# Cutline: everything on gocutline.com > Cutline is a weekly calendar and planner that turns time blocks into XP, levels and streaks. You plan your week in blocks, tick each one off when it is done, and see your progress on a social feed (the Floor) and a weekly leaderboard (the Arena). Planning and budgeting are free; paid plans add a badge, posting, messaging, shared calendars and lower selling fees, from $9 a month. Pro is free to try for 7 days. ## Key facts - **What it is:** a weekly time-blocking calendar with XP, levels, streaks, a social feed (the Floor) and a weekly leaderboard (the Arena). - **Where it runs:** a web app at https://app.gocutline.com that works in desktop and phone browsers. - **Price:** Free forever for planning, XP, streaks, Budget and the Arena. Verified costs $9 a month or $90 a year. Pro costs $24 a month or $240 a year. Crew costs $12 per seat a month or $120 per seat a year, from 4 seats. Brand costs $99 a month or $990 a year. Prices are in USD, excluding local taxes. Why these prices: Verified pays for itself from about $300 a month in sales through payment links (2% fee instead of 5%), Pro from about $480 (0% instead of 5%). - **Billing:** monthly plans renew on the 1st of every month. The first payment covers only the days left in the month you join (with fewer than 3 days left, those days are free). Yearly plans run a year from the day they start. Cancel any time before a renewal; the plan keeps working to the end of the period paid for. - **Free trial:** Pro free for 7 days, once per person and per card. A card is needed; nothing is charged that day, and cancelling before day 7 costs nothing. If kept, Pro continues as a monthly plan renewing on the 1st. - **Streaks:** consecutive days with finished work. No streak freezes: a missed day ends the streak, and nothing buys it back. - **What counts:** A block earns XP when it is ticked off on its day or up to two days after; older blocks can be ticked off for the record without XP, and a day that has not come cannot be ticked off. - **Invites:** +1,000 XP for every friend who joins with your link, and +1,000 XP for them; +2,000 XP more when a friend gets a plan. Up to 20 friends. XP from invites counts toward your level but never appears on the verified CV. - **Budget:** put what a block cost on the block; Cutline totals it by day, week, month and year, in your own week and in shared calendars. A monthly budget is free; per-category budgets and CSV export are on paid plans. No bank connection: you type the amount. - **XP:** every finished block earns XP (10 XP per 15 minutes, at least 10). A day where every block is done is stamped Cleared and earns 100 XP. Levels carry ranks from Contender to Legend. - **The Floor:** posts with an attached week (hours and blocks done, by category). Paid plans post and start conversations; free accounts read, follow and reply. - **The Arena:** an opt-in weekly board of finished hours that resets every Monday. Only totals show, never what a block was. - **Payment links:** on every plan, connect your own Stripe account and send payment links. Cutline's fee is 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, and 0% on Pro and Brand; Stripe's normal card fees apply. Payments show in Cutline the moment they happen. - **Shared calendars:** your own calendar is private to you. Paid plans create shared calendars (1 on Verified, 3 a seat on Crew, 5 on Pro, 15 on Brand) with up to 25 people each, and anyone can join one they are invited to, free. - **Badges:** Verified (orange seal), Pro (green seal), Crew (yellow seal on every seat), Brand (your logo as the badge). One badge at a time, from your plan. Official (silver) is not for sale: people apply once they have made $100,000 in verified revenue (payments through Cutline or their connected Stripe account), and the team reviews each one. - **The Cutline Method:** four moves for a week, each tied to published research: plan it (implementation intentions, Gollwitzer & Sheeran 2006), cut it (the planning fallacy, Buehler et al. 1994; attention residue, Leroy 2009), prove it (progress monitoring, Harkin et al. 2016) and compound it (habit formation, Lally et al. 2010; the fresh start effect, Dai et al. 2014). Sources: https://gocutline.com/research/ - **Health:** a free builder at https://gocutline.com/health/ checks a planned week against WHO activity guidelines (150–300 minutes of moderate activity and 2 strength days a week) and the AASM/SRS sleep recommendation (7+ hours). Cutline is a planner, not medical advice. - **Other calendars:** link Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple (iCloud) Calendar or any iCal (.ics) calendar in Settings → Calendars. Their events show in the Grid as read-only blocks you plan around; they never count as done or earn XP. Linked calendars sync in the background every 15 minutes. Your Cutline week is also a private calendar feed you can add to Google Calendar, Apple Calendar or Outlook in one click. Free on every plan. - **Verified CV:** one click builds a one-page CV (A4) from what Cutline recorded over the last 12 months: focused hours, blocks completed, completion rate, streaks, cleared days, hours by category, a 365-day consistency map, level and XP, and, if you choose, revenue verified through Stripe. You add your headline, experience, education and skills; Cutline marks what it computed and what you declared. Each published version gets a verification code (like CL-7Q3K-9XWD) and QR code that anyone can check at https://gocutline.com/verify/. Public CVs live at https://gocutline.com/cv/. Free on every plan. - **Profile picture or logo:** every account can upload a photo (shown round) or a logo (shown square) that appears next to its name everywhere on Cutline. Free. - **Ads on the Floor:** brands buy packages of views (5,000 for $25, 25,000 for $100, 100,000 for $350). Every ad is marked "Ad" with who paid for it, reviewed by a person before it runs, and shown to everyone in turn: no targeting, no profiling, no trackers. Rejected ads are refunded. Details: https://gocutline.com/advertise/ - **Privacy:** the website uses no cookies and no trackers. - **Made by:** Adel and Kristian. --- # A time blocking calendar that keeps score URL: https://gocutline.com/features/time-blocking-calendar/ Cutline is a time blocking calendar: you give every hour of your week a job by dragging blocks into it, then tick each block off when it is done. Every finished block earns XP, so the calendar shows not only what you planned but what you actually did. ## What time blocking in Cutline looks like You plan the week on **the Grid**: seven days side by side, each with a ruler from early morning to late night. Drag down a column to make a block, give it a name and a category (gym, deep work, sales, content, learning, meetings), and it snaps to the quarter hour. Move it by dragging, stretch it to make it longer, and press N to add one at the next free slot. When the block is over, tick it. The block fills in, the day card above the column counts it, and XP lands in the corner. Finish every block on a day and the day is stamped **Cleared**. ## Why blocks beat a to-do list A to-do list tells you what to do. A time block tells you **when**, and how long it is allowed to take. That is the difference between "write the proposal" sitting on a list for a week and "write the proposal, Tuesday 09:00 to 11:00" getting done on Tuesday. - **Decisions made once.** You decide on Sunday what Wednesday afternoon is for, so Wednesday afternoon starts without a debate. - **Real limits.** A week has 168 hours. When the blocks do not fit, you see it on Sunday, not on Friday. - **Proof.** Ticked blocks become a record: hours by category, cleared days and streaks. ## What makes Cutline different | | Plain calendar | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Plan blocks by dragging | Yes | Yes, snapped to 15 minutes | | Mark a block done | Rarely | Yes, one tap | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | See your week's hours by category | No | Yes, every week | | Optional leaderboard with friends | No | The Arena, opt-in | ## Getting started 1. Open [the app](https://app.gocutline.com) and sign in with your email (a 6-digit code, no password). 2. Drag your fixed commitments in first: classes, meetings, training. 3. Put your most important work in the hours you are sharpest, usually the morning. 4. Leave white space: a week with no gaps breaks on the first late meeting. 5. Tick blocks as you finish them, and look at the week on Sunday. Not sure where to start? Copy a [weekly schedule template](/templates/) or read the [time blocking guide](/guides/time-blocking/). ## Questions **Is Cutline a free time blocking app?** Yes. Planning on the Grid, XP, levels, streaks and the Arena are free, for good. Paid plans add a badge, posting on the Floor, starting conversations and payment links. **Does Cutline work on my phone?** Yes. Cutline is a web app that works in phone and desktop browsers. On a phone you see one day at a time and tap a day card to switch days. **How small can a time block be?** Blocks snap to 15 minutes, so the shortest block is 15 minutes. Hold Alt (Option) while dragging to place a block to the minute. **What happens to blocks I do not finish?** They stay on the calendar, unticked, and show up under Unfinished in the sidebar for the next ten days, so you can move them or let them go on purpose. --- # A gamified calendar: XP for finished hours, not for opening the app URL: https://gocutline.com/features/gamified-calendar/ Cutline turns your calendar into a game you can only win by doing the work: every finished time block earns XP (10 XP per 15 minutes), a day where every block is done earns a 100 XP bonus, and XP adds up to levels with ranks from Contender to Legend. ## The rules of the game Most "gamified" productivity apps reward you for using the app. Cutline only rewards what happened in your week. - **Finish a block, earn XP.** 10 XP for every 15 minutes, with at least 10 XP for any block. A 2-hour deep work block is worth 80 XP. - **Clear a day, earn 100 XP.** When every block on a day is ticked, the day card is stamped Cleared. - **Level up.** XP adds up to levels. Each level band has a rank: Contender, Grinder, Operator, Closer, Shark, Mogul, Legend. New levels unlock new colours for your rank tile. - **Planning earns nothing.** A block you never finish is worth zero, so there is no point in planning a fantasy week. ## Why it works Games work because the feedback is immediate and the score is honest. A calendar usually gives neither: you plan, the week happens, and nothing tells you how it went. In Cutline the feedback arrives the second you tick a block, and the score cannot be gamed by planning more. The second reason is other people. On [the Arena](/features/accountability-app/) your finished hours sit on a weekly board next to friends and people like you. It resets every Monday, so last week's leader has to do it again. ## What it is not - **Not a streak trap.** Missing a day does not reset your level. XP you earned stays earned. - **Not public by default.** Joining the Arena is opt-in, and it only shows totals: hours and blocks, never what a block was. - **Not a task app.** Cutline scores time, not checkboxes. If you want points per task, a task manager like Todoist has its own Karma system; see [Cutline vs Todoist](/compare/todoist-alternative/). ## Questions **How do I earn XP in Cutline?** By finishing time blocks: 10 XP per 15 minutes of a finished block (at least 10 XP per block), plus 100 XP for every day where all blocks are done. **Can I lose XP?** No. Unticking a block you ticked by mistake takes its XP back, but missing days or blocks never removes XP you earned. **What are the ranks?** Contender, Grinder, Operator, Closer, Shark, Mogul and Legend, in that order, as your level rises. **Is the leaderboard public?** Only if you join the Arena. It shows your finished hours and blocks for the week, never the titles or details of your blocks, and you can leave at any time. --- # An online weekly planner you can fill in one line URL: https://gocutline.com/features/weekly-planner/ Cutline is an online weekly planner built around one screen: your seven days side by side. You can type your week in a single sentence ("gym 3x at 7, deep work 3h every weekday at 9"), start from a ready-made template, or drag blocks in by hand. ## Three ways to plan a week ### 1. Type it On the [Cutline home page](/#try) there is a week builder. Write your week the way you would say it, separated by commas: > Gym 4x at 7, deep work 3h every weekday at 9, sales calls 1h Tue Thu at 14, read 30 min daily at 21 Cutline reads the activity, how often, how long and when, and lays it out across Monday to Sunday. Clashes are nudged to the next free time. ### 2. Copy a template Start from a week someone already proved works, like the [5 AM Founder](/templates/5am-founder/), [Content Machine](/templates/content-creator-week/) or [Exam Week](/templates/exam-week/), and change what does not fit. ### 3. Drag it In the app, drag down any day to create a block, then move and stretch it. Everything snaps to 15 minutes. ## What a good weekly plan has - **Anchors first.** Fixed things (classes, standups, training) go in before anything else. - **One big thing per day.** A single block of your most important work, early, before messages start. - **Buffers.** 30 to 60 minutes of open time in the afternoon for whatever came up. - **An end.** A last block in the evening so the day stops. Read more in [how to plan your week](/guides/how-to-plan-your-week/). ## After the plan: the week itself A planner is only as good as the week that follows. In Cutline every block can be ticked when it is done, which earns XP, clears days and builds a record. On Sunday you can see how many of your planned hours you actually finished, per category, and plan the next week with that in mind. ## Questions **Is the weekly planner free?** Yes. Planning your week, XP, streaks and the Arena are free on Cutline for good. **Can I print my weekly plan?** Cutline is built to be used live rather than printed, so you can tick blocks as you go. Each template page on this site shows the week day by day, which you can print from your browser. **Does Cutline work with Google Calendar?** Yes. Link Google Calendar in Settings → Calendars and your meetings show in your Grid as read-only blocks; add your Cutline week to Google Calendar in one click and your blocks show there too. See [Cutline + Google Calendar](/integrations/google-calendar/). --- # A habit tracker that lives in your calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/features/habit-tracker/ In Cutline a habit is a block that repeats in your week: the gym at 07:00, reading at 21:00, two hours of study every weekday. When you tick it, it counts toward your XP and cleared days, so your habits and your schedule are the same thing. ## Why put habits in the calendar Separate habit apps ask "did you read today?" after the fact. A habit that has a time in your week gets done far more often, because the decision about **when** is already made. - **The habit has a slot.** "Read 30 min daily at 21" is a block every evening, not a hope. - **It competes honestly.** If your week has no room for the gym, you see it while planning, not three weeks later. - **One place to tick.** Ticking the block is the check-in. No second app. ## What you can see - **Cleared days:** a day where every block is done is stamped Cleared on its day card. - **Your week by category:** finished hours of gym, learning, deep work, sales and content. - **Activity over time:** the Pulse panel at the top of the Grid shows how your weeks have gone. ## Habits that work well as blocks | Habit | A block that works | |---|---| | Training | Gym 4x at 7, 1 hour | | Reading | Read 30 min daily at 21 | | Deep work | Deep work 3h every weekday at 8 | | Language practice | Practice 20 min daily at 12:30 | | Outreach | Cold DMs 1h every weekday at 9 | | Walks | Walk without phone 30 min daily at 13 | Type any of these into the [week builder](/#try), or start from [Monk Mode](/templates/monk-mode/), a template built around four daily habits. ## Questions **Is there a streak counter?** Cutline tracks cleared days (days where every block was finished) and your finished hours per week. Missing a day never removes XP you already earned. **Can I track habits without a set time?** Every block in Cutline has a time, on purpose: a habit with a time slot gets done more often. Pick a realistic time and move the block if your day changes. --- # An accountability app built on what you actually did URL: https://gocutline.com/features/accountability-app/ Cutline makes accountability concrete: on the Floor you post your finished week (hours and blocks by category) for people who follow you, and on the Arena your finished hours sit on an opt-in weekly leaderboard that resets every Monday. ## The Floor The Floor is Cutline's feed. A post can carry your week as proof: the hours you finished, the number of blocks, and a bar showing where the time went. Not the titles of your blocks, just the numbers. - **Follow** people whose weeks you want to see. Following is free. - **Reply** to anyone who writes to you, on any plan. - **Post and start conversations** with a paid plan (Verified, Crew or Brand). Paid posting keeps the Floor free of spam. ## The Arena The Arena is a weekly board of finished hours. Join it with one tap, and every block you tick moves you up. The top three sit on a podium, and the board resets every Monday at midnight, so every week is a new race. - **Opt-in.** You are not on the board until you join, and you can leave at any time. - **Totals only.** The board shows hours and blocks, never what you were doing. - **Fair.** It counts finished time, not planned time. ## Why it works Accountability works best when it is specific and regular. "Did you work out?" is easy to dodge. "Here is my week: 14 blocks, 21 hours" is not. And a weekly reset means nobody is too far ahead to catch. ## Bring your own people Accountability is better with people you know. Every member has a personal invite link (press I in the app) to share by WhatsApp, text or email. People who join with your link show up in your invite list. ## Questions **Is the Arena free?** Yes. Joining the Arena and seeing the board are free on every plan. **Who can see my week?** Only what you choose to share. The Arena shows weekly totals if you join it. A post on the Floor shows your week only if you attach it, and only as numbers by category. **Can free members message people?** Free members can reply to anyone who writes to them first. Starting a new conversation needs a paid plan. --- # Payment links, sent from where you plan your week URL: https://gocutline.com/features/payment-links/ On any Cutline plan you connect your own Stripe account and create payment links in seconds: say what it is for, set the amount, and send the link by WhatsApp, text or email. Payments go to your Stripe account and show up in Cutline the moment they happen. Cutline takes 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, and 0% on Pro and Brand. ## How it works 1. **Connect Stripe.** In Revenue (press R in the app), pick your country and connect. Stripe asks for your business details and bank account; Cutline never sees them. 2. **Create a link.** "Strategy session, 2 hours", 2,500 kr. Pick from DKK, EUR, USD, SEK, NOK or GBP. 3. **Send it.** Copy it, or send it straight from Cutline by WhatsApp, text or email. 4. **Get paid.** Your client pays by card on Stripe's secure page. You get a notification in Cutline the moment they do. ## What you see in Revenue - **This month, this week, all time:** money in through your Cutline links, with a 30-day chart. - **Your Stripe balance:** what is available and what is on its way to your bank. - **Every payment:** who paid, for what, and when. Refunds show as refunded. - **Your links:** how many times each was paid and how much came in. Turn a link off when you no longer want it used. ## Fees | Plan | Cutline fee per payment | |---|---| | Free | 5% | | Verified | 2% | | Crew | 2% | | Pro ($24 a month) | 0% | | Brand ($99 a month) | 0% | The fee is taken from each payment and follows your plan when the client pays, so upgrading to Pro makes every link you have already sent 0%. Stripe charges its normal card processing fees on your account on every plan, the same as if you used Stripe directly. On Free, Pro pays for itself once you sell about $380 a month. See [Get paid](/get-paid/) for a calculator. ## Who it is for - **Freelancers and consultants** who sell sessions or projects and want to send a link right after the call. - **Coaches and trainers** who sell blocks of sessions. - **Founders** taking early payments before a full checkout exists. ## Questions **Does Cutline take a cut of my payments?** On Free, 5% of each payment. On Verified and Crew, 2%. On Pro and Brand, 0%. Stripe charges its normal processing fees on your own Stripe account on every plan. **Do I need a Stripe account?** You connect a Stripe account from inside Cutline. Stripe takes you through its setup, which asks for your business details and a bank account. **Which currencies are supported?** DKK, EUR, USD, SEK, NOK and GBP. **Can free members send payment links?** Yes. Selling is on every plan; on Free, Cutline keeps 5% of each payment. --- # A weekly planner for founders who have to do everything URL: https://gocutline.com/for/founders/ Founders use Cutline to give every part of the company a time in the week: deep work on the product in the morning, sales and calls after lunch, and a fixed weekly review. Ticked blocks show where the hours really went, which is the first thing that drifts when a company gets busy. ## The founder week problem Early on, a founder is the product team, the sales team and the support desk. Without structure, the loudest thing wins every day: messages, calls, small fixes. The work that moves the company (building, selling, hiring) waits. ## A founder week that works - **Deep work first.** Three hours every weekday morning, before email, for the one thing only you can build. - **Sales as a block.** One to two hours every afternoon for calls, follow-ups and outreach, so pipeline does not depend on mood. - **One meeting day.** Push recurring meetings to one or two afternoons. - **A weekly review.** Thirty minutes on Friday to compare the plan with what happened. - **Training.** Five mornings at the gym is a block, not a wish. See it laid out hour by hour in the [5 AM Founder template](/templates/5am-founder/), or the [Ship in 7 Days](/templates/ship-in-7-days/) week for launch weeks. ## What to measure | Number | Why it matters | |---|---| | Deep work hours per week | The best predictor of what ships | | Sales hours per week | Pipeline follows time | | Cleared days | How often your plan survives the day | | Planned vs finished hours | How realistic your planning is | ## Get paid from the same place On any plan you can [send payment links](/features/payment-links/) to early customers from Cutline, through your own Stripe account, with 0% Cutline fee on Pro. Revenue this week and this month sits next to the hours that produced it. ## Questions **How many hours should a founder plan per week?** Plan only the hours you control. Most founders who time block plan 40 to 55 working hours and leave a buffer every afternoon for what comes up. **Can my co-founder see my week?** You can post your week on the Floor for people who follow you, and both join the Arena to compare finished hours. Each person plans their own calendar. --- # A sales planner that turns activity into a habit URL: https://gocutline.com/for/sales-teams/ Sales results follow activity, and activity follows the calendar. Salespeople use Cutline to give prospecting, calls and follow-ups fixed daily blocks, tick them off as they go, and see their weekly sales hours on a board next to their team. ## Why sales activity needs blocks Prospecting is the first thing to disappear on a busy day, and the reason next month is quiet. Putting it in the calendar every morning, at the same time, takes the decision out of it. ## A sales week in blocks - **Prospecting, 09:00 to 10:30, every weekday.** New conversations: cold messages, emails, calls. - **Calls, 11:00 to 12:00 on call days.** Booked conversations in one window. - **Follow-ups, 15:00 to 16:00, every weekday.** Everyone who did not answer yet. - **Admin and CRM, 16:00 to 16:30.** Notes while they are fresh. - **Pipeline review, Friday 15:00.** What moved, what is stuck, what is next week's focus. Start from the [Outreach Sprint template](/templates/outreach-sprint/). ## Make it competitive Sales teams like a scoreboard. On [the Arena](/features/accountability-app/) every member's finished hours for the week sit on one board that resets every Monday. It counts the work, not the luck: hours of prospecting and follow-up you actually did. ## For whole teams On the Crew plan every seat carries the yellow Crew seal, from 4 seats at $12 a seat a month. Read [Cutline for small teams](/for/small-teams/). ## Questions **Does Cutline replace a CRM?** No. Cutline plans and tracks the time you spend selling; your CRM tracks deals. They work well side by side. **How much prospecting time should I block?** Most sales teams protect 60 to 90 minutes of prospecting every weekday morning. Consistency matters more than length. --- # A weekly planner for content creators URL: https://gocutline.com/for/content-creators/ Creators use Cutline to turn a posting schedule into a production schedule: shoot days, daily editing blocks and a fixed time to post and reply. Each finished block earns XP, so a week of consistent output is visible in hours, not just in views. ## Output is a schedule problem Posting every day is not hard because of ideas. It is hard because filming, editing and posting all compete with everything else in the day. Creators who post consistently batch the work: film in a few long sessions, edit every day, post at the same time. ## A creator week - **Film:** 1.5 hours on Monday, Wednesday and Friday mornings, when the light and your energy are best. - **Edit:** 2 hours every weekday after lunch. - **Post and reply:** 30 minutes every evening, at the time your audience is online. - **Ideas:** 30 minutes on Sunday for next week's list. - **Training:** four mornings a week, because energy is part of the job. Copy it from the [Content Machine template](/templates/content-creator-week/). ## Measure the work, not only the views Views swing. Hours of filming and editing are in your control. Cutline shows your finished hours by category every week, so you can see whether a slow month came from the algorithm or from three weeks with no shoot days. ## Brands and collaborations On the Brand plan your logo becomes your badge, with a team mark after up to 10 names. If you sell to brands, [payment links](/features/payment-links/) let you bill a collaboration straight from Cutline. ## Questions **How many hours a week does a content creator work?** It varies widely. What matters is a repeatable rhythm: fixed shoot days, daily editing and a set posting time. **Can I plan content for several platforms?** Yes. Make separate blocks (for example "Edit YouTube" and "Edit shorts") so you can see the hours each platform takes. --- # A planner for freelancers that also gets you paid URL: https://gocutline.com/for/freelancers/ Freelancers use Cutline to split the week between client work, finding the next client and admin, and to send payment links after a session (0% Cutline fee on Pro). Revenue for the week and month sits next to the hours that earned it. ## The freelancer's three jobs Every freelancer runs three businesses at once: doing the work, finding the work, and the admin around it. The first one always wins the day, which is why so many freelancers swing between too busy and too quiet. ## A freelance week - **Client work:** your best hours, in blocks of 2 to 3 hours, named after the client. - **Pipeline:** 45 minutes every morning for outreach and follow-ups, even when you are fully booked. - **Admin:** one block on Friday for invoices, bookkeeping and email. - **Learning:** one or two hours a week on a skill you can charge more for. ## Get paid in the same place [Payment links](/features/payment-links/) use your own Stripe account. Create a link for "Website audit, 6,000 kr", send it right after the call, and see the payment land in Revenue. Cutline takes 0% on Pro. ## Know your real hourly rate Name your blocks after clients and you can see how many hours a client took this week. Put that next to what they paid in Revenue, and you know which clients are worth it. ## Questions **Can I invoice clients from Cutline?** Cutline sends payment links, which clients pay by card through your own Stripe account. For full invoices with VAT details, use your accounting tool alongside it. **Is there a fee on payments?** Cutline takes 0% on Pro and Brand, 2% on Verified and Crew, and 5% on Free. Stripe charges its normal card fees on your account. --- # A study planner that makes revision count URL: https://gocutline.com/for/students/ Students use Cutline to put study sessions in the week as time blocks around classes and training, tick them off when done, and earn XP for every finished hour. During exams, a fixed daily study rhythm and practice tests on set days do most of the work. ## Why students struggle to plan Classes have a timetable; studying does not. Without a time, revision gets pushed to "later", and later becomes the week before the exam. ## A study week that works - **Classes first:** put your timetable in as fixed blocks. - **Study blocks:** 2 to 3 hours a day, split into 50-minute sessions with breaks, at the same time every day. - **Practice tests:** two or three a week in exam season, under exam conditions. - **Review:** 30 to 60 minutes every evening to go over what you studied. - **Training and sleep:** blocks too. Tired students forget more. The [Exam Week template](/templates/exam-week/) lays this out hour by hour. If you train seriously, see [Athlete + Student](/templates/student-athlete/). ## Make studying feel like progress Every finished study block earns XP, and every day where you finish everything is stamped Cleared. Study with friends on [the Arena](/features/accountability-app/): a weekly board of finished hours that resets every Monday. ## Free Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Students do not need a paid plan to plan and track their study. ## Questions **How many hours should I study per day?** For most students 2 to 4 focused hours a day works better than long unfocused days. Short breaks between 50-minute sessions help. **Is Cutline free for students?** Yes. Everything you need to plan and track studying is free. --- # A training schedule that fits around the rest of your life URL: https://gocutline.com/for/athletes/ Athletes use Cutline to plan training as fixed blocks in the same calendar as work or school, so sessions do not get squeezed out. Ticked sessions build a record of finished training hours, and recovery gets its own blocks. ## Training does not live in a separate world A training plan in a spreadsheet does not know about your exam, your shift or your client call. Put training in the same week as everything else and conflicts show up while you plan, not at the gym door. ## An athlete's week - **Training:** the sessions from your plan, as blocks at fixed times. - **Recovery:** mobility, sleep windows and a rest day, as blocks too. - **Meals:** if timing matters, block them. - **Work or study:** around training, not on top of it. The [Athlete + Student template](/templates/student-athlete/) shows a week of morning classes, afternoon training and evening study. ## For coaches Coaches can ask athletes to join the [Arena](/features/accountability-app/) to see weekly finished training hours side by side, and to post their week on the Floor. On the Crew plan, every athlete's seat carries the yellow Crew seal; on Brand, your club's logo becomes the badge. ## Questions **Can I track workouts in Cutline?** Cutline tracks training as time blocks you finish, so you see training hours and consistency. For sets, reps and splits, keep your training app. **Can a whole team use it?** Yes. Crew covers teams from 4 seats, and Brand puts your club logo on the badge. --- # Weekly planning for small teams URL: https://gocutline.com/for/small-teams/ Small teams use Cutline so that everyone plans their own week in time blocks while the team sees the result together: finished hours on a shared weekly board, posts on the Floor, and on the Crew plan the yellow Crew seal on every seat. ## Plan alone, win together Shared calendars full of everyone's meetings rarely help a team do more. What helps is each person protecting their own focus time, and the team seeing that the work got done. - **Everyone plans their own week** on the Grid. - **Everyone joins the Arena** and the weekly board shows finished hours side by side. - **Wins go on the Floor:** a cleared week, a launch, a closed deal. ## Team rituals that fit - **Monday:** 15-minute standup, then everyone blocks the week. - **Every day:** a protected morning deep work block, no meetings. - **Friday:** a 30-minute team review of the week's board. The [Crew Week template](/templates/team-week/) lays this out. ## Crew plan Crew is $12 a seat a month ($120 a seat a year), from 4 seats. Every seat gets the yellow Crew seal and everything in Verified: posting on the Floor, starting conversations, payment links at a 2% fee and 3 shared calendars a seat. Everyone keeps their own private calendar, and teammates on the free plan can join a shared calendar they are invited to. ## Questions **Can the team share a calendar?** Yes. Everyone keeps their own private calendar, and paid plans create shared ones: 3 a seat on Crew, with up to 25 people each. Teammates on the free plan can join a shared calendar they are invited to. **Can I see my teammates' calendars?** Each person's own calendar is private. A shared calendar shows everything the people in it add, and the team sees weekly finished hours on the Arena. --- # Cutline vs Google Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/google-calendar-alternative/ Google Calendar is the best place for meetings, invitations and shared schedules. Cutline is built for the hours between meetings: you time block your own week, tick blocks off when they are done, and earn XP, cleared days and a place on a weekly board for the work you finished. ## The short version | | Google Calendar | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Meetings and shared schedules | Time blocking your own week | | Mark a block done | No | Yes, one tap | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Hours by category each week | No | Yes | | Weekly leaderboard with friends | No | The Arena, opt-in | | Invitations and video links | Yes | No | | Price | Free | Free; paid plans from $9/month | ## What Google Calendar does well Google Calendar is free with a Google account, works everywhere (web, Android, iPhone), and is the standard for scheduling with other people: invitations, shared calendars, room booking, video links and tight integration with Gmail. If your week is mostly meetings set by others, it does that job very well. ## What Cutline does differently - **Done is a state.** Every block can be ticked. Your calendar shows what happened, not only what was planned. - **The score is honest.** XP comes from finished time only (10 XP per 15 minutes), plus 100 XP for a day where every block is done. - **Your week has a shape.** Each week shows finished hours by category: deep work, gym, sales, content, learning. - **Other people keep you going.** Post your week on the Floor, join the weekly Arena board, and invite friends with your personal link. ## Using both Many people keep Google Calendar for meetings and use Cutline for the time they control. Link the two in Settings → Calendars: your Google meetings show in the Cutline Grid as read-only blocks you plan around, and your Cutline blocks show in Google Calendar as a calendar called Cutline. [How to link them](/integrations/google-calendar/). ## Try Cutline next to what you use now Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Plan next week in Cutline, keep Google Calendar for what it is good at, and compare on Sunday how many of your planned hours you finished. ## Questions **Is Cutline a replacement for Google Calendar?** Not for meetings and invitations. Cutline replaces the part of your calendar where you plan your own work, and adds tracking of what you finished. **Does Cutline work with Google Calendar?** Yes. Your Google meetings come into the Grid as read-only blocks, and your Cutline blocks go into Google Calendar as a subscribed calendar. It takes about a minute to link. **Is Cutline free like Google Calendar?** Yes for planning, XP, streaks and the Arena. Paid plans from $9 a month add a badge, posting, messaging and payment links. --- # Cutline vs Notion Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/notion-calendar-alternative/ Notion Calendar connects your existing calendars to your Notion workspace and is great for people who live in Notion. Cutline is a separate weekly planner focused on doing: you time block your week, tick blocks off, and earn XP and cleared days for the hours you finished. ## The short version | | Notion Calendar | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Calendars next to your Notion workspace | Planning and finishing your own week | | Mark a block done | Not the focus | Yes, one tap | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Social accountability | No | The Floor and the Arena | | Payment links | No | Yes, on every plan (0% fee on Pro) | | Price | Free | Free; paid plans from $9/month | ## What Notion Calendar does well Notion Calendar (formerly Cron) is a clean, fast calendar app from Notion. It connects to your Google calendars, shows Notion database dates next to your events, and suits teams that already keep docs and projects in Notion. ## What Cutline does differently - **Built around finishing.** Every block can be ticked, and finished time earns XP. - **A weekly rhythm.** Your week shows finished hours by category and how many days you cleared. - **People.** Follow others on the Floor, compete on the weekly Arena board, and bring your team on Crew. - **Get paid.** Send payment links through your own Stripe account, with 0% Cutline fee on Pro. ## Using both Keep Notion for documents and projects. Plan the hours of the week in Cutline, with block names that match your Notion projects, so you can see how many hours each project really got. ## Try Cutline next to what you use now Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Plan next week in Cutline, keep Notion Calendar for what it is good at, and compare on Sunday how many of your planned hours you finished. ## Questions **Can Cutline read my Notion databases?** No. Cutline is a separate planner. Name blocks after your projects to track time per project. **Which is better for time blocking?** If you want to see whether you finished your blocks and build a habit of it, Cutline is built for that. If you want your Notion dates in a calendar, use Notion Calendar. --- # Cutline vs Sunsama URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/sunsama-alternative/ Sunsama is a paid daily planner with a guided ritual for planning each day from your tasks. Cutline plans the whole week at once in time blocks, scores every finished block with XP, and adds friends and a weekly leaderboard. Cutline is free to start. ## The short version | | Sunsama | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Planning rhythm | Daily ritual | Weekly, with daily ticking | | Starts from | Your tasks | Your week | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Social accountability | No | The Floor and the Arena | | Free plan | Trial | Free forever for planning | ## What Sunsama does well Sunsama is known for its guided daily planning: each morning it walks you through what to work on, pulls tasks in from the other tools you use, helps you timebox them into your calendar, and ends the day with a shutdown routine. It is designed to make work feel calm and sustainable. ## What Cutline does differently - **The week is the unit.** You see Monday to Sunday at once, which shows early when a week is overbooked. - **Energy, not calm.** Cutline leans into momentum: XP, levels, cleared days and a weekly board with friends. - **Free to plan.** Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena cost nothing. ## Using both If you like a daily ritual, you can keep it: plan the week in Cutline on Sunday, then use a short morning check to adjust the day's blocks. ## Try Cutline next to what you use now Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Plan next week in Cutline, keep Sunsama for what it is good at, and compare on Sunday how many of your planned hours you finished. ## Questions **Does Cutline import tasks like Sunsama?** No. Cutline starts from time, not tasks: you plan blocks, not a task list. **Is Cutline cheaper than Sunsama?** Planning in Cutline is free. Paid plans start at $9 a month and add a badge, posting, messaging and payment links. --- # Cutline vs Motion URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/motion-alternative/ Motion uses AI to place your tasks into your calendar automatically and reschedule them when things change. Cutline does the opposite on purpose: you decide your week in time blocks, and Cutline rewards you with XP, cleared days and a weekly board for finishing them. ## The short version | | Motion | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Who plans the week | AI, from your tasks | You, in blocks | | Rearranges automatically | Yes | No, you stay in control | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Social accountability | No | The Floor and the Arena | | Free plan | Trial | Free forever for planning | ## What Motion does well Motion is known for automatic scheduling: you give it tasks, deadlines and priorities, and it builds and rebuilds your calendar for you. For people with many projects and shifting deadlines, not having to rearrange the calendar by hand is the point. ## What Cutline does differently - **You own the plan.** Deciding when the work happens is part of committing to it. - **Finishing is the game.** XP and cleared days reward finished time, not a perfectly optimised schedule. - **Other people.** Friends on the Floor and a weekly board you can win. ## Using both If you manage many deadlines across a team, an auto-scheduler can help with the logistics. Cutline is for the commitment: the hours you decide to put in this week, and whether you did. ## Try Cutline next to what you use now Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Plan next week in Cutline, keep Motion for what it is good at, and compare on Sunday how many of your planned hours you finished. ## Questions **Does Cutline use AI to schedule?** No. You plan the week yourself, or type it in one line on the home page and let the builder lay it out. **Can Cutline reschedule missed blocks?** Missed blocks stay visible under Unfinished for ten days, so you can move them yourself. --- # Cutline vs Todoist URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/todoist-alternative/ Todoist is a popular task manager: lists, projects, due dates and Karma points for completed tasks. Cutline is a calendar: it gives your work a time in the week and scores the hours you finished, with cleared days and a weekly leaderboard. ## The short version | | Todoist | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Unit of work | A task | A time block | | Answers | What do I need to do? | When will I do it, and did I? | | Gamification | Karma for tasks | XP for finished hours, levels, cleared days | | Social accountability | Shared projects | The Floor and the Arena | | Price | Free plan and paid plans | Free; paid plans from $9/month | ## What Todoist does well Todoist is known for fast task capture with natural-language dates, projects and labels, and it works on every platform. Its Karma system rewards completed tasks and daily goals, which many people find motivating. ## What Cutline does differently - **Time, not tasks.** A task list never runs out; a week does. Blocks make you choose what fits. - **Hours as the score.** Finishing a 3-hour build block is worth more than ticking ten small tasks. - **Weekly board.** Compete with friends on finished hours, reset every Monday. ## Using both Keep your task list in Todoist and plan the week in Cutline: on Sunday, pick the tasks that matter and give each one a block. ## Try Cutline next to what you use now Planning, XP, streaks and the Arena are free. Plan next week in Cutline, keep Todoist for what it is good at, and compare on Sunday how many of your planned hours you finished. ## Questions **Can I use Cutline as a to-do list?** Cutline is built for time blocks. Use a block as a container for tasks (for example "Admin: invoices, email, bookings"). **Which is better for productivity?** They do different jobs. Todoist captures and organises tasks; Cutline makes sure the important ones get time and rewards you for finishing them. --- # Time blocking: how to give every hour a job URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/time-blocking/ Time blocking is a way of planning where you divide your day into blocks of time and give each block one job, decided in advance. Instead of working from a to-do list, you work from a calendar: at 09:00 you write the report, at 11:00 you take calls, at 14:00 you train. ## Why time blocking works - **It turns intentions into appointments.** "Write the proposal" becomes "Tuesday 09:00 to 11:00, proposal". You show up to appointments. - **It makes limits visible.** A list can grow forever; a week cannot. If it does not fit, you find out while planning. - **It protects focus.** One job per block means fewer switches and deeper work. - **It ends decision fatigue.** You decide once, on Sunday, instead of fifty times a day. ## How to time block your week, step by step 1. **List what matters this week.** Three to five outcomes, not fifty tasks. 2. **Put anchors in first:** meetings, classes, training, family. 3. **Block your most important work in your best hours.** For most people that is the first 2 to 4 hours of the morning. 4. **Batch the small stuff.** Email, messages and admin go into one or two blocks a day. 5. **Add buffers.** 30 to 60 minutes of open time in the afternoon absorbs overruns. 6. **Decide the end of the day.** A last block makes the day stop. 7. **Tick blocks off as you go.** In [Cutline](/features/time-blocking-calendar/) every finished block earns XP. 8. **Review on Sunday.** Compare planned with finished, and plan the next week. See [the weekly review](/guides/weekly-review/). ## An example day | Time | Block | |---|---| | 07:00 to 08:00 | Gym | | 08:30 to 11:30 | Deep work: the one thing that matters | | 11:30 to 12:00 | Messages and email | | 13:00 to 14:30 | Calls | | 14:30 to 15:30 | Buffer | | 15:30 to 16:30 | Follow-ups | | 21:00 to 21:30 | Read | ## Common mistakes - **Planning a fantasy week.** If you have never done six hours of deep work in a day, do not plan it. Plan what you finished last week, plus a little. - **No buffers.** One late meeting and the whole day collapses. - **Blocks that are too vague.** "Work" is not a job. "Write the landing page copy" is. - **Treating a missed block as failure.** Move it, or let it go on purpose. The point is deciding. ## Time blocking vs timeboxing The terms are often used for the same thing. Strictly, time blocking reserves time for a kind of work, and timeboxing sets a fixed limit for a specific task. In practice you do both: a block for deep work, and inside it a box for one task. ## Templates to start from - [5 AM Founder](/templates/5am-founder/): deep work first, sales after lunch. - [Monk Mode](/templates/monk-mode/): four hours of deep work every day. - [Exam Week](/templates/exam-week/): study blocks you cannot skip. ## Questions **What is the difference between time blocking and a to-do list?** A to-do list says what to do; time blocking also says when and for how long. That makes it far more likely to happen. **How long should a time block be?** Deep work blocks work best at 90 minutes to 3 hours. Admin and messages fit in 30 to 60 minute blocks. **What if I miss a block?** Move it to the next free slot or drop it on purpose. Missing one block is normal; the review on Sunday is where you adjust. **What is the best time blocking app?** Any calendar can hold blocks. Cutline is built for it: drag blocks onto the week, tick them when done, and earn XP for finished time. --- # How to plan your week in 20 minutes URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/how-to-plan-your-week/ To plan your week, spend 20 minutes on Sunday doing five things in order: pick three outcomes, put fixed commitments in the calendar, block your most important work in your best hours, batch the small stuff, and leave buffers. Then tick blocks off as the week happens. ## The 20-minute weekly plan ### 1. Look back (3 minutes) What did you finish last week? How many planned blocks did you complete? If you planned 40 hours and finished 25, plan around 30 this week. ### 2. Pick three outcomes (3 minutes) Not tasks: outcomes. "Landing page live", "20 sales conversations", "chapter 3 revised". Three is enough. ### 3. Anchors (3 minutes) Put in everything with a fixed time: meetings, classes, training, family dinners. ### 4. Big blocks (6 minutes) Give each outcome its blocks in your best hours. Mornings for creative and hard work, afternoons for calls and admin. ### 5. Small stuff and buffers (5 minutes) One or two blocks a day for messages and admin. One buffer every afternoon. A clear end to each day. ## A planned week, as one line On the [Cutline home page](/#try) you can type your week the way you would say it: > Gym 4x at 7, deep work 3h every weekday at 9, calls 1h Tue Thu at 14, admin 30 min every weekday at 16, read 30 min daily at 21 and get the whole week laid out, ready to adjust. ## During the week - **Tick blocks as you finish them.** It takes a second and it is the data for next Sunday. - **Move, do not delete.** If a block slips, drag it to the next free slot. - **Protect the morning.** The first block of the day decides most days. ## Templates Start from a week that already works: [5 AM Founder](/templates/5am-founder/), [Content Machine](/templates/content-creator-week/), [Outreach Sprint](/templates/outreach-sprint/), [Exam Week](/templates/exam-week/). ## Questions **When is the best time to plan the week?** Sunday afternoon or evening, or Friday at the end of the work week. What matters is the same time every week. **How detailed should a weekly plan be?** Detailed enough that each block has one clear job, loose enough to have a buffer every day. --- # How to build a deep work schedule URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/deep-work-schedule/ A deep work schedule reserves the same block of uninterrupted time every day, usually 2 to 4 hours in the morning, for your hardest and most valuable work. Phone away, messages closed, one task per block. ## Rules for a deep work block - **Same time every day.** A habit beats willpower. 08:00 to 11:00, every weekday. - **One job per block.** Decide it the evening before. - **No inputs.** Phone in another room, notifications off, email closed. - **90 minutes to 3 hours.** Shorter is hard to sink into; longer gets sloppy. Take a short break every 50 to 90 minutes. - **A visible end.** Knowing when it stops makes it easier to start. ## Four ways to schedule deep work | Style | What it looks like | Good for | |---|---|---| | Daily rhythm | 3 hours every morning | Founders, writers, students | | Bimodal | 2 full deep days, 3 shallow days | Managers, consultants | | Monk mode | 4+ hours every day, everything else minimal | Launches, exams | | Journalistic | Deep work whenever a gap opens | Experienced people with chaotic schedules | ## Example schedules - **Founder:** deep work 08:00 to 11:00 every weekday, calls after lunch. See [5 AM Founder](/templates/5am-founder/). - **Creator:** editing 13:00 to 15:00 every weekday, filming three mornings. See [Content Machine](/templates/content-creator-week/). - **Student:** study 09:00 to 12:00 daily in exam season. See [Exam Week](/templates/exam-week/). - **All in:** four hours every day. See [Monk Mode](/templates/monk-mode/). ## Measure it Count your deep work hours each week. It is the number that best predicts what you will ship. In Cutline, give deep work its own category and you will see finished deep work hours every week. ## Questions **How many hours of deep work per day is realistic?** Most people manage 2 to 4 hours of real deep work a day. Start with 90 minutes and build up. **Morning or evening for deep work?** For most people the morning, before messages and meetings start. If you are sharper at night, block the night, as long as it is the same time every day. --- # How to gamify your productivity, honestly URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/gamify-productivity/ Productivity gamification works when three things are true: the score only goes up for real work, feedback arrives the moment you finish, and someone else can see the score. Points for opening an app or planning a perfect week do not work for long. ## What makes a good productivity game - **An honest score.** Points for finished work only. If planning earns points, you will plan forever. - **Instant feedback.** The reward has to arrive when you finish, not on Sunday. - **Levels that mean something.** A level should reflect weeks of work, not one good day. - **Other players.** A weekly board with friends is the strongest motivator, as long as it resets often enough that nobody is out of reach. - **No punishment spiral.** Losing everything after one missed day makes people quit. Progress you earned should stay earned. ## How Cutline scores your week - **10 XP per 15 minutes** of a finished block, at least 10 per block. - **100 XP** for a cleared day, where every block is done. - **Levels and ranks:** Contender, Grinder, Operator, Closer, Shark, Mogul, Legend. - **The Arena:** an opt-in weekly board of finished hours, reset every Monday. - **Nothing for planning.** Unfinished blocks are worth zero. Read more about the [gamified calendar](/features/gamified-calendar/). ## Make your own game 1. **Pick the unit:** hours of deep work, sales conversations, training sessions. 2. **Make it visible:** a block you tick, a number on a board. 3. **Add a weekly reset:** a fresh week is a fresh race. 4. **Add people:** a friend, a team, or the [Arena](/features/accountability-app/). ## Questions **Does gamification really improve productivity?** It helps when the score rewards real output and feedback is immediate. It backfires when points can be earned without doing the work. **What is the best gamified productivity app?** It depends on what you want to score. Habitica scores habits and tasks, Todoist has Karma for tasks, and Cutline scores finished hours in your calendar with a weekly leaderboard. --- # The 15-minute weekly review URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/weekly-review/ A weekly review is 15 minutes, once a week, where you compare what you planned with what you finished, look at where your hours went, and decide one thing to change next week. It is the step that makes planning get better over time. ## The review, in four questions 1. **What did I finish?** Count finished blocks and hours. In Cutline this is the week's finished hours by category. 2. **Where did the time go?** Which categories grew, which shrank? Is that what you wanted? 3. **What broke the plan?** A meeting, energy, a vague block? Find the pattern, not the excuse. 4. **What is one change for next week?** One. Move the gym earlier, add a buffer, cut a meeting. ## The numbers to look at | Number | What it tells you | |---|---| | Finished vs planned hours | How realistic your planning is | | Cleared days | How often a day survives contact with reality | | Deep work hours | Whether the important work got time | | Unfinished blocks | Which kind of block you keep skipping | ## Then plan next week Right after the review, plan the next week while the lessons are fresh. Follow the [20-minute weekly plan](/guides/how-to-plan-your-week/). ## Share it Posting your week on the Floor (hours and blocks by category, never titles) is a simple way to make the review stick: someone will notice if the numbers drop. ## Questions **When should I do a weekly review?** Friday afternoon or Sunday. Same time every week. **How long should a weekly review take?** 15 minutes is enough when your calendar already shows what you finished. --- # How to find an accountability partner who keeps you going URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/accountability-partner/ A good accountability partner is someone with similar ambition and a similar rhythm, who checks in with you every week on concrete numbers: what you planned, what you finished. Most partnerships fail because the check-in is vague; a shared weekly scoreboard fixes that. ## Who makes a good partner - **Similar ambition,** not necessarily the same field. - **Similar rhythm:** both plan weekly, both have mornings to protect. - **Honest:** someone who will say "you planned eight hours of sales and did two". - **Reliable:** shows up for the check-in every week. ## Where to find one - Friends or colleagues who have said "I need to get more done". - Communities around your work: founders, creators, students in your course. - [The Floor](/features/accountability-app/) on Cutline, where people post their finished weeks. Follow people whose weeks look like the week you want. ## What to agree on 1. **The unit:** finished hours, blocks, sessions, or sales conversations. 2. **The check-in:** a fixed time every week, 15 minutes. 3. **Visibility:** you can both see each other's numbers. 4. **A stake:** something small, like the loser buys coffee. ## Make it last Weekly check-ins fade when they depend on memory. A shared board does not: on the [Arena](/features/accountability-app/) your finished hours sit next to each other all week, and the board resets every Monday. Invite your partner with your personal link (press I in Cutline). ## Questions **How often should accountability partners check in?** Once a week, at a fixed time, on concrete numbers. A short message mid-week helps too. **Can an app be an accountability partner?** An app can make the numbers visible and the check-in easy. The accountability itself comes from a person seeing them. --- # The 5 AM Founder week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/5am-founder/ A weekly schedule for founders built on an early start: gym at 05:30 six days a week, three hours of deep work every weekday from 07:00, an hour of sales calls at 14:00, and thirty minutes of reading every night. ## Why it works - **The hardest work happens before anyone can interrupt.** Deep work from 07:00 to 10:00 is done before most inboxes fill up. - **Training first** means it cannot be cancelled by the day. - **Sales is a daily block,** so pipeline does not depend on mood. - **Reading at 21:00** is the signal that the day is over. ## Make it yours - Not a morning person? Shift everything by an hour; keep the order. - More meetings? Put them between 11:00 and 14:00 so the morning stays clear. - Selling more? Make the sales block 90 minutes. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Gym 6x at 5:30, deep work 3h every weekday at 7, sales calls 1h every weekday at 14, read 30 min daily at 21 The week: Gym 6x at 5:30, deep work 3h every weekday at 7, sales calls 1h every weekday at 14, read 30 min daily at 21 ## Questions **Do I really need to start at 5 AM?** No. The point is that deep work and training happen before the day can take them. Start when you can protect those hours. --- # The Content Machine week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/content-creator-week/ A weekly schedule for creators that batches production: film for 90 minutes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, edit for two hours every weekday after lunch, post and reply for 30 minutes every evening, and train four mornings a week. ## Why it works - **Batching filming** means three setups a week instead of seven. - **Editing every weekday** keeps a buffer of finished videos. - **Posting at the same time daily** builds a habit for you and your audience. - **Training** protects the energy that shows on camera. ## Make it yours - Long-form creator? Two filming days of 3 hours instead of three short ones. - Posting twice a day? Add a 15-minute block at lunch. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Film reels 1.5h Mon Wed Fri at 10, edit 2h every weekday at 13, post and reply 30 min daily at 19, gym 4x at 7 The week: Film reels 1.5h Mon Wed Fri at 10, edit 2h every weekday at 13, post and reply 30 min daily at 19, gym 4x at 7 ## Questions **How many videos does this week produce?** It depends on your format. Most short-form creators can film 5 to 10 clips in a 90-minute session. --- # The Outreach Sprint week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/outreach-sprint/ A weekly schedule for sales and outreach: 90 minutes of cold messages every weekday at 09:00, an hour of follow-ups every weekday at 15:00, calls on Tuesday and Thursday at 11:00, and the gym three evenings a week. ## Why it works - **New conversations every morning** keep the pipeline full. - **Follow-ups in the afternoon** are where most deals are actually won. - **Calls on two fixed days** leave the other mornings for prospecting. ## Make it yours - Track the number that matters: conversations started, not messages sent. - Put the hours on the [Arena](/features/accountability-app/) and race your team. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Cold DMs 1.5h every weekday at 9, follow-ups 1h every weekday at 15, sales calls 1h Tue Thu at 11, gym 3x at 18 The week: Cold DMs 1.5h every weekday at 9, follow-ups 1h every weekday at 15, sales calls 1h Tue Thu at 11, gym 3x at 18 ## Questions **How many outreach messages per day?** Quality beats volume. Many people aim for 20 to 50 personalised messages in a 90-minute block. --- # The Ship in 7 Days week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/ship-in-7-days/ A launch week for builders: four hours of building every day from 09:00, two hours of design on Monday and Tuesday afternoons, launch preparation on Thursday, and the launch itself on Friday at 16:00, with the gym three mornings. ## Why it works - **A fixed launch time** makes the week finite. Friday at 16:00 is not negotiable. - **Design early in the week** so building is not blocked on it later. - **Launch prep on Thursday:** copy, screenshots, the post, the list of people to tell. ## After the launch Post the week on the Floor. A launch week with 30+ hours of building is worth showing. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Build 4h daily at 9, design 2h Mon Tue at 14, launch prep 2h Thu at 14, ship it Fri at 16, gym 3x at 7 The week: Build 4h daily at 9, design 2h Mon Tue at 14, launch prep 2h Thu at 14, ship it Fri at 16, gym 3x at 7 ## Questions **Can you really ship a product in 7 days?** You can ship a first version of something small. The week works because the scope is cut to fit the week, not the other way round. --- # The Exam Week schedule URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/exam-week/ A study schedule for exam season: three hours of study every day from 09:00, practice tests on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 14:00, an hour of review every evening at 20:00, and a 30-minute workout every morning at 07:00. ## Why it works - **Study every morning** when your memory is freshest. - **Practice tests** under exam conditions are the best predictor of the real result. - **Evening review** moves the day's material into long-term memory. - **A short workout** improves focus and sleep. ## Make it yours - Split the 3-hour block into 50-minute sessions with 10-minute breaks. - Put your actual exam dates in as blocks so the countdown is visible. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Study 3h daily at 9, practice tests 2h Mon Wed Fri at 14, gym 30 min daily at 7, review 1h daily at 20 The week: Study 3h daily at 9, practice tests 2h Mon Wed Fri at 14, gym 30 min daily at 7, review 1h daily at 20 ## Questions **How many hours a day should I study before an exam?** Most students do well with 3 to 5 focused hours a day, plus practice tests. More hours of tired studying add little. --- # The Monk Mode week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/monk-mode/ Monk mode is a stretch of weeks with the distractions stripped out: four hours of deep work every day from 08:00, the gym six mornings at 06:00, a 30-minute walk without your phone at 13:00, and an hour of reading every night. ## Why it works - **Four hours a day** is close to the limit of real deep work for most people. - **The walk without a phone** resets attention halfway through the day. - **Reading instead of scrolling** ends the day calm. ## Rules people add - No social media until the deep work block is done. - No alcohol for the duration. - Lights out by 23:00. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Deep work 4h daily at 8, gym 6x at 6, read 1h daily at 21, walk without phone 30 min daily at 13 The week: Deep work 4h daily at 8, gym 6x at 6, read 1h daily at 21, walk without phone 30 min daily at 13 ## Questions **How long should monk mode last?** Common lengths are 30, 60 or 90 days. Shorter stints with a clear goal (a launch, an exam) work best. --- # The Athlete + Student week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/student-athlete/ A weekly schedule for student athletes: three hours of class every weekday from 09:00, two hours of training every day at 16:00, two hours of study every weeknight at 19:00, and an hour of recovery on Sunday. ## Why it works - **Training at the same time daily** makes it non-negotiable. - **Study after training,** when you have eaten and the day is calm. - **Recovery is a block,** not something that happens if there is time. ## Make it yours - Put games and travel in as blocks the moment you know them. - Move one study block to the morning on game days. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Class 3h every weekday at 9, training 2h daily at 16, study 2h every weekday at 19, recovery 1h Sun at 10 The week: Class 3h every weekday at 9, training 2h daily at 16, study 2h every weekday at 19, recovery 1h Sun at 10 ## Questions **How do student athletes manage their time?** By putting training, class and study into the same weekly calendar so conflicts show up early, and by protecting recovery. --- # The Crew Week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/team-week/ A weekly rhythm for small teams: a 30-minute standup every weekday at 09:00, three hours of uninterrupted deep work every weekday from 10:00, a team review on Friday at 16:00, and team training twice a week at 18:00. ## Why it works - **A short daily standup** replaces a dozen ad hoc messages. - **Shared deep work hours** mean nobody interrupts anybody until 13:00. - **A Friday review** closes the week together. - **Training together** builds the team outside the work. ## Make it a game Everyone joins the [Arena](/features/accountability-app/), and Friday's review starts with the board. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Standup 30 min every weekday at 9, deep work 3h every weekday at 10, team review 1h Fri at 16, team gym 2x at 18 The week: Standup 30 min every weekday at 9, deep work 3h every weekday at 10, team review 1h Fri at 16, team gym 2x at 18 ## Questions **Is this for remote teams too?** Yes. Run the standup and review on a call, and keep the deep work hours meeting-free for everyone. --- # Cutline pricing URL: https://gocutline.com/pricing/ Cutline is free for planning your week, XP, levels, streaks and the Arena. Paid plans add a badge and more: Verified costs $9 a month ($90 a year), Pro $24 a month ($240 a year), Crew $12 per seat a month ($120 a year) from 4 seats, and Brand $99 a month ($990 a year). Pro is free to try for 7 days, and monthly plans renew on the 1st. ## Plans | | Free | Verified | Pro | Crew | Brand | |---|---|---|---|---|---| | Price per month | $0 | $9 | $24 | $12 per seat, from 4 seats | $99 | | Price per year | $0 | $90 | $240 | $120 per seat | $990 | | The Grid, XP, streaks | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | The Arena | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Read the Floor, follow, reply | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Post on the Floor | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Start conversations | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | | Shared calendars you can create | 0 (join for free) | 1 | 5 | 3 per seat | 15 | | Cutline fee on payment links | 5% | 2% | 0% | 2% | 0% | | Badge | None | Orange Verified seal | Green Pro seal | Yellow Crew seal on every seat | Your logo as the badge | Prices are in USD, excluding local taxes. Yearly plans: pay for ten months, get twelve. Stripe's own card fees apply to payments on every plan. ## Which plan is right for you - **Free** if you want to plan and track your week, join friends' shared calendars and sell now and then. - **Verified** if you want the badge, to post your weeks on the Floor, message anyone and make a shared calendar. - **Pro** if you sell: [payment links](/features/payment-links/) with 0% Cutline fee, your balance live, and 5 shared calendars. - **Crew** for teams from 4 people: every seat gets the yellow seal, everything in Verified and 3 shared calendars. - **Brand** for companies and clubs: your logo becomes the badge, with a team mark after up to 10 names, and everything in Pro. ## Changing or cancelling Change plan, switch between monthly and yearly, or cancel at any time from Settings in the app. A cancelled plan keeps its badge until the end of the period you paid for. ## Questions **Is Cutline free?** Yes. Planning, XP, levels, streaks and the Arena are free for good. **What does Pro include?** The green Pro seal, everything in Verified, payment links with 0% Cutline fee, your balance and revenue live, and 5 shared calendars, for $24 a month or $240 a year. **Can I cancel any time?** Yes, from Settings in the app. You keep the plan until the end of the period you paid for. **Do you charge a fee on payment links?** 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, and 0% on Pro and Brand. Stripe charges its normal fees on your own Stripe account. **Is there a student discount?** Everything a student needs to plan and track studying is on the free plan. --- # Cutline + Google Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/integrations/google-calendar/ Link Google Calendar to Cutline and your Google meetings appear in your Cutline week as read-only blocks, so you plan focus time around them. Your Cutline blocks can go the other way too, as a calendar called Cutline inside Google Calendar. It takes about a minute and is free on every plan. ## What you get - **Meetings in your Grid.** Every event from the Google calendar you link shows in Cutline as a striped, read-only block with its time and title. You see the gaps you actually have before you plan. - **Your blocks in Google.** Your Cutline week can show inside Google Calendar as its own calendar, so a colleague looking at your week (or you, on your phone) sees the deep work you planned. - **Nothing counts twice.** Meetings from Google never earn XP and never break a cleared day. Only blocks you plan in Cutline and tick off count. ## Bring Google Calendar into Cutline 1. In Google Calendar on the web, open **Settings** (the gear), then click your calendar under **Settings for my calendars**. 2. Scroll to **Integrate calendar** and copy the **Secret address in iCal format**. 3. In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars → Google Calendar**, paste the address and press **Bring it in**. Your Google events for the past three weeks and the next four months appear in the Grid. Cutline checks for changes every 15 minutes, even when the app is closed. > The secret address is private to you. Treat it like a password: anyone with it can read that calendar. You can reset it in Google Calendar at any time, then paste the new one into Cutline. ## The other way: your Cutline week in Google Calendar In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars** and press **Add to Google Calendar**. Google Calendar subscribes to a private address that holds your blocks, and adds them as a separate calendar called Cutline. You keep planning in Cutline; Google Calendar shows the result next to your meetings. Google refreshes subscribed calendars on its own schedule, anywhere from a few hours to about a day, so a block you move in Cutline can take a while to move in Google. That address is private: anyone who has it can see the titles of your blocks. If it ever leaks, make a new one in the same place and the old one stops working. ## Plan around meetings, not over them Once your meetings are in the Grid, plan the week the way the [time-blocking guide](/guides/time-blocking/) describes: protect a deep work block before the first meeting, batch small tasks into the gaps, and leave a buffer after long calls. Click any Google event in Cutline and **Copy into my week** to turn it into your own block, for example a client call you want to tick off and count. ## Questions **Does Cutline change anything in my Google Calendar?** No. Cutline only reads the calendar you link. Your Cutline blocks appear in Google only if you subscribe to your Cutline calendar, and then as a separate calendar that you can hide or remove in Google. **Can I link more than one Google calendar?** Yes. Each Google calendar has its own secret address. Add each one in Settings → Calendars, up to 10 calendars in total. **Can I just sign in with Google instead?** Sign-in with Google is rolling out now: one click links the calendars of your Google account, no address to copy. Where it is not available yet, the secret address does the same job and takes about a minute. **Do Google events earn XP?** No. XP only comes from blocks you plan in Cutline and finish. Copy an event into your week if you want it to count. --- # Cutline + Outlook URL: https://gocutline.com/integrations/outlook-calendar/ Link Outlook to Cutline and your Outlook or Microsoft 365 meetings appear in your Cutline week as read-only blocks. Your Cutline blocks can show in Outlook too, as a calendar called Cutline. It works with Outlook.com and with work accounts on Microsoft 365, and is free on every plan. ## What you get - **Work meetings in your Grid,** next to the blocks you plan for yourself. - **Your blocks in Outlook,** as their own calendar you can show or hide. - **A clean score.** Meetings from Outlook never earn XP; only blocks you finish in Cutline do. ## Bring Outlook into Cutline 1. In Outlook on the web, open **Settings → Calendar → Shared calendars**. 2. Under **Publish a calendar**, choose the calendar and **Can view all details**, then **Publish**. 3. Copy the **ICS** link. 4. In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars → Outlook**, paste it and press **Bring it in**. On a work account the publish option can be switched off by your company. If it is missing, ask your IT team whether calendar publishing is allowed, or link a personal calendar instead. ## The other way: your Cutline week in Outlook In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars** and press **Add to Outlook**. Outlook subscribes to a private address that holds your blocks, and adds them as a separate calendar called Cutline. You keep planning in Cutline; Outlook shows the result next to your meetings. Outlook refreshes subscribed calendars every few hours. That address is private: anyone who has it can see the titles of your blocks. If it ever leaks, make a new one in the same place and the old one stops working. ## A week with meetings and focus time Most people who live in Outlook have their mornings eaten by meetings. With the meetings visible in Cutline, look for the longest free stretch each day and put your most important work there, then tick it off. The [deep work schedule guide](/guides/deep-work-schedule/) shows how to defend it. ## Questions **Does this work with Microsoft 365 work accounts?** Yes, as long as your organisation allows publishing calendars. If the option is missing in Outlook settings, your IT team has switched it off. **Can I sign in with Microsoft instead?** We are adding sign-in with Microsoft. Until it is switched on, the published ICS link does the same job. **Will people see my Cutline blocks in Outlook?** Only if you subscribe to your Cutline calendar in your own Outlook and share that calendar. Cutline never shares anything by itself. --- # Cutline + Apple Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/integrations/apple-calendar/ Add your Cutline week to Apple Calendar in one tap, and it updates on your iPhone, iPad and Mac by itself. To see your iCloud calendars inside Cutline, share them as a public calendar and paste the link. Both directions are free on every plan. ## Your Cutline week on iPhone and Mac In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars** and tap **Add to Apple Calendar**. Your iPhone or Mac asks to subscribe; say yes. Your blocks show as a calendar called Cutline, next to everything else in Apple Calendar, and Apple refreshes it on its own schedule. This is the easiest way to see your plan in widgets and on your lock screen, while you plan and tick blocks off in Cutline. ## iCloud calendars in Cutline Apple does not let other apps sign in to iCloud Calendar, so every calendar app that is not Apple's uses a shared link. On iPhone: 1. Open **Calendar**, tap **Calendars**, then the **(i)** next to the iCloud calendar. 2. Turn on **Public Calendar** and tap **Share Link…**, then copy it. 3. In Cutline, open **Settings → Calendars → Apple Calendar**, paste the link and press **Bring it in**. On a Mac: right-click the calendar in the sidebar, choose **Share Calendar**, tick **Public Calendar** and copy the address. > A public iCloud calendar can be read by anyone who has the link. Use it for calendars you are comfortable with that, or make a separate calendar for the events you want in Cutline. ## Questions **Does it work on iPad and Mac too?** Yes. A subscription added on one device syncs through iCloud to your other Apple devices. **How fast do changes show up?** Apple Calendar refreshes subscribed calendars on a schedule; on a Mac you can choose how often, from every 5 minutes to once a week. Changes from Cutline appear at the next refresh. **Is there a Cutline app for iPhone?** Cutline runs in Safari and any phone browser, and you can add it to your home screen. Subscribing in Apple Calendar puts your week in the native calendar as well. --- # Any calendar, by its iCal address URL: https://gocutline.com/integrations/ics-calendar/ If a calendar can be shared as an iCal, ICS or webcal address, Cutline can show it in your week: school and university timetables, shift rotas, booking tools, sports fixtures and holiday calendars. Your own Cutline week is also a private .ics feed that any calendar app can subscribe to. ## What an iCal address is iCalendar (.ics) is the standard format calendars use to share events (RFC 5545). A calendar that offers a link ending in .ics, or starting with webcal://, is sharing itself in that format. Cutline reads it, including repeating events, exceptions and moved occurrences, in your time zone. ## Where to find one | Where | What it is called | |---|---| | Google Calendar | Secret address in iCal format | | Outlook | Published calendar, ICS link | | iCloud | Public calendar link (webcal://) | | University timetables | Subscribe, iCal feed or calendar export | | Booking and rota tools | Calendar feed, iCal sync or ICS link | | Sports leagues and fixtures | Add to calendar, iCal | ## Bring it in Open **Settings → Calendars → Any calendar**, paste the address and press **Bring it in**. Cutline checks that it is a real calendar, then shows its events for the past three weeks and the next four months as read-only blocks, and keeps them in sync every 15 minutes. Up to 10 linked calendars. ## Your Cutline week as an .ics feed In the same place, **Get my calendar address** gives you a private https and webcal address for your Cutline blocks. Paste it into any calendar app that can subscribe to a calendar by URL. ## Questions **Does Cutline understand repeating events?** Yes: daily, weekly, monthly and yearly repeats, with skipped dates and single occurrences that were moved, in the time zone the calendar was made in. **Can I import a .ics file instead of a link?** Cutline works with addresses, so it can keep the calendar up to date. Upload the file to a calendar app that gives you a link, or ask the source for its feed address. **Is my feed address private?** Yes. It is a long random address only you have. Anyone who has it can see your block titles, so share it only with calendars you own, and make a new one if it leaks. --- # How to prove your work ethic on a CV URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/prove-work-ethic-on-a-cv/ Replace adjectives with evidence a reader can check: hours of focused work, how often you finished what you planned, and how long you kept it up, shown with a source. A verified CV from Cutline does this automatically from your calendar and adds a code anyone can verify. ## Why "hard-working" does not work Recruiters read the same handful of words on most CVs: hard-working, motivated, driven, detail-oriented. Because everyone writes them and nobody can check them, they carry almost no information. What does carry information is a specific, checkable fact: what you did, how much, how consistently, and where the number comes from. ## Evidence that shows work ethic | Instead of | Show | |---|---| | Hard-working | 1,240 focused hours in 12 months, 25 a week on average | | Reliable | 94% of planned blocks finished | | Consistent | A 112-day streak of days with work done | | Disciplined | 64 days where every planned block was done | | Self-driven | Hours by discipline: building, selling, learning | These are the kinds of numbers Cutline records from a calendar you plan and tick off. The examples above are made up; yours come from your own record. ## Make the evidence checkable A number is stronger when the reader can verify it. Every verified CV published from Cutline carries a document number and a QR code. Scanning it, or opening gocutline.com/verify with the code, shows the record exactly as it was issued and whether it is still the holder's current one. The CV says which parts Cutline computed and which parts you wrote yourself, so nobody is misled about either. ## Keep the claims honest - **Time is self-recorded.** Cutline counts blocks you planned and ticked off; it does not watch the work. Present it as a record of planning and follow-through, which is what it is. - **Revenue is different.** Payments through Cutline or a connected Stripe account are confirmed by Stripe, so a revenue figure on a verified CV is backed by the payment processor. - **Declared is declared.** Experience, education and skills are written by you, and the CV labels them that way. ## Build one in one click Plan your weeks in Cutline for a while, then open **CV** in the app. The record fills in by itself; add a headline, your experience and links, pick a look, and publish. You get a link at gocutline.com/cv/your-name and a PDF for applications. See [the verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Questions **Will employers trust a CV built from an app?** They can check it: the verification code shows the record as issued and which parts are computed. Present it as evidence of follow-through, next to your normal experience and references. **Can I edit the numbers?** No. Hours, streaks, cleared days and revenue are computed by Cutline when you publish. You can choose which sections to show. **Is it free?** Yes, on every plan, including Free. --- # Timeboxing, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/timeboxing/ Timeboxing is giving a task a fixed budget of time in advance and stopping when the time is up, whether or not the task is perfect. It turns open-ended work into a decision about how much the work is worth. ## What it means A timebox is a limit, not just a slot. "Write the proposal from 9 to 10" is a time block; "the proposal gets one hour, then it is sent" is a timebox. The idea is used in agile software teams, where a sprint or a meeting has a fixed length that does not move. ## How to do it in a calendar - Decide the budget before you start: 30, 60 or 90 minutes. - Put it in the calendar as a block with the budget as its length. - When the block ends, ship what you have, or plan a second, smaller box. - Tick it off only if you stopped on time. ## An example A weekly report gets a 45-minute box on Friday at 15:00. At 15:45 it is sent as it is. Over a few weeks the report gets better at fitting the box, instead of the box stretching to fit the report. ## Common mistakes - **Moving the end.** A timebox that grows is just a block that ran over. - **Boxing tasks that need flow.** Deep creative work often needs a longer block, not a strict box. ## Questions **Is timeboxing the same as time blocking?** They overlap. Time blocking decides when a task happens; timeboxing also decides how long it is allowed to take. Most good weekly plans use both. **How long should a timebox be?** Long enough for a useful version of the task. For writing and admin, 30 to 60 minutes is common; for design or coding, 90 minutes or more. --- # Deep work, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/deep-work/ Deep work is work done in a state of distraction-free concentration that pushes your abilities to their limit: writing, coding, designing, analysing. The term comes from Cal Newport's book Deep Work (2016). ## What it means Newport contrasts deep work with shallow work: logistical tasks that can be done while distracted, like most email and many meetings. His argument is that deep work produces most of the value in knowledge jobs and is becoming rarer, because constant messaging fragments the day. ## How to do it in a calendar - Book one to three deep work blocks of 90 to 180 minutes each weekday, ideally before meetings start. - Same time every day, so it becomes a habit instead of a decision. - Phone in another room, notifications off, one task per block. - Tick the block off only if it was actually deep. ## An example A developer blocks 08:30 to 11:30 every weekday for "Deep work: the checkout rewrite", and moves standups to 11:45. Over a month the Cutline record shows 60 deep hours instead of the scattered 20 she had before. ## Common mistakes - **Booking more than you can do.** Most people manage around 3 to 4 hours of truly deep work a day. - **Letting it float.** A deep block without a fixed time loses to meetings. ## Where it comes from Cal Newport, Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World (2016). ## Questions **How many hours of deep work a day are realistic?** Newport suggests that around four hours a day is close to the limit for most people. Many start with 90 minutes and build up. **Does deep work have to be in the morning?** No, but morning works for many people because it comes before the day fills up. Pick the time your energy and your calendar allow. --- # Shallow work, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/shallow-work/ Shallow work is necessary but low-focus work that can be done while distracted: email, scheduling, admin, most status updates. Cal Newport uses the term as the opposite of deep work. ## What it means Shallow work is not bad; it keeps things running. The problem is that it arrives constantly and feels urgent, so without limits it spreads across the whole day and squeezes out the work that matters. ## How to do it in a calendar - Give shallow work two or three fixed blocks a day, for example 11:30 and 16:00. - Answer messages in those blocks, not between them. - Keep the blocks short (20 to 45 minutes) so the work stays shallow. ## An example A founder checks email at 11:30 and 16:30 for 30 minutes each, and turns notifications off outside them. Response time goes from minutes to hours, and almost nobody notices. ## Common mistakes - **Treating every message as urgent.** Most can wait four hours. - **No end time.** An admin block without an end becomes the afternoon. ## Questions **Is email always shallow work?** Mostly. Writing an important proposal by email can be deep work; clearing the inbox is shallow. --- # Pomodoro technique, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/pomodoro-technique/ The Pomodoro technique is working in focused 25-minute intervals, each followed by a 5-minute break, with a longer break after four. Francesco Cirillo developed it in the late 1980s, named after a tomato-shaped kitchen timer. ## What it means Each 25-minute interval is one "pomodoro". During it you do one task and nothing else; if something comes up, you write it down and return to the task. The short breaks keep attention fresh and make starting easier, because 25 minutes feels small. ## How to do it in a calendar - Put the task in a time block (say 90 minutes), then work inside it in pomodoros. - Three pomodoros with breaks fill a 90-minute block. - Tick the block off when the pomodoros are done. ## An example A student books "Statistics revision" from 14:00 to 15:30 and runs three pomodoros inside it, with the phone on the other side of the room. ## Common mistakes - **Breaking flow.** If you are deep in a task, skipping a break is fine. - **Pomodoros without a plan.** The technique decides how to work, not what to work on. ## Where it comes from Francesco Cirillo, The Pomodoro Technique (first developed in the late 1980s; book 2006, revised 2018). ## Questions **Does it have to be 25 minutes?** No. Many people use 50/10 for deeper work. The point is a fixed sprint and a real break. --- # Eisenhower matrix, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/eisenhower-matrix/ The Eisenhower matrix sorts tasks into four boxes by two questions, is it urgent and is it important: do it now, schedule it, delegate it, or drop it. It is named after US President Dwight D. Eisenhower and was popularised by Stephen Covey. ## What it means The insight is that urgent and important are different things. Urgent tasks shout; important ones move your goals. The trap is spending the week on urgent-but-unimportant work, while the important-but-not-urgent box (planning, learning, health, building) is where the long-term results are. ## How to do it in a calendar - When you plan the week, list your tasks and mark each one urgent and/or important. - Important but not urgent: give it a time block this week. This is the box a calendar is for. - Urgent and important: do it first. - Urgent, not important: batch it or hand it off. - Neither: delete it. ## An example On Sunday, a freelancer finds that "update portfolio" has been important-not-urgent for two months. It gets two 60-minute blocks on Tuesday and Thursday, and is done by Friday. ## Common mistakes - **Only ever doing box one.** If everything you do is urgent, nothing important gets planned. - **Sorting without scheduling.** The matrix only helps if box two gets real time. ## Questions **Where does the name come from?** From a line Eisenhower used in a 1954 speech about urgent and important problems. Stephen Covey turned it into the four-box matrix in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People (1989). --- # Eat the frog, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/eat-the-frog/ "Eat the frog" means doing your hardest and most important task first thing, before anything else. The phrase was popularised by Brian Tracy's book Eat That Frog! (2001). ## What it means The idea is that the task you are most likely to avoid is usually the one that matters most, and that doing it first removes the dread from the rest of the day. It works because willpower and attention are usually higher early, and because nothing has interrupted you yet. ## How to do it in a calendar - Each evening, pick tomorrow's frog: one task, specific. - Put it in the first block of the day, before email. - Make the block long enough to finish or make real progress. ## An example A sales rep's frog is calling the three leads who went quiet. It sits at 08:30 every day for 30 minutes, before the inbox opens. ## Common mistakes - **Picking three frogs.** It is one task. - **Starting with email "just quickly".** The frog is first or it does not get eaten. ## Questions **Did Mark Twain say "eat a live frog"?** The line is often attributed to Twain, but there is no reliable source for it. Brian Tracy's book made the idea popular. --- # Weekly review, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/weekly-review/ A weekly review is a fixed 20 to 45 minutes each week to look at what you planned, what you finished, and what the next week needs. David Allen made it a core habit of Getting Things Done. ## What it means Plans drift. The weekly review is where you notice the drift and correct it while it is small: tasks that keep moving, hours that never happen, a category that eats the week. It is also the moment to plan the next week with real numbers instead of hope. ## How to do it in a calendar - Book it as a recurring block: Friday afternoon or Sunday evening. - Look at planned vs finished hours by category. - Ask: what moved? what kept getting skipped? what will I cut? - Plan next week before you close the block. ## An example Every Sunday at 18:00, 30 minutes: open the week in Cutline, read the finished hours by category, move what was skipped, and plan the deep work blocks for the coming week. ## Common mistakes - **Making it too long.** If it takes two hours, it will stop happening. - **Reviewing without changing anything.** The output is next week's plan. ## Questions **Friday or Sunday?** Friday afternoon if you want to start Monday clean; Sunday if you want the week fresh in mind. The best day is the one you will keep. --- # Habit stacking, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/habit-stacking/ Habit stacking is attaching a new habit to one you already do every day: "after I pour my morning coffee, I write tomorrow's plan". James Clear popularised the term in Atomic Habits (2018), building on BJ Fogg's "anchor" idea from Tiny Habits. ## What it means Existing routines are reliable cues. By chaining the new behaviour to one, you skip the need to remember it; the old habit reminds you. ## How to do it in a calendar - Pick an anchor that happens every day at about the same time. - Put the new habit right after it as a short block. - Keep the new habit small at first (5 to 15 minutes). ## An example After lunch (the anchor), a 15-minute walk. In Cutline: lunch at 12:00, "Walk 15 min" at 12:30 every weekday, ticked off when done. ## Common mistakes - **Vague anchors.** "In the morning" is not an anchor; "after I brush my teeth" is. - **Stacking too much at once.** Add one habit, then the next. ## Where it comes from James Clear, Atomic Habits (2018); BJ Fogg, Tiny Habits (2019); Lally et al., European Journal of Social Psychology (2010). ## Questions **How long until a stacked habit is automatic?** In one well-known study, habits took a median of 66 days to become automatic, with a wide range from 18 to 254 days (Lally et al., 2010). --- # Implementation intentions, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/implementation-intentions/ An implementation intention is a plan that says when, where and how you will act, in the form "when situation X arises, I will do Y". Peter Gollwitzer introduced the idea; a meta-analysis of 94 studies found a medium-to-large effect on reaching goals. ## What it means A goal says what you want ("get fit"). An implementation intention says exactly when and where it happens ("Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 07:00 at the gym on Main Street"). Deciding in advance removes the in-the-moment decision, which is where most plans fail. ## How to do it in a calendar - A time block with a title, a time and a place is an implementation intention. - Write the block so it answers when, where and what: "Gym · Legs · 07:00 · the gym on Main Street". - For the hardest habits, add an if-then: "If it rains, I train at home at the same time." ## An example "Every weekday at 09:00 at my desk, I send 20 outreach messages before opening email." In Cutline that is one recurring block. ## Common mistakes - **Vague times.** "This week" is a goal, not an intention. - **No plan B.** Add an if-then for the common obstacle. ## Where it comes from Gollwitzer, P. M., & Sheeran, P. (2006). Implementation intentions and goal achievement: A meta-analysis of effects and processes. Advances in Experimental Social Psychology, 38, 69–119. ## Questions **How strong is the evidence?** Gollwitzer and Sheeran's 2006 meta-analysis of 94 independent tests found a medium-to-large effect (d = 0.65) on goal attainment. --- # Fresh start effect, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/fresh-start-effect/ The fresh start effect is the finding that people are more likely to start working on goals right after "temporal landmarks": the start of a week, a month, a year, or after a birthday. Hengchen Dai, Katherine Milkman and Jason Riis described it in 2014. ## What it means Landmarks create a mental line between an old self and a new one. Past failures feel like they belong to the old period, which makes starting again easier. In their studies, gym visits and searches for "diet" rose at the start of weeks, months and years. ## How to do it in a calendar - Plan the week on Sunday so Monday starts on a plan, not a scramble. - Use the first of the month to change one habit. - If a week went badly, use the next Monday as a reset rather than writing off the month. ## An example After a missed week of training, plan next week's three gym blocks on Sunday evening, and let Monday be the new start. ## Common mistakes - **Waiting for a landmark.** Every Monday is one; you do not need January. - **Starting too big.** A fresh start helps you begin, not do everything at once. ## Where it comes from Dai, H., Milkman, K. L., & Riis, J. (2014). The fresh start effect: Temporal landmarks motivate aspirational behavior. Management Science, 60(10), 2563–2582. ## Questions **Is "I'll start on Monday" procrastination?** It can be. Used well, it means planning now so Monday begins with a plan. Used badly, it means doing nothing until then. --- # Parkinson's law, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/parkinsons-law/ Parkinson's law is the observation that "work expands so as to fill the time available for its completion". Cyril Northcote Parkinson wrote it in an essay in The Economist in 1955. ## What it means Parkinson was writing about bureaucracy, but the line describes everyday work too: a task given a whole afternoon tends to take the whole afternoon. Shorter, explicit time limits push you to decide what matters and finish. ## How to do it in a calendar - Give tasks a block shorter than feels comfortable, and end on time. - Use [timeboxing](/glossary/timeboxing/) for tasks that tend to sprawl, like email and slides. - Put a hard stop at the end of the day. ## An example A presentation that took a full day last time gets a 2-hour block. It is done in 2 hours and 15 minutes, and the rest of the day goes to sales. ## Common mistakes - **Cutting time on deep work too hard.** Some work needs long blocks; the law is about sprawl, not about rushing hard problems. ## Where it comes from C. Northcote Parkinson, "Parkinson's Law", The Economist (November 1955). ## Questions **Is Parkinson's law scientifically proven?** It began as a satirical essay, not a study. Research on deadlines and the planning fallacy points in a similar direction: people use the time they give themselves. --- # Planning fallacy, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/planning-fallacy/ The planning fallacy is the tendency to underestimate how long a task will take, even when you know that similar tasks took longer in the past. Daniel Kahneman and Amos Tversky named it in 1979. ## What it means In one well-known study, students predicted how long their thesis would take; on average they took far longer than even their "worst case" estimate (Buehler, Griffin and Ross, 1994). People plan from the best-case story of the task and ignore their own track record. ## How to do it in a calendar - Use your record, not your hope: compare planned and finished hours from past weeks. - Add a buffer block every afternoon for overruns. - Plan 70 to 80% of your available hours, not 100%. ## An example Last week's record in Cutline shows 31 of 40 planned hours finished. This week, plan 34 and keep a daily 30-minute buffer. ## Common mistakes - **Planning a perfect week.** It will not happen; plan one you can finish. - **Ignoring the data.** The finished-hours number is the best estimate you have. ## Where it comes from Kahneman, D., & Tversky, A. (1979). Intuitive prediction: Biases and corrective procedures. Buehler, R., Griffin, D., & Ross, M. (1994). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 67(3), 366–381. ## Questions **How do I estimate better?** Look at how long similar tasks really took (the "outside view"), and plan from that rather than from how this task feels. --- # Maker's schedule, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/makers-schedule/ The maker's schedule is a day divided into long blocks of half a day or more, which makers (programmers, writers, designers) need to get anything substantial done. Paul Graham contrasted it with the manager's schedule of one-hour slots in a 2009 essay. ## What it means On a manager's schedule a meeting is just one slot. On a maker's schedule a meeting in the middle of the afternoon breaks it into two pieces too small for real work. When makers and managers share a calendar, this is the source of a lot of friction. ## How to do it in a calendar - Keep meetings on one side of the day (for example after 14:00) or on fixed days. - Protect at least one half-day maker block on most days. - If you manage makers, ask before booking into their mornings. ## An example A designer keeps 09:00 to 13:00 meeting-free Monday to Thursday and puts all calls in the afternoon. Friday is the meeting day. ## Common mistakes - **Small gaps.** Thirty minutes between meetings is not a maker block. - **Booking by default.** Calendar tools fill empty space; protect it with a block. ## Where it comes from Paul Graham, "Maker's Schedule, Manager's Schedule" (July 2009), paulgraham.com. ## Questions **Can I be both a maker and a manager?** Most people are. Split the week: maker mornings and manager afternoons, or maker days and meeting days. --- # Task batching, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/task-batching/ Task batching is grouping similar tasks into one block and doing them together, for example all calls between 14:00 and 15:00, instead of scattering them across the day. ## What it means Every switch between different kinds of work costs time and attention; researchers call the leftover focus from the previous task "attention residue" (Leroy, 2009). Batching reduces the number of switches. ## How to do it in a calendar - Collect small tasks of the same kind during the week. - Give each kind one or two blocks: messages, calls, admin, errands. - Do them in one go and close the block. ## An example A creator batches all filming into Monday and Wednesday mornings and all editing into afternoons, instead of filming and editing a little every day. ## Common mistakes - **Batching deep work with shallow work.** Keep them in separate blocks. - **Batches with no end.** A batch block still needs an end time. ## Where it comes from Leroy, S. (2009). Why is it so hard to do my work? The challenge of attention residue when switching between work tasks. Organizational Behavior and Human Decision Processes, 109(2), 168–181. ## Questions **What tasks batch best?** Messages, calls, admin, errands, filming, cooking: anything with a setup cost you only want to pay once. --- # Theme days, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/theme-days/ Theme days means giving each day of the week a single focus, for example Monday for planning and meetings, Tuesday and Wednesday for building, Thursday for sales and Friday for review. It is batching at the scale of a week. ## What it means When every day contains a bit of everything, you switch constantly. A theme makes each day simpler: you know what kind of work it is for, and anything else waits for its day. The approach became widely known when Jack Dorsey described theming his days while running two companies. ## How to do it in a calendar - Pick 3 to 5 themes that cover your work. - Give each a day (or half-day) and colour it in the week. - Keep a short daily block for urgent things so themes survive real life. ## An example Monday: meetings and planning. Tuesday, Wednesday: build. Thursday: sell. Friday: content and review. Each day has one colour in Cutline. ## Common mistakes - **Too rigid.** Leave a little room every day for what cannot wait. - **Too many themes.** Seven themes for seven days is a list, not a plan. ## Questions **Does it work for employees?** Partly. You may not control meetings, but you can often theme your own focus time: mornings for one project, afternoons for another. --- # Pareto principle (80/20), explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/pareto-principle/ The Pareto principle, or 80/20 rule, is the observation that roughly 80% of results often come from 20% of the causes. It is named after Vilfredo Pareto, who noticed in the 1890s that about 80% of land in Italy was owned by 20% of the people; Joseph Juran later generalised it. ## What it means The numbers are not exact and not a law of nature. The useful idea is that effort and results are rarely proportional: a few clients, products or habits usually matter far more than the rest. ## How to do it in a calendar - In your weekly review, ask which 20% of your work produced most of last week's results. - Give those tasks your best blocks. - Cut, batch or delegate the rest. ## An example A freelancer finds that two clients produce most of her income. Their work goes into morning blocks; the other clients share two afternoon blocks a week. ## Common mistakes - **Treating 80/20 as exact.** It might be 70/30 or 90/10. - **Cutting things that support the 20%.** Sleep and training are not output, but output depends on them. ## Questions **Is it really always 80/20?** No. It is a rule of thumb for uneven distributions, not a fixed ratio. --- # Most important task (MIT), explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/most-important-task/ Most important tasks, or MITs, are the one to three tasks that would make the day a success if nothing else got done. Leo Babauta popularised the term on his blog Zen Habits. ## What it means A to-do list treats everything as equal. Naming one to three MITs forces a choice about what matters today, and doing them early protects them from the rest of the day. ## How to do it in a calendar - At the end of each day, choose tomorrow's MITs. - Give each one a block in the morning. - Everything else fits around them. ## An example Tomorrow's MITs: send the proposal (09:00, 1 h), call the supplier (10:15, 30 min), train (17:00, 1 h). Each is a block in Cutline. ## Common mistakes - **Five MITs.** Then none of them is most important. - **MITs with no time.** If it is not in the calendar, it is a wish. ## Questions **MIT or eat the frog?** Same family. Eat the frog is one hard task first; MITs are up to three important ones, done early. --- # Time audit, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/time-audit/ A time audit is recording how you actually spend your time for a period, usually one or two weeks, and comparing it with how you think you spend it. Peter Drucker made it the first step in The Effective Executive (1967). ## What it means Drucker argued that people's memory of where their time goes is unreliable, and that managing time starts with recording it. The gap between the plan and the record is where the improvements are. ## How to do it in a calendar - Plan your week in blocks as usual. - Tick off what you actually did; leave the rest unticked. - At the end of the week, compare planned and finished hours by category. ## An example The record shows 12 planned hours of sales but only 5 finished, and 9 unplanned hours of email. Next week: two fixed email blocks, and sales moved to the morning. ## Common mistakes - **Auditing without a plan.** Without a plan you cannot see the gap. - **Judging instead of learning.** The audit is data, not a grade. ## Where it comes from Peter F. Drucker, The Effective Executive (1967), chapter 2, "Know Thy Time". ## Questions **How long should a time audit be?** One to two typical weeks is usually enough to see the pattern. --- # Energy management, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/energy-management/ Energy management is planning your work around your physical and mental energy, not only around the clock: hard work when you are sharp, easier work and recovery when you dip. Tony Schwartz and Catherine McCarthy made the case in Harvard Business Review in 2007. ## What it means Time is fixed; energy is renewable but limited. Sleep, movement, food and breaks all change how much good work fits in an hour. A week that ignores energy looks fine on paper and fails by Wednesday. ## How to do it in a calendar - Notice when you do your best thinking and protect it for deep work. - Put admin and calls in your low-energy times. - Plan recovery: sleep, training and breaks are blocks too. ## An example Someone who is sharp from 08:00 to 11:00 puts deep work there, meetings after lunch, a walk at 15:00 and a wind-down block at 22:30. ## Common mistakes - **Planning 12-hour days.** Output per hour falls; a shorter plan often finishes more. - **Skipping recovery to catch up.** It borrows from next week. ## Where it comes from Schwartz, T., & McCarthy, C. (2007). Manage your energy, not your time. Harvard Business Review, 85(10). ## Questions **Is there a best time of day to work?** It varies by person. Track your own energy for a week and plan from that. --- # Monk mode, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/monk-mode/ Monk mode is a self-chosen period, often a few weeks to three months, of intense focus on one goal, with distractions like social media, nights out and scrolling cut out. The term comes from online self-improvement communities, not from research. ## What it means The appeal is simple: fewer inputs, more time and attention for the goal. The risk is that an all-or-nothing plan breaks the first time life gets in the way. A good monk mode week is strict about focus and kind about recovery. ## How to do it in a calendar - One goal for the period, written down. - Daily blocks for it at fixed times. - Training, sleep and one social block a week stay in the plan. - Track it daily; a streak makes the period visible. ## An example See the [Monk Mode template](/templates/monk-mode/) for a full week. ## Common mistakes - **Cutting sleep and people.** They are what keep the focus going. - **No end date.** Monk mode works as a sprint, not a lifestyle. ## Questions **How long should monk mode last?** Most people choose 30 to 90 days with a clear goal and an end date. --- # Ideal week, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/ideal-week/ An ideal week is a template of how a good week would look, hour by hour: when you do deep work, meetings, training, admin and rest. Michael Hyatt popularised the term. Real weeks are planned from it rather than from scratch. ## What it means Planning every week from zero is tiring and invites the same mistakes. A template sets defaults (deep work mornings, meetings Tuesday afternoon, training at 07:00) so you only plan the exceptions. ## How to do it in a calendar - Write the week you would repeat if nothing urgent happened. - Colour it by category and keep the totals realistic. - Each Sunday, start from the ideal week and adjust for the real one. ## An example Any of the [week templates](/templates/) here is a starting ideal week. Copy one, move the blocks to your life, and plan from it every Sunday. ## Common mistakes - **Designing a fantasy.** Base it on weeks you have actually finished. - **Never updating it.** Revisit it every quarter. ## Questions **Is an ideal week the same as a routine?** Close. A routine is daily; an ideal week includes the weekly rhythm, like meeting days and long sessions. --- # Streak, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/streak/ A streak is the number of consecutive days you have done something, such as finishing at least one planned block. "Don't break the chain" is the idea of marking each day on a calendar so the growing chain motivates you to continue; it is often credited to Jerry Seinfeld, who has said he did not invent it. ## What it means A visible streak turns a habit into something you can lose, and people work hard not to lose things. It also makes progress concrete: 40 days is a fact, not a feeling. ## How to do it in a calendar - Count a day when at least one planned block is done. - Keep the bar low enough to keep on a bad day. - Plan rest as a short block you tick off on sick days: the streak keeps going, and months of work stay on your record either way. ## An example A writer's streak counts any day with a finished writing block, even 15 minutes. After 60 days the streak itself becomes a reason to write on tired days. ## Common mistakes - **All-or-nothing.** One missed day does not undo a habit; research found it did not materially change habit formation (Lally et al., 2010). - **Gaming it.** If the block is trivial, the streak stops meaning anything. ## Where it comes from Lally, P., van Jaarsveld, C. H. M., Potts, H. W. W., & Wardle, J. (2010). How are habits formed: Modelling habit formation in the real world. European Journal of Social Psychology, 40(6), 998–1009. ## Questions **What happens if I miss a day?** Restart the next day. In the research, a single missed day did not change how a habit formed. On Cutline the streak starts again; your hours and record stay. --- # Body doubling, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/body-doubling/ Body doubling is doing focused work while another person is present, in the room or on a video call, so that their presence helps you start and stay on task. The term is widely used in ADHD communities; formal research on it is still limited. ## What it means Many people find it easier to work when someone else is working too: it adds light accountability and makes the start less lonely. It is related to older ideas like study groups and co-working. ## How to do it in a calendar - Agree a time and a length with a friend or teammate. - Both put the same block in the calendar. - Say what you will do at the start; check in at the end. ## An example Two friends share a Cutline calendar and both book "Deep work" from 09:00 to 11:00 on a video call with cameras on and mics off. ## Common mistakes - **Chatting through it.** It is a work session with company, not a hangout. ## Questions **Does body doubling work for everyone?** Not everyone; some people focus better alone. It costs nothing to try for a week. --- # 12 Week Year, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/twelve-week-year/ The 12 Week Year is a planning method that treats every 12 weeks as a full "year", with its own goals, a weekly plan and a weekly execution score. Brian Moran and Michael Lennington introduced it in a 2013 book of the same name. ## What it means An annual goal feels far away, so urgency arrives in November. A 12-week horizon keeps the deadline close all the time. The method measures execution (did you do the planned actions?) rather than only results. ## How to do it in a calendar - Choose 1 to 3 goals for the next 12 weeks. - Turn each into weekly actions with time blocks. - Each week, score the share of planned actions you finished. ## An example Goal: launch a paid newsletter in 12 weeks. Weekly actions: write 2 posts (2 × 2 h), 30 outreach messages (5 × 30 min). The finished-blocks rate is the weekly score. ## Common mistakes - **Too many goals.** Three is the limit; one is better. - **Scoring results only.** Score the actions you control. ## Where it comes from Brian P. Moran and Michael Lennington, The 12 Week Year (2013). ## Questions **What score is good?** The book suggests that finishing about 85% of planned actions in a week tends to lead to the goal. --- # OKRs, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/okrs/ OKRs (Objectives and Key Results) pair a qualitative objective with two to five measurable key results that show whether it was reached. Andy Grove developed the method at Intel; John Doerr brought it to Google and wrote about it in Measure What Matters (2018). ## What it means The objective says where you want to go; the key results say how you will know you got there. They are usually set per quarter. What OKRs do not say is when the work happens, which is where a weekly plan comes in. ## How to do it in a calendar - Set one objective and three key results for the quarter. - For each key result, decide the weekly activity that moves it. - Put those activities in recurring blocks and track them weekly. ## An example Objective: become the go-to designer for fintech startups. KR: 10 case studies published, 40 conversations with founders, 3 retainer clients. Weekly blocks: case study 3 h, outreach 5 × 30 min. ## Common mistakes - **Activities as key results.** "Send emails" is an activity; "40 conversations" is a result. - **No link to the calendar.** A KR without weekly time behind it is a hope. ## Where it comes from John Doerr, Measure What Matters (2018); Andy Grove, High Output Management (1983). ## Questions **Are OKRs useful for one person?** Yes, if kept small: one objective and a few key results per quarter, reviewed weekly. --- # Getting Things Done (GTD), explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/getting-things-done/ Getting Things Done (GTD) is a personal productivity method by David Allen (2001) built on five steps: capture everything, clarify what each item means, organise it into lists, reflect in a weekly review, and engage by doing. ## What it means GTD's core idea is that your mind is for having ideas, not holding them: get everything out of your head into a trusted system. In GTD the calendar is reserved for things that must happen at a specific time; many people now also time block their most important list items. ## How to do it in a calendar - Keep capturing and clarifying in your list tool of choice. - In the weekly review, pick the next actions that matter most. - Give those a time block in the week, so the list turns into a plan. ## An example A list has 60 next actions. On Sunday, 8 of them get blocks this week; the rest stay on the list. ## Common mistakes - **Endless lists, no time.** Lists grow; time does not. Block the ones that matter. - **Skipping the weekly review.** GTD falls apart without it. ## Where it comes from David Allen, Getting Things Done: The Art of Stress-Free Productivity (2001; revised 2015). ## Questions **Does GTD work with time blocking?** Yes. GTD decides what the next actions are; time blocking decides when the important ones happen. --- # Zeigarnik effect, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/zeigarnik-effect/ The Zeigarnik effect is the idea that people remember unfinished or interrupted tasks better than finished ones. Bluma Zeigarnik reported it in 1927; later replications have been mixed, so it is best treated as a tendency rather than a rule. ## What it means Open loops keep pulling at attention. A related finding is more practical: making a specific plan for an unfinished goal reduced how much it intruded on people's thoughts (Masicampo and Baumeister, 2011). You do not have to finish a task to quiet it; you have to plan it. ## How to do it in a calendar - When a task keeps nagging, give it a block, even if it is next week. - End the day by planning tomorrow, so open loops have a place. ## An example At 17:30 a manager has six unfinished things on her mind. She gives four of them blocks tomorrow and two next week, and stops thinking about them tonight. ## Common mistakes - **Keeping everything in your head.** Write it down and plan it. ## Where it comes from Zeigarnik, B. (1927). Psychologische Forschung, 9, 1–85. Masicampo, E. J., & Baumeister, R. F. (2011). Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 101(4), 667–683. ## Questions **Is the Zeigarnik effect real?** The original finding has not replicated consistently. The practical point, that planning unfinished tasks reduces mental clutter, has better support. --- # Proof of work, explained URL: https://gocutline.com/glossary/proof-of-work/ In personal and career terms, proof of work means evidence of what you actually did (projects shipped, hours put in, results produced) rather than claims about yourself. The phrase borrows from computing, where it means work that others can easily verify. ## What it means A portfolio, a GitHub history and a public record of training are all proof of work: they let someone check instead of trust. For effort and consistency, a calendar record is one of the few sources of evidence most people already produce. ## How to do it in a calendar - Plan your weeks in blocks and tick off what you finish. - Share a weekly summary: hours by category, blocks done, streak. - Publish a [verified CV](/verified-cv/) when you need to show it to someone who does not know you. ## An example A junior developer applying for jobs shares a verified CV with 900 hours of coding over a year, a 70-day streak and links to three shipped projects. ## Common mistakes - **Proof without honesty.** Label self-recorded time as self-recorded; that is what makes the rest credible. ## Questions **Is a calendar record really proof?** It is evidence of planning and follow-through over time. It is strongest next to things others can see, like shipped work, and when it carries a verification code. --- # The Software Engineer week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/software-engineer-week/ A weekly schedule for software engineers that protects the morning for code: a 15-minute standup at 09:30, deep work coding from 10:00 to 12:30, code review at 14:00, and the gym three evenings a week. ## Why it works - **One long coding block a day** beats four short ones; context is expensive to rebuild. - **Reviews after lunch** fit the post-lunch energy dip and unblock teammates the same day. - **Standup right before deep work** turns it into a start signal. ## Make it yours - On-call week? Shorten the deep block and add a daily 30-minute buffer. - Remote team in another time zone? Move review to when their questions arrive. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Standup 15 min every weekday at 9:30, deep work code 2.5h every weekday at 10, code review 1h every weekday at 14, gym 3x at 18, read 30 min daily at 21:30 The week: Standup 15 min every weekday at 9:30, deep work code 2.5h every weekday at 10, code review 1h every weekday at 14, gym 3x at 18, read 30 min daily at 21:30 ## Questions **How many hours of coding a day are realistic?** Two to four hours of focused coding is a strong day for most engineers; the rest goes to reviews, meetings and reading. --- # The University Student week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/university-student-week/ A weekly schedule for university students: study 2 hours every weekday at 09:00 and again at 14:00 around lectures, exercise three times, review notes daily, and plan the week on Sunday. ## Why it works - **Two study blocks a day** around your lectures turn free periods into progress. - **Daily note review** is short and compounds before exams. - **A Sunday review** keeps assignments from surprising you. ## Make it yours - Import your university timetable (most offer an iCal feed) into Cutline so lectures sit in the Grid, then fit study blocks around them. See [any iCal calendar](/integrations/ics-calendar/). - Exam season? Switch to the [Exam Week](/templates/exam-week/) template. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Study 2h every weekday at 9, study 1.5h every weekday at 14, gym 3x at 17, review notes 30 min daily at 20, weekly review 30 min Sun at 18 The week: Study 2h every weekday at 9, study 1.5h every weekday at 14, gym 3x at 17, review notes 30 min daily at 20, weekly review 30 min Sun at 18 ## Questions **How many hours should a student study per week?** A common guideline is about two hours of independent study for every hour of class. Plan what your course needs and track what you finish. --- # The High School Student week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/high-school-student-week/ A weekly schedule for high school students: homework for 90 minutes after school on weekdays, a 30-minute review every evening, training three times a week, and a wind-down block so sleep stays protected. ## Why it works - **Homework at the same time daily** removes the "when will I do it" debate. - **Short daily review** beats one long cram. - **A wind-down block** protects the 8 to 10 hours of sleep teenagers need. ## Make it yours - Sport after school? Move homework to 19:00 and review to 21:00. - Big test coming? Add a 45-minute block on the two days before. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Homework 1.5h every weekday at 16, review 30 min daily at 19:30, training 3x at 17:30, wind down 30 min daily at 22 The week: Homework 1.5h every weekday at 16, review 30 min daily at 19:30, training 3x at 17:30, wind down 30 min daily at 22 ## Questions **How much sleep do teenagers need?** The American Academy of Sleep Medicine recommends 8 to 10 hours for 13 to 18-year-olds. --- # The Nurse Shift Week week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/nurse-shift-week/ A weekly schedule for nurses and other 12-hour shift workers: three day shifts, a recovery walk and stretching after each, training and meal prep on days off, and sleep protected around the shifts. ## Why it works - **Training on days off** keeps it from competing with 12-hour shifts. - **Meal prep on Sunday** means the shift days have food ready. - **A short walk every evening** helps winding down after long shifts. ## Make it yours - Night shifts? Put the shifts at 19:00 and move sleep to the morning; keep the same anchors. - Rotating rota? Most rota tools offer a calendar feed: link it so shifts land in the Grid. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Shift first half 6h Mon Wed Fri at 7, shift second half 6h Mon Wed Fri at 13, walk 30 min daily at 20, gym 2x Tue Sat at 10, meal prep 1.5h Sun at 11, stretch 15 min daily at 21:30 The week: Shift first half 6h Mon Wed Fri at 7, shift second half 6h Mon Wed Fri at 13, walk 30 min daily at 20, gym 2x Tue Sat at 10, meal prep 1.5h Sun at 11, stretch 15 min daily at 21:30 ## Questions **How do I plan training around 12-hour shifts?** Put it on days off, keep sessions short and fixed, and treat sleep before a shift as a block you do not move. --- # The Real Estate Agent week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/real-estate-agent-week/ A weekly schedule for real estate agents: prospecting calls for 90 minutes every weekday at 09:00, follow-ups at 11:00, showings in the afternoon, content for social media twice a week and open houses on Saturday. ## Why it works - **Prospecting before anything else** keeps the pipeline from drying up in busy months. - **Follow-ups daily** win the deals that went quiet. - **Showings batched** into fixed afternoons cut driving back and forth. ## Make it yours - Teams: share a calendar so showings do not clash. - Slow season? Double the content block. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Prospecting calls 1.5h every weekday at 9, follow-ups 1h every weekday at 11, showings 2h Tue Thu Sat at 14, post content 1h Mon Thu at 16, gym 3x at 7 The week: Prospecting calls 1.5h every weekday at 9, follow-ups 1h every weekday at 11, showings 2h Tue Thu Sat at 14, post content 1h Mon Thu at 16, gym 3x at 7 ## Questions **How much time should agents spend prospecting?** Many coaches recommend at least an hour or two every weekday, at the same time, before the day fills up. --- # The Personal Trainer week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/personal-trainer-week/ A weekly schedule for personal trainers built around peak client hours: sessions from 06:00 and 17:00, your own training at midday, content twice a week and admin on Friday. ## Why it works - **Peak hours belong to clients.** Morning and evening are when they can come. - **Your own training at midday** keeps it from being skipped. - **Admin once a week** keeps invoicing from leaking into evenings. ## Make it yours - Online coaching too? Turn the content block into check-in calls. - Get paid through Cutline with [payment links](/features/payment-links/) right after a session. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Client sessions 3h every weekday at 6, client sessions 3h every weekday at 17, own training 1h every weekday at 12, film content 1h Tue Thu at 14, admin and invoices 1h Fri at 10 The week: Client sessions 3h every weekday at 6, client sessions 3h every weekday at 17, own training 1h every weekday at 12, film content 1h Tue Thu at 14, admin and invoices 1h Fri at 10 ## Questions **How many sessions a day can a trainer sustain?** Many full-time trainers run 6 to 8 sessions a day; plan breaks and your own training so the pace lasts. --- # The PhD Student week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/phd-student-week/ A weekly schedule for PhD students: write for 90 minutes every weekday at 08:30, research and analysis for 3 hours after, read papers daily, one supervisor meeting a week, and exercise. ## Why it works - **Writing every day, first.** Short daily writing sessions tend to produce more than waiting for long free days. - **Research in one long block** fits experiments and analysis. - **Reading daily** keeps the literature current without a backlog. ## Make it yours - Teaching duties? Put them in the afternoons and keep the writing block. - Thesis deadline? Move to two writing blocks a day. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Write 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, research 3h every weekday at 10:30, read papers 45 min daily at 15, supervisor meeting 1h Thu at 14, gym 3x at 17:30 The week: Write 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, research 3h every weekday at 10:30, read papers 45 min daily at 15, supervisor meeting 1h Thu at 14, gym 3x at 17:30 ## Questions **Should I write every day during a PhD?** Many academics recommend short daily writing sessions over occasional long ones; the habit keeps a draft moving. --- # The Remote Worker week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/remote-worker-week/ A weekly schedule for remote workers: start with a 15-minute plan at 08:45, deep work until 11:30, meetings after lunch, a walk at 15:30 and a hard stop at 17:30. ## Why it works - **A fixed start and a shutdown** replace the commute that used to frame the day. - **Meetings in one window** keep mornings for focus. - **A walk** is the break remote days usually lack. ## Make it yours - Link your work calendar so meetings show in the Grid: see [Outlook](/integrations/outlook-calendar/) or [Google Calendar](/integrations/google-calendar/). - Different time zone from your team? Shift the meeting window to the overlap. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Plan the day 15 min every weekday at 8:45, deep work 2.5h every weekday at 9, meetings 2h every weekday at 13, walk 20 min every weekday at 15:30, shut down 15 min every weekday at 17:15 The week: Plan the day 15 min every weekday at 8:45, deep work 2.5h every weekday at 9, meetings 2h every weekday at 13, walk 20 min every weekday at 15:30, shut down 15 min every weekday at 17:15 ## Questions **How do I stop remote work from taking over evenings?** End with a shutdown block: review, plan tomorrow, close the laptop. A fixed end makes the rest of the evening yours. --- # The Side Hustle (9 to 5) week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/side-hustle-9-to-5-week/ A weekly schedule for building a business next to a full-time job: an hour before work three mornings a week, two evening blocks, a 4-hour Saturday session, and one fully free day. ## Why it works - **Mornings before work** use your freshest hours for your own thing. - **A long Saturday block** is where the big pieces get built. - **A free Sunday** keeps it sustainable for months, not weeks. ## Make it yours - Tired evenings? Move them to sales and admin, keep building for mornings and Saturday. - Count it: 9 hours a week is about 470 hours a year. See [your next 52 weeks](/future/). ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Build 1h Mon Wed Fri at 6:30, build 1.5h Tue Thu at 19:30, deep work 4h Sat at 9, gym 3x at 17:30, plan next week 30 min Sun at 18 The week: Build 1h Mon Wed Fri at 6:30, build 1.5h Tue Thu at 19:30, deep work 4h Sat at 9, gym 3x at 17:30, plan next week 30 min Sun at 18 ## Questions **How many hours a week does a side hustle need?** Many people start with 8 to 12 hours a week. Consistency matters more than size: the same hours every week add up fast. --- # The Job Search week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/job-search-week/ A weekly schedule for a job search: 90 minutes of applications every weekday at 09:00, networking messages at 11:00, skill practice after lunch, interview prep twice a week, and daily exercise. ## Why it works - **A job search is a job.** Fixed hours stop it from expanding into anxious all-day scrolling. - **Networking daily** is where most hires actually come from. - **Practice blocks** build the record you can show. ## Make it yours - Show the work: after a few weeks your record (hours practised, streak) can go on a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). - Interviews booked? Replace the practice block that day with prep. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Applications 1.5h every weekday at 9, networking messages 45 min every weekday at 11, practice skills 2h every weekday at 13, interview prep 1h Tue Thu at 16, run 30 min daily at 18 The week: Applications 1.5h every weekday at 9, networking messages 45 min every weekday at 11, practice skills 2h every weekday at 13, interview prep 1h Tue Thu at 16, run 30 min daily at 18 ## Questions **How many applications a day?** Quality beats volume: a few tailored applications a day with follow-ups usually outperform mass applying. --- # The Freelance Designer week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/freelance-designer-week/ A weekly schedule for freelance designers: design work from 09:00 to 12:30 every weekday, client calls Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, outreach and portfolio on Friday, and admin in one weekly block. ## Why it works - **Long morning design blocks** match the maker's schedule. - **Calls on two afternoons** keep the rest of the week uninterrupted. - **Weekly outreach** keeps the next project coming before the current one ends. ## Make it yours - Send [payment links](/features/payment-links/) from Cutline when a project is delivered. - One big client? Give them a fixed weekly slot. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Design work 3.5h every weekday at 9, client calls 1.5h Tue Thu at 14, outreach 1h Mon Fri at 15, portfolio 2h Fri at 10, admin and invoices 1h Fri at 16 The week: Design work 3.5h every weekday at 9, client calls 1.5h Tue Thu at 14, outreach 1h Mon Fri at 15, portfolio 2h Fri at 10, admin and invoices 1h Fri at 16 ## Questions **How do freelancers avoid feast or famine?** Keep a small outreach block every week, even when busy. It is the block that prevents the empty month. --- # The YouTuber week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/youtuber-week/ A weekly schedule for a YouTuber publishing one long video a week: research Monday, script Tuesday, film Wednesday, edit Thursday and Friday, thumbnail and upload Saturday, and comments daily. ## Why it works - **One stage per day** stops a video from being half-written, half-filmed for a week. - **Editing gets two days** because it always takes longest. - **Comments daily** build the community the algorithm rewards. ## Make it yours - Two videos a week? Run two pipelines offset by a day. - Shorts too? Add a 30-minute daily block to cut clips from the long video. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Research video 2h Mon at 10, write script 2h Tue at 10, film 3h Wed at 10, edit video 3h Thu Fri at 10, upload video 1h Sat at 11, reply to comments 30 min daily at 19 The week: Research video 2h Mon at 10, write script 2h Tue at 10, film 3h Wed at 10, edit video 3h Thu Fri at 10, upload video 1h Sat at 11, reply to comments 30 min daily at 19 ## Questions **How long does one YouTube video take?** For many creators, 10 to 20 hours from idea to upload; track yours for a few weeks and plan from the real number. --- # The TikTok Creator week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/tiktok-creator-week/ A weekly schedule for posting short videos every day: batch filming on Monday and Thursday, 90 minutes of editing every weekday, posting at the same time daily and 20 minutes of replies right after. ## Why it works - **Batch filming** gives you a stock of clips for days you are not inspired. - **Posting at the same time** makes daily posting a habit, not a decision. - **Replying right after** catches the first wave of comments. ## Make it yours - Pick your best posting time from your own analytics and move the post block there. - Busy week? Keep posting; cut the trend block first. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Film batch 2h Mon Thu at 10, edit clips 1.5h every weekday at 14, post daily 15 min at 18, reply to comments 20 min daily at 18:30, study trends 30 min Tue Fri at 12 The week: Film batch 2h Mon Thu at 10, edit clips 1.5h every weekday at 14, post daily 15 min at 18, reply to comments 20 min daily at 18:30, study trends 30 min Tue Fri at 12 ## Questions **How many TikToks should I post a day?** Consistency matters more than volume; one a day that you can keep up beats three a day for a week. --- # The Podcaster week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/podcaster-week/ A weekly schedule for publishing a weekly podcast: guest outreach Monday, episode prep Tuesday, recording Wednesday, editing Thursday, clips and promotion Friday, and listening to the published episode on the weekend. ## Why it works - **Outreach every week** keeps guests booked weeks ahead. - **Prep the day before** makes better conversations. - **Clips on Friday** turn one episode into a week of content. ## Make it yours - Recording with a co-host? Put recording in a shared calendar so it never clashes. - Outsourced editing? Turn the edit block into review. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Guest outreach 1h Mon at 10, prep episode 2h Tue at 10, record podcast 2h Wed at 14, edit podcast 3h Thu at 10, cut clips and post 2h Fri at 10 The week: Guest outreach 1h Mon at 10, prep episode 2h Tue at 10, record podcast 2h Wed at 14, edit podcast 3h Thu at 10, cut clips and post 2h Fri at 10 ## Questions **How long does a podcast episode take to produce?** Often 6 to 12 hours a week including prep, recording, editing and promotion; it drops as the workflow settles. --- # The Writer week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/writer-week/ A weekly schedule for writers: write for two hours every morning at 07:30, edit for an hour after lunch, read for 45 minutes in the evening and pitch or submit on Friday. ## Why it works - **Writing first** gets words down before the day interrupts. - **Editing separately** keeps drafting from turning into rewriting. - **A weekly pitch block** makes sure the writing finds readers. ## Make it yours - Count words instead of hours? Put the target in the block title, e.g. "Write · 800 words". - Weekend writer? Move the main block to Saturday and Sunday mornings. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Write 2h every weekday at 7:30, edit 1h every weekday at 13, read 45 min daily at 21, pitch editors 1h Fri at 15, walk 30 min daily at 12 The week: Write 2h every weekday at 7:30, edit 1h every weekday at 13, read 45 min daily at 21, pitch editors 1h Fri at 15, walk 30 min daily at 12 ## Questions **How much should a writer write per day?** Many professional writers aim for a fixed time or word count daily; what matters is that it is the same every day. --- # The Music Producer week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/music-producer-week/ A weekly schedule for music producers: a 3-hour production session every weekday, sound design twice a week, Friday for finishing and mixing, and an hour of promotion on Saturday. ## Why it works - **A daily session** builds output; inspiration follows routine. - **Finishing has its own day** so songs actually get released. - **Promotion weekly** because unheard tracks do not count. ## Make it yours - Collaborations? Use a shared calendar for sessions. - Releasing monthly? Make the last Friday of the month a release day. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Production session 3h every weekday at 11, sound design 1.5h Tue Thu at 15, mix and finish 3h Fri at 15, post content 1h Sat at 12, gym 3x at 9 The week: Production session 3h every weekday at 11, sound design 1.5h Tue Thu at 15, mix and finish 3h Fri at 15, post content 1h Sat at 12, gym 3x at 9 ## Questions **How do producers finish more tracks?** Separate starting from finishing: give finishing its own block every week and do not start new ideas in it. --- # The Agency Owner week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/agency-owner-week/ A weekly schedule for agency owners: sales and outreach every morning, a 15-minute team standup, client reviews on Tuesday and Thursday, a Wednesday deep work block on the business, and a Friday numbers review. ## Why it works - **Sales every morning** because an agency lives on its pipeline. - **Client reviews on fixed days** keep quality high without daily interruptions. - **Working on the business** gets a protected block, not leftovers. ## Make it yours - Team on Crew? Put standups and reviews in a [shared calendar](/shared-calendars/). - Bill clients with [payment links](/features/payment-links/) from the same place. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Sales outreach 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, team standup 15 min every weekday at 10, client reviews 2h Tue Thu at 14, deep work on the business 3h Wed at 13, weekly numbers review 1h Fri at 15 The week: Sales outreach 1.5h every weekday at 8:30, team standup 15 min every weekday at 10, client reviews 2h Tue Thu at 14, deep work on the business 3h Wed at 13, weekly numbers review 1h Fri at 15 ## Questions **How do agency owners get out of delivery?** By protecting time to work on the business (hiring, systems, sales) and moving delivery checks into fixed review blocks. --- # The E-commerce Founder week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/ecommerce-founder-week/ A weekly schedule for e-commerce founders: orders and support every morning, ads review daily, product and supplier work twice a week, content three times, and a Friday numbers review. ## Why it works - **Support first** keeps customers happy before anything else. - **Ads reviewed daily but briefly** stops overspending without obsessing. - **A weekly numbers block** catches margin problems early. ## Make it yours - Track ad spend per block in [Budget](/budget/). - Launching a product? Swap a content day for launch work. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Orders and support 1h every weekday at 8:30, review ads 30 min every weekday at 10, product and suppliers 2h Tue Thu at 13, film content 1.5h Mon Wed Fri at 15, weekly numbers 1h Fri at 16 The week: Orders and support 1h every weekday at 8:30, review ads 30 min every weekday at 10, product and suppliers 2h Tue Thu at 13, film content 1.5h Mon Wed Fri at 15, weekly numbers 1h Fri at 16 ## Questions **How much time should go into ads?** A short daily check plus a longer weekly review works for most small stores. --- # The Marathon Training week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/marathon-training-week/ A marathon training week built around a job: easy runs on Tuesday and Thursday, a workout on Wednesday, a long run on Sunday, strength twice a week, mobility daily, and rest on Monday and Friday. ## Why it works - **Most runs are easy;** one workout carries the intensity. - **The long run on Sunday** has the time it needs. - **Strength twice a week** protects against injury. ## Make it yours - Follow your coach's or plan's distances; this is a time template, not a training prescription. - Increase the long run gradually and plan a down week every third or fourth week. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Easy run 45 min Tue Thu at 6:30, workout run 1h Wed at 6:30, long run 2h Sun at 8, strength 45 min Mon Fri at 18, mobility 15 min daily at 21 The week: Easy run 45 min Tue Thu at 6:30, workout run 1h Wed at 6:30, long run 2h Sun at 8, strength 45 min Mon Fri at 18, mobility 15 min daily at 21 ## Questions **Is this a training plan?** It is a way to fit training into your week. Use distances and paces from a coach or an established plan, and check with a doctor if you have health conditions. --- # The Strength Training week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/powerlifting-week/ A four-day strength week: lower body Monday and Thursday, upper body Tuesday and Friday, easy cardio on Wednesday, mobility daily and a wind-down block to protect sleep. ## Why it works - **Fixed training times** make the gym a meeting, not a mood. - **A cardio day** helps recovery between heavy sessions. - **Sleep blocks** are part of the program; that is when you recover. ## Make it yours - Three days only? Full body Monday, Wednesday, Friday. - Check your week against the guidelines with the [health builder](/health/). ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Lower body 1h Mon Thu at 7, upper body 1h Tue Fri at 7, cardio 40 min Wed at 7, mobility 15 min daily at 20, wind down 30 min daily at 22 The week: Lower body 1h Mon Thu at 7, upper body 1h Tue Fri at 7, cardio 40 min Wed at 7, mobility 15 min daily at 20, wind down 30 min daily at 22 ## Questions **How many days a week should I lift?** The WHO recommends muscle-strengthening activity on at least two days a week; many lifters train three to five. --- # The New Parent week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/new-parent-week/ A realistic week for a new parent going back to work: two short focus blocks a day, a daily walk with the baby, shared evening duties, meal prep on Sunday and a nap block that is not negotiable. ## Why it works - **Short focus blocks** fit around naps and childcare. - **A daily walk** is fresh air for both of you. - **Rest is planned,** not hoped for. ## Make it yours - Share the week with your partner in a [shared calendar](/shared-calendars/) so night shifts and duties are visible. - Expect to plan less than before; finish what you plan. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Deep work 1.5h every weekday at 9, deep work 1h every weekday at 13:30, walk 45 min daily at 11, meal prep 1h Sun at 10, nap 45 min daily at 15 The week: Deep work 1.5h every weekday at 9, deep work 1h every weekday at 13:30, walk 45 min daily at 11, meal prep 1h Sun at 10, nap 45 min daily at 15 ## Questions **How do new parents get anything done?** Smaller, protected blocks and a lower total. A plan you finish beats an ambitious one you do not. --- # The Language Learning week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/language-learning-week/ A weekly schedule for learning a language: 20 minutes of vocabulary every morning, grammar on Tuesday and Thursday, two speaking sessions, listening on your commute, and a Sunday review. ## Why it works - **Daily vocabulary** works because spaced, small practice beats cramming. - **Speaking twice a week** is where it becomes usable. - **Listening on the commute** adds hours without new time. ## Make it yours - Use a streak: a day counts when the vocabulary block is done. - Trip coming up? Add a third speaking session. ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Vocabulary 20 min daily at 7:30, grammar study 45 min Tue Thu at 19, speaking practice 30 min Mon Wed at 19, listening 30 min every weekday at 8, review week 30 min Sun at 17 The week: Vocabulary 20 min daily at 7:30, grammar study 45 min Tue Thu at 19, speaking practice 30 min Mon Wed at 19, listening 30 min every weekday at 8, review week 30 min Sun at 17 ## Questions **How long does it take to learn a language?** It depends on the language and your starting point; steady daily practice over months is what moves most learners. --- # The Weekend Builder week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/weekend-founder-week/ A schedule for builders who only have weekends: plan on Friday evening, a 4-hour build session Saturday and Sunday morning, a short sales or outreach block Saturday afternoon, and a review on Sunday afternoon. ## Why it works - **Planning Friday** means Saturday starts building, not deciding. - **Two long sessions** fit the kind of work that needs flow. - **Outreach every weekend** keeps users coming while you build. ## Make it yours - Count it: 9 hours a weekend is over 460 hours a year. See [your next 52 weeks](/future/). ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Weekly plan 30 min Fri at 19, build 4h Sat Sun at 9, outreach 1h Sat at 15, review week 30 min Sun at 15, gym 2x Sat Sun at 17 The week: Weekly plan 30 min Fri at 19, build 4h Sat Sun at 9, outreach 1h Sat at 15, review week 30 min Sun at 15, gym 2x Sat Sun at 17 ## Questions **Can you build a business on weekends only?** Many projects start that way. Consistent weekend hours add up; the key is that they happen every weekend. --- # The Morning Routine week URL: https://gocutline.com/templates/morning-routine-week/ A morning routine template: a 20-minute walk or workout at 06:30, 15 minutes of planning at 07:00, a 90-minute deep work block at 07:30, and breakfast before the day begins. ## Why it works - **Movement first** wakes you up better than a phone. - **Planning before work** turns the day into a list of blocks. - **One deep block** before messages is often the most productive 90 minutes of the day. ## Make it yours - Not a morning person? Keep the order, shift the times. - Stack it on an existing habit, like making coffee. See [habit stacking](/glossary/habit-stacking/). ## Use it Open the [week builder](/#try), paste the line below and adjust the times to your life: > Walk 20 min daily at 6:30, plan the day 15 min daily at 7, deep work 1.5h every weekday at 7:30, breakfast 20 min daily at 9 The week: Walk 20 min daily at 6:30, plan the day 15 min daily at 7, deep work 1.5h every weekday at 7:30, breakfast 20 min daily at 9 ## Questions **How long should a morning routine be?** Long enough to do one important thing before the day starts; for many people that is 60 to 120 minutes. --- # A weekly planner for software engineers URL: https://gocutline.com/for/software-engineers/ Software engineers use Cutline to protect long coding blocks from meetings: work calendars from Google or Outlook show in the Grid as read-only blocks, focus time is planned in the gaps, and finished hours show where the week really went. ## The engineer's problem Coding needs long stretches of focus; most calendars are optimised for meetings. One 30-minute call in the middle of the afternoon turns a four-hour block into two blocks too short for hard problems. Paul Graham called this the [maker's schedule](/glossary/makers-schedule/). ## A week that protects code - **Link your work calendar** ([Google](/integrations/google-calendar/) or [Outlook](/integrations/outlook-calendar/)) so standups and reviews sit in your Grid. - **Plan deep work in the biggest gap** each day, ideally the morning. - **Batch reviews** after lunch, when energy dips. - **Track focus hours** by category: deep coding, reviews, meetings. See it laid out in the [Software Engineer template](/templates/software-engineer-week/). ## What to measure | Number | Why it matters | |---|---| | Deep coding hours per week | What ships tracks this | | Meetings vs focus | When meetings pass focus, something gives | | Longest uninterrupted block | Hard problems need long blocks | ## Questions **Can my team see my Cutline blocks?** Only if you choose: add your Cutline week to your work calendar as a subscribed calendar, or share a Cutline calendar with them. **Does it work with Jira or GitHub?** Not directly. Put the ticket or pull request link in a block's notes so it is one click away. --- # A weekly planner for nurses and shift workers URL: https://gocutline.com/for/nurses/ Nurses and shift workers use Cutline to plan the life around the rota: shifts sit in the Grid, training and errands go on days off, and sleep and recovery are planned like anything else. ## The shift worker's week A rota changes every week, sleep moves with it, and the days off disappear into errands and recovery. Without a plan, training and the things you enjoy are the first to go. ## Plan around the rota - **Put shifts in first.** If your rota tool offers a calendar feed, [link it](/integrations/ics-calendar/) so shifts appear by themselves. - **Protect sleep before shifts** as a block. - **Training on days off,** short and fixed. - **One errand block** per day off, so the rest stays free. The [Nurse Shift Week](/templates/nurse-shift-week/) template lays it out. ## What to measure | Number | Why it matters | |---|---| | Training sessions per week | The first thing shifts take away | | Sleep window before shifts | Recovery for the next shift | | Days off with something you enjoyed | The life part of work-life | ## Questions **Can Cutline handle night shifts?** Yes. Blocks can run late into the evening, and a night shift can be two blocks: one before midnight and one after. **Is it a health app?** No. It is a planner. For health questions, talk to your doctor. --- # A weekly planner for real estate agents URL: https://gocutline.com/for/real-estate-agents/ Real estate agents use Cutline to make prospecting a daily block that survives busy weeks, batch showings into fixed afternoons, and see how many hours they put into pipeline each week. ## Why agents need blocks Commissions arrive months after the prospecting that produced them. In busy months prospecting stops, and the quiet months follow. A fixed morning block keeps the pipeline full whatever the week looks like. ## A week in blocks - **Prospecting 09:00 to 10:30** every weekday. - **Follow-ups 11:00 to 12:00.** - **Showings** on fixed afternoons and Saturday. - **Content** twice a week for social media. See the [Real Estate Agent template](/templates/real-estate-agent-week/). ## What to measure | Number | Why it matters | |---|---| | Prospecting hours per week | Leads next quarter | | Follow-up blocks done | Deals that close | | Showings per week | Activity that converts | ## Questions **Can my team share a calendar?** Yes. Paid plans create shared calendars, so showings and open houses do not clash. --- # A weekly planner for personal trainers URL: https://gocutline.com/for/personal-trainers/ Personal trainers use Cutline to plan client sessions around peak hours, keep their own training from being squeezed out, and send payment links right after a session, with 0% Cutline fee on Pro. ## The trainer's week Clients want early mornings and evenings, the middle of the day fills with admin and content, and your own training is the thing that slips. ## A week that works - **Client blocks** at 06:00 and 17:00. - **Your training** at midday, protected. - **Content** twice a week. - **Admin and invoices** once, on Friday. The [Personal Trainer template](/templates/personal-trainer-week/) has it hour by hour. ## Get paid in the same place On any plan, connect your own Stripe account and send [payment links](/features/payment-links/) after each session or for a package. Payments land in Revenue as they happen. ## Questions **Can clients book me through Cutline?** Cutline focuses on planning and getting paid. Send a payment link for sessions or packages; bookings stay where you manage them today. --- # A weekly planner for PhD students URL: https://gocutline.com/for/phd-students/ PhD students use Cutline to make writing a daily block, protect long research sessions, and keep a record of the hours behind the thesis that supervisors and future employers can see. ## The PhD problem A thesis is years of work with few deadlines in between. Without structure, weeks disappear into reading and email, and writing waits for a free week that never comes. ## A week that moves the thesis - **Write first,** 60 to 90 minutes every weekday. - **Research in one long block** after. - **Read daily,** in a fixed slot. - **Supervisor meeting** at a fixed time. The [PhD Student template](/templates/phd-student-week/) lays it out. ## Show the work After a year of planned weeks, a [verified CV](/verified-cv/) shows the hours you put in, by category, with a verification code. ## Questions **Can I import my university calendar?** Yes, if it offers an iCal feed. See [any iCal calendar](/integrations/ics-calendar/). --- # A weekly planner for building a side hustle URL: https://gocutline.com/for/side-hustlers/ People with a full-time job use Cutline to give their side business fixed hours (mornings, two evenings, a long Saturday) and to see those hours add up week after week, until the first customers pay through a payment link. ## The side hustle problem After a full day of work, the side project competes with rest, friends and scrolling, and loses most evenings. The ones that get built are the ones with fixed hours. ## A week that builds - **Mornings before work,** three days a week. - **Two evening blocks,** short. - **One long Saturday session.** - **A free day,** so it lasts. The [Side Hustle template](/templates/side-hustle-9-to-5-week/) has the details. ## Count it Nine hours a week is about 470 hours a year: more than eleven full-time work weeks. See [your next 52 weeks](/future/). ## Questions **Is Cutline free for side projects?** Yes. Planning, XP, streaks, Budget, calendars and the verified CV are free. Payment links have a 5% Cutline fee on Free and 0% on Pro. --- # A planner for a job search, and a CV that proves the work URL: https://gocutline.com/for/job-seekers/ Job seekers use Cutline to structure the search (applications, networking and practice as daily blocks) and to publish a verified CV that shows the hours and consistency behind their skills, with a code employers can check. ## Why a job search needs structure Unstructured job searching means refreshing job boards all day, and the days blur. Fixed blocks make it a job with hours, and leave evenings free. ## A week in blocks - **Applications** every morning. - **Networking messages** daily. - **Skill practice** every afternoon. - **Interview prep** twice a week. See the [Job Search template](/templates/job-search-week/). ## Prove it on your CV After a few weeks, publish a [verified CV](/verified-cv/): hours of practice by skill, your streak and completion rate, with a verification code. Read [how to prove work ethic on a CV](/guides/prove-work-ethic-on-a-cv/). ## Questions **Will a verified CV help me get hired?** It gives employers evidence they can check, next to your experience and references. It is strongest when the hours relate to the job. --- # A weekly planner for remote workers URL: https://gocutline.com/for/remote-workers/ Remote workers use Cutline to give the day the structure an office used to: work meetings from Google or Outlook in the Grid, deep work planned before them, breaks that actually happen, and a shutdown block that ends the day. ## The remote problem At home there is no commute to start the day and none to end it. Meetings fill the morning, focus slides into the evening, and breaks become another hour at the desk. ## A remote week - **Link your work calendar** ([Outlook](/integrations/outlook-calendar/) or [Google](/integrations/google-calendar/)). - **Plan deep work** before the first meeting. - **A walk** every afternoon. - **A shutdown block** at the end of the day. The [Remote Worker template](/templates/remote-worker-week/) puts it together. ## Questions **Will my manager see my Cutline week?** Only if you share it. Your calendar is private unless you add it to your work calendar or share a Cutline calendar. --- # Cutline vs Akiflow URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/akiflow-alternative/ Akiflow is known for collecting tasks from many apps into one inbox and dragging them onto a calendar. Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish with XP, streaks and a weekly board, and shows your Google or Outlook meetings next to your blocks. ## The short version | | Akiflow | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Consolidating tasks from many tools | Planning and finishing your week | | Price | Paid subscription | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Meetings from Google/Outlook in the week | Yes | Yes | | Social accountability | No | The Floor and the Arena | ## What Akiflow does well Akiflow is built for people whose work arrives from many places (email, Slack, project tools). Its strength is a single inbox and fast keyboard-driven planning of those tasks into the calendar. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The calendar, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both If you need a universal task inbox, keep it, and plan the week's important work as blocks in Cutline. ## Questions **Is Cutline a task manager?** No. It is a weekly calendar for the hours you control. Many people keep a task app and time block the important tasks in Cutline. --- # Cutline vs Reclaim URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/reclaim-alternative/ Reclaim is known for automatically finding time in your calendar for tasks, habits and focus time. Cutline is the opposite approach: you plan the week yourself, tick off what you finish, and see the score. ## The short version | | Reclaim | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Who plans the week | Mostly the software | You | | Price | Free tier and paid plans | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Weekly leaderboard | No | The Arena, opt-in | | Verified CV from your record | No | Yes | ## What Reclaim does well Reclaim suits people who want software to defend focus time and fit habits around meetings automatically, especially in busy shared calendars. ## What Cutline does differently - **You decide.** Planning the week yourself is part of committing to it ([implementation intentions](/glossary/implementation-intentions/)). - **The score.** Finished blocks earn XP; days with everything done are Cleared. - **People.** The Floor and the Arena add accountability. ## Using both Let Reclaim guard meetings at work, and plan your own deep work, training and side projects in Cutline. ## Questions **Does Cutline schedule tasks automatically?** No. Cutline helps you plan and finish your own week; it does not move your blocks for you. --- # Cutline vs Structured URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/structured-alternative/ Structured is known as a clean visual day planner that lays the day out as a timeline. Cutline plans the whole week in blocks, scores every finished block with XP, and keeps a record you can share. ## The short version | | Structured | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Planning horizon | Mostly the day | The week | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Social | No | The Floor, the Arena | | Payment links | No | Yes, on every plan | | Runs in | Mobile and desktop apps | Any browser | ## What Structured does well Structured is good at making a single day easy to see and follow, with a friendly timeline on the phone. ## What Cutline does differently - **The week is the unit.** Results come from weeks, so Cutline plans and reviews whole weeks. - **The score and the record** turn effort into something visible. ## Using both Use Structured to follow your day on the phone, and Cutline to plan and score the week. ## Questions **Is Cutline available on iPhone?** Cutline runs in Safari and any phone browser, and your week can show in Apple Calendar by subscription. --- # Cutline vs Habitica URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/habitica-alternative/ Habitica is known for turning habits and to-dos into a role-playing game with an avatar, gold and quests. Cutline gamifies the calendar itself: every finished time block earns XP, days are cleared, and a weekly board ranks finished hours. ## The short version | | Habitica | Cutline | |---|---|---| | What is gamified | Habits and to-dos | Your time-blocked week | | Style | Pixel-art fantasy RPG | A calendar with XP, levels and ranks | | Time blocking | No | Yes | | Weekly leaderboard of real hours | No | The Arena | | Verified CV | No | Yes | ## What Habitica does well Habitica's strength is its game world and community: parties, quests and an avatar that suffers when you skip habits. It suits people motivated by fantasy-style game mechanics. ## What Cutline does differently - **Real time, not checkboxes.** XP comes from hours you finished (10 XP per 15 minutes). - **A week you can show.** The record becomes a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both If the RPG keeps your habits going, keep it, and use Cutline to plan when they happen. ## Questions **Is Cutline a game?** It is a calendar with game mechanics: XP, levels, streaks and a weekly board. The work is real; the score just makes it visible. --- # Cutline vs TickTick URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/ticktick-alternative/ TickTick is known as an all-round to-do list app with a calendar view, a habit tracker and a Pomodoro timer. Cutline starts from the week instead of the list: you plan time blocks, tick them off and earn XP. ## The short version | | TickTick | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Starts from | A to-do list | The week in time blocks | | Habit tracking | Yes | Streaks from finished blocks | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Social accountability | Limited | The Floor and the Arena | | Payment links | No | Yes | ## What TickTick does well TickTick packs a lot into one app: lists, reminders, habits, a focus timer and a calendar. It is a strong choice for people who live in to-do lists. ## What Cutline does differently - **Time, not tasks.** A list says what; a block says when. - **The week has a score** and a record. ## Using both Keep your lists in TickTick and give the important ones a block in Cutline each Sunday. ## Questions **Can I import my TickTick calendar?** If you can subscribe to it by an iCal address, you can bring it into Cutline. See [any iCal calendar](/integrations/ics-calendar/). --- # What week is it? URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/week-number/ The current week number is shown at the top of this page and updates to today in your time zone. Week numbers follow ISO 8601: weeks start on Monday, and week 1 is the week that contains the year's first Thursday. ## How week numbers work - **Weeks start on Monday** and end on Sunday. - **Week 1** is the week with the first Thursday of the year in it (the same as the week that contains January 4). - A year has **52 or 53 weeks**. 2026 has 53; 2027 has 52. - Some countries and apps (the US in particular) count weeks from Sunday or from January 1. This page uses the ISO standard used across Europe and in most business software. ## Week numbers in Cutline Every week in Cutline shows its ISO week number on top of the Grid, next to the dates. Planning by week number makes it easy to say "launch in week 47" and see it coming. ## All week numbers - [Week numbers 2026](/tools/week-numbers-2026/) - [Week numbers 2027](/tools/week-numbers-2027/) ## Questions **What week of the year is it?** See the top of this page: it updates to today's ISO week number in your time zone. **Do week numbers start on Sunday or Monday?** In the ISO 8601 standard, Monday. Calendars in the US often start the week on Sunday, which can shift the number by one around the start of the year. **Can a year have 53 weeks?** Yes. A year has 53 ISO weeks if it starts on a Thursday, or is a leap year that starts on a Wednesday. --- # Week numbers 2026 URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/week-numbers-2026/ 2026 has 53 ISO weeks. Week 1 starts on Monday, December 29, 2025, and the last week ends on Sunday, January 3, 2027. Weeks start on Monday (ISO 8601). ## Every week of 2026 | Week | Starts (Monday) | Ends (Sunday) | |---|---|---| | Week 1 | Mon Dec 29 | Sun Jan 4 | | Week 2 | Mon Jan 5 | Sun Jan 11 | | Week 3 | Mon Jan 12 | Sun Jan 18 | | Week 4 | Mon Jan 19 | Sun Jan 25 | | Week 5 | Mon Jan 26 | Sun Feb 1 | | Week 6 | Mon Feb 2 | Sun Feb 8 | | Week 7 | Mon Feb 9 | Sun Feb 15 | | Week 8 | Mon Feb 16 | Sun Feb 22 | | Week 9 | Mon Feb 23 | Sun Mar 1 | | Week 10 | Mon Mar 2 | Sun Mar 8 | | Week 11 | Mon Mar 9 | Sun Mar 15 | | Week 12 | Mon Mar 16 | Sun Mar 22 | | Week 13 | Mon Mar 23 | Sun Mar 29 | | Week 14 | Mon Mar 30 | Sun Apr 5 | | Week 15 | Mon Apr 6 | Sun Apr 12 | | Week 16 | Mon Apr 13 | Sun Apr 19 | | Week 17 | Mon Apr 20 | Sun Apr 26 | | Week 18 | Mon Apr 27 | Sun May 3 | | Week 19 | Mon May 4 | Sun May 10 | | Week 20 | Mon May 11 | Sun May 17 | | Week 21 | Mon May 18 | Sun May 24 | | Week 22 | Mon May 25 | Sun May 31 | | Week 23 | Mon Jun 1 | Sun Jun 7 | | Week 24 | Mon Jun 8 | Sun Jun 14 | | Week 25 | Mon Jun 15 | Sun Jun 21 | | Week 26 | Mon Jun 22 | Sun Jun 28 | | Week 27 | Mon Jun 29 | Sun Jul 5 | | Week 28 | Mon Jul 6 | Sun Jul 12 | | Week 29 | Mon Jul 13 | Sun Jul 19 | | Week 30 | Mon Jul 20 | Sun Jul 26 | | Week 31 | Mon Jul 27 | Sun Aug 2 | | Week 32 | Mon Aug 3 | Sun Aug 9 | | Week 33 | Mon Aug 10 | Sun Aug 16 | | Week 34 | Mon Aug 17 | Sun Aug 23 | | Week 35 | Mon Aug 24 | Sun Aug 30 | | Week 36 | Mon Aug 31 | Sun Sep 6 | | Week 37 | Mon Sep 7 | Sun Sep 13 | | Week 38 | Mon Sep 14 | Sun Sep 20 | | Week 39 | Mon Sep 21 | Sun Sep 27 | | Week 40 | Mon Sep 28 | Sun Oct 4 | | Week 41 | Mon Oct 5 | Sun Oct 11 | | Week 42 | Mon Oct 12 | Sun Oct 18 | | Week 43 | Mon Oct 19 | Sun Oct 25 | | Week 44 | Mon Oct 26 | Sun Nov 1 | | Week 45 | Mon Nov 2 | Sun Nov 8 | | Week 46 | Mon Nov 9 | Sun Nov 15 | | Week 47 | Mon Nov 16 | Sun Nov 22 | | Week 48 | Mon Nov 23 | Sun Nov 29 | | Week 49 | Mon Nov 30 | Sun Dec 6 | | Week 50 | Mon Dec 7 | Sun Dec 13 | | Week 51 | Mon Dec 14 | Sun Dec 20 | | Week 52 | Mon Dec 21 | Sun Dec 27 | | Week 53 | Mon Dec 28 | Sun Jan 3, 2027 | What week is it today? See the [current week number](/tools/week-number/). ## Questions **When does week 1 of 2026 start?** On Monday, December 29, 2025, because that week contains the first Thursday of 2026 (January 1). --- # Week numbers 2027 URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/week-numbers-2027/ 2027 has 52 ISO weeks. Week 1 starts on Monday, January 4, 2027. Weeks start on Monday (ISO 8601). ## Every week of 2027 | Week | Starts (Monday) | Ends (Sunday) | |---|---|---| | Week 1 | Mon Jan 4 | Sun Jan 10 | | Week 2 | Mon Jan 11 | Sun Jan 17 | | Week 3 | Mon Jan 18 | Sun Jan 24 | | Week 4 | Mon Jan 25 | Sun Jan 31 | | Week 5 | Mon Feb 1 | Sun Feb 7 | | Week 6 | Mon Feb 8 | Sun Feb 14 | | Week 7 | Mon Feb 15 | Sun Feb 21 | | Week 8 | Mon Feb 22 | Sun Feb 28 | | Week 9 | Mon Mar 1 | Sun Mar 7 | | Week 10 | Mon Mar 8 | Sun Mar 14 | | Week 11 | Mon Mar 15 | Sun Mar 21 | | Week 12 | Mon Mar 22 | Sun Mar 28 | | Week 13 | Mon Mar 29 | Sun Apr 4 | | Week 14 | Mon Apr 5 | Sun Apr 11 | | Week 15 | Mon Apr 12 | Sun Apr 18 | | Week 16 | Mon Apr 19 | Sun Apr 25 | | Week 17 | Mon Apr 26 | Sun May 2 | | Week 18 | Mon May 3 | Sun May 9 | | Week 19 | Mon May 10 | Sun May 16 | | Week 20 | Mon May 17 | Sun May 23 | | Week 21 | Mon May 24 | Sun May 30 | | Week 22 | Mon May 31 | Sun Jun 6 | | Week 23 | Mon Jun 7 | Sun Jun 13 | | Week 24 | Mon Jun 14 | Sun Jun 20 | | Week 25 | Mon Jun 21 | Sun Jun 27 | | Week 26 | Mon Jun 28 | Sun Jul 4 | | Week 27 | Mon Jul 5 | Sun Jul 11 | | Week 28 | Mon Jul 12 | Sun Jul 18 | | Week 29 | Mon Jul 19 | Sun Jul 25 | | Week 30 | Mon Jul 26 | Sun Aug 1 | | Week 31 | Mon Aug 2 | Sun Aug 8 | | Week 32 | Mon Aug 9 | Sun Aug 15 | | Week 33 | Mon Aug 16 | Sun Aug 22 | | Week 34 | Mon Aug 23 | Sun Aug 29 | | Week 35 | Mon Aug 30 | Sun Sep 5 | | Week 36 | Mon Sep 6 | Sun Sep 12 | | Week 37 | Mon Sep 13 | Sun Sep 19 | | Week 38 | Mon Sep 20 | Sun Sep 26 | | Week 39 | Mon Sep 27 | Sun Oct 3 | | Week 40 | Mon Oct 4 | Sun Oct 10 | | Week 41 | Mon Oct 11 | Sun Oct 17 | | Week 42 | Mon Oct 18 | Sun Oct 24 | | Week 43 | Mon Oct 25 | Sun Oct 31 | | Week 44 | Mon Nov 1 | Sun Nov 7 | | Week 45 | Mon Nov 8 | Sun Nov 14 | | Week 46 | Mon Nov 15 | Sun Nov 21 | | Week 47 | Mon Nov 22 | Sun Nov 28 | | Week 48 | Mon Nov 29 | Sun Dec 5 | | Week 49 | Mon Dec 6 | Sun Dec 12 | | Week 50 | Mon Dec 13 | Sun Dec 19 | | Week 51 | Mon Dec 20 | Sun Dec 26 | | Week 52 | Mon Dec 27 | Sun Jan 2, 2028 | What week is it today? See the [current week number](/tools/week-number/). ## Questions **When does week 1 of 2027 start?** On Monday, January 4, 2027. --- # What is the best free time-blocking app? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/best-free-time-blocking-app/ If you want to plan your week in blocks and actually finish them, Cutline is a free time-blocking calendar built for exactly that: you plan the week in blocks, tick each one off, and earn XP, streaks and cleared days for what you finish. Google Calendar is the free default if you mostly need meetings; Cutline is for the hours you control. ## The short answer - **To plan and finish your own week:** Cutline. Free forever for planning, XP, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars and the verified CV. - **For meetings and sharing with colleagues:** Google Calendar or Outlook, which you can link into Cutline so meetings sit next to your blocks. - **For a list first, calendar second:** a to-do app with a calendar view, such as Todoist or TickTick. ## What a time-blocking app needs to do 1. **Show the whole week**, so you can see where the hours go before you plan. 2. **Make blocks fast to create and move**, by drag, by typing or from a template. 3. **Close the loop:** mark a block done, so the plan becomes a record. 4. **Show the result**: finished hours, by category, week after week. Most calendars do the first two. Cutline is built around the last two: every block has a done state, finished blocks earn XP (10 XP per 15 minutes), a day where every block is done is stamped Cleared, and your finished hours show on a weekly board if you join it. ## What is free in Cutline | Free forever | Paid plans add | |---|---| | The week in time blocks, templates, XP, levels, streaks | A badge (Verified, Pro, Crew or your logo on Brand) | | Google, Outlook, Apple and iCal calendars in your week | Posting on the Floor and starting conversations | | Budget (what each block cost) | Shared calendars | | The Arena, the weekly board | Lower selling fees on payment links | | The verified CV | Posting on the Floor | See [pricing](/pricing/) for the paid plans, from $9 a month, or try Pro free for 7 days. ## Questions **Is Cutline really free?** Yes. Planning, XP, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars and the verified CV are free forever. Paid plans add a badge, posting, shared calendars and lower selling fees. **Does it work on my phone?** Cutline runs in any phone or desktop browser at app.gocutline.com, and your week can also show in Apple Calendar, Google Calendar or Outlook by subscription. --- # Is there a calendar that rewards you for finishing tasks? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/calendar-that-rewards-you/ Yes. Cutline is a weekly calendar where every time block you finish earns XP: 10 XP for every 15 minutes, a 100 XP bonus when every block of a day is done, levels and ranks as XP adds up, and a streak for every day with finished work. It is free. ## How the rewards work in Cutline | You do | You get | |---|---| | Finish a planned block | 10 XP per 15 minutes (at least 10) | | Finish every block of a day | The day is stamped Cleared, +100 XP | | Finish something every day | A streak (no freezes: it is earned) | | Keep going | Levels and ranks, from Contender to Legend | | Join the Arena | Your finished hours on a weekly board that resets every Monday | Rewards come only from blocks you planned and ticked off. Meetings brought in from Google or Outlook never earn XP. ## Why rewarding finished time helps Research on goal pursuit finds that monitoring progress makes people more likely to reach their goals, especially when progress is recorded and visible (Harkin et al., 2016, Psychological Bulletin). A visible record and a small reward turn "I should" into "I did", and the streak makes consistency something you can lose. ## What it is not Cutline does not pay money for finished tasks, and XP is not a currency. It is a score that makes your effort visible, to you and, if you choose, to friends. ## Questions **Can I see my rewards over time?** Yes. Your level, XP, streak and finished hours stay on your profile, and the verified CV turns the last 12 months into one page. **Is gamifying a calendar childish?** The game layer is small: a score, a streak and a weekly board. The work is real; the score only makes it visible. --- # Which calendar app is gamified with XP and levels? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/gamified-calendar-app/ Cutline is a calendar app gamified with XP, levels and ranks, based on the time blocks you finish, not on tasks you tick or time spent in the app. It adds streaks, cleared days and an opt-in weekly leaderboard of finished hours (the Arena). ## How Cutline gamifies a calendar - **XP for finished time:** 10 XP per 15 minutes of a finished block. - **Levels and ranks:** XP adds up into levels, with ranks from Contender to Legend. - **Cleared days:** a day where every planned block is done earns 100 XP and a stamp. - **Streaks:** consecutive days with finished work. No streak freezes. - **The Arena:** an opt-in weekly board of finished hours; only totals show, never what a block was. ## How it differs from other gamified apps Most gamified productivity apps reward habits or to-do items, often with a game world on top (Habitica turns habits into a role-playing game, Forest grows trees while you focus). Cutline gamifies the calendar itself: the unit is a time block you planned for a specific hour, so the score follows your real week. See [the best gamified productivity apps](/best/gamified-productivity-apps/) for a fair comparison. ## Questions **Do I need friends on Cutline for it to work?** No. XP, levels and streaks work alone. The Arena and the Floor are optional. --- # Is there a leaderboard for productivity with friends? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/weekly-productivity-leaderboard/ Yes. Cutline has the Arena, an opt-in weekly leaderboard of finished hours: everyone who joins is ranked by the hours of planned blocks they finished that week, and the board resets every Monday. Only totals show, never the titles of your blocks. ## How the Arena works 1. Plan your week in Cutline and tick blocks off as you finish them. 2. Join the Arena once. Your finished hours count from then on. 3. The board ranks this week's finished hours and resets on Monday, so a new week is a new race. Invite friends with your link and you see each other on the board. Teams on Crew can compare as a group. ## Why a weekly board A week is short enough to stay motivating and long enough to be fair: a missed Tuesday can be made up on Thursday. Resetting every Monday also uses the fresh start effect (Dai, Milkman and Riis, 2014): a new week feels like a clean slate. ## Privacy Your own calendar is private. The Arena shows your @name and your total finished hours for the week, nothing else. ## Questions **Can I leave the Arena?** Yes, at any time in Settings. Your calendar is unaffected. **Does the Arena cost anything?** No. It is free on every plan. --- # How can I prove my work ethic to an employer? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/prove-work-ethic-to-employers/ Replace adjectives with evidence an employer can check: how many focused hours you put in, how much of what you planned you finished, and how long you kept it up. A verified CV from Cutline shows these numbers from your calendar on one page, with a document number and QR code anyone can verify at gocutline.com/verify. ## What counts as evidence | Claim | Evidence | |---|---| | Hard-working | Focused hours over the last 12 months | | Reliable | The share of planned blocks you finished | | Consistent | Your longest streak and a year of days on one map | | Results | Revenue confirmed by Stripe, if you sell | | Skills | Hours spent in each discipline | ## How to build it 1. Plan your weeks in Cutline and tick blocks off as you finish them. 2. Open **CV** in the app. The record fills in by itself; add your headline, experience and links. 3. Publish. You get gocutline.com/cv/your-name, a PDF and a document number. ## Be honest about what it shows Time in Cutline is recorded by you: it is evidence of planning and follow-through, not surveillance. The CV says so, and marks which parts Cutline computed and which you declared. That honesty is what makes the numbers credible. Read the full guide: [how to prove your work ethic on a CV](/guides/prove-work-ethic-on-a-cv/). ## Questions **Can an employer check the CV is real?** Yes. The document number and QR code open the record exactly as issued at gocutline.com/verify, with the date and whether it is the holder's current CV. --- # Is there an app that makes a verified CV from your work? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/verified-cv-app/ Yes. Cutline builds a one-page CV from what its calendar recorded over the last 12 months (focused hours, blocks completed, completion rate, streaks, cleared days and, if you choose, revenue confirmed by Stripe) and gives every published version a document number and QR code that anyone can verify. It is free on every plan. ## What is on it - **Computed by Cutline:** focused hours, blocks completed and the share of planned blocks finished, longest streak, cleared days, active weeks, level and XP, hours by discipline and a 365-day consistency map. - **Optional:** revenue verified through payments on Cutline or your connected Stripe account. - **Declared by you:** headline, experience, education, skills and links, marked as declared. ## How verification works Each publish freezes the numbers into a new issue with a document number like CL-7Q3K-9XWD. Opening gocutline.com/verify with that number, or scanning the QR code, shows the record exactly as issued, who it belongs to, and whether it is still the current version. Numbers never contain the letters I, L, O or U or the digits 0 and 1, so they are easy to read aloud. ## Three looks Record (an issued document with security print), Executive (a classic CV with a verified column) and Founder (dark, revenue first). See [the verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Questions **Is the verified CV free?** Yes, on every plan including Free: building, publishing, the PDF and verification. **Can I hide parts of it?** Yes. Choose which computed sections to show. You cannot change the numbers themselves. --- # Which time-blocking app shows my Google Calendar meetings? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/time-blocking-app-with-google-calendar/ Cutline shows your Google Calendar meetings inside your time-blocked week as read-only blocks, so you plan focus time around them, and it can add your Cutline blocks to Google Calendar as their own calendar. Outlook, Apple (iCloud) and any iCal calendar work the same way. It is free on every plan, and calendars sync in the background every 15 minutes. ## How to link it - **Sign in with Google** (rolling out now): one click links the calendars of that account. - **Or paste the secret iCal address** from Google Calendar's settings. Step by step: [Cutline + Google Calendar](/integrations/google-calendar/). ## What happens next - Meetings appear in the Grid as striped, read-only blocks with their time and title. - Your Cutline blocks can appear in Google Calendar in a calendar called Cutline. - Meetings never earn XP. Copy a meeting into your week if you want it to count. ## Other calendars [Outlook and Microsoft 365](/integrations/outlook-calendar/), [Apple Calendar](/integrations/apple-calendar/) and [any iCal calendar](/integrations/ics-calendar/), such as university timetables and shift rotas. ## Questions **Does Cutline edit my Google events?** No. It only reads the calendars you link. If you choose, it writes your own blocks to a separate calendar called Cutline. --- # What is a good shared calendar for friends and small teams? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/shared-calendar-for-friends/ Cutline works well for friends and small teams because everyone keeps a private calendar and you add shared calendars for what you do together: training, a side project, a study group. Paid plans create shared calendars (up to 25 people each) and anyone can join one they are invited to for free. ## How sharing works | | | |---|---| | Your own calendar | Always private | | Shared calendars | Created on paid plans (1 on Verified, 3 a seat on Crew, 5 on Pro, 15 on Brand) | | People per shared calendar | Up to 25 | | Joining | Free, by invite link or @name | | What others see | Only what is in the shared calendar | ## Why not just share a Google Calendar? You can, and for family logistics it works well. Cutline adds what a group doing work together needs: blocks you tick off, finished hours per person, cleared days, and an optional weekly board. See [shared calendars](/shared-calendars/). ## Questions **Can free users join a shared calendar?** Yes. Joining is free; creating one is on paid plans. --- # How do I track my deep work hours? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/track-deep-work-hours/ Plan your deep work as time blocks in a calendar, tick each block off only if the work was actually deep, and read your finished hours by category each week. In Cutline that happens automatically: a "Deep work" category totals its finished hours per day, week and year, and your record shows the trend. ## The method 1. Give deep work its own category (Cutline has Work; you can add "Deep work"). 2. Book one to three blocks a day, 90 minutes or more, at fixed times. 3. Tick a block off only if you worked without switching. Leave it unticked if not. 4. Every Friday or Sunday, read the finished deep hours and compare with what you planned. ## What good looks like Cal Newport suggests about four hours a day is near the limit of deep work for most people. Many start with 90 minutes a day and build up. What matters most is the trend over weeks, not one heroic day. ## Numbers to watch | Number | Why | |---|---| | Deep hours per week | The output of most knowledge jobs follows it | | Planned vs finished | Shows planning errors (the [planning fallacy](/glossary/planning-fallacy/)) | | Longest uninterrupted block | Hard problems need long blocks | ## Questions **Should meetings count as deep work?** No. Keep them in their own category so the deep work number stays honest. --- # What is the best app to plan your week? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/plan-your-week-app/ For planning a week you then actually finish, use a calendar that shows the whole week and lets you tick blocks off. Cutline is built for that: plan the week in blocks (or paste a template), tick each block off when it is done, and see the week's score. It is free. If your week is mostly meetings set by others, Google Calendar or Outlook remain the place for those, and they can show inside Cutline. ## How to choose | If your week is mostly… | Use | |---|---| | Hours you decide yourself | A weekly time-blocking calendar, such as Cutline | | Meetings others book | Google Calendar or Outlook (linked into Cutline) | | A long list of small tasks | A to-do app, then block the important ones | ## Plan a week in 20 minutes 1. Put fixed things in first: work, classes, training. 2. Give your one to three most important projects real blocks. 3. Batch small tasks into one or two blocks. 4. Leave a buffer each day. Full guide: [how to plan your week](/guides/how-to-plan-your-week/). Or start from a [template](/templates/). ## Questions **Is there a weekly planner template I can copy?** Yes. Cutline has over 30 free week templates, from 5 AM Founder to Exam Week, each with the reasoning behind every block. --- # What app helps friends hold each other accountable? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/accountability-app-for-friends/ Cutline is built for accountability between friends: each person plans their own private week, finished hours show on an opt-in weekly board (the Arena), you can share calendars for what you do together, and paid members post proof of their week on the Floor. Nobody sees what your blocks are, only what you choose to share. ## A setup that works 1. Both (or all) of you plan the week in Cutline on Sunday. 2. Join the Arena and invite each other; the weekly board shows finished hours. 3. Share a calendar for joint blocks, like training or co-working. 4. Do a 10-minute check-in on Friday: what got done, what moved. ## Why it works Telling someone your plan and reporting back raises follow-through; in studies of goal pursuit, recording progress and making it visible helps more than private intention alone (Harkin et al., 2016). Read [how to find an accountability partner](/guides/accountability-partner/). ## Questions **Can my friends see my calendar?** No. They see your weekly finished hours if you both join the Arena, and anything in calendars you share. --- # Can I track habits in my calendar? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/habit-tracker-in-calendar/ Yes. Make each habit a recurring time block at a fixed time, and tick it off when you do it. In Cutline, a finished block counts toward your streak, cleared days and XP, so the calendar doubles as a habit tracker, and the habit has a time, which makes it more likely to happen. ## Why a calendar beats a checklist for habits A checklist says what; a calendar block says when. Plans that specify when and where you will act ("implementation intentions") reliably raise follow-through; a meta-analysis of 94 studies found a medium-to-large effect (Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006). ## How to set it up - One block per habit: "Read 30 min daily at 21:00". - Keep the block small enough to do on a bad day. - Tick it off; let the streak grow; on a sick day, plan a short block you can finish. ## How long until it sticks In one well-known study, habits took a median of 66 days to become automatic, with a wide range (Lally et al., 2010). Missing a single day did not undo progress. ## Questions **What if I miss a day?** Restart the next day. On Cutline the streak starts again, and your hours and record stay. --- # What is a good free weekly planner for students? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/weekly-planner-for-students/ A good student planner holds your timetable, study blocks and deadlines in one weekly view. Cutline is free, imports your university timetable if it has an iCal feed, and lets you plan study blocks around lectures and tick them off for XP and a streak. ## Set it up in 10 minutes 1. Link your timetable: most universities offer an iCal or "subscribe" link. See [any iCal calendar](/integrations/ics-calendar/). 2. Add two study blocks a day around lectures. 3. Add training and a Sunday review. Or copy the [University Student template](/templates/university-student-week/). ## During exams Switch to the [Exam Week template](/templates/exam-week/): three-hour study blocks, practice tests and a daily review. ## Questions **Is it free for students?** Yes. Everything a student needs to plan and track study is on the free plan. --- # What planner do founders use to plan their week? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/planner-for-founders/ Founders tend to plan in weeks: protect deep work on the product, keep a daily sales block, and review the numbers on Friday. Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking calendar built for that rhythm, with finished hours by category, payment links to take money (0% Cutline fee on Pro) and a verified record of the work. ## A founder week - **Deep work** on the product every morning. - **Sales and outreach** daily, before the inbox. - **Meetings** in one window, linked from Google or Outlook. - **A Friday numbers review**: hours by category, revenue, what moved. See the [5 AM Founder](/templates/5am-founder/) and [Agency Owner](/templates/agency-owner-week/) templates. ## Why it fits - The week shows where the hours went, by category. - [Payment links](/features/payment-links/) bring revenue into the same place. - Reaching $100,000 in verified revenue lets you apply for the silver Official seal. ## Questions **Can my co-founder and I share a calendar?** Yes, on paid plans. Your own calendars stay private. --- # How can a coach or freelancer take payments with a link? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/payment-links-for-coaches/ Connect your own Stripe account to Cutline, then create a payment link for a session, a package or an invoice and send it to the client. Payments land in Cutline's Revenue the moment they happen. Cutline's fee is 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, and 0% on Pro and Brand; Stripe's normal card fees apply. ## How it works 1. In Revenue, connect your Stripe account (you own it; Cutline never holds your money). 2. Create a link: a title and an amount. 3. Send it by message, email or text. The client pays by card. 4. See the payment in Revenue at once. ## Fees | Plan | Cutline fee | |---|---| | Free | 5% | | Verified, Crew | 2% | | Pro, Brand | 0% | Stripe's own card fees apply on every plan. See [get paid](/get-paid/). ## Questions **Do clients need a Cutline account?** No. They open the link and pay with a card. --- # What happens to my streak if I miss a day? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/streak-freezes/ On Cutline, a missed day ends the streak. There are no streak freezes, on any plan, and nothing is for sale: a streak is only the days you finished work. Your hours, blocks, level and verified CV stay; the streak starts again the next day you finish something. ## Streaks on Cutline | | | |---|---| | What counts as a day | At least one block ticked off on its day (or up to two days after, if you forgot) | | Streak freezes | None, on every plan | | For sale | Nothing | | A missed day | The streak starts again; hours, XP and your record stay | ## Why no freezes A streak you can buy or cover is not proof of anything. Cutline counts finished work only, the same rule for everyone. One missed day does not undo a habit (Lally et al., 2010), so plan the hard days instead: a short block you can finish on a sick day keeps the streak honest and alive. ## What counts for XP A block earns XP when it is ticked off on its day or up to two days after. Older blocks can be ticked off for the record, without XP, and a day that has not come yet cannot be ticked off at all. ## Questions **Can I freeze my streak?** No. Cutline has no streak freezes on any plan, and none are sold. **Do I lose my XP if I miss a day?** No. Only the streak starts again. Your XP, level, hours and verified CV stay. --- # Is there a free alternative to Sunsama? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/free-alternative-to-sunsama/ Yes. If what you want from Sunsama is a calm way to plan your time and finish it, Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking calendar: you plan the week in blocks, see your Google or Outlook meetings next to them, tick blocks off and get a score, a streak and a weekly review. Sunsama is known for its guided daily planning ritual across your task tools; Cutline plans the week and is free. ## What you keep and what changes | | Sunsama | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Known for | Guided daily planning across your tools | Planning and finishing your week | | Price | Paid subscription | Free; paid plans add social and badges | | Meetings from Google or Outlook | Yes | Yes | | Score for finished time | No | XP, streaks, cleared days | | Weekly board with friends | No | The Arena | See the full [Cutline vs Sunsama](/compare/sunsama-alternative/) comparison. ## Questions **Can Cutline import my tasks?** Cutline plans time, not task lists. Keep your task tool and give the important tasks a block each week. --- # Where can I advertise to young entrepreneurs and creators? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/advertise-to-entrepreneurs/ One option is the Floor on Cutline: a feed where founders, creators, students and sales people post the weeks they finished. Ads run there as posts marked "Ad" with who paid for them, shown to everyone in turn without tracking or profiling. Packages start at $25 for 5,000 views, and every ad is reviewed by a person before it runs. ## Packages | Package | Views | Price | |---|---|---| | Starter | 5,000 | $25 | | Growth | 25,000 | $100 | | Scale | 100,000 | $350 | A view counts when half the ad is on screen for a second, once per person per day. If the team does not approve an ad, it is refunded in full. ## What runs well Tools, courses, services and products for people who build things: software, templates, coaching, gear. See the rules and how it works on [Advertise on the Floor](/advertise/). ## Questions **Can I target a specific audience?** No. Ads on the Floor are not targeted or personalised; every live ad is shown to everyone in turn. --- # The best time-blocking apps in 2026 URL: https://gocutline.com/best/time-blocking-apps/ The best time-blocking app is the one that matches how your week works. For planning and finishing a week you control, Cutline is free and scores what you finish. For meetings, Google Calendar. For automatic scheduling, Motion or Reclaim. For a guided daily ritual, Sunsama. For a task inbox, Akiflow. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. Time blocking means giving every hour a job in advance. Every app below can do it; they differ in who does the planning (you or software), what the unit is (the day, the week, a task) and what happens after the block ends. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Planning a week in blocks and finishing it | Yes, free forever | | Google Calendar | Meetings and sharing with colleagues | Yes | | Sunsama | A guided daily planning ritual | Trial, then paid | | Motion | Letting software schedule your tasks | Trial, then paid | | Reclaim | Defending focus time and habits in Google Calendar | Yes, with paid tiers | | Akiflow | A single inbox for tasks from many tools | Trial, then paid | | TickTick | Lists, a calendar and a focus timer in one | Yes, with a paid tier | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline A weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish: XP for finished blocks, cleared days, streaks and an opt-in weekly board. Google, Outlook and Apple calendars show inside it; payment links and a verified CV are built in. Runs in any browser. [Learn more](/features/time-blocking-calendar/). ### 2. Google Calendar The default calendar for most people with a Google account. Strong at meetings, invitations and sharing. It has no done state for a block, so the plan does not become a record. ### 3. Sunsama Known for walking you through planning each day, pulling tasks from tools like email and project managers into a calendar, with a daily shutdown. ### 4. Motion Known for AI auto-scheduling: you add tasks with deadlines and it fits them into your calendar and reshuffles when things change. ### 5. Reclaim Known for automatically finding time for focus, habits and tasks around meetings, inside your work calendar. ### 6. Akiflow Known for collecting tasks from many apps into one inbox and planning them into the calendar quickly, keyboard first. ### 7. TickTick A to-do app with a calendar view, habit tracker and Pomodoro timer. Good if you start from a list. ## How to choose - **You plan your own week and want to finish it:** Cutline. - **Your week is mostly meetings:** Google Calendar or Outlook, linked into Cutline. - **You want software to plan for you:** Motion or Reclaim. - **You want a daily ritual:** Sunsama. - **Your tasks live everywhere:** Akiflow. ## Questions **Is time blocking worth it?** For most people with control over part of their week, yes: deciding when work happens in advance is a form of implementation intention, which research links to better follow-through (Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006). --- # The best gamified productivity apps URL: https://gocutline.com/best/gamified-productivity-apps/ Gamified productivity apps differ in what they score. Cutline gamifies your calendar: finished time blocks earn XP, levels, streaks and a weekly board. Habitica turns habits and to-dos into a role-playing game. Forest rewards staying off your phone. Beeminder puts money on your goals. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. A game layer helps when it rewards the real thing. The question to ask each app: what exactly earns the points, and would you be proud of that number in a year? ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Gamifying your real week | Yes, free forever | | Habitica | Habits and to-dos as a role-playing game | Yes | | Forest | Staying focused and off your phone | Varies by platform | | Beeminder | Putting money on a goal | Yes, you pay if you fail | | TickTick | Light streaks for habits inside a to-do app | Yes, with a paid tier | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline XP for every finished time block (10 per 15 minutes), cleared days, levels and ranks, honest streaks, and the Arena, a weekly board of finished hours. The score follows hours you planned and did. [Learn more](/features/gamified-calendar/). ### 2. Habitica Known for its pixel-art RPG: an avatar, gold, quests and parties with friends. Strong for people motivated by game worlds. ### 3. Forest Known for growing a virtual tree while you focus; leave the app and the tree dies. Good for single focus sessions. ### 4. Beeminder Known for commitment contracts: track a number and pay when you go off track. Powerful for people motivated by loss. ### 5. TickTick Has a habit tracker with streaks and a focus timer alongside lists. ## How to choose - **You want your calendar to keep score:** Cutline. - **You love game worlds:** Habitica. - **You struggle to stay off your phone:** Forest. - **Only money motivates you:** Beeminder. ## Questions **Does gamification really help productivity?** It helps when it makes progress visible and rewards the behaviour you want. Monitoring progress is linked to reaching goals (Harkin et al., 2016). It backfires when points reward busywork. --- # The best free weekly planner apps URL: https://gocutline.com/best/free-weekly-planners/ For a free weekly planner you will actually finish, Cutline plans the week in time blocks and scores what you complete. Google Calendar and Notion Calendar are free calendars for meetings and events. TickTick and Todoist are free to-do apps with a calendar view. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. A weekly planner is the view of the whole week: where the hours go, what is fixed, what is flexible. These are free to start and good at different things. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | A week in blocks you finish | Yes, free forever | | Google Calendar | Meetings and shared events | Yes | | Notion Calendar | People who live in Notion | Yes | | TickTick | Starting from a list | Yes, with a paid tier | | Todoist | A clean task list | Yes, with paid tiers | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline Plan the week in blocks or paste a template, tick blocks off, and see the score. Linked calendars, Budget, the Arena and the verified CV are free too. [Learn more](/features/weekly-planner/). ### 2. Google Calendar The most widely used calendar, with a clean week view. No done state for blocks. ### 3. Notion Calendar A calendar that connects to Notion pages and databases, with a polished week view. ### 4. TickTick Lists with a calendar view, habits and a Pomodoro timer. ### 5. Todoist Known for fast task capture and projects; the calendar is a view of dated tasks. ## How to choose - **Hours matter more than tasks:** Cutline. - **Events and invites:** Google Calendar or Notion Calendar. - **Tasks first:** TickTick or Todoist, then block the important ones. ## Questions **Are free planners good enough?** Yes for most people. The habit of planning and reviewing the week matters more than the app. --- # The best Google Calendar alternatives URL: https://gocutline.com/best/google-calendar-alternatives/ The best Google Calendar alternative depends on why you are leaving. To plan and finish your own week, Cutline (free) shows your Google meetings inside a time-blocked week and scores what you finish. For a different ecosystem, Outlook or Apple Calendar. For Notion users, Notion Calendar. For end-to-end encryption, Proton Calendar. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. You may not need to leave Google at all: several of these read your Google Calendar and add what it lacks. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Time blocking with a score, alongside Google | Yes, free forever | | Outlook | Microsoft 365 workplaces | Yes | | Apple Calendar | iPhone, iPad and Mac users | Yes | | Notion Calendar | Notion users | Yes | | Proton Calendar | Privacy and encryption | Yes, with paid tiers | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline Shows your Google, Outlook and iCloud meetings in a weekly time-blocked Grid, adds a done state, XP, streaks and a weekly board, and can put your blocks back into Google. [Cutline + Google Calendar](/integrations/google-calendar/). ### 2. Outlook The calendar in Microsoft 365, strong at scheduling meetings across an organisation. ### 3. Apple Calendar Built into Apple devices with iCloud sync; subscribes to any calendar address. ### 4. Notion Calendar Connects events to Notion pages; reads Google calendars. ### 5. Proton Calendar Known for end-to-end encrypted events as part of Proton's privacy suite. ## How to choose - **Keep Google for meetings, plan your own hours elsewhere:** Cutline. - **Switching ecosystem:** Outlook or Apple Calendar. - **Encryption first:** Proton Calendar. ## Questions **Can I use Cutline and Google Calendar together?** Yes. Link Google Calendar in Settings → Calendars; meetings show in Cutline and your blocks can show in Google. --- # The best accountability apps URL: https://gocutline.com/best/accountability-apps/ Accountability apps work in different ways. Cutline lets friends see each other's finished hours on a weekly board and share calendars, without showing details. Focusmate pairs you with a stranger for a live work session. Beeminder charges you money when you miss. Habitica puts friends in a party that suffers when you skip. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. Accountability comes in three forms: people you know, people you work next to, and consequences. The best one is the one you will not ignore. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Friends and small teams over weeks | Yes, free forever | | Focusmate | Starting work right now, with someone watching | Yes, with limits | | Beeminder | Money as the consequence | Yes, you pay if you fail | | Habitica | Friends in a game | Yes | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline Everyone plans a private week; finished hours show on the Arena, a weekly board that resets on Monday. Share calendars for joint blocks and post proof of the week on the Floor. [Learn more](/features/accountability-app/). ### 2. Focusmate Known for booking short video co-working sessions with a partner: say what you will do, work, report back. ### 3. Beeminder Known for commitment contracts with real money. ### 4. Habitica Parties and quests where your missed habits hurt the group. ## How to choose - **Friends who want to see each other's effort:** Cutline. - **You need someone with you to start:** Focusmate (see [body doubling](/glossary/body-doubling/)). - **Only consequences work:** Beeminder. ## Questions **Do accountability partners really work?** Reporting progress to others raises follow-through for many people; research on progress monitoring finds larger effects when progress is recorded and shared (Harkin et al., 2016). --- # Chicken, rice and broccoli boxes URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/chicken-rice-broccoli/ Chicken, rice and broccoli boxes has about 475 kcal and 42 g of protein per serving, takes 35 minutes and serves 4. Four lunches in one go: the box that built a thousand gym plans. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 475 kcal | | Protein | 42 g | | Carbs | 57 g | | Fat | 8 g | | Time | 35 minutes | | Serves | 4 | ## Ingredients - 600 g chicken breast - 240 g white rice (dry) - 500 g broccoli - 1 tbsp olive oil - 2 tbsp soy sauce - Paprika, garlic powder, salt, pepper ## Steps 1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Start the rice in a pot with twice its volume of water. 2. Toss the chicken in the oil and the spices. Roast 20 to 22 minutes, until it is 74°C in the thickest part. 3. Steam or boil the broccoli for 4 minutes so it stays green. 4. Slice the chicken, split everything into four boxes and splash the soy sauce on top. 5. Keeps 3 days in the fridge. ## Make it a block Make it a block: Sunday 17:00, 45 minutes. Four weekdays of lunch are done. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/chicken-rice-broccoli): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Greek yogurt protein bowl URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/greek-yogurt-protein-bowl/ Greek yogurt protein bowl has about 385 kcal and 32 g of protein per serving, takes 5 minutes and serves 1. Five minutes, no cooking, and more protein than three eggs. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 385 kcal | | Protein | 32 g | | Carbs | 59 g | | Fat | 4 g | | Time | 5 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 250 g 0% Greek yogurt - 40 g rolled oats - 100 g frozen berries - 2 tsp honey ## Steps 1. Spoon the yogurt into a bowl. 2. Add the oats and the berries straight from the freezer; they thaw while you eat. 3. Finish with the honey. ## Make it a block Make the oats overnight in the yogurt if you like them soft. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/greek-yogurt-protein-bowl): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Tuna and chickpea salad URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/tuna-chickpea-salad/ Tuna and chickpea salad has about 395 kcal and 41 g of protein per serving, takes 10 minutes and serves 1. A desk lunch with 40 g of protein and nothing to cook. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 395 kcal | | Protein | 41 g | | Carbs | 37 g | | Fat | 9 g | | Time | 10 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 1 can tuna in water (120 g drained) - 120 g canned chickpeas, drained - 100 g cucumber - 100 g tomatoes - 30 g red onion - 1 tsp olive oil, lemon, salt, pepper ## Steps 1. Rinse the chickpeas. Dice the cucumber, tomatoes and onion. 2. Mix everything with the tuna, the oil and a squeeze of lemon. 3. Season and eat, or box it for tomorrow. ## Make it a block Two cans, two boxes: lunch for two days in ten minutes. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/tuna-chickpea-salad): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Turkey chili, one big pot URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/turkey-chili/ Turkey chili, one big pot has about 400 kcal and 33 g of protein per serving, takes 40 minutes and serves 4. Four portions under 450 kcal each that taste better on day two. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 400 kcal | | Protein | 33 g | | Carbs | 37 g | | Fat | 15 g | | Time | 40 minutes | | Serves | 4 | ## Ingredients - 500 g turkey mince (7% fat) - 1 onion - 2 bell peppers - 2 cans chopped tomatoes (800 g) - 250 g black beans, drained - 1 tbsp olive oil - Cumin, chilli, smoked paprika, salt ## Steps 1. Fry the onion and peppers in the oil for 5 minutes. 2. Add the turkey and brown it, breaking it up. 3. Add the spices, the tomatoes and the beans. Simmer 25 minutes with the lid half on. 4. Taste, season, split into four. Freezes for a month. ## Make it a block Serve it with rice on training days and on its own on rest days. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/turkey-chili): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Egg white omelette with spinach and feta URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/egg-white-omelette-spinach-feta/ Egg white omelette with spinach and feta has about 280 kcal and 35 g of protein per serving, takes 10 minutes and serves 1. Thirty-five grams of protein for under 300 kcal. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 280 kcal | | Protein | 35 g | | Carbs | 7 g | | Fat | 12 g | | Time | 10 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 6 egg whites (200 g) - 1 whole egg - 60 g spinach - 30 g feta - 1 tomato ## Steps 1. Whisk the whites and the egg with a pinch of salt. 2. Wilt the spinach in a non-stick pan, then pour in the eggs. 3. When the edges set, add the feta and tomato, fold, and cook one more minute. ## Make it a block Add a slice of wholegrain toast if the morning is a training morning. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/egg-white-omelette-spinach-feta): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Salmon, potatoes and greens URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/salmon-potatoes-greens/ Salmon, potatoes and greens has about 555 kcal and 40 g of protein per serving, takes 25 minutes and serves 1. One tray, 25 minutes, and the fats your week of deep work runs on. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 555 kcal | | Protein | 40 g | | Carbs | 54 g | | Fat | 21 g | | Time | 25 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 150 g salmon fillet - 250 g small potatoes - 150 g broccoli - Lemon, salt, pepper, dill ## Steps 1. Heat the oven to 200°C. Halve the potatoes and roast them 15 minutes. 2. Add the salmon and the broccoli to the tray. Roast 10 to 12 minutes more. 3. Finish with lemon and dill. ## Make it a block Swap the salmon for cod and the plate drops by about 190 kcal. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/salmon-potatoes-greens): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Cottage cheese pancakes URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/cottage-cheese-pancakes/ Cottage cheese pancakes has about 440 kcal and 43 g of protein per serving, takes 15 minutes and serves 1. Pancakes with 43 g of protein, made in a blender. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 440 kcal | | Protein | 43 g | | Carbs | 33 g | | Fat | 14 g | | Time | 15 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 200 g cottage cheese (1%) - 2 eggs - 40 g rolled oats - Cinnamon, a pinch of salt ## Steps 1. Blend everything until smooth. Let it rest 2 minutes. 2. Cook small pancakes in a non-stick pan on medium heat, 2 minutes a side. 3. Top with berries or a little honey. ## Make it a block The batter keeps a day in the fridge. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/cottage-cheese-pancakes): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Shrimp stir-fry in 15 minutes URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/shrimp-stir-fry/ Shrimp stir-fry in 15 minutes has about 570 kcal and 53 g of protein per serving, takes 15 minutes and serves 1. Faster than delivery, with more than 50 g of protein. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 570 kcal | | Protein | 53 g | | Carbs | 71 g | | Fat | 8 g | | Time | 15 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 200 g shrimp - 250 g frozen stir-fry vegetables - 50 g rice (dry), or a microwave pouch - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 1 tsp oil, garlic, ginger, chilli ## Steps 1. Start the rice. 2. Heat the oil in a wok until it smokes. Fry the vegetables 4 minutes. 3. Add the shrimp, garlic and ginger; 2 to 3 minutes until pink. 4. Soy sauce, chilli, done. ## Make it a block Keep a bag of shrimp and a bag of vegetables in the freezer and this is always possible. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/shrimp-stir-fry): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Overnight oats, 1,000 kcal URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/overnight-oats-1000/ Overnight oats, 1,000 kcal has about 1025 kcal and 56 g of protein per serving, takes 5 minutes and serves 1. For the people who cannot eat enough: a thousand calories you can drink half of. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 1025 kcal | | Protein | 56 g | | Carbs | 131 g | | Fat | 35 g | | Time | 5 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 100 g rolled oats - 300 ml whole milk - 30 g whey protein - 2 tbsp peanut butter - 1 banana - 1 tbsp honey ## Steps 1. Stir the oats, milk and whey together in a jar. 2. Add the peanut butter and the honey, close it, and leave it in the fridge overnight. 3. Slice the banana on top in the morning. ## Make it a block Make three jars on Sunday and three breakfasts are decided. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/overnight-oats-1000): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Beef pasta bake URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/beef-pasta-bake/ Beef pasta bake has about 810 kcal and 54 g of protein per serving, takes 45 minutes and serves 4. Four portions of 800 kcal and 50 g protein, for gaining weight on purpose. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 810 kcal | | Protein | 54 g | | Carbs | 110 g | | Fat | 17 g | | Time | 45 minutes | | Serves | 4 | ## Ingredients - 500 g pasta (dry) - 500 g lean beef mince (5% fat) - 700 g canned tomatoes - 1 onion - 120 g light mozzarella - 1 tbsp olive oil, oregano, salt ## Steps 1. Cook the pasta 2 minutes short of the packet time. 2. Fry the onion in the oil, brown the beef, add the tomatoes and oregano. Simmer 10 minutes. 3. Mix with the pasta in a dish, tear the mozzarella over it and bake 15 minutes at 200°C. 4. Cut into four. ## Make it a block Freeze two portions; they reheat well. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/beef-pasta-bake): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Peanut butter banana shake URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/peanut-butter-banana-shake/ Peanut butter banana shake has about 810 kcal and 51 g of protein per serving, takes 5 minutes and serves 1. 800 kcal in a glass, for when chewing is the problem. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 810 kcal | | Protein | 51 g | | Carbs | 82 g | | Fat | 34 g | | Time | 5 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 400 ml whole milk - 1 banana - 2 tbsp peanut butter - 40 g rolled oats - 30 g whey protein ## Steps 1. Blend everything for 30 seconds. 2. Drink it with breakfast or after training. ## Make it a block Freeze the banana in slices for a thicker shake. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/peanut-butter-banana-shake): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Big chicken burrito bowl URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/chicken-burrito-bowl/ Big chicken burrito bowl has about 1025 kcal and 75 g of protein per serving, takes 30 minutes and serves 1. A thousand kcal and 75 g of protein in one bowl. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 1025 kcal | | Protein | 75 g | | Carbs | 124 g | | Fat | 24 g | | Time | 30 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 200 g chicken breast - 100 g rice (dry) - 150 g black beans - 50 g avocado - 60 g salsa - 30 g cheddar, grated - Cumin, paprika, lime ## Steps 1. Cook the rice. Season the chicken with cumin and paprika and pan-fry it 6 minutes a side. 2. Warm the beans. 3. Build the bowl: rice, beans, sliced chicken, avocado, salsa, cheese, lime. ## Make it a block Halve everything and it is a 500 kcal lunch. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/chicken-burrito-bowl): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Red lentil dal URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/red-lentil-dal/ Red lentil dal has about 350 kcal and 22 g of protein per serving, takes 35 minutes and serves 4. Plant protein, cheap, and done in one pot. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 350 kcal | | Protein | 22 g | | Carbs | 60 g | | Fat | 5 g | | Time | 35 minutes | | Serves | 4 | ## Ingredients - 300 g red lentils - 1 onion - 1 can chopped tomatoes (400 g) - 200 g spinach - 1 tbsp oil - Garlic, ginger, cumin, turmeric, garam masala ## Steps 1. Fry the onion, garlic and ginger in the oil for 5 minutes, then the spices for 1. 2. Add the lentils, the tomatoes and 900 ml water. Simmer 20 minutes, stirring now and then. 3. Stir in the spinach until it wilts. Season. ## Make it a block Serve with rice to make the protein complete. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/red-lentil-dal): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Crispy tofu and rice URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/crispy-tofu-rice/ Crispy tofu and rice has about 610 kcal and 44 g of protein per serving, takes 25 minutes and serves 1. Forty-four grams of protein without any meat. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 610 kcal | | Protein | 44 g | | Carbs | 64 g | | Fat | 24 g | | Time | 25 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 200 g firm tofu - 60 g rice (dry) - 150 g broccoli - 1 tbsp soy sauce - 1 tsp oil ## Steps 1. Press the tofu in a towel for 10 minutes, then cube it. 2. Start the rice. Fry the tofu in the oil until golden on all sides, about 8 minutes. 3. Steam the broccoli. Toss the tofu in the soy sauce and serve. ## Make it a block Press a whole block on Sunday and it fries in half the time all week. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/crispy-tofu-rice): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Chickpea and feta salad URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/chickpea-feta-salad/ Chickpea and feta salad has about 530 kcal and 24 g of protein per serving, takes 10 minutes and serves 1. A filling salad you can make before the first meeting. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 530 kcal | | Protein | 24 g | | Carbs | 66 g | | Fat | 20 g | | Time | 10 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 240 g canned chickpeas, drained - 40 g feta - 100 g cucumber - 100 g tomatoes - 30 g red onion - 1 tsp olive oil, lemon, oregano ## Steps 1. Rinse the chickpeas. Chop the vegetables. 2. Crumble in the feta, add oil, lemon and oregano, and mix. ## Make it a block Add a can of tuna and it becomes a high-protein lunch. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/chickpea-feta-salad): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Skyr, berries and almonds URL: https://gocutline.com/recipes/skyr-berries-almonds/ Skyr, berries and almonds has about 260 kcal and 26 g of protein per serving, takes 2 minutes and serves 1. The 3 pm snack with 26 g of protein. | Per serving | | |---|---| | Calories | 260 kcal | | Protein | 26 g | | Carbs | 23 g | | Fat | 8 g | | Time | 2 minutes | | Serves | 1 | ## Ingredients - 200 g skyr - 80 g berries - 15 g almonds ## Steps 1. Bowl, skyr, berries, almonds. ## Make it a block Keep it in the fridge at work for the afternoon slump. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=recipes/skyr-berries-almonds): the recipe goes into the block, so it is there when the block starts. *Calories and macros are approximate: calculated from standard values per 100 g (USDA FoodData Central) for the ingredients as listed. Brands differ.* --- # Push day URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/push-day/ Push day is a 60-minute workout for intermediate level with barbell, dumbbells, cables: Bench press (4 × 6–8), Incline dumbbell press (3 × 8–10), Seated dumbbell shoulder press (3 × 8–10), Cable lateral raise (3 × 12–15). | | | |---|---| | Time | 60 minutes | | Level | Intermediate | | Equipment | Barbell, dumbbells, cables | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Bench press | 4 × 6–8 | 2–3 min | | Incline dumbbell press | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | | Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | | Cable lateral raise | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s | | Triceps rope pushdown | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s | | Overhead triceps extension | 2 × 12–15 | 60 s | ## How to do it well - Warm up with 2 light sets of the bench press. - When you reach the top of the rep range on every set, add 2.5 kg next time. - Leave 1 to 2 reps in the tank on every set. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/push-day): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Pull day URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/pull-day/ Pull day is a 60-minute workout for intermediate level with barbell, pull-up bar, dumbbells, cables: Romanian deadlift (3 × 8), Pull-up or lat pulldown (4 × 6–10), Chest-supported row (3 × 8–10), Face pull (3 × 12–15). | | | |---|---| | Time | 60 minutes | | Level | Intermediate | | Equipment | Barbell, pull-up bar, dumbbells, cables | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8 | 2–3 min | | Pull-up or lat pulldown | 4 × 6–10 | 2 min | | Chest-supported row | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | | Face pull | 3 × 12–15 | 60 s | | Dumbbell curl | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s | | Hammer curl | 2 × 12 | 60 s | ## How to do it well - Can not do a pull-up yet? Do lat pulldowns and one set of slow negatives at the end. - Keep the Romanian deadlift slow on the way down: 3 seconds. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/pull-day): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Leg day URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/leg-day/ Leg day is a 60-minute workout for intermediate level with barbell, leg press, dumbbells: Back squat (4 × 6–8), Romanian deadlift (3 × 8–10), Leg press (3 × 10–12), Walking lunge (2 × 12 per leg). | | | |---|---| | Time | 60 minutes | | Level | Intermediate | | Equipment | Barbell, leg press, dumbbells | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Back squat | 4 × 6–8 | 2–3 min | | Romanian deadlift | 3 × 8–10 | 2 min | | Leg press | 3 × 10–12 | 2 min | | Walking lunge | 2 × 12 per leg | 90 s | | Leg curl | 3 × 10–12 | 60 s | | Standing calf raise | 4 × 10–15 | 60 s | ## How to do it well - Squat to a depth you can control with a flat back. - Plan a light day after this one: legs take the longest to recover. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/leg-day): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Full body A, for beginners URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/full-body-a/ Full body A, for beginners is a 45-minute workout for beginner level with dumbbells, machines: Goblet squat (3 × 10), Dumbbell bench press (3 × 10), Lat pulldown (3 × 10), Dumbbell Romanian deadlift (3 × 10). | | | |---|---| | Time | 45 minutes | | Level | Beginner | | Equipment | Dumbbells, machines | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Goblet squat | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Dumbbell bench press | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Lat pulldown | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Dumbbell Romanian deadlift | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Plank | 3 × 30 s | 45 s | ## How to do it well - Start with a weight you could lift 13 to 15 times. Add weight when 10 feels easy on all three sets. - Book it as three blocks a week with a day off between. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/full-body-a): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Full body B, for beginners URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/full-body-b/ Full body B, for beginners is a 45-minute workout for beginner level with machines, dumbbells, cables: Leg press (3 × 10), Seated cable row (3 × 10), Seated dumbbell shoulder press (3 × 10), Hip thrust (3 × 10). | | | |---|---| | Time | 45 minutes | | Level | Beginner | | Equipment | Machines, dumbbells, cables | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Leg press | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Seated cable row | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Seated dumbbell shoulder press | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Hip thrust | 3 × 10 | 90 s | | Dead bug | 3 × 8 per side | 45 s | ## How to do it well - Write down the weights. Beating last week by one rep is progress. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/full-body-b): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Home workout, no equipment URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/home-no-equipment/ Home workout, no equipment is a 30-minute workout for all levels level with nothing: Push-ups (knees if needed) (10–15), Bodyweight squat (20), Reverse lunge (10 per leg), Pike push-up (8). | | | |---|---| | Time | 30 minutes | | Level | All levels | | Equipment | Nothing | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Push-ups (knees if needed) | 10–15 | – | | Bodyweight squat | 20 | – | | Reverse lunge | 10 per leg | – | | Pike push-up | 8 | – | | Glute bridge | 15 | – | | Plank | 40 s | 60–90 s, then repeat: 4 rounds | ## How to do it well - Do the moves back to back as one round. Rest at the end of the round. - Too easy? Slow every rep down to 3 seconds on the way down. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/home-no-equipment): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # 20 minutes, one pair of dumbbells URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/dumbbell-20/ 20 minutes, one pair of dumbbells is a 20-minute workout for all levels level with one pair of dumbbells: Minute 1: goblet squat (12), Minute 2: one-arm row (10 per side), Minute 3: floor press (12), Minute 4: reverse lunge (8 per leg). | | | |---|---| | Time | 20 minutes | | Level | All levels | | Equipment | One pair of dumbbells | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Minute 1: goblet squat | 12 | rest of the minute | | Minute 2: one-arm row | 10 per side | rest of the minute | | Minute 3: floor press | 12 | rest of the minute | | Minute 4: reverse lunge | 8 per leg | rest of the minute | ## How to do it well - Start a timer and begin each move at the top of the minute. 5 rounds. - If you can not finish a minute with 15 seconds left, drop the weight. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/dumbbell-20): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Run and walk intervals, beginner URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/run-intervals-beginner/ Run and walk intervals, beginner is a 30-minute workout for beginner level with running shoes: Easy walk or jog, warm-up (5 min), Run, then walk (8 × (1 min run, 2 min walk)), Easy walk, cool-down (5 min). | | | |---|---| | Time | 30 minutes | | Level | Beginner | | Equipment | Running shoes | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Easy walk or jog, warm-up | 5 min | – | | Run, then walk | 8 × (1 min run, 2 min walk) | – | | Easy walk, cool-down | 5 min | – | ## How to do it well - Run at a pace where you can still talk. - Each week, add 30 seconds to the runs and take 30 seconds off the walks. - Three blocks a week, never two days in a row. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/run-intervals-beginner): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Easy zone 2 cardio URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/zone-2/ Easy zone 2 cardio is a 45-minute workout for all levels level with bike, treadmill or shoes: Easy run, ride or brisk incline walk (35–45 min). | | | |---|---| | Time | 45 minutes | | Level | All levels | | Equipment | Bike, treadmill or shoes | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Easy run, ride or brisk incline walk | 35–45 min | – | ## How to do it well - Easy means you could hold a conversation in full sentences the whole time. - One or two of these a week fit next to lifting. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/zone-2): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # 15-minute mobility for desk days URL: https://gocutline.com/workouts/mobility-15/ 15-minute mobility for desk days is a 15-minute workout for all levels level with a mat: Cat-cow (10 slow reps), World's greatest stretch (5 per side), 90/90 hip switches (10), Thoracic rotation on all fours (8 per side). | | | |---|---| | Time | 15 minutes | | Level | All levels | | Equipment | A mat | ## The workout | Exercise | Sets × reps | Rest | |---|---|---| | Cat-cow | 10 slow reps | – | | World's greatest stretch | 5 per side | – | | 90/90 hip switches | 10 | – | | Thoracic rotation on all fours | 8 per side | – | | Half-kneeling hip flexor stretch | 45 s per side | – | | Wall slides | 12 | – | ## How to do it well - Do it as a block after your last deep work block of the day. - Move slowly. Nothing here should hurt. ## Make it a block A workout you planned is a workout you do. [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=workouts/mobility-15): the exercises go into the block, ticked off when you are done. *Start lighter than you think, and stop if something hurts. This is general training information, not medical advice.* --- # Introduce yourself on the Floor URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/introduce-yourself-on-the-floor/ Introduce yourself on the Floor: The first move on Cutline: say who you are, what you build and what you need. 1) Write one line on who you are: "I am Maya, I build landing pages for coaches." 2) Say what you are working on this month, with a number if you have one. 3) Say what you are looking for: a client, a co-founder, a gym partner, feedback. ## The steps 1. Write one line on who you are: "I am Maya, I build landing pages for coaches." 2. Say what you are working on this month, with a number if you have one. 3. Say what you are looking for: a client, a co-founder, a gym partner, feedback. 4. Attach this week from the Grid: your post then shows the hours behind it. 5. End with one question people can answer in a reply. ## Your first move in Cutline Open the Floor and post it. Reply to everyone who answers within a day. ## Copy this > Hi, I am [name]. I [what you do] for [who]. This month I am [goal, with a number]. I am looking for [what you need]. Question: [one question]? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Help me write a short intro post. Who I am: [name, what I do]. What I am working on this month: [goal, with a number]. What I am looking for: [client, co-founder, partner, feedback]. Keep it under 60 words, plain and specific, and end with one question people can answer in a reply. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/introduce-yourself-on-the-floor): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Find your first client in 7 days URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/first-client-in-7-days/ Find your first client in 7 days: A week of one-hour blocks that ends with a paid first job. 1) Day 1: write down 30 people who might need what you do, or know someone who does. 2) Day 2: write your offer in three lines: what you do, for whom, by when, for how much. 3) Days 3 to 5: send 10 personal messages a day. Not a template: one real sentence about them first. ## The steps 1. Day 1: write down 30 people who might need what you do, or know someone who does. 2. Day 2: write your offer in three lines: what you do, for whom, by when, for how much. 3. Days 3 to 5: send 10 personal messages a day. Not a template: one real sentence about them first. 4. Day 6: follow up with everyone who did not answer. 5. Day 7: on every yes, send a payment link the same day. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "outreach weekdays 9-10". Then make a payment link in Revenue so it is ready. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I want to get my first paying client in 7 days. What I can do: [skill]. People I could reach: [who, where]. Give me: 1) 30 kinds of people or businesses to contact, 2) my offer in one sentence with a round price, 3) a short personal first message I can adapt, 4) a one-line follow-up for day 6. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/first-client-in-7-days): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Sell a service with a payment link URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/sell-a-service-with-a-payment-link/ Sell a service with a payment link: Turn a yes on a call into money in the bank the same day. 1) Name the service the way the client would: "Landing page, live in 7 days", not "Web services". 2) Set one price. Round numbers sell: $600, not $583. 3) Make the link in Revenue and keep it ready before the call. ## The steps 1. Name the service the way the client would: "Landing page, live in 7 days", not "Web services". 2. Set one price. Round numbers sell: $600, not $583. 3. Make the link in Revenue and keep it ready before the call. 4. At the end of the call, send it while they are still there. 5. When it is paid, book the work into the Grid. ## Your first move in Cutline Revenue → New link. Fee: 5% on Free, 2% on Verified, 0% on Pro. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I sell [service] to [who]. Help me name it the way a client would say it, pick one round price, and write the two lines I send with the payment link at the end of a call. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/sell-a-service-with-a-payment-link): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # The daily outreach block URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/daily-outreach-block/ The daily outreach block: Twenty personal messages a day is a pipeline in a month. 1) Pick today's 20 from your list. Two minutes of research each. 2) First line about them, not you: something they made, said or did. 3) One line on what you do and one simple question. ## The steps 1. Pick today's 20 from your list. Two minutes of research each. 2. First line about them, not you: something they made, said or did. 3. One line on what you do and one simple question. 4. Log who you wrote to. Follow up once after three days. 5. Tick the block when the 20th is sent, not when someone answers. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "outreach weekdays 9-9:45". ## Copy this > Saw your [thing they did], [one honest sentence about it]. I [what you do] for [who]. Would it help if I [specific offer]? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I do outreach to [who] for [my offer]. Here is one person I want to message: [paste what they do or posted]. Write a first message of under 60 words: one true, specific line about them first, then what I do in one line, then one simple question. No flattery, no hard sell. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/daily-outreach-block): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Content engine: three posts a week URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/content-engine-3-posts/ Content engine: three posts a week: One block on Monday makes the week's posts. 1) Look back at last week in the Grid: what did you finish, learn or get wrong? That is three topics. 2) Write or film all three in one block. Done beats perfect. 3) Edit in a second block, or not at all. ## The steps 1. Look back at last week in the Grid: what did you finish, learn or get wrong? That is three topics. 2. Write or film all three in one block. Done beats perfect. 3. Edit in a second block, or not at all. 4. Schedule them for Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. 5. Post your week on the Floor on Sunday: that is the fourth. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "film content mon 14-15, edit tue 14-15". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Here is what I did, learned or got wrong this week: [notes]. Turn it into 3 post ideas for [platform] for [audience]. For each: a hook under 12 words, 3 short points, and an ending that asks for a comment. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/content-engine-3-posts): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Price your freelance work URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/price-your-freelance-work/ Price your freelance work: A price you can live on, worked out in one block. 1) Write down what you want to earn in a year, before tax, plus your yearly costs. 2) Count your billable days: weeks you work, times days a week, minus holidays and admin days. 3) Divide: earnings plus costs, divided by billable days, is your day rate. ## The steps 1. Write down what you want to earn in a year, before tax, plus your yearly costs. 2. Count your billable days: weeks you work, times days a week, minus holidays and admin days. 3. Divide: earnings plus costs, divided by billable days, is your day rate. 4. Quote projects, not hours, once you know how long they take you: day rate times days, plus a margin. 5. Raise your price for the next client, not the current one. ## Your first move in Cutline Put a 30-minute block on Sunday each month to check: did the rate hold? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Help me price my freelance work. I want to earn [amount] a year before tax. My yearly costs: [amount]. I can work [weeks] weeks a year, [days] days a week. Work out my day rate, a project price for a typical [project, how many days], and how to say the price to a client in one sentence. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/price-your-freelance-work): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Validate an idea in a weekend URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/validate-an-idea-in-a-weekend/ Validate an idea in a weekend: Two days to find out if anyone will pay, before you build anything. 1) Saturday morning: write the idea as a promise in one sentence, and who it is for. 2) Saturday: talk to 10 of those people. Ask about the problem, not your idea. 3) Saturday evening: a one-page site with the promise and a price. ## The steps 1. Saturday morning: write the idea as a promise in one sentence, and who it is for. 2. Saturday: talk to 10 of those people. Ask about the problem, not your idea. 3. Saturday evening: a one-page site with the promise and a price. 4. Sunday: send it to the 10, and to the Floor. Ask for a pre-order with a payment link. 5. Rule: three paid pre-orders means build it. Zero means change the promise or the people. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "validate sat 9-13, validate sun 10-14". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt My idea: [idea] for [who]. Write 8 interview questions about their problem that do not mention my idea, a one-sentence promise for a landing page, and a short message asking 10 of these people for a 15-minute chat. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/validate-an-idea-in-a-weekend): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # The weekly review for founders URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/weekly-review-for-founders/ The weekly review for founders: Thirty minutes on Sunday that decide the week. 1) What shipped? Look at the ticked blocks, not at what you remember. 2) What slipped, and why? Too big, too late in the day, or not planned at all. 3) The numbers: revenue, leads, users, hours finished. Same numbers every week. ## The steps 1. What shipped? Look at the ticked blocks, not at what you remember. 2. What slipped, and why? Too big, too late in the day, or not planned at all. 3. The numbers: revenue, leads, users, hours finished. Same numbers every week. 4. Pick three things that would make next week a win. 5. Put those three in the Grid first, in your best hours. Then everything else. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "weekly review sun 18-18:30". Then post the week on the Floor. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Here is my week: [what I finished, what slipped, my numbers]. Ask me 5 sharp questions about it, one at a time. Then help me pick the 3 things that would make next week a win and when in the week to do them. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/weekly-review-for-founders): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # A cold email that gets answers URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/cold-email-that-gets-answers/ A cold email that gets answers: Short, about them, and one question. 1) Subject: their name or their thing, under five words. 2) Line 1: one specific, true thing about them. 3) Line 2: the problem you solve, in their words. ## The steps 1. Subject: their name or their thing, under five words. 2. Line 1: one specific, true thing about them. 3. Line 2: the problem you solve, in their words. 4. Line 3: proof in one line: a result, a client, a number you can stand behind. 5. Line 4: one easy question. No calendar link in the first email. 6. Follow up twice: after 3 days and after 7, each one line. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it as a block, then log replies in the block's notes. ## Copy this > Hi [name], [one true thing about them]. Most [their role] I talk to [the problem]. I helped [client] [result]. Worth a 15-minute call next week? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Write a cold email to [name, role at company]. One true thing about them: [detail]. The problem I solve: [problem]. My proof: [result]. Under 90 words, a subject under five words, and one easy question at the end. Then write two one-line follow-ups. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/cold-email-that-gets-answers): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Get hired with your verified CV URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/get-hired-with-your-verified-cv/ Get hired with your verified CV: Let the hours do the talking. 1) Publish your CV in Cutline. It fills itself from your record: hours, streaks, cleared days, revenue confirmed by Stripe. 2) Open Jobs and gigs. Pick listings where your record fits. 3) Write two lines per application: why you, and one link to your work. ## The steps 1. Publish your CV in Cutline. It fills itself from your record: hours, streaks, cleared days, revenue confirmed by Stripe. 2. Open Jobs and gigs. Pick listings where your record fits. 3. Write two lines per application: why you, and one link to your work. 4. Your verified CV goes with every application; they can check the number at gocutline.com/verify. 5. Keep finishing your weeks. The CV gets stronger on its own. ## Your first move in Cutline Open CV, publish, then Jobs and gigs. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Here is my Cutline record: [hours, streak, what I worked on]. Here is a job I want: [paste the posting]. Write the two lines that go with my application: why me, and one concrete proof. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/get-hired-with-your-verified-cv): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Make an offer people say yes to URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/make-an-offer/ Make an offer people say yes to: One sentence that says who it is for, what they get, by when and for how much. 1) Pick one kind of person you can reach this week: "gym owners in my city", not "small businesses". 2) Write down the one result they would pay for. A result, not a service: "ten new members a month", not "social media". 3) Make it concrete: what they get, how long it takes and what it costs. One price, a round number. ## The steps 1. Pick one kind of person you can reach this week: "gym owners in my city", not "small businesses". 2. Write down the one result they would pay for. A result, not a service: "ten new members a month", not "social media". 3. Make it concrete: what they get, how long it takes and what it costs. One price, a round number. 4. Lower their risk with one thing you can keep: a small first version, a fixed date, or "you pay when it is done". 5. Say it out loud to someone who fits. If they ask "how?", the offer works. If they ask "what?", make it simpler. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it as one block: "write my offer mon 9-10". Paste the finished sentence into the block's notes. ## Copy this > I help [who] get [result] in [time], for [price]. If [the risk they fear], [what you do about it]. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I can do [what I can do]. My skills: [list]. People I can reach this week: [who]. Write 5 offers of one sentence each: "I help [who] get [result] in [time] for [price]". Use concrete results, round prices and one way to lower their risk. Then tell me which one is easiest to sell to someone who has never heard of me, and why. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/make-an-offer): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Run a sales call that closes URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/sales-call-that-closes/ Run a sales call that closes: Twenty minutes, mostly listening, and a clear yes or no at the end. 1) Before the call: write down three things you know about them and the one thing you need to find out. 2) Open with their goal: "What made you take this call?" Then listen, and write it down in their words. 3) Ask what it costs them to leave it as it is. The number they say is what your offer is worth to them. ## The steps 1. Before the call: write down three things you know about them and the one thing you need to find out. 2. Open with their goal: "What made you take this call?" Then listen, and write it down in their words. 3. Ask what it costs them to leave it as it is. The number they say is what your offer is worth to them. 4. Say your offer in one sentence, with the price. Then stop talking. 5. Ask: "Want to start?" On a yes, send the payment link while you are still on the call. On a no, ask what would make it a yes. ## Your first move in Cutline Make the payment link in Revenue before the call, so it is one paste away. ## Copy this > So you want [their goal], and right now [their problem] costs you [their number]. I do [offer] for [price], done by [date]. Want to start? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I have a sales call with [who] about [my offer and price]. What I know about them: [notes]. Give me five open questions to understand their problem, one sentence to say my offer and price, and honest answers to the three objections they are most likely to raise. No pressure tactics. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/sales-call-that-closes): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Get referrals from happy clients URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/get-referrals/ Get referrals from happy clients: The easiest next client is a friend of the last one. 1) Pick the moment: right after you delivered something they are happy with. 2) Ask one specific question: "Who else do you know who [has the same problem]?" Not "Do you know anyone?" 3) Make it easy: give them two lines they can forward as they are. ## The steps 1. Pick the moment: right after you delivered something they are happy with. 2. Ask one specific question: "Who else do you know who [has the same problem]?" Not "Do you know anyone?" 3. Make it easy: give them two lines they can forward as they are. 4. Thank them the same day, and tell them when it turned into work. 5. Make it a habit: one referral ask after every finished job. ## Your first move in Cutline Add a 30-minute block after each delivery: "referral ask fri 16:00". ## Copy this > Glad [the result] worked. Who else do you know who [has the problem]? Here are two lines you can forward: "[two-line intro]". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I just finished [project] for [client], with this result: [result]. Write a short, warm message asking who else they know with the same problem, plus a two-line intro they can forward. Nothing pushy. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/get-referrals): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Get your first 10 users URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/first-10-users/ Get your first 10 users: Ten people using it for real beat a thousand visitors who leave. 1) Write down where your users already are: three communities, groups or places. 2) Show up as a person first: answer a question, share something useful. Then mention what you built. 3) Message people who have the problem. Ask for 15 minutes, not for a sign-up. ## The steps 1. Write down where your users already are: three communities, groups or places. 2. Show up as a person first: answer a question, share something useful. Then mention what you built. 3. Message people who have the problem. Ask for 15 minutes, not for a sign-up. 4. Set up every user yourself, on a call. Watch where they get stuck and write it down. 5. Fix the biggest stuck point every week. Ask every user who else should try it. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "user outreach weekdays 10-11, user calls tue thu 15". ## Copy this > Hi [name], I saw you [their problem, in their words]. I built [thing] to fix exactly that. Could I show you in 15 minutes and hear what you think? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I built [product] for [who] to solve [problem]. Name 10 specific places online where these people already talk about this problem, how to show up there helpfully, and a short message inviting one of them to try it. No spam. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/first-10-users): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Build a one-page website in a day URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/one-page-website/ Build a one-page website in a day: One page, one promise, one button. Live before the day is over. 1) Write the headline first: who it is for and the result, in under ten words. 2) Three short sections under it: the problem, how it works in three steps, and the price or the next step. 3) One button with one action: book a call, pay, or join a waitlist. ## The steps 1. Write the headline first: who it is for and the result, in under ten words. 2. Three short sections under it: the problem, how it works in three steps, and the price or the next step. 3. One button with one action: book a call, pay, or join a waitlist. 4. Build it in a website builder you already know. Use your own photos or plain text, never stock photos of people. 5. Before it goes live: open it on your phone, fix what is hard to read, and send it to three people. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it as two blocks: "write the site sat 10-12, build the site sat 13-15". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Write the copy for a one-page website for [what I sell] for [who]. Give me a headline under 10 words, a one-line subheadline, the problem in 2 sentences, how it works in 3 steps, the price or the next step, the button text and 3 short questions and answers. Plain words, no hype. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/one-page-website): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Ship something every week URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/ship-every-week/ Ship something every week: A product grows in small releases you can show, not in one big launch. 1) On Monday, pick the one thing that ships by Friday. Small enough to finish, big enough to show. 2) Cut it in half if it does not fit in this week's blocks. 3) Build in long blocks: two hours with notifications off beat six interrupted ones. ## The steps 1. On Monday, pick the one thing that ships by Friday. Small enough to finish, big enough to show. 2. Cut it in half if it does not fit in this week's blocks. 3. Build in long blocks: two hours with notifications off beat six interrupted ones. 4. Ship it on Friday, even if it is not perfect. Tell your users what changed. 5. Write down what users said about it. That decides next Monday's thing. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "build weekdays 9-11, ship fri 15-16". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I am building [product] for [who]. Here is my list of ideas: [list]. Help me pick the one thing I can build and ship by Friday in [hours] hours, cut it in half if it is too big, and write the short note I send users when it is out. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/ship-every-week): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Write hooks that stop the scroll URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/write-hooks/ Write hooks that stop the scroll: The first second decides if anyone sees the rest. 1) Start with the result or the surprise, not the intro: "I made $600 from one DM", not "Hey guys". 2) Write ten hooks for the same video and pick the one you would stop for. 3) Say it and show it: the same words on screen and out loud in the first second. ## The steps 1. Start with the result or the surprise, not the intro: "I made $600 from one DM", not "Hey guys". 2. Write ten hooks for the same video and pick the one you would stop for. 3. Say it and show it: the same words on screen and out loud in the first second. 4. In the edit, cut everything before the hook. Start mid-sentence if you have to. 5. Keep a file of hooks. Every one that worked goes in it. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "hooks mon 13:30-14". Write ten, film the best three. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt My video is about [topic] for [who]. The main point: [point]. Write 10 hooks of under 12 words that would make my audience stop scrolling: a result, a mistake, a question, a number and a contrast, two of each. Nothing I cannot back up. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/write-hooks): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Learn anything in 30 minutes a day URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/learn-anything-30-min/ Learn anything in 30 minutes a day: Small daily blocks beat long weekend sessions. 1) Pick one course, one book or one app and stay with it for a month. 2) Every block: 5 minutes of yesterday from memory, 20 minutes of new material, 5 minutes writing down what you learned. 3) Use it the same day: say it, write it or build something small with it. ## The steps 1. Pick one course, one book or one app and stay with it for a month. 2. Every block: 5 minutes of yesterday from memory, 20 minutes of new material, 5 minutes writing down what you learned. 3. Use it the same day: say it, write it or build something small with it. 4. Test yourself before you look the answer up. Trying to remember is what makes it stick. 5. Once a week, 30 minutes on everything from the week, without notes. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "learn spanish daily 7:30 30min". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I want to learn [skill or language], starting from [level], with 30 minutes a day. Make me a 4-week plan with one focus per week, what to do in each 30-minute block, how to test myself every Sunday, and free resources to use. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/learn-anything-30-min): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Study with active recall URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/study-active-recall/ Study with active recall: Close the book and pull it out of your head. That is what makes it stay. 1) Turn your notes into questions: every heading becomes a question you answer without looking. 2) Answer from memory first, then check. Mark what you missed. 3) Come back to what you missed after one day, then three days, then a week. ## The steps 1. Turn your notes into questions: every heading becomes a question you answer without looking. 2. Answer from memory first, then check. Mark what you missed. 3. Come back to what you missed after one day, then three days, then a week. 4. Do past exam questions with a timer, weeks before the exam, not the night before. 5. Sleep. A block you study tired at midnight is a block you will do again. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "study weekdays 16-17:30, practice test sat 10". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Here are my notes on [subject]: [paste notes]. Turn them into 20 exam-style questions from easy to hard, with short answers. Then give me a schedule to repeat them over the next 10 days. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/study-active-recall): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Write applications that get answers URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/write-applications/ Write applications that get answers: Three good applications beat thirty copies. 1) Pick roles where you match most of the list. Skip the rest. 2) Read the posting and the company's last few posts. Write down the problem this role is there to solve. 3) Two short paragraphs: the problem you would solve for them, and proof you have done something like it. ## The steps 1. Pick roles where you match most of the list. Skip the rest. 2. Read the posting and the company's last few posts. Write down the problem this role is there to solve. 3. Two short paragraphs: the problem you would solve for them, and proof you have done something like it. 4. Add the link to your verified CV so they can check your record. 5. Follow up once after a week, with one new thing: a small idea or a result. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "applications mon wed fri 9-10". ## Copy this > I saw you are hiring a [role] to [the problem]. Last [time], I [a similar result]. My record, verified: [CV link]. Could we talk this week? ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Here is a job posting: [paste]. Here is my experience: [paste]. Write an application under 150 words: the problem this role solves, why I can solve it, and one concrete proof. Then list the 3 questions I should prepare for. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/write-applications): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Prepare for an interview in one block URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/interview-prep/ Prepare for an interview in one block: Know their problem, your three stories and your one question. 1) Write down what the company does, who pays them and what changed for them lately. 2) Prepare three stories: a result you got, a mistake you fixed and a time you kept going. Each with a number. 3) Say them out loud once. Under two minutes each. ## The steps 1. Write down what the company does, who pays them and what changed for them lately. 2. Prepare three stories: a result you got, a mistake you fixed and a time you kept going. Each with a number. 3. Say them out loud once. Under two minutes each. 4. Prepare one good question about their biggest challenge this year. 5. Check the route or the link the day before, and be ready ten minutes early. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it the day before: "interview prep thu 18-18:45". ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I have an interview for [role] at [company]. My background: [paste]. List the 10 questions they are most likely to ask, with what a strong answer includes, and help me shape 3 short stories from my background with a number in each. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/interview-prep): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Meal prep on Sunday URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/meal-prep-sunday/ Meal prep on Sunday: One hour on Sunday decides four days of eating. 1) Pick two recipes from the library: one for lunches, one for dinners. 2) Shop once, with a list. Keep the same list until you are bored of it. 3) Cook both at the same time: the oven does one, the stove the other. ## The steps 1. Pick two recipes from the library: one for lunches, one for dinners. 2. Shop once, with a list. Keep the same list until you are bored of it. 3. Cook both at the same time: the oven does one, the stove the other. 4. Split everything into boxes. Three days in the fridge, the rest in the freezer. 5. Put the boxes at the front of the fridge, where you see them first. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "meal prep sun 17-18". Then pick the recipes in the block. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt Make me a meal prep plan for [number] lunches and dinners, about [calories] kcal a day with at least [grams] g of protein, for [diet and what I do not eat], on [budget] a week. Give me 2 recipes, one shopping list and the order to cook them in one hour. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/meal-prep-sunday): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # Start training: the first four weeks URL: https://gocutline.com/playbooks/start-training/ Start training: the first four weeks: Three short sessions a week, on the same days, a little heavier each week. 1) Pick three days that are hard to cancel, like Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at the same time. 2) Pick one beginner plan from the library and keep it for four weeks: Full body A and B, or the home workout. 3) Start lighter than you think. Add a little weight or a rep when the last set feels easy. ## The steps 1. Pick three days that are hard to cancel, like Monday, Wednesday and Friday, at the same time. 2. Pick one beginner plan from the library and keep it for four weeks: Full body A and B, or the home workout. 3. Start lighter than you think. Add a little weight or a rep when the last set feels easy. 4. Walk on the days in between, 20 to 30 minutes. 5. Write down every session. Beating last week by one rep is progress. ## Your first move in Cutline Plan it in a sentence: "gym mon wed fri 7am 45min". Then pick the workout in the block. ## Ask an AI Tap the box to copy the prompt. Put the answer in the block's notes. ```prompt I am new to training. [Age], goal: [lose fat, build muscle or feel fitter], training [at a gym, at home or running] [days] days a week for [minutes]. Make me a 4-week beginner plan with exercises, sets, reps and rest, how to progress each week, and what to stop doing if something hurts. ``` ## Make it a block [Add it to your week in Cutline](https://app.gocutline.com/?lib=playbooks/start-training): the steps go into the block, so the next one is always written down. --- # The best calendar apps in 2026 URL: https://gocutline.com/best/calendar-apps/ There is no single best calendar app. For meetings and invites, Google Calendar or Outlook. On Apple devices, Apple Calendar or Fantastical. For Notion users, Notion Calendar. To plan your own week in time blocks and actually finish it, Cutline, which is free and shows your Google, Outlook or Apple meetings inside the same week. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. Most people need two things from a calendar: a place for meetings other people put there, and a plan for the hours that are theirs. Most apps below are great at the first. Pick by which of the two matters more to you, and remember they can work together. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Google Calendar | Meetings, invites and sharing | Yes | | Apple Calendar | iPhone, iPad and Mac users | Yes | | Microsoft Outlook | Work calendars and Microsoft 365 | Yes | | Fantastical | A polished calendar on Apple devices | Yes, with a paid Premium tier | | Notion Calendar | People who work in Notion | Yes | | Cutline | Planning a week in blocks and finishing it | Yes, free forever | | Proton Calendar | Privacy and end-to-end encryption | Yes, with paid tiers | ## The apps ### 1. Google Calendar The default for anyone with a Google account. Strong at meetings, invitations, shared calendars and working on every device. It has no done state for a block, so the plan never becomes a record. ### 2. Apple Calendar Built into every Apple device, syncs over iCloud and reads Google and Exchange accounts too. Simple and fast, with few planning features. ### 3. Microsoft Outlook The calendar most companies run on, tied to Outlook mail and Teams. Best for scheduling with colleagues. ### 4. Fantastical Known for typing events in plain language and a refined design across Mac, iPhone and iPad. Paid features come with a Flexibits Premium subscription; see [their pricing](https://flexibits.com/pricing). ### 5. Notion Calendar A clean calendar that links events to Notion pages and databases. ### 6. Cutline A weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish: XP for finished blocks, cleared days, streaks and an opt-in weekly board. Google, Outlook and Apple calendars show inside it; payment links, a verified CV, jobs and a library of recipes and workouts are built in. Runs in any browser. [See how it works](/grid/). ### 7. Proton Calendar Part of Proton's encrypted suite: events are encrypted so only you and the people you invite can read them. ## How to choose - **Meetings first:** Google Calendar or Outlook, whichever your work uses. - **All Apple:** Apple Calendar, or Fantastical for more power. - **Your own hours first:** Cutline, with your work calendar linked in. - **Privacy above all:** Proton Calendar. ## Questions **What is the best free calendar app?** For meetings, Google Calendar. For planning and finishing your own week, Cutline: planning, XP, streaks and calendar links are free forever. **Can I use two calendar apps at once?** Yes, and many people should: keep the calendar your work uses for meetings, and link it into a planner like Cutline where your own hours live. --- # The best premium calendar apps, and whether to pay URL: https://gocutline.com/best/premium-calendar-apps/ A premium calendar is worth paying for when it changes what you do with your hours, not just how the calendar looks. Fantastical is the premium pick for Apple users who want speed and polish. Morgen and Amie combine calendars and tasks. Motion and Sunsama plan for you or with you. Cutline is free to plan; Cutline Pro ($24 a month) adds the green seal, 0% selling fees and 5 shared calendars for people who sell. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. "Premium" can mean a better design, more calendars, AI scheduling or a business feature. Before paying, ask what the paid plan does that you would use every week. Prices change often, so each app links to its own pricing. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline Pro | People who plan their week and sell their work | Yes: planning is free; Pro free for 7 days | | Fantastical | A premium calendar on Apple devices | Yes, with a paid Premium tier | | Morgen | Calendars and tasks from many tools in one place | A limited free tier | | Amie | A calendar with tasks and meeting notes | Check current plans | | Motion | Letting AI schedule your tasks | Trial, then paid | | Sunsama | A guided daily planning ritual | Trial, then paid | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline Pro Everything in Cutline's free plan (time blocking, XP, streaks, linked calendars, verified CV), plus the green Pro seal, payment links at a 0% Cutline fee, 5 shared calendars and posting on the Floor. $24 a month, or $240 a year. It pays for itself from about $480 a month in sales. [See plans](/pricing/). ### 2. Fantastical Natural-language event entry, calendar sets, scheduling links and a refined design across Apple devices. [Their pricing](https://flexibits.com/pricing). ### 3. Morgen Known for bringing many calendars and task tools together and planning tasks into the calendar, with an AI planner on paid plans. [Their pricing](https://www.morgen.so/pricing). ### 4. Amie Known for a playful design that joins calendar and to-dos, and more recently AI meeting notes. Its plans have changed over time; [check amie.so](https://amie.so). ### 5. Motion Known for auto-scheduling: add tasks with deadlines and it fits them around meetings and re-plans when things move. ### 6. Sunsama Known for walking you through planning each day and shutting it down, pulling tasks from email and project tools. ## How to choose - **You want polish on Apple devices:** Fantastical. - **You want software to plan for you:** Motion. - **You want a calm daily ritual:** Sunsama. - **You plan your own week and sell your work:** Cutline Pro, or stay on Cutline's free plan. - **Not sure?** Use a free plan for a month first. A habit of planning matters more than the app. ## Questions **Is a paid calendar worth it?** Only if the paid features save you time or make you money every week. Cutline is built so that planning stays free; the paid plans are for selling, sharing and the badge. **What is the most premium-feeling calendar?** On Apple devices, Fantastical is the classic answer. For a calendar that feels like a game you are winning, Cutline. --- # The best calendar apps for entrepreneurs URL: https://gocutline.com/best/calendar-apps-for-entrepreneurs/ Entrepreneurs need a calendar that protects building time from everything else. Cutline is made for it: plan deep work, sales and content as blocks, tick them off, and send payment links from the same app. Pair it with Google Calendar for meetings and a booking tool like Calendly for clients. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. A founder's week has three kinds of hours: building, selling and everything else. The calendar that helps is the one that makes the first two happen before the third eats them. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Planning a week in blocks and finishing it | Yes, free forever | | Google Calendar | Meetings with clients and investors | Yes | | Calendly | Letting clients book you | Yes, with paid tiers | | Motion | Founders who want tasks auto-scheduled | Trial, then paid | | Sunsama | A daily plan across many tools | Trial, then paid | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline A weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish: XP for finished blocks, cleared days, streaks and an opt-in weekly board. Google, Outlook and Apple calendars show inside it; payment links, a verified CV, jobs and a library of recipes and workouts are built in. Runs in any browser. [See how it works](/grid/). ### 2. Google Calendar Where your meetings live. Link it into Cutline and plan around it. ### 3. Calendly Known for booking links: share your availability and people pick a slot. ### 4. Motion Fits tasks with deadlines into the calendar automatically. ### 5. Sunsama A guided daily planning ritual for people with many inboxes. ## How to choose - **Protect deep work and sales:** plan them first, in your best hours, in Cutline. - **Meetings:** keep them in Google or Outlook, linked in. - **Client bookings:** a booking link. - **Getting paid:** Cutline payment links, or your invoicing tool. ## Questions **How should a founder plan the week?** Put building and selling blocks in first, in your best hours; then meetings; then everything else. Review it on Sunday. [The weekly review for founders](/playbooks/weekly-review-for-founders/) shows how. --- # The best planner apps for students URL: https://gocutline.com/best/planner-apps-for-students/ For students, the best planner turns an exam date into study blocks you finish. Cutline does that for free: plan study, classes and training in a week view, tick blocks off, keep a streak, and turn the hours into a verified CV later. Google Calendar holds classes and deadlines; Notion and TickTick hold notes and lists. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. Students rarely lack a to-do list. What they lack is a plan for when the studying happens. A week view with study blocks fixes that. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Planning a week in blocks and finishing it | Yes, free forever | | Google Calendar | Class timetables and deadlines | Yes | | Notion | Notes and course pages | Yes, free for students on some plans | | TickTick | Homework lists and a focus timer | Yes, with a paid tier | | myHomework | Tracking assignments by class | Yes | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline A weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish: XP for finished blocks, cleared days, streaks and an opt-in weekly board. Google, Outlook and Apple calendars show inside it; payment links, a verified CV, jobs and a library of recipes and workouts are built in. Runs in any browser. [See how it works](/grid/). ### 2. Google Calendar Good for fixed classes and due dates; link it into Cutline. ### 3. Notion Known for flexible pages and databases for notes and projects. ### 4. TickTick Lists, a calendar view, habits and a Pomodoro timer. ### 5. myHomework Known as a simple student planner for homework by subject. ## How to choose - **Exams coming:** work backwards from the date and plan study blocks now. The [Exam week template](/templates/) is a start. - **Classes and deadlines:** Google Calendar, linked into Cutline. - **Notes:** Notion. ## Questions **How many hours should I study a day?** It depends on the course and the exam. Plan realistic blocks you will finish, and track the hours: a finished 90-minute block beats a planned 4-hour one. --- # The best habit tracker apps URL: https://gocutline.com/best/habit-tracker-apps/ A habit tracker works when it reminds you at the right time and makes the streak visible. Streaks (iPhone) and Loop (Android) are clean dedicated trackers. Habitica turns habits into a game. Cutline tracks habits where they happen, as blocks in your week, with honest streaks (no freezes) and XP. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. The difference between a habit tracker and a calendar is when you decide. A tracker asks "did you do it today?". A time block decides "when today will you do it?", which is what makes it happen. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | Cutline | Planning a week in blocks and finishing it | Yes, free forever | | Streaks | A focused habit list on iPhone | Paid app | | Loop Habit Tracker | A free, open-source tracker on Android | Yes | | Habitica | Habits as a role-playing game | Yes | | TickTick | Habits next to your to-do list | Yes, with a paid tier | ## The apps ### 1. Cutline A weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish: XP for finished blocks, cleared days, streaks and an opt-in weekly board. Google, Outlook and Apple calendars show inside it; payment links, a verified CV, jobs and a library of recipes and workouts are built in. Runs in any browser. [See how it works](/grid/). ### 2. Streaks Known for a simple grid of daily habits with streak counts, on Apple devices. ### 3. Loop Habit Tracker Known for charts of habit strength over time, free and without ads. ### 4. Habitica Habits, dailies and to-dos with an avatar, gold and parties. ### 5. TickTick A habit tracker inside a task app. ## How to choose - **You want it simple:** Streaks or Loop. - **You love games:** Habitica. - **You want the habit to have a time:** Cutline: put it in the week and tick it off. ## Questions **How long does it take to form a habit?** In the study most often cited (Lally et al., 2010), it took 66 days on average to become automatic, with a wide range from 18 to 254 days. Missing one day did not undo progress. --- # The best shared calendar apps URL: https://gocutline.com/best/shared-calendar-apps/ For couples and families, TimeTree and Cozi are made for sharing. For friends, Howbout. For work, Google Calendar. Cutline's shared calendars are for people who plan and finish things together: a gym crew, a startup, a study group. Everyone sees the shared blocks while their own week stays private. > Written by the Cutline team. Cutline is our product, so read this as a first-hand description of it and a fair, general description of the others. Other products change; check their sites for current details. A shared calendar works when everyone can see what matters to them and nothing else. Pick by who you share with. ## At a glance | App | Best for | Free to start? | |---|---|---| | TimeTree | Couples and families | Yes, with a Premium tier | | Cozi | Family organising: calendar, lists, meals | Yes, with Cozi Gold | | Howbout | Making plans with friends | Yes | | Google Calendar | Work and mixed groups | Yes | | Cutline shared calendars | Crews that train, build or study together | Free to join; paid plans create them | ## The apps ### 1. TimeTree Known for simple shared calendars with comments on events. The free plan covers sharing; Premium removes ads and adds extras. ### 2. Cozi A family calendar with shopping lists, to-dos and a meal planner. ### 3. Howbout A social calendar to see when friends are free and make plans, with group chats. ### 4. Google Calendar Share a calendar with anyone who has an email address. ### 5. Cutline shared calendars Make a shared calendar with up to 25 people; blocks show in the maker's colour and everyone ticks off their part. Your own week stays private. [How it works](/shared-calendars/). ## How to choose - **Family logistics:** Cozi or TimeTree. - **Friends and plans:** Howbout. - **Work:** Google Calendar. - **A crew with goals:** Cutline shared calendars. ## Questions **Is there a free shared calendar for couples?** Yes: TimeTree, Google Calendar and Apple Calendar are free to share. In Cutline, joining a shared calendar is free on every plan. --- # Cutline vs Fantastical URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/fantastical-alternative/ Fantastical is known as a polished, fast calendar for Mac, iPhone and iPad, with plain-language event entry. Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking planner that runs in any browser and scores what you finish with XP and streaks. ## The short version | | Fantastical | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | A refined calendar on Apple devices | Planning and finishing your week | | Runs on | Mac, iPhone, iPad | Any browser, desktop and phone | | Price | Free with a paid Premium tier | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Type an event in plain words | Yes | Yes: plan a whole week in one sentence | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days, streaks | ## What Fantastical does well Fantastical is excellent at being a calendar on Apple devices: type "lunch with Sara Friday 1pm" and it understands; calendar sets switch between work and home. Paid features come with Flexibits Premium. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The week in blocks, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored; a day with everything done is Cleared. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both Keep Fantastical for your Apple calendar and invitations. Link the same calendar into Cutline and plan your own hours around it. ## Questions **Does Cutline work on Windows and Android?** Yes. Cutline runs in any modern browser, on any computer or phone. --- # Cutline vs Amie URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/amie-alternative/ Amie is known for a playful design that joins calendar and to-dos, and more recently AI meeting notes. Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking planner that scores the blocks you finish. ## The short version | | Amie | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Calendar, to-dos and notes together | Planning and finishing your week | | Price | Check current plans | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days | | Weekly leaderboard and feed | No | The Arena and the Floor | | Verified CV from your record | No | Yes | ## What Amie does well Amie made calendars fun to look at, with to-dos you can drag into the day and a strong design. Its plans have changed over time, so check amie.so for what is included today. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The week in blocks, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored; a day with everything done is Cleared. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both If you like Amie for meetings and notes, keep it, and plan the hours that are yours as blocks in Cutline. ## Questions **Is Cutline as pretty as Amie?** Judge for yourself: the week in Cutline is a row of coloured day cards over a time grid, made to feel good to finish. [See it](/grid/). --- # Cutline vs Morgen URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/morgen-alternative/ Morgen is known for bringing many calendars and task tools into one place and planning tasks into the calendar, with an AI planner on paid plans. Cutline is free to plan and scores the blocks you finish. ## The short version | | Morgen | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Many calendars and task tools in one place | Planning and finishing your own week | | Price | A limited free tier and paid plans | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Who plans | You, with an AI planner on paid plans | You | | Score for finished time | No | XP, levels, cleared days, streaks | | Payment links | No | Yes, from 0% Cutline fee | ## What Morgen does well Morgen is strong for people juggling several calendars and task tools: everything in one view, tasks time-blocked into the day, and booking links. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The week in blocks, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored; a day with everything done is Cleared. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both Use Morgen to see every calendar and task in one place; use Cutline for the week you commit to and the score of what you finished. ## Questions **Can Cutline show several calendars?** Yes: link Google, Outlook, Apple or any iCal calendar; they show as read-only blocks in your week. --- # Cutline vs TimeTree URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/timetree-alternative/ TimeTree is known as a simple shared calendar for couples, families and groups, free with a Premium tier. Cutline has shared calendars too, built for crews that plan and finish things together, inside a weekly planner that scores the work. ## The short version | | TimeTree | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Couples and families sharing events | Crews sharing goals: gym, startup, study | | Price | Free with Premium | Joining is free; paid plans create calendars | | Each person's own week | Separate calendars | Private, with shared calendars on top | | Ticking things off | No | Yes, with XP and streaks | | People per calendar | Groups | Up to 25 | ## What TimeTree does well TimeTree makes sharing a calendar easy: invite your partner or family, add events, comment on them. It is free, with Premium for an ad-free experience and extras. ## What Cutline does differently - **Shared, with a score.** Everyone ticks off their part of the shared blocks. - **Your week stays yours.** Shared calendars sit on top of a private week. - **Made for doing together.** A crew's training, a launch, a study group. ## Using both Keep TimeTree for family events, and use a Cutline shared calendar for the things you are building or training for together. ## Questions **Is joining a Cutline shared calendar free?** Yes, on every plan. Creating one is on paid plans. --- # Cutline vs Howbout URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/howbout-alternative/ Howbout is known as a free social calendar for seeing when friends are free and making plans. Cutline is a weekly planner where friends plan, finish and compare the work: shared calendars, streaks and a weekly board. ## The short version | | Howbout | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Making plans with friends | Doing the work, together | | Price | Free | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Find a free time | Yes, availability sharing | Shared calendars and Week Match | | Streaks and score | No | XP, streaks, the Arena | | A feed of finished weeks | No | The Floor | ## What Howbout does well Howbout is great at the social side of plans: see when friends are free, share availability without details, poll for dates and chat in groups. ## What Cutline does differently - **Accountability.** The Arena is a weekly board of finished hours, opt-in. - **Proof.** Posts on the Floor show the week behind them. - **Shared calendars** for a crew with a goal. ## Using both Use Howbout to make the plans; use Cutline when the plan is a goal you want to keep each other on. ## Questions **Can friends see my calendar?** No. Your own week is private. Friends see only what you share: a shared calendar, or weekly totals on the board if you join it. --- # Cutline vs Cozi URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/cozi-alternative/ Cozi is known as a family organizer: a shared calendar, shopping and to-do lists and a meal planner, free with Cozi Gold. Cutline is a weekly planner with shared calendars and a score for what gets done, plus a recipe library to fill meal blocks. ## The short version | | Cozi | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Family logistics and lists | Planning and finishing a week, alone or together | | Price | Free with Cozi Gold | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Meal planning | Meal planner and recipe box | Recipe library with macros, one click into a block | | Ticking things off with a score | No | Yes | | Budget | No | Yes, by block | ## What Cozi does well Cozi keeps family logistics in one place: who is where, what to buy, what is for dinner. ## What Cutline does differently - **Meals with numbers.** [Recipes](/recipes/) with calories and macros go straight into a block. - **Budget by block.** Put what something cost on the block. - **A shared calendar** for the family, and a private week for each person. ## Using both Keep Cozi for shopping lists, and plan the family's week, training and meals in Cutline. ## Questions **Does Cutline have shopping lists?** No. It plans the week in time blocks; recipes come with ingredient lists you can copy. --- # Cutline vs Apple Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/apple-calendar-alternative/ Apple Calendar is built into every iPhone, iPad and Mac and syncs over iCloud. Cutline reads your Apple calendar and adds what it lacks for planning: time blocks you tick off, XP, streaks and a weekly review. ## The short version | | Apple Calendar | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Events on Apple devices | Planning and finishing your week | | Price | Free | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Your iCloud events | Yes | Yes, as read-only blocks | | Done state for a block | No | Yes, with XP | | Works on Windows and Android | Through iCloud on the web | Yes, in any browser | ## What Apple Calendar does well Apple Calendar is simple, fast and already on your devices, and it syncs everything over iCloud. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The week in blocks, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored; a day with everything done is Cleared. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both Keep Apple Calendar for events and invites. [Link it into Cutline](/integrations/apple-calendar/) and plan your hours around them. ## Questions **How do I add my Apple calendar to Cutline?** Share it as a private iCloud link and paste it into Cutline. [Step by step](/integrations/apple-calendar/). --- # Cutline vs Outlook Calendar URL: https://gocutline.com/compare/outlook-calendar-alternative/ Outlook is the calendar most companies run on. Cutline reads your Outlook calendar and adds a weekly plan for your own hours: time blocks you tick off, XP and streaks. ## The short version | | Outlook Calendar | Cutline | |---|---|---| | Best for | Work meetings | Your own hours: deep work, training, side projects | | Price | Free and with Microsoft 365 | Free; paid plans from $9/month | | Your Outlook meetings | Yes | Yes, as read-only blocks | | Done state and score | No | Yes | | Private from your employer | A work calendar | Your own account | ## What Outlook Calendar does well Outlook is excellent for work: meetings, rooms, Teams calls and scheduling with colleagues. ## What Cutline does differently - **Free planning.** The week in blocks, XP, streaks and calendar links cost nothing. - **Done is the point.** Blocks are ticked off and scored; a day with everything done is Cleared. - **A record you can show.** Finished hours become a [verified CV](/verified-cv/). ## Using both Keep Outlook for work. [Link it](/integrations/outlook-calendar/) so your meetings show in your Cutline week, and plan everything else there. ## Questions **Will my employer see my Cutline week?** No. Cutline reads your Outlook calendar; nothing from Cutline goes back to your work account unless you add it. --- # Time blocking examples you can copy URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/time-blocking-examples/ A good time-blocked week puts the most important work in your best hours, batches the small stuff, and leaves room for things to run over. Below are six example weeks with the reasoning behind each, and each one can be copied into Cutline in one sentence. ## The rules every example follows - **The hard thing first.** Deep work or study goes in the morning, before messages. - **Batch the small things.** Email, calls and admin get one or two blocks, not the whole day. - **Leave a buffer.** Plan 6 to 7 hours of a working day, not 8 ([planning fallacy](/glossary/planning-fallacy/)). - **The body counts.** Training and meals are blocks too. ## 1. The founder | Time | Block | |---|---| | 06:30–07:30 | Gym | | 08:00–11:00 | Deep work: build | | 11:00–12:00 | Sales calls | | 13:00–14:00 | Outreach: 20 messages | | 14:00–16:00 | Meetings | | 16:00–16:30 | Email and admin | Type it into Cutline: **"gym weekdays 6:30, deep work weekdays 8-11, sales calls weekdays 11-12, outreach weekdays 13-14"**. ## 2. The student in exam season | Time | Block | |---|---| | 08:00–10:00 | Study: hardest subject | | 10:15–12:00 | Classes | | 13:00–14:30 | Study: practice exams | | 15:00–16:00 | Training | | 20:00–20:45 | Review the day's notes | ## 3. A 9-to-5 with a side project | Time | Block | |---|---| | 06:00–07:30 | Side project (before work) | | 08:30–17:00 | Work, linked from Outlook | | 18:00–19:00 | Training | | Saturday 09:00–12:00 | Side project, long block | ## 4. The salesperson | Time | Block | |---|---| | 08:30–09:00 | Plan the day, prioritise leads | | 09:00–11:30 | Calls, in one batch | | 11:30–12:00 | Follow-ups | | 13:00–15:00 | Meetings and demos | | 15:00–16:00 | Prospecting | ## 5. The creator | Time | Block | |---|---| | Monday 09:00–12:00 | Write and film three pieces | | Tuesday 09:00–11:00 | Edit | | Daily 12:30–13:00 | Reply to comments | | Thursday 14:00–15:00 | Plan next week's content | ## 6. The parent who works | Time | Block | |---|---| | 05:30–07:00 | Deep work before the house wakes | | 09:00–15:00 | Work | | 15:00–19:30 | Family | | 20:30–21:30 | Planning, reading or training | ## Make your own Start from the [weekly templates](/templates/), or type your week in one sentence in Cutline. Then tick the blocks off as you go: the plan becomes a record of what you finished. ## Questions **How detailed should time blocks be?** Detailed enough that you know what to do when the block starts, loose enough to survive a bad morning. Most people do well with 60 to 180-minute blocks for real work and one block for small tasks. **What if I miss a block?** Move it, do not delete it. Then look at why on Sunday: too big, too late in the day, or not important. --- # How to time block your day URL: https://gocutline.com/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 1. **List it.** Everything that should happen tomorrow, including meetings, training and meals. 2. **Size it honestly.** Guess each task's length, then add 25%. People underestimate ([planning fallacy](/glossary/planning-fallacy/)). 3. **Hard thing first.** The most important task goes into your sharpest hours, usually the morning. 4. **Fixed things next.** Meetings, classes, training. 5. **Batch the small stuff.** Email, messages and admin share one or two blocks. 6. **Leave gaps.** 15 minutes between big blocks, and an hour of slack in the afternoon. 7. **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. --- # Pomodoro vs time blocking URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/pomodoro-vs-time-blocking/ The Pomodoro Technique and time blocking solve different problems. Time blocking decides when work happens and how long it may take; the Pomodoro Technique helps you stay focused inside that time with 25-minute sprints and short breaks. Most people get the best results by time blocking the day and using Pomodoros inside the hardest blocks. ## The difference | | Time blocking | Pomodoro Technique | |---|---|---| | Answers | When will I do this? | How do I stay focused right now? | | Unit | A block on the calendar, 30 min to 3 h | 25 minutes of work, 5 minutes of break | | Planned | The day or week before | In the moment | | Best for | Making sure important work happens | Starting, and staying on task | ## When Pomodoro wins When starting is the problem. A 25-minute sprint is small enough to begin, and the break comes soon. ## When time blocking wins When the problem is that the important work never gets a slot. A [Pomodoro](/glossary/pomodoro-technique/) does not help if the morning is already full of meetings. ## Using both 1. Time block the week: deep work Tuesday 09:00 to 12:00. 2. Inside the block, run Pomodoros: 25 on, 5 off, a longer break after four. 3. Tick the block off when it is done. Try the free [Pomodoro timer](/tools/pomodoro-timer/), then put the block in your week. ## Questions **Is 25 minutes the right length?** It is where the technique started. Many people prefer 50 minutes on and 10 off for deep work. The point is a fixed sprint and a real break. --- # How to stay consistent URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/how-to-stay-consistent/ Consistency comes from making the habit small enough for bad days, giving it a fixed time, making progress visible, planning for the days you miss, and reviewing the week. People who decide in advance when and where they will act follow through more often (Gollwitzer and Sheeran, 2006), and tracking progress helps people reach goals (Harkin et al., 2016). ## 1. Make it small enough for a bad day A 20-minute version you will do beats a 2-hour version you skip. ## 2. Give it a time and a place "I will train more" fails. "Gym Monday, Wednesday, Friday at 07:00" works. This is an [implementation intention](/glossary/implementation-intentions/). ## 3. Make progress visible A streak, a ticked block, a number going up. [Streaks](/glossary/streak/) work because breaking one hurts a little. ## 4. Plan for the miss You will miss days. Decide now what happens then: the minimum version, planned as a short block ([what happens to a streak](/answers/streak-freezes/)). Missing once does not undo a habit; missing twice starts a new one. ## 5. Review weekly Every Sunday: what happened, what slipped, what changes. [The weekly review](/guides/weekly-review/). ## 6. Do it with people A crew, a partner, a board. Accountability turns "I should" into "they will see". ## 7. Keep score of the right thing Count hours done, not hours planned. ## In Cutline Plan the habit as a block, tick it off, and watch the streak. There are no streak freezes, so the streak is real. Join the [Arena](/arena/) if a weekly board keeps you going. ## Questions **How long until something becomes a habit?** In one well-known study it took 66 days on average, with a wide range (Lally et al., 2010). Missing a single day did not reset progress. --- # A daily routine for entrepreneurs URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/daily-routine-for-entrepreneurs/ A strong routine for entrepreneurs protects the hours that build the business: training or a walk first, three hours of deep work before messages, sales and outreach in one block, meetings after lunch, and a short shutdown that plans tomorrow. Copy it into Cutline in one sentence and adjust from there. ## The routine | Time | Block | Why | |---|---|---| | 06:30–07:30 | Training | Energy for the day, done before anything can cancel it | | 08:00–11:00 | Deep work | The product, the pitch, the hard problem | | 11:00–12:00 | Sales | Calls and replies while you are sharp | | 12:00–13:00 | Lunch, away from the screen | | | 13:00–14:00 | Outreach | 20 personal messages ([the daily outreach block](/playbooks/daily-outreach-block/)) | | 14:00–16:00 | Meetings | Clustered, so the morning stays clean | | 16:00–16:30 | Admin and email | | | 16:30–16:45 | Shutdown | Tick off the day, plan tomorrow | Type it: **"gym weekdays 6:30, deep work weekdays 8-11, sales weekdays 11-12, outreach weekdays 13-14, meetings weekdays 14-16"**. ## Rules that make it work - **No messages before the deep work block ends.** - **Meetings only in the afternoon window.** Say "I am free 14:00 to 16:00". - **One shutdown.** Ten minutes that decide tomorrow, so the morning starts without decisions. ## Questions **What if mornings are not my best time?** Move the deep work block to your best hours; keep the rule that it comes before messages and meetings. --- # Timeboxing vs time blocking URL: https://gocutline.com/guides/timeboxing-vs-time-blocking/ Time blocking reserves a slot in your calendar for a kind of work. Timeboxing goes one step further: it fixes how much time a task may take and you stop when the time is up, finished or not. Time blocking plans the week; timeboxing keeps each task from growing to fill the day ([Parkinson's law](/glossary/parkinsons-law/)). ## The difference | | Time blocking | Timeboxing | |---|---|---| | What it fixes | When work happens | How long a task may take | | When the time runs out | Move what is left | Stop and decide: done, extend or drop | | Best for | A week where important work gets a slot | Tasks that expand (email, polishing, research) | ## Use both Block "Deep work, 09:00 to 12:00" in the week. Inside it, timebox "Landing page copy, 60 minutes". When the hour is up, stop and judge it. ## In Cutline A block has a start and an end. Treat the end as a timebox: when it comes, tick it off or move what is left, honestly. ## Questions **Is timeboxing the same as Pomodoro?** No. Pomodoro is a fixed 25-minute focus sprint with breaks; a timebox can be any length and limits the whole task. --- # A shared calendar for couples URL: https://gocutline.com/for/couples/ Couples use Cutline to plan the things they do together (training, saving for a trip, date nights, a move) in one shared calendar, while each keeps a private week of their own. Joining a shared calendar is free on every plan. ## How couples use it - **One shared calendar** for what you do together; each blocks shows in the colour of who added it. - **Two private weeks.** Work and your own plans stay yours. - **Tick things off together.** Shared training or saving goals get a streak. - **Budget by block.** Put what a date night or a trip cost on the block and see the month add up. ## Ideas to put in it | Block | When | |---|---| | Training together | Tuesday and Thursday 07:00 | | Sunday plan for the week | Sunday 19:00, 30 min | | Date night | Friday 19:00 | | Cook together, meal prep | Sunday 17:00 ([recipes](/recipes/)) | ## Questions **Can my partner see my whole week?** No. They see only the shared calendar. Your own week stays private. **Does my partner need a paid plan?** No. Joining a shared calendar is free. Creating one is on paid plans. --- # A family calendar that gets things done URL: https://gocutline.com/for/families/ Families use a Cutline shared calendar for what the household plans together (school runs, training, meal prep, chores) while each person keeps a private week. Meal blocks can be filled from a recipe library with calories and macros in one click. ## What goes in the family calendar - **Fixed things:** school, practice, appointments. - **Meals:** Sunday meal prep and weeknight dinners, filled from [recipes](/recipes/) with ingredients and steps. - **Chores as blocks:** tick them off and they count. - **The Sunday plan:** 20 minutes to set the week. ## Why blocks beat a list on the fridge A chore with a time gets done. A chore on a list waits for someone to feel like it. ## Questions **How many people can share a calendar?** Up to 25 people per shared calendar. **Is it free?** Joining is free on every plan, and each person's own planning is free. Creating shared calendars is on paid plans. --- # Where do your 168 hours go? URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/time-audit/ Everyone has 168 hours a week. Enter how you spend yours below and see how many are left over. Most people find 20 to 40 free hours a week once sleep and work are counted, and the question is whether those hours have a plan. ## How to use the number - **Left over is not wasted.** It is unplanned. Give some of it a job: training, a side project, reading. - **Look at the biggest bar first.** Phone time is usually the easiest to cut. - **Do a real audit for a week.** Track blocks as they happen and compare with your guess. See [time audit](/glossary/time-audit/). ## Questions **How many free hours does the average person have?** It varies a lot. A full-time worker who sleeps 8 hours and commutes still often has 30 or more hours a week outside work, sleep and chores. --- # Pomodoro timer URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/pomodoro-timer/ Pick Focus 25, press Start, and work until the timer ends; then take a 5-minute break. After four rounds, take 15. The timer runs in your browser, with no sign-up, no ads and no cookies. ## How the Pomodoro Technique works 1. Choose one task. 2. Work for 25 minutes without switching. 3. Take a 5-minute break. 4. After four rounds, take 15 to 30 minutes. ## Plan the block, then run the timer A timer helps you focus; a time block makes sure the work has a slot. Put a deep work block in your week, run Pomodoros inside it, then tick it off. [Pomodoro vs time blocking](/guides/pomodoro-vs-time-blocking/). ## Questions **Is 50 minutes better than 25?** For deep work many people prefer 50 on and 10 off. Try both for a week. --- # Weekly schedule maker URL: https://gocutline.com/tools/weekly-schedule-maker/ Type your week in one sentence, separating things with commas, and the schedule appears by day below. "gym 3x at 7am, deep work weekdays 9-12, read daily 21:00" works. When it looks right, open it in Cutline, free, and the blocks go straight into your week. ## What it understands - **How often:** daily, weekdays, weekends, mon wed fri, 3x - **When:** 7am, 14:00, at 9, 9-12, 2pm to 4pm - **How long:** 45min, 1.5h (or a range) ## Then what A schedule only helps if you follow it. In Cutline every block can be ticked off; finished blocks earn XP and a day with everything done is Cleared. [Weekly templates](/templates/) give you a head start. ## Questions **Can I print the schedule?** Use your browser's print option, or open it in Cutline and share the week as an image. --- # What is Cutline? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/what-is-cutline/ Cutline (gocutline.com) is a weekly time-blocking calendar and planner that turns finished time blocks into XP, levels and streaks. You plan your week in blocks, tick each one off when it is done, and your finished hours show on a weekly board, a social feed and a verified CV. Planning is free; paid plans start at $9 a month. It was made in Denmark in 2026 by Adel and Kristian. ## Cutline, the app - **What it is:** a calendar for the hours you control. You plan the week on **the Grid** in time blocks, then tick each block off when it is done. - **What makes it different:** only finished blocks count. Every 15 finished minutes earn 10 XP, a day with every block done is stamped Cleared, and streaks, levels and the weekly [Arena](/arena/) come from what you finished, not from what you planned. - **Where it runs:** in any modern browser on desktop and phone, at [app.gocutline.com](https://app.gocutline.com/). No download. - **What it costs:** planning, XP, streaks, Budget, linked calendars and the verified CV are free. Verified is $9 a month, Pro $24 (free for 7 days), Crew $12 a seat and Brand $99. See [pricing](/pricing/). - **Who makes it:** Adel and Kristian, in Denmark. Founded in 2026. ## What you can do in Cutline | Part | What it is | |---|---| | [The Grid](/grid/) | Your week in time blocks, from 00:00 to 24:00, in quarter hours | | [The Arena](/arena/) | A weekly leaderboard of finished hours, and a new challenge every day | | [The Floor](/floor/) | A feed where people post the weeks they finished | | [Shared calendars](/shared-calendars/) | Plan with a partner, friends or a team | | [Verified CV](/verified-cv/) | Your record of work on one page, with a number anyone can check | | [Get paid](/get-paid/) | Payment links through your own Stripe account | | [Integrations](/integrations/) | Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple Calendar and iCal in your week | ## Other meanings of "cutline" The word is older than the app: - **In newspapers and magazines,** a cutline is the caption under a photo. The name comes from "cut", the old printers' word for an engraved picture block. - **In printing and sticker making,** a cutline (or cut path, or die line) is the outline a cutting machine follows around a design. - **In golf, racing and other competitions,** the cut line is the mark a competitor has to reach to stay in for the final rounds. Making the cut means getting past it. - **In planning and testing,** a cutline is the line on a priority list above which work gets done, and below which it is cut for lack of time. The app borrows the competition meaning, and a little of the planning one. In the Arena, the top 100 of the week make the cut, and a week in Cutline is a list of what made it into your calendar. ## Is Cutline the same as other apps with a similar name? No. Cutline the calendar lives at **gocutline.com** and **app.gocutline.com**: a personal weekly time-blocking calendar. Other software uses the same name, for example roadmap and capacity-planning tools for engineering teams; they are separate companies with no connection to this Cutline. If you are looking for a photo caption or a cutline for stickers, it is not this one either. ## Questions **Is Cutline free?** Yes. Planning your week, XP, levels, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars and the verified CV are free, for good. Paid plans add a badge, posting on the Floor, shared calendars and lower selling fees. **Is Cutline an app or a website?** A web app. It runs in the browser on desktop and phone at app.gocutline.com, so there is nothing to install. **Is Cutline the roadmap or capacity-planning tool for engineering teams?** No. Cutline at gocutline.com is a personal weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish. Roadmap and capacity-planning tools for engineering teams that use the same name are separate companies. **What does cutline mean in journalism?** The caption printed under a photo or illustration. Many newsrooms say caption today; cutline is the older word. **Where can I check facts about Cutline?** On the facts page, which lists plans, prices, features and limits, and the same data is at /facts.json. --- # About Cutline URL: https://gocutline.com/about/ Cutline is a weekly time-blocking calendar made by two founders, Adel and Kristian, in Denmark. It launched in 2026. It earns money from paid plans, selling fees on payment links and labelled ads on the Floor, never from selling data. Everything on this site about other apps follows the editorial rules below. ## Who makes Cutline Cutline is built by **Adel and Kristian**, two founders in Denmark, around one idea: a calendar should know what you finished, not only what you planned. Cutline gives a time block a done state, and builds streaks, levels and a weekly board from finished time only. - **Launched:** 2026 - **Runs on:** any modern browser, desktop and phone, at [app.gocutline.com](https://app.gocutline.com/) - **Language:** English - **Facts, plans and prices in one place:** [Facts](/facts/), also as [facts.json](/facts.json) ## How Cutline makes money | Source | What it is | |---|---| | Paid plans | Verified $9, Pro $24, Crew $12 a seat and Brand $99 a month. Planning stays free. | | Selling fees | A Cutline fee on payment links: 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, 0% on Pro and Brand. Stripe's card fees apply. | | Ads on the Floor | Labelled with who paid, reviewed by a person, never targeted at a person. | We do not sell data, and the website has no cookies and no trackers. Details: [Privacy Policy](/privacy/). ## How we write about other apps Many pages here compare Cutline with other tools or list the best apps for a job. They follow five rules: 1. **Cutline is disclosed as ours** on every list and comparison. 2. **No paid placements.** No app pays to be on a list or to rank higher, and we take no affiliate fees. 3. **Other apps are described by what they are known for**, with a link to their own site. We avoid their prices and feature counts where they change often, and link their pricing pages instead. 4. **Every list says who should not pick Cutline**, when that is the honest answer. 5. **Corrections:** if something about your product is wrong, tell us (contact details on the [Legal](/legal/) page) and we fix it. Every page carries the date it was last updated. ## Where facts about Cutline come from - [Facts](/facts/) and [facts.json](/facts.json): plans, prices, features, privacy, who it fits and who it does not - [Answers](/answers/): short answers to the questions people ask about Cutline - [For developers and AI agents](/developers/): the same facts and tools in machine-readable form ## Questions **Who owns Cutline?** Cutline is run by its two founders, Adel and Kristian, in Denmark. **Does Cutline sell my data?** No. Cutline earns from paid plans, selling fees on payment links and labelled ads that are not targeted at anyone. **Are the comparisons on gocutline.com paid?** No. No app pays to be listed or ranked, and Cutline takes no affiliate fees. Cutline is disclosed as ours on every list. --- # Cutline for developers and AI agents URL: https://gocutline.com/developers/ Cutline is built to be read and used by AI assistants as well as people. Every page has a Markdown copy, the facts are at /facts.json, and a free, read-only MCP server lets any MCP client plan a week the Cutline way, search the site and quote the official facts. No key and no sign-in. ## Everything at a glance | Door | Where | What it gives you | |---|---|---| | Markdown pages | add `index.html.md` to any page, or send `Accept: text/markdown` | Any page as clean Markdown | | llms.txt | [/llms.txt](/llms.txt) and [/llms-full.txt](/llms-full.txt) | Every page with a one-line summary; the main pages in full | | Facts | [/facts.json](/facts.json) | Plans, prices, features, privacy, who Cutline fits and who it does not | | Page index | [/search-index.json](/search-index.json) | Every page: URL, title, description | | Library | [/library.json](/library.json) | Every recipe (with macros), workout and business playbook | | OpenAPI | [/openapi.json](/openapi.json) | The public files above, described | | API catalog | [/.well-known/api-catalog](/.well-known/api-catalog) | RFC 9727 linkset pointing at all of it | | MCP server | `https://yjmqhlpwddgfrxywhect.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp` | Tools: plan a week, search, facts, library, ISO week, time audit | | MCP server card | [/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json](/.well-known/mcp/server-card.json) | The server, its tools and how to connect | | Agent Skills | [/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json](/.well-known/agent-skills/index.json) | SKILL.md files: plan a week in Cutline, answer questions about Cutline | | WebMCP | every page on gocutline.com | The same tools for agents running in the browser | Everything is read-only, free and open (CORS allows any origin). Robots and content signals allow search, AI answers and training. ## MCP server A Model Context Protocol server over Streamable HTTP. Add it to any MCP client as a remote server: - **URL:** `https://yjmqhlpwddgfrxywhect.supabase.co/functions/v1/mcp` - **Auth:** none - **Tools:** `plan_week`, `search_cutline`, `get_cutline_facts`, `get_library_item`, `iso_week`, `time_audit` - **Resources:** `cutline://facts`, `cutline://library` - **Prompt:** `plan_my_week` In Claude, add it under Settings → Connectors → Add custom connector. In other clients, add a remote MCP server with the URL above. Then ask: "Plan my week: gym three times, deep work every weekday morning, calls on Tuesday and Thursday." ## Open a planned week in Cutline Any app, agent or page can hand a week to Cutline with one link: `https://app.gocutline.com/?plan=` + the week as one sentence, URL-encoded Example: [gym 3x at 7am, deep work weekdays 9-12, read daily 21:00](https://app.gocutline.com/?plan=gym%203x%20at%207am%2C%20deep%20work%20weekdays%209-12%2C%20read%20daily%2021%3A00). It opens Plan in a sentence with the text filled in; after a free sign-in the person adds the blocks with one click. The grammar is in the [Agent Skill](/.well-known/agent-skills/cutline-plan-a-week/SKILL.md) and the [weekly schedule maker](/tools/weekly-schedule-maker/). Two more links: `?lib=recipes/` (or `workouts/`, `playbooks/`) opens a library item ready to plan, and `?trial=1` opens the 7-day Pro trial. ## WebMCP On every page of gocutline.com, browsers that support WebMCP (`navigator.modelContext`) get four tools: `plan_week_in_cutline`, `search_cutline`, `get_cutline_facts` and `open_cutline_page`. They only read public data. ## Rules for using what we publish - Quote prices from [facts.json](/facts.json) with its date; they change. - Cutline's own lists and comparisons are written by the Cutline team and say so. Say so too when you cite them. - Something wrong? Contact details are on the [Legal](/legal/) page. ## Questions **Is there a Cutline API?** There is a free, read-only MCP server and a set of public JSON and Markdown files described in /openapi.json. There is no API for reading or writing someone's own calendar. **Can an AI assistant add blocks to my Cutline week?** It can prepare them: the plan link opens Plan in a sentence with the week filled in, and you add the blocks yourself with one click after signing in. Nothing is added without you. **Do I need a key for the MCP server?** No. It is read-only and needs no key or sign-in. --- # How much does Cutline cost? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/cutline-pricing/ Planning in Cutline is free, for good: the week in time blocks, XP, levels, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked Google/Outlook/Apple calendars and the verified CV. Paid plans cost $9 a month (Verified), $24 (Pro, free for 7 days), $12 a seat from 4 seats (Crew) and $99 (Brand). Yearly plans cost ten months for twelve. ## Every plan | Plan | Monthly | Yearly | What it adds | |---|---|---|---| | Free | $0 | $0 | The week in time blocks, templates, XP, levels, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars (Google, Outlook, Apple, iCal), the verified CV, reading and replying on the Floor, payment links at a 5% Cutline fee. Pro free for 7 days, once. | | Verified | $9 | $90 | The orange Verified seal, posting and starting conversations on the Floor, 1 shared calendar, payment links at a 2% Cutline fee. Pays for itself from about $300 a month in sales. | | Pro | $24 | $240 | The green Pro seal, everything in Verified, 5 shared calendars, payment links at a 0% Cutline fee. Pays for itself from about $480 a month in sales. | | Crew | $12 | $120 | Per seat, from 4 seats: the yellow Crew seal on every seat, 3 shared calendars a seat, crew boards in the Arena, a 2% Cutline fee. | | Brand | $99 | $990 | A separate membership for companies, clubs and creators: your logo as the badge, your team mark after up to 10 names, 15 shared calendars, a 0% Cutline fee. | Prices are in USD and exclude local taxes. Monthly plans renew on the 1st of every month; the first payment covers only the days left in the month you join. ## The free week of Pro Pro is free for 7 days, once per person and card. A card is needed, $0 is charged today, you get a reminder 2 days before the end, and you pay nothing if you cancel before day 7. ## Which plan pays for itself? The paid plans lower Cutline's fee on payment links: 5% on Free, 2% on Verified, 0% on Pro. Verified pays for itself from about $300 a month in sales, Pro from about $480. If you do not sell anything, the free plan has everything for planning. ## What is never sold No streak freezes: a streak is only days with finished work. ## Questions **Is Cutline free?** Yes. Planning, XP, levels, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars and the verified CV are free, for good. **Is there a free trial?** Pro is free for 7 days, once per person and card. $0 today; cancel before day 7 and you pay nothing. **Does Cutline have a yearly plan?** Yes. Every paid plan has a yearly price that costs ten months for twelve. --- # Is Cutline worth it? Pros, cons and who it is not for URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/cutline-pros-and-cons/ Cutline is worth it if you plan your own week and want to see what you actually finished: blocks have a done state, and streaks, levels and a weekly board come only from finished time. Planning is free, so trying it costs nothing. It is not the right pick if you need meeting booking, automatic task scheduling, a native phone app or a language other than English. > Written by the Cutline team. We make Cutline, so weigh this as a first-hand description, with the limits stated as plainly as the strengths. ## What Cutline does well - **A done state for every block.** Tick a block off and it counts; skip it and the week shows it. Most calendars cannot tell the two apart. - **Motivation from finished time only.** 10 XP per 15 finished minutes, +100 XP for a Cleared day, levels and an honest streak (no freezes); XP only for blocks ticked off on their day or up to two days after. - **Your other calendars inside.** Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple and iCal events show next to your blocks, read-only. - **Fast planning.** Type the week in one sentence ("gym 3x at 7am, deep work weekdays 9-12") or copy one of 30+ templates. - **Free where it matters.** Planning, XP, streaks, Budget, linked calendars and the verified CV cost nothing. - **Proof.** A verified CV built from your record, and payment links through your own Stripe account. ## What Cutline does not do - **No meeting booking or scheduling links.** Use a booking tool, or Google Calendar or Outlook, which you can link into Cutline. - **No automatic scheduling.** Cutline plans with you, not for you. If you want software to move tasks around for you, look at Motion or Reclaim. - **No App Store or Google Play app.** Cutline runs in the browser on phone and desktop. There is no offline mode. - **English only**, for now. - **Some social parts are paid.** Free accounts read the Floor, follow and reply; posting, starting conversations and shared calendars come with paid plans. - **New.** Cutline launched in 2026, so it has fewer integrations and a smaller community than tools that have been around for a decade. ## Who should pick Cutline | Pick Cutline if you | Pick something else if you | |---|---| | Plan your own week in blocks and want to see what got done | Mostly need meetings, booking pages or room booking | | Stay consistent with streaks, levels or a leaderboard | Want an app to schedule tasks for you automatically | | Are a founder, freelancer, salesperson, creator or student | Need a native app or offline use | | Want to plan with friends, a partner or a small team | Need another language than English | ## Questions **Is Cutline legit?** Yes. Cutline is a working web app made by two founders in Denmark, launched in 2026. Payments run through Stripe, data is stored in the EU, and the website has no cookies or trackers. **What is the biggest downside of Cutline?** It plans with you, not for you: there is no automatic scheduling, and there is no App Store app yet. **Can I try Cutline for free?** Yes. Planning is free for good, and Pro is free for 7 days. --- # Does Cutline have a mobile app? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/cutline-mobile-app/ Cutline is a web app: it runs in the browser on iPhone, Android and desktop at app.gocutline.com, with the same account everywhere. There is no App Store or Google Play app yet, and no offline mode. On a phone you can add it to your home screen from the browser's share menu so it opens like an app. ## Cutline on your phone 1. Open [app.gocutline.com](https://app.gocutline.com/) in Safari (iPhone) or Chrome (Android) and sign in. 2. Add it to your home screen: in Safari tap Share, then Add to Home Screen; in Chrome tap the menu, then Add to Home screen. 3. It opens from the icon like any other app, and your week is the same on every device. ## What works on a phone The week, ticking blocks off, XP and streaks, the Floor, the Arena, Budget and your verified CV. Planning a whole week is quicker on a bigger screen, or by typing it as one sentence. ## Will there be an App Store app? Not yet. When that changes, it will say so on the [facts page](/facts/). ## Questions **Is there a Cutline app for iPhone?** Not in the App Store yet. Cutline runs in Safari on iPhone, and you can add it to your home screen. **Does Cutline work offline?** No. Cutline needs an internet connection. **Is it the same account on phone and computer?** Yes. Sign in on any device and your week is there. --- # How does XP work in Cutline? URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/how-cutline-xp-works/ In Cutline, only finished time earns XP: every block you tick off earns 10 XP per 15 minutes (at least 10 XP a block), and a day where every block is done is Cleared and earns 100 XP more. Levels follow your total: level n takes 400 × n² XP, so level 2 is 1,600 XP and level 10 is 40,000. Planned blocks you do not finish earn nothing. ## XP | What | XP | |---|---| | A finished block | 10 XP per 15 minutes, at least 10 (1 hour = 40 XP) | | A Cleared day (every block on it done) | +100 XP | | A planned block you did not finish | 0 | Your own finished blocks in shared calendars count too. ## Levels Level n starts at 400 × n² XP. | Level | XP needed | Roughly | |---|---|---| | 2 | 1,600 | 40 finished hours | | 5 | 10,000 | 250 hours | | 10 | 40,000 | 1,000 hours | | 20 | 160,000 | 4,000 hours | Cleared days bring each level a little closer. ## Ranks | From level | Rank | |---|---| | 1 | Contender | | 3 | Grinder | | 5 | Operator | | 8 | Closer | | 11 | Shark | | 15 | Mogul | | 20 | Legend | ## Streaks A streak counts days with finished work. A missed day ends the streak: there are no streak freezes and nothing is for sale. ## Why only finished time counts A calendar that rewards planning rewards the wrong thing. Counting only finished blocks keeps the score honest, and makes the Arena (a weekly board of finished hours) and the verified CV mean something. ## Questions **How many XP is an hour in Cutline?** 40 XP: 10 XP for every 15 finished minutes. **How do you level up in Cutline?** Finish blocks. Level n starts at 400 × n² XP; Cleared days add 100 XP each. **What is the highest rank in Cutline?** Legend, from level 20 (160,000 XP). --- # Is Cutline safe? Privacy, data and payments URL: https://gocutline.com/answers/is-cutline-safe/ Yes. Cutline stores your data in the EU (Ireland) with Supabase, takes payments through Stripe (Cutline never sees a full card number), keeps your own calendar private, and has no cookies or trackers on its website. You can see, export or delete your data at any time, and deleting your account removes your files too. ## Your data | Question | Answer | |---|---| | Where is it stored? | In the EU (Ireland), with Supabase: database, sign-in and files | | Who sees my calendar? | Only you. Others see weekly totals you choose to share, and calendars you share with them | | Cookies and trackers on the website? | None | | Is my data sold? | No | | Can I delete everything? | Yes. Deleting your account removes your data and the files you uploaded; only payment records stay, for the 5 years Danish bookkeeping law requires | ## Payments Payments, invoices and payment links run through **Stripe**. Card details stay with Stripe; Cutline never sees a full card number. Payment links pay into your own Stripe account. ## Linked calendars Google, Outlook, Apple and iCal events are read-only copies shown next to your blocks. Cutline does not change or delete events in your other calendars. ## Your rights Under the GDPR you can see, correct, take or delete your data at any time. The full details, including who helps run Cutline and how long things are kept: [Privacy Policy](/privacy/). ## Questions **Does Cutline sell my data?** No. **Where does Cutline store data?** In the EU (Ireland), with Supabase. **Can Cutline see my card number?** No. Payments run through Stripe, and card details stay with Stripe. --- # Cutline facts URL: https://gocutline.com/facts/ Cutline is a free weekly time-blocking calendar that scores what you finish. This page lists its plans, prices, features, limits and privacy rules in one place, and the same data is at /facts.json for software to read. ## In one sentence A weekly time-blocking calendar and planner that turns finished time blocks into XP, levels and streaks, with a social feed (the Floor), a weekly leaderboard (the Arena), linked calendars, payment links and a verified CV. ## The basics | | | |---|---| | Website | [gocutline.com](/) | | App | [app.gocutline.com](https://app.gocutline.com/) | | Runs on | Any modern browser on desktop and phone (web app). No download needed. | | Made by | Adel and Kristian | | Launched | 2026 | | Price | Free forever for planning; paid plans from $9 a month; Pro free for 7 days | ## Plans and prices (USD) | Plan | Monthly | Yearly | What it adds | |---|---|---|---| | Free | $0 | $0 | The week in time blocks, templates, XP, levels, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars (Google, Outlook, Apple, iCal), the verified CV, reading and replying on the Floor, payment links at a 5% Cutline fee. Pro free for 7 days, once. | | Verified | $9 | $90 | The orange Verified seal, posting and starting conversations on the Floor, 1 shared calendar, payment links at a 2% Cutline fee. Pays for itself from about $300 a month in sales. | | Pro | $24 | $240 | The green Pro seal, everything in Verified, 5 shared calendars, payment links at a 0% Cutline fee. Pays for itself from about $480 a month in sales. | | Crew | $12 | $120 | Per seat, from 4 seats: the yellow Crew seal on every seat, 3 shared calendars a seat, crew boards in the Arena, a 2% Cutline fee. | | Brand | $99 | $990 | A separate membership for companies, clubs and creators: your logo as the badge, your team mark after up to 10 names, 15 shared calendars, a 0% Cutline fee. | Crew is priced per seat, from 4 seats. Pro is free to try for 7 days: a card is needed, $0 today, cancel before day 7 and pay nothing. Monthly plans renew on the 1st of every month: the first payment covers only the days left in the month you join. There are no streak freezes, on any plan. Prices exclude local taxes. Details: [pricing](/pricing/). ## What it does | Feature | What it is | Free? | |---|---|---| | [The Grid](/grid/) | A weekly calendar of time blocks, from 00:00 to 24:00 in quarter hours; a block is planned, then ticked off when done. | Yes | | [XP and levels](/features/gamified-calendar/) | Every finished block earns 10 XP per 15 minutes (at least 10). A day where every block is done is Cleared and earns 100 XP. Levels carry ranks from Contender to Legend. A block earns XP when it is ticked off on its day or up to two days after; older blocks can be ticked off for the record without XP, and a day that has not come cannot be ticked off. | Yes | | [Streaks](/pricing/#streaks) | A streak counts days with finished work. There are no streak freezes: a missed day ends the streak, on every plan, and nothing is for sale. | Yes | | [Arena challenges and duels](/arena/) | Weekly challenges anyone can join (for example 20 hours of deep work, or a finished block before 6:00 on five days) and 1-on-1 duels for the week, counted from finished blocks only. | Yes | | [Templates](/templates/) | Over 30 proven weeks to copy, from 5 AM Founder to Exam Week. | Yes | | [Linked calendars](/integrations/) | Google Calendar, Outlook, Apple (iCloud) and any iCal calendar show in the week as read-only blocks; synced in the background every 15 minutes. Your Cutline week is also a private calendar feed. | Yes | | [Budget](/budget/) | Put what a block cost on the block; totals by day, week, month and year. No bank connection. | Yes | | [The Arena](/arena/) | An opt-in weekly board of finished hours that resets every Monday. Only totals show. | Yes | | [The Floor](/floor/) | A feed of posts backed by a real week (hours and blocks done). Paid plans post; free accounts read, follow and reply. | Yes | | [Verified CV](/verified-cv/) | A one-page CV built from the last 12 months of finished blocks, with a document number and QR code anyone can verify at /verify/. | Yes | | [Payment links](/get-paid/) | Connect your own Stripe account and send payment links. Cutline fee 5% on Free, 2% on Verified and Crew, 0% on Pro and Brand; Stripe card fees apply. | Yes | | [Shared calendars](/shared-calendars/) | Your own calendar stays private; paid plans create shared calendars with up to 25 people each. Joining is free. | Paid plans | | [Badges](/badges/) | Verified (orange), Pro (green), Crew (yellow), Brand (your logo). Official (silver) is not for sale: apply at $100,000 in verified revenue. | Paid plans | | [Profile picture or logo](/floor/) | Upload a photo (round) or a logo (square) that shows next to your name everywhere on Cutline. | Yes | | [Jobs and gigs](/jobs/) | Companies and people on a paid plan post a job (a role) or a gig (a task with a set scope); anyone applies with a note and their verified CV. Listings run 30 days; 3 open at a time, 10 on Brand. | Yes | | [Library](/recipes/) | Recipes with calories and macros, workouts with sets and reps, and business playbooks. An empty block can be filled from it in one click. | Yes | | [Ads on the Floor](/advertise/) | Brands buy packages of views (5,000 for $25, 25,000 for $100, 100,000 for $350). Ads are labelled with who paid, reviewed by a person, and not targeted. | For advertisers | ## Privacy - No cookies and no trackers on gocutline.com. - Your own calendar is private. Others see only weekly totals you choose to share, and calendars you share. - Ads on the Floor are not personalised; nothing about a person is used to pick them. ## Checking a claim - A Cutline CV can be checked by its document number at [gocutline.com/verify](/verify/). - The research behind the Cutline Method is listed with journals and DOIs on [research](/research/). - The same facts as data: [/facts.json](/facts.json). ## Questions **Is Cutline free?** Yes. Planning, XP, streaks, Budget, the Arena, linked calendars and the verified CV are free forever. Paid plans start at $9 a month, and Pro is free to try for 7 days. **Who makes Cutline?** Adel and Kristian, who built it for themselves first.