See your day. Control your day.
Time blocking is simple: instead of a to-do list, you schedule when you'll do each task. 9am-10am: write report. 10am-11am: emails. 2pm-4pm: deep work.
Cal Newport made it famous. Elon Musk supposedly uses it. And honestly? It works. When tasks have a time, they get done.
The prettiest time blocking app. Your day as colorful blocks on a timeline. Satisfying to look at and use.
One-time purchase option. Apple ecosystem only. Great for visual thinkers and ADHD brains.
Best for: Apple users who want beautiful visual planning.
Visual timeline plus life balance. See your day as blocks but also track which life areas you're neglecting.
Free and gamified. The life balance wheel shows if you're time blocking only work while health and relationships suffer.
Best for: People who want time blocking + life balance.
Guided daily planning. Every morning it walks you through planning your time blocks. Every evening, review.
Intentionally slow. Forces mindful planning. Good for preventing overwork.
Best for: Executives who need structured daily rituals.
The OG time blocking tool. Create events for everything. Color code by category. Free forever.
No fancy features but it works. Most people's calendars are already here anyway.
Best for: Budget-conscious planners.
AI does the time blocking for you. Add tasks with deadlines, Motion schedules them automatically.
Expensive but genuinely useful if your calendar is chaotic.
Best for: Busy people with unpredictable schedules.
1. List your tasks. Everything you need to do today.
2. Estimate time. How long will each task take? Be realistic.
3. Schedule blocks. Put each task in a specific time slot on your calendar.
4. Include buffers. Things take longer than expected. Add 15-minute buffers.
5. Protect deep work. Schedule your most important work when you have the most energy.
Over-scheduling. Leave some white space. You're not a robot.
No buffers. Meetings run over. Tasks take longer. Build in slack.
Only scheduling work. Block time for exercise, lunch, breaks. They matter too.
Being too rigid. Plans change. The block is a guideline, not a prison.