Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhy Time Blocking Actually Helps Us Get Stuff DoneOnly 2.5% People Can Really Multitask—Most Just Believe They CanHow to Use Time Blocking (Plus an Example Schedule)

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

Why Time Blocking Actually Helps Us Get Stuff Done

Only 2.5% People Can Really Multitask—Most Just Believe They Can

How to Use Time Blocking (Plus an Example Schedule)

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Whether you work a nine-to-five job, work remotely, or stay at home with the kids, everyone needs an effective method for managing their day.

After all,perfectionism, procrastination and the myth of multitasking are all very real dangers that can keep even the most productive people stuck in one place.

So, how do you take control of your schedule and really get things done? This is where time-blocking aka time-chunking comes in.

At a GlanceSometimes we have so much on our plates that we get discouraged or overwhelmed and end up doing nothing at all. Even though life throws so much at us, it’s good to have a way to manage all of your tasks. Time blocking can help us achieve that. By breaking our days into smaller, more manageable chunks, we can be more efficient, productive, and less stressed.

At a Glance

Sometimes we have so much on our plates that we get discouraged or overwhelmed and end up doing nothing at all. Even though life throws so much at us, it’s good to have a way to manage all of your tasks. Time blocking can help us achieve that. By breaking our days into smaller, more manageable chunks, we can be more efficient, productive, and less stressed.

Sometimes referred to as “monotasking” or “time chunking,” time blocking is a time management technique where you block off a period of time to complete a particular task.

For instance, instead of checking your phone every time you get an email or a social media notification, you block off specific times throughout the day to return phone calls, respond to emails, and check social media accounts.

You’re essentially setting aside specific blocks of time to complete important tasks or projects. In the end, your schedule is broken into chunks of time where you arefocusingon one task or project at a time.

This type of time management not only makes your to-do list more manageable but also gives you more control over your day and helps you prioritize your tasks. Time blocking alsoimproves focusand detersprocrastination. And, at the end of the day, you will feel like you actually accomplished something.

Many people believe that they can do multiple things at once and do them all well. But research shows that only about 2.5% of people are able to multitask effectively. The rest of the population onlybelievesthey are multitasking effectively.

In fact, trying to do more than one thing at a time—like texting and driving or writing an important email while returning a client’s phone call—compromises your ability to complete both tasks well.

Meanwhile, a 2013 study at the University of Utah found that people who try to juggle multiple tasks at once are more easily distracted, less productive, make more errors, and score lower on recall tests.

Likewise, switching quickly between two projects also can impact the results. We complete tasks much more effectively when we give them our full attention.What’s more, neuroscientists caution that trying to do several things at one time or dividing ourattention, is impacting our ability to perform even simple tasks.

What this means is that the more we multitask, the less we are able to accomplish. The reason is simple. We are losing our ability tofocus, which means projects take longer than they should.

How Multitasking Affects Productivity and Brain Health

Not only will this approach cut down on mental errors, but also help youunleash your creativity, especially because you will be funneling all of your energy and attention into one task within its given time block.

Here is an overview of how you can incorporate time blocking into your life.

Develop Your List—Don’t Leave Anything Out

Put stars next to the things that absolutely have to be completed like projects for work, meetings with clients, and doctors' appointments. Usually, this task is done on a Friday after work or on aSunday eveningbefore the workweek begins.

Single-Tasking for Productivity and Stress Management

Determine Your Priorities

Create a Daily Blueprint

Your next step is to think about how much time you have in a day and how much time you want to allow for each task on your list.

Time-Blocking ExampleA sample blueprint for someone who works from home might look like this:6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Morning Ritual/Exercise7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Take Kids to School8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Break/Return Phone Calls11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Kids Return From School/Talk About Day4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Prep/Eat Dinner/Clean Up6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Free Time/Help With Homework9:00 p.m. 9:30 p.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Evening Ritual

Time-Blocking Example

A sample blueprint for someone who works from home might look like this:6:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m. Morning Ritual/Exercise7:30 a.m. to 8:00 a.m. Take Kids to School8:00 a.m. to 8:30 a.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)10:30 a.m. to 11 a.m. Break/Return Phone Calls11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)12:30 p.m. to 1:00 p.m. Lunch Break1:00 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)3:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. Kids Return From School/Talk About Day4:30 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. Prep/Eat Dinner/Clean Up6:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.Priority Project (insert one of your priorities)7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Free Time/Help With Homework9:00 p.m. 9:30 p.m. Respond to Emails/Check Social Media9:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. Evening Ritual

A sample blueprint for someone who works from home might look like this:

Of course, this is a very simple blueprint and would not be suitable for everyone. The key is that you develop a blueprint for your typical day with blocks of time where you can focus on your important tasks or projects.

If you work for a company that has team meetings, regular trainings, or weekly conference calls, you need to account for those as well. And, don’t forget to allow for travel time if you have meetings or appointments that you need to attend during the week. You also may need to develop a different blueprint for the weekend.

You May Need a New Blueprint Each WeekSome people will need to develop new blueprints every week. Other people have a very structuredwork environmentand can use the same blueprint week after week. Do what works for you. You are in control of your schedule and can adapt and change it to fit your needs and priorities.

You May Need a New Blueprint Each Week

Some people will need to develop new blueprints every week. Other people have a very structuredwork environmentand can use the same blueprint week after week. Do what works for you. You are in control of your schedule and can adapt and change it to fit your needs and priorities.

What Is Procrastination?

Block Off Your Entire Day

Consequently, if you think it will take you four hours to complete the report, you could schedule two hours on Monday and two hours on Tuesday to work on the report. Then, on Wednesday plan another hour to proof it, make changes, and finalize it.

By planning to set blocks of time early in the week to complete the report, you not only prevent procrastination but also set aside the time you need to focus on developing the report.

Protect Your Time

Once you have your schedule completed, protect your time as best you can. Of course, unexpected things will come up and you will need to be flexible. But resist the urge to give up your priority project time for something that can wait.

Communicate to co-workersand family members when you will be unavailable. Then, treat those blocks of time as if you were meeting with a very important client. No one would think to interrupt you during a meeting. Likewise, the goal is that you are not interrupted during your protected priority project time.

What This Means For YouEffective use of time blocking can help you take control of your day, focus your attention, and ward off procrastination. At first, it may take some trial and error to create a blueprint that works for you, but with a little practice and a small dose of patience, you will be a pro in no time.

What This Means For You

Effective use of time blocking can help you take control of your day, focus your attention, and ward off procrastination. At first, it may take some trial and error to create a blueprint that works for you, but with a little practice and a small dose of patience, you will be a pro in no time.

What Is the Pomodoro Technique?

7 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Gaskin JE, Skousen T.Time-Chunking and Hyper-Refocusing in a Digitally-Enabled Workplace: Six Forms of Knowledge Workers.Front Psychol. 2016;7:1627. doi:10.3389/fpsyg.2016.01627

Watson JM, Strayer DL.Supertaskers: Profiles in extraordinary multitasking ability.Psychon Bull Rev. 2010;17(4):479-485. doi:10.3758/PBR.17.4.479

Sanbonmatsu DM, Strayer DL, Medeiros-Ward N, Watson JM.Who Multi-Tasks and Why? Multi-Tasking Ability, Perceived Multi-Tasking Ability, Impulsivity, and Sensation Seeking.PLoS ONE. 2013;8(1):e54402. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0054402

Ophir E, Nass C, Wagner AD.Cognitive control in media multitaskers.Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. 2009;106(37):15583-15587. doi:10.1073/pnas.0903620106

Madore KP, Wagner AD.Multicosts of Multitasking.Cerebrum. 2019.

Chapman SB.Make Your Brain Smarter: Increase Your Brain’s Creativity, Energy, and Focus. New York: Free Press; 2012.

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