Do you get overwhelmed by digital task management tools?
Are you seeking a good mix of structure and flexibility in your day?
Is there an easy, stress-free way to block time for important projects?
When you hear the term Time Blocking, you might picture color-coded calendars filled up with specific activities for the week. Digital apps to block time might also come to mind.
But you really don’t need an app or even a planner to time block.
In episode 47 of The Incrementalist, you will learn:
1) More busyness does not lead to higher quality or better results. To align your intentions with your actions, you need to have structure in your day. You also want to have buffers for emergencies and margin for the unexpected.
2) Time blocking is an essential tool to protect time for important projects and tasks. You assign a time block – with a start time and an end time – to focus on a specific activity or a batch of similar activities.
3) The subtle and important difference between time blocking and time boxing.
4) 3 main tips for time blocking
Tip 1: schedule time blocks in 30-minute or 1-hour increments (not in 5-minute increments like Elon Musk)
Tip 2: time block just the day (not the whole week)
Tip 3: incorporate theming and batching in your time blocks (not time blocks for whatever, whenever)
4) You do not need digital apps or even a planner to time block.
5) How I time block the easy, stress-free way on a whiteboard.
To listen to episode 47, How to Time Block (Without the Apps), click here. If you prefer to read the transcript, go here. Subscribe to The Incrementalist at Apple Podcasts or other apps.
If you’re a visual learner, watch the video on our new YouTube channel, The Incrementalist – A Productivity Show! It includes a demo on how to time block the easy, stress-free way on a whiteboard.
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Dyan Williams is a solo lawyer who practices U.S. immigration law and legal ethics at Dyan Williams Law PLLC. She is also a productivity coach who helps working parents, lawyers, small business owners and other busy people turn their ideas into action, reduce overwhelm, and focus on what truly matters. She is the author of The Incrementalist: A Simple Productivity System to Create Big Results in Small Steps.
