Time Blocking
Time blocking is really simple. It can take a little while to get used to it, but once you start to develop the habit it helps you to really get stuff done.
Parkinson’s Law suggests that ‘work expands to fill the time available…’.
We have all fallen into that trap. By defining the time you are going to spend on a task, time blocking can help you focus your time productively rather than whittle away time on the easy, but less important stuff.
However there are a few things to be aware of before you start.
Firstly… most of us are rubbish at estimating how long something is going to take us, so trial this for a couple of weeks and monitor how long tasks are taking and then adjust your time blocks as appropriate.
Secondly… we naturally give higher priority to seemingly urgent tasks over important ones. This can lead to less time being spent on the important stuff and more time putting out fires, so identifying what is really important before you dedicate time to it is usually a good place to start.
Thirdly… we must allow for some flexibility in any system we use. It’s not a good idea to tell someone that you won’t be dealing with the urgent issue today because your calendar says no. Time blocking is a great guide to help you gain control over your time but you still need to allow for a little flexibility.
