What is Time Blocking?
Time blocking is the practice of scheduling specific periods of time during which you tackle certain tasks. Essentially, you schedule your tasks and to-dos for the day (or week) and stick to that schedule. During these time blocks, you focus on one project or task at a time.
The key word here is focus. This won't work if you allow any interruptions or distractions. And this is something that anyone can do - yes, even if you work in a super busy open-plan office or are expected to answer every message someone writes to you.
Why we should block time
Cal Newport, an associate professor of computer science at Georgetown University and author of the popular book Deep Work, argues that time away from distraction is necessary to enter a state of deep work. A state in which one can truly focus on a cognitively demanding task (like writing, coding, problem solving...).
Many great thinkers have shut themselves off from society when they needed to concentrate or meet a hard deadline. J.K. Rowling rented a hotel room; Carl Jung built a tower in the woods to retreat. Cutting out worldly distractions is nothing new. The main problem is that many of us seem to have lost the ability to turn off distractions and just focus.
If, like many of us, you have a creative or knowledge-based job that requires you to produce high-quality work on a regular basis, you probably already know how valuable a few uninterrupted hours can be. But humans are social creatures. We like to respond to news and participate in the conversations around us. Time blocks give you "permission" to ignore those conversations and messages for a period of time in order to get to work.
Quality = Time x Focus
As Cal explained in an interview with FastCompany, "the quality of the work you produce is a function of two things - the amount of time you spend working and the intensity of your focus during that time. If you can increase your focus, you'll get more done in less time."
Increased focus necessarily precludes constant interruptions and distractions. According to Gloria Mark, a researcher in the field of interruption science, "the average knowledge worker switches tasks every three minutes, and once distracted, it can take nearly half an hour to resume the original task."
That's 30 wasted minutes because you checked your email or replied to a message. 30 whole minutes! Think of how often you're interrupted by the ping of an incoming message, or by a colleague stopping by to chat, or because you just want to check your email quickly. Think about how much more you could accomplish if you had spent those 30 minutes focusing on your task. That's right. (No wonder the average person only actually works 3 of the 8 hours in their workday).
While we can't afford to go completely offline every time we want to complete a task, there are many things you can do to make time to focus. This is where Time Blocking comes into play.
"I take Time Blocking seriously and take ten to twenty minutes each evening to create my schedule for the next day.... My goal is to make sure I'm working on the right things at the right pace for each deadline."- Cal Newport
How to run time blocking
It's really quite simple:
Start with a page from a notebook, calendar, app, or tool
Block off sections of time for specific activities. Be sure to leave a little buffer time, just in case.
Voila! You are done! Some tips to help you make the most of your time blocks
Be strict with yourself and with others. No distractions means no distractions. No, not even checking your phone. Put it on silent and put it in a drawer when you need it! (Remember that 30 minutes from earlier?).
You can schedule the length of the blocks as you like, and be as specific or non-specific as you need. If you want, you can simply set aside 3 hours for "deep work" and then define what tasks you will do in that block. Or just leave it open to work on whatever attracts your attention at the time. Just remember to always plan a buffer - things usually take longer than you expect!
And finally: Don't overplan! You are human. Don't schedule and block out 12-hour days - rest and relaxation are just as important as working hard. The old adage "work hard, play hard" still applies. Be sure to schedule breaks and be flexible enough to recognize when you don't feel up to a particular task.
While you know it's beneficial to take a few hours to focus, it's easy to find reasons why you just "can't."
But I work in an open plan office and people come by all the time!
Invest in some good headphones. Book a conference room. Find a quiet corner in the cafeteria. Put a small sign on your desk letting people know that you are focused and would appreciate their understanding. Do whatever you need to do!
If you know you're more likely to be distracted at certain times than others, you can even schedule that time to complete easier tasks, as productivity author Jill Duffy points out.
What if answering messages and calls is part of your job?
Reactive work, like answering emails and editing messages, can be scheduled just like anything else. Set up a block of time to respond to emails and other messages. Communicate this block of time to your colleagues, add the info to your email signature or voicemail. Over time, they will get used to it and appreciate knowing when they can expect a response.
What if you are expected to be available at all times?
The pressure to respond immediately is real these days. You may think that keeping large blocks of time free is a luxury you can't afford. You're expected to respond on MS Teams or other chats, keep track of emails, or pick up the phone when it rings. So what can you do?
The best thing you can do in such a situation is to talk to your supervisor. Explain what you're trying to do and why. You might even phrase it in such a way that your increased productivity will ultimately benefit the company. Ask to try it out for a few weeks, and check in with your supervisors periodically to report on your progress. Maybe it will inspire them to change their "always online" policy!
Productivity for more happiness
While researching his book, Cal Newport found that a side effect of setting specific time periods for concentration was that people were actually happier. Not only were they more productive, but they also felt more comfortable at work and were more satisfied with their jobs overall.
I think we can all relate to that. We all know how overwhelmed and distracted you feel on days when things are coming at you from a million different directions and you're just reacting instead of actively focusing on your tasks. It doesn't feel good and you often leave the office with the unfinished work running through your head.
When you are in a deep state of work, you get a lot of things done. You're able to focus. You may even get into a "flow" state and you can use those pure hours to finish your projects and leave your workday with a sense of accomplishment.
And that means you can really take advantage of your free time - your life outside of work. Ultimately, isn't that the whole point? You should work to live, not live to work. Being focused helps you be more productive and enjoy your work better, so you're free to enjoy what's really important. Discover how Scrum can streamline your workflow with our specialized courses.
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