Do you ever wonder how the most prolific people get so much done in a day?
It’s not that they have a better task management system or “to-do list app.” And they are not necessarily masters of “time management.”
The secret isn’t a better system for capturing tasks; it’s a better strategy for implementation.
The most productive people are masters at time organization. They block time to do specific tasks.
The Art of Time Blocking
A to-do list is like a wish-list of things you want to do. It’s theoretical and idealistic.
Nobody has time to do everything on their to-do list. Even if you pulled 24-hour days and didn’t sleep or eat, you’d likely run out of time.
The actual work of doing those things happens in time.
Your to-do list means nothing without your calendar.
What you schedule is real. Your calendar is where the ideal meets reality.
What is Time Blocking?
On the most basic level, the strategy of time blocking is the process of scheduling time on your calendar to do the tasks you’ve identified as important and necessary to do to work toward a given outcome.
You schedule this time the way you’d schedule a meeting or an appointment, except the meeting is with yourself.
This means that instead of simply referring to your to-do list, you refer to your calendar.
A List of Destinations vs a Map and Compass
Imagine you are going on a trip. You have a list of sites and attractions you want to see while you are traveling.
That list is a good start, but it doesn’t tell you where those places are or how to get to them. Without knowing the locations of those sites, you don’t know what you have time to see. You’ll waste a lot of time spinning wheels trying to figure out where you can go.
On the other hand, if you have a map, you can plot the locations and assess the distance between them. You can figure out how long it will take you to get from one to the next. Now you can formulate a plan.
Just like you need a map to turn your travel wish list into an actual itinerary, you need a calendar to turn your to-do list into real accomplishments.
Your daily work is like a trip: your list of “sites” you want to “visit” are your tasks. Without a map, you’ll be spinning wheels, trying to figure out where to go and what to do.
Calendars and clocks are like maps: they show you where you are in time. They help you bring the wish list of “sites to visit” into a concrete reality.
How to Time Block
On the most basic level, the way to time block is to sit down with your to-do list, determine how much time you need for different tasks, and schedule them into your calendar as appointments.
You can do this at the start of your day or for the week ahead.
That said, there’s more to the art of effective time blocking than just randomly putting tasks on your calendar. In future installments of this series, I’ll share more about why time blocking can supercharge your productivity and how to up-level your time blocking to leverage the art of timing.
[…] Time blocking is a powerful productivity strategy that can help you get more done in a day. The structure it provides can be especially helpful for those of us with ADHD. […]