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The planning glossary
Short, sourced explanations of the ideas behind a well-planned week: what each term means, where it comes from, and how to use it in a calendar.
TimeboxingTimeboxing means giving a task a fixed amount of time and stopping when it runs out. Here is how it works, how it differs from time blocking, and how to do…Deep workDeep work is focused, distraction-free work on hard problems. Cal Newport named it in 2016.Shallow workShallow work is logistical, low-focus work like email and admin. It is necessary but expands to fill the day. Here is how to batch it into fixed blocks.Pomodoro techniqueThe Pomodoro technique splits work into 25-minute sprints with 5-minute breaks. Francesco Cirillo created it in the late 1980s.Eisenhower matrixThe Eisenhower matrix sorts tasks by urgent and important into four boxes: do, schedule, delegate, drop. Here is how to use it when you plan your week.Eat the frogEat the frog means doing your hardest, most important task first thing in the day. Brian Tracy popularised it. How to schedule it and when it backfires.Weekly reviewA weekly review is a short, fixed look back at the week and forward at the next one. Here is a 20-minute version, the questions to ask, and when to do it.Habit stackingHabit stacking means linking a new habit to an existing one: "after I pour coffee, I plan my day".Implementation intentionsAn implementation intention is a plan in the form "when X happens, I will do Y". A meta-analysis of 94 studies found it reliably helps people follow through.Fresh start effectThe fresh start effect is the tendency to start new goals at temporal landmarks like Mondays, birthdays and new years.Parkinson's lawParkinson's law says work expands to fill the time available for its completion. Where it comes from and how to use deadlines and time blocks against it.Planning fallacyThe planning fallacy is our tendency to underestimate how long tasks take, even when we know similar tasks ran late. The research and how to plan around it.Maker's schedulePaul Graham's essay: makers need long uninterrupted blocks; managers work in one-hour slots.Task batchingTask batching groups similar small tasks (email, calls, errands) into one block so you switch less. How to batch and which tasks batch well.Theme daysTheme days assign each weekday to one area of work: Monday for management, Tuesday for product. How theming works and how to set up your own week.Pareto principle (80/20)The Pareto principle says a small share of causes produces most of the results. How to use the 80/20 rule to choose what gets time blocks.Most important task (MIT)Most important tasks (MITs) are the 1 to 3 things that would make today a success. How to pick them and give them time blocks.Time auditA time audit records how you really spend your time for a week, so you can plan with facts. Peter Drucker recommended it. How to run one in a calendar.Energy managementEnergy management means scheduling demanding work when your energy is high and recovery when it dips. The idea, the research and how to plan for it.Monk modeMonk mode is a period of intense focus with distractions cut out. What people mean by it, the risks, and how to plan a monk mode week that you can keep.Ideal weekAn ideal week is a template of how a good week looks, hour by hour, that you plan real weeks from. How to design one and keep it realistic.StreakA streak counts consecutive days you did something. Why streaks motivate, the "don't break the chain" idea, and how to keep one without all-or-nothing…Body doublingBody doubling is working alongside another person, in person or on video, to start and stay on task. Popular in ADHD communities.12 Week YearThe 12 Week Year treats 12 weeks as a "year" with its own goals and weekly scores. How the method works and how to run it with weekly time blocks.OKRsOKRs pair an objective with 2 to 5 measurable key results. Andy Grove developed them at Intel; John Doerr spread them.Getting Things Done (GTD)GTD is David Allen's method: capture, clarify, organize, reflect, engage. A short explanation of each step and how time blocking complements it.Zeigarnik effectThe Zeigarnik effect is the idea that unfinished tasks are remembered better than finished ones. What the research says, and how planning quiets open loops.Proof of workPersonal proof of work means showing evidence of what you did: shipped projects, records, numbers. How to build one with a weekly record and a verified CV.
How to use the glossary
Each term starts with a one-sentence definition, then how to do it in a calendar, an example, and the source where there is one. Most of the ideas fit together: time blocking gives the week its shape, implementation intentions explain why it works, and the weekly review keeps it honest.
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