How to Make A Time Blocking Schedule

Learn to Create a Time blocking schedule

You ever felt like you never have enough time in a day to get things done? Have an ever-growing to-do list you can never tackle? Consider a time blocking schedule!

What is it?

A time blocking schedule is a time management tool where you designate an activity for each minute of the day. Are you wondering how that’s possible? Keep reading.

Do you sleep? Add that to your schedule. What about eating, watching TV, playing video games, or simultaneously experiencing writer’s block and an existential crisis? Add those to your day, too. Ever poop? Just kidding; you can’t plan those things…unless you really want to, then you’ll be a machine!

All you need is your brilliant brain and a notebook, calendar, or planner to begin.

For those using a notebook, you’ll want to draw 24 columns for each hour of the day. Next, draw 7 rows for each day of the week. Finally, fill in each hour with an activity. You could use a spreadsheet if you plan on using a computer.

Some planners come equipped with a time blocking calendar. Try these:

Gazelle Planner: This planner is packed with various sections including separate sections for projects, notes, vision boards, masters’ lists, monthly calendars, and a daily plans.

The daily planners breaks down into 7 sections and covers a daily audit, room to write something good, in-progress projects, a to-do list, a 24-breakdown of the day, and more.

Smart Planner: The Smart planner has a 7-day to-do list on two pages for easy visualization. It also has a monthly calendar feature with a notes section at the bottom, a space for positive affirmations in the corner, and monthly goals on the side.

TWONE: What makes this planner unique is their use of military time for hour slots. They also have fill-in-the-blank calendars towards the end of the book for easy customization.

A couple of tips related to Create a Time blocking schedule :

1. Color coordinate is key! Using a different color for each unique activity will break up the monotony on the pages.

2. Each activity does not need to last an hour. The beautiful thing about the time blocking schedule is you can spend more than one hour doing something (like sleeping). You can even split up each hour and have 30 minutes for social media and the other 30 for meditating (for more information, check out my blog post on meditation). Whatever you do, however you do it, every hour should have an activity.

Disclaimer: you’re human. Not everything goes to plan. Sometimes emergencies happen, and sometimes plans derail. Just remember to have a little compassion for yourself if you find that you didn’t do everything you sought to. Habits can be broken and rebuilt again.

With that said, have a successful day!