want to time block your workday, your time away from work, or both. Then you can start identifying the things you want to block out time for, including:

  • Your projects
  • Emails
  • Phone calls
  • Meetings
  • Breaks and social media time
  • Lunch
  • Preparation for the next day

Consider your productivity preferences

What times during the day are you most productive? Which period is best suited to a particular task? If you’re prone to feeling tired a couple of hours after lunch, then perhaps you should block time for projects in the morning.

Connect team meeting time blocks

It can be frustrating trying to get anything done around meetings that are scheduled all throughout the day. Take all of those little meeting time blocks and connect them together into one larger block.

Fill out the rest of your schedule

Create larger blocks focused on a single task, and arrange your work according to the times when you’re at your best.

Don’t forget to include personal time

Always give yourself — and your team members — some personal time at work.

Create a flex block to account for interruptions

Set aside dedicated time to deal with interruptions. This can be your “flex block” for the unexpected.

Develop a contingency plan for lost time

Order the tasks you do throughout the day by priority. Make cuts from lower priority items so you can focus on the higher priority items.

Iterate to fine-tune your blocks of time

At the end of each week or each day, evaluate how your time-tracking method is working and make necessary tweaks.

Time blocking benefits

  • Time blocking promotes deep work. Deep work happens when you devote the entirety of your focus to the task at hand.
  • Time blocking helps you achieve goals. It gives you large chunks of time for manageable goals.
  • Time blocking is an efficient way to get “shallow work” done. Setting aside specific times to handle shallow work minimizes broken focus.
  • Time blocking gives you a set amount of time to do a specific task. It’s almost like having a deadline.
  • Time blocking makes you aware of how you’re utilizing your time. It serves as a guide for prioritization.

Time blocking pitfalls

  • Don’t worry too much about scheduling leisure time. Give yourself flexibility to do what you’re in the mood to do.
  • Avoid being too rigid. Life has a way of making plans go sideways; be prepared to update your schedule.
  • Don’t sweat it if you find that tasks run over the time you’ve given them. Learn from the experience and adjust accordingly.
  • Always make sure to identify the most important things on your daily schedule. Prioritize effectively to maximize efficiency.
  • Don’t skip the flex time. Leaving yourself flex time accounts for interruptions and delays, preventing burnout.

Task batching, day theming, and time boxing: What’s the difference?

Task batching

Task batching is a method in which you gather up all similar tasks and put them together in a larger batch to avoid context switching.

Day theming

Day theming is to devote the entire day to a particular theme, allowing for focused work on various responsibilities.

Time boxing

Time boxing is about setting aside time to finish a particular task, providing a deadline to increase efficiency.

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