Guides
How to time block your day
To time block a day: write down what must get done, guess how long each takes and add a buffer, place the hardest task in your best hours, batch small tasks into one block, put meetings and training in, then work block by block and tick each one off. It takes about 15 minutes, best done the evening before.
The 15-minute method
- List it. Everything that should happen tomorrow, including meetings, training and meals.
- Size it honestly. Guess each task's length, then add 25%. People underestimate (planning fallacy).
- Hard thing first. The most important task goes into your sharpest hours, usually the morning.
- Fixed things next. Meetings, classes, training.
- Batch the small stuff. Email, messages and admin share one or two blocks.
- Leave gaps. 15 minutes between big blocks, and an hour of slack in the afternoon.
- Do it block by block. When a block ends, tick it off or move what is left.
A day, blocked
| Time | Block |
|---|---|
| 07:00–08:00 | Training |
| 08:30–11:30 | Most important task |
| 11:30–12:00 | Email and messages |
| 13:00–15:00 | Meetings or second deep block |
| 15:00–15:30 | Admin |
| 15:30–16:30 | Buffer |
In Cutline
Drag on the Grid to make a block, or type the day in one sentence: "deep work 8:30-11:30, email 11:30, admin 15:00 30min". Tick blocks off as you finish them and the day card fills up; finish every block and the day is Cleared.
Questions
Should I time block every minute?
No. Block the work and the fixed things; leave slack. A plan that cannot absorb a late meeting falls apart by noon.
Morning or evening planning?
Either, but plan before the day starts. The evening before works well, because the morning begins with a decision already made.
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