Start time blocking in six simple steps

Part Two of my simple and practical guide to making time for the things that matter most.

[If you missed Part One of this guide — in which I introduce time blocking as a practice, not a tool, and shared a visualisation exercise — you can catch up with it here: How can I find time for what matters?]

What is time blocking?

Quite simply, time blocking is a productivity technique in which you schedule specific blocks of time for different tasks or activities throughout your day. Rather than having a to-do list without a clear timeline, time blocking helps you allocate your time intentionally.

But as I explained last week, the act of practicing time blocking makes it So. Much. More. I’ve been practicing time blocking for many years now, and the benefits have increased as my practice has evolved over time.

Here’s what a time blocked day might look like:

Let’s get started

(This first time it will take a while — probably between 30 minutes to an hour depending on how organised you are already. This time investment will pay you back MANY times over, I promise you. And once you’ve got this set up, adjustments and maintenance don’t take long).

Ok, it’s time to get time blocking. Open your calendar or diary.

(Don’t have a calendar or diary? Well, I’ve got a pretty good idea why you don’t have time for the things that are truly important to you :) Please get one, I promise it will help.

Inwardly rebelling against the idea of losing your freedom to scheduling? I’ll try and change your mind in Part Three! For now, just go with it. If it doesn’t work for you, you can stop. (Although it will. Just saying.)

I use Google Calendar, which is free and easy to use. And it plays well with other online tools, so you should be able to sync it with other calendars e.g. at work or with family members).

It’s easier to time block with an online calendar, because you can move blocks…