Overview
Calendar blocking (also called time blocking) is the practice of scheduling specific blocks of time on your calendar for different activities, projects, or types of work, treating your time as a finite resource that must be intentionally allocated.
Core Principle
A task without dedicated time is just a wish. By putting tasks on your calendar as time blocks, you transform aspirational to-do items into concrete commitments.
Types of Blocks
Task Blocks
- Specific project work
- Single deliverables
- Clear outcomes
- Usually 1-3 hours
Themed Blocks
- All admin work
- Client calls
- Email and communication
- Creative work
- Strategic thinking
Meeting Blocks
- Scheduled meetings
- Office hours
- 1-on-1s
- Team syncs
Focus/Deep Work Blocks
- Uninterrupted concentration
- Complex cognitive work
- 90-120 minutes
- No meetings allowed
Personal Blocks
- Exercise
- Meals
- Family time
- Hobbies
- Self-care
Buffer Blocks
- Catch-up time
- Overflow space
- Unexpected items
- Transition time
Implementation Steps
1. Time Inventory
- Track current time use (1 week)
- Identify time wasters
- Note energy patterns
- List recurring commitments
2. Categorize Activities
- Group similar tasks
- Identify work types
- Determine energy requirements
- Estimate time needs
3. Create Ideal Week Template
- Map blocks to days
- Align with energy levels
- Include all activities
- Leave buffer time
4. Schedule Weekly
- Review upcoming week
- Populate calendar
- Adjust as needed
- Protect key blocks
5. Execute & Adjust
- Follow your calendar
- Track what works
- Refine over time
- Be flexible but intentional
Best Practices
Design Principles
- Realistic sizing: Account for actual task duration
- Energy matching: Hard tasks during peak energy
- Batch similar work: Reduce context switching
- Include breaks: Prevent burnout
- Buffer time: 25% of calendar for unexpected
- Color coding: Visual differentiation
Execution Tips
- Treat blocks like meetings with yourself
- Turn off notifications during focus blocks
- Communicate boundaries to others
- Start/stop on time
- Review what worked/didn't weekly
Common Block Sizes
- 15 min: Quick tasks, breaks
- 30 min: Email, calls, admin
- 60 min: Meetings, moderate tasks
- 90-120 min: Deep work, creative projects
- 3-4 hours: Major deliverables
Weekly Template Example
Monday
- 9-10am: Weekly planning
- 10am-12pm: Deep work block
- 12-1pm: Lunch
- 1-2pm: Meetings
- 2-4pm: Project work
- 4-5pm: Email & admin
Tuesday
- 9am-12pm: Client work day
- (etc.)
Themed Days Approach
Jack Dorsey Method
- Monday: Management
- Tuesday: Product
- Wednesday: Marketing
- Thursday: Developers
- Friday: Company culture
- Saturday: Hiking
- Sunday: Reflection
Advantages
- Forces prioritization
- Prevents overcommitment
- Visualizes time allocation
- Reduces decision fatigue
- Increases accountability
- Protects important work
- Improves work-life boundaries
Challenges
Interruptions
- Solution: Schedule "office hours" for interruptions
- Communicate blocks to team
- Use DND/status indicators
Rigidity
- Solution: Build in flex time
- Move blocks, don't skip
- Weekly vs daily precision
Over-scheduling
- Solution: Leave 25-30% unscheduled
- Shorter blocks initially
- Build up gradually
Calendar Apps
- Google Calendar (free)
- Outlook Calendar
- Apple Calendar
- Fantastical (Mac)
- Cron/Notion Calendar
Specialized Time Blockers
- Cal Newport's Time-Block Planner (physical)
- SkedPal (automatic scheduling)
- Reclaim.ai (AI-powered)
- Clockwise (team coordination)
Techniques Integration
- Works with GTD
- Enhances Pomodoro
- Complements Deep Work
- Supports Timeboxing
Color Coding Systems
By Work Type
- Deep work: Dark blue
- Meetings: Yellow
- Admin: Gray
- Personal: Green
- Learning: Purple
By Priority
- Critical: Red
- Important: Orange
- Nice-to-have: Blue
- Personal: Green
By Energy
- High energy required: Red
- Medium: Yellow
- Low energy OK: Green
Success Metrics
- Deep work hours per week
- Tasks completed vs planned
- On-time block execution rate
- Stress/overwhelm reduction
- Work-life balance improvement
Quote
"What gets scheduled gets done." - Michael Hyatt
