Do you know about calendar blocking (aka time blocking)? It is about blocking specific time for certain events, tasks, and activities by scheduling it on your calendar. This is done suitably for both personal and business tasks.
Time management is a simple gist:
- Compile and prepare a to-do list of your daily and weekly tasks.
- Choose the time slots specifically in your calendar and make a mark.
- Work as per the time blocks prescribed and complete them.
How to calendar block
Calendar or time blocking relies on 4 steps:
- Planning everything
- Outlining time blocks
- Acting as per calendar
- Test and revise
Planning everything
Brainstorm all the tasks that you have to do this week. List the tasks and prioritize them. Distant deadline tasks may be scraped to the last; your goal is to limit daily schedules per day to 3-5 tasks.
These may be recurring tasks such as answering client calls or emails. It may also include handling urgent administration work or new project research. Highlight priority and add time estimates.
Outline time blocks
Time is important. Blocking time means considering task duration. Regularize your sleeping, relaxing, eating, and working time.
While working, do what you need to do to keep away the distractions. Realize when your productivity optimal time is and pinpoint priority work at that time. For example, if your peak level of productivity is in the AM, schedule urgent, important, or difficult tasks for the morning. Oh, and don’t be afraid to take a break!
Acting as per calendar
Deciding on the time (what and when) allows you to act as per the calendar. Be sure that you start and stop working as per the scheduled time.
It may seem easy to follow a calendar blocking process, but it can get a little tricky. Stay dedicated, though; follow the ground rules that you laid out.
Test and revise
Working as per calendar blocking means keeping track of time. The scheduled tasks may take less or more time than the time that you pre-scheduled. If you find the time allocated needs revision, change your approach and create a schedule next time by actively tracking your time for each task.
Calendar blocking is one practice that keeps me organized and as stress-free as possible. I guarantee that you will see an immediate boost in your productivity just by implementing a schedule. Let me know how it works out for you!