Time blocking like a human being: Why it's so important
If you keep finding yourself wondering where your time went, I deeply know how frustrating that feeling is.
At this point, you’re questioning if there’s really a solution out there that will help you accomplish what you want in the time you want, without sacrificing your health, freedom, and joy.
There is, it’s called holistic time blocking!
Many people agree on how powerful it is. Time blocking is the most common time management system used (via timewatch).
However, one of the main critiques for time blocking is it’s inflexible and doesn’t capture the reality of being a human with ever-changing energy and responsibilities.
Holistic time blocking is here to help you finally feel in control of your day, get a better sense of where your time is actually going, and follow through with the things you need and want to do while being human.
In this article, you’ll learn why it’s so important to approach time blocking as a whole, human being and the immense benefits you can experience too.
What’s time blocking?
Time blocking, also known as calendar blocking, is a planning strategy where you proactively dedicate certain tasks to a certain time frame.
I personally call the time frames that contain my tasks: Time containers, rather than time blocks.
What most people don’t talk about is time blocking can also be used as an execution strategy. You can use time blocking to stay accountable, live with integrity, and be flexible.
How? Here’s a time-blocking process laid out in simple terms.
Choose what you want to work on.
Decide when you want to work on it.
Add it to your digital calendar or planner.
Follow your time containers as best you can.
As the day goes on, update your calendar in real-time with what you actually do.
Of course, we’re human beings. Nothing is as simple as that. If life was as easy as “just doing it” the world would be a totally different place.
This is where a holistic approach to time blocking works wonders.
What does holistic time blocking look like?
A holistic approach means looking at time blocking as a whole human being with physical, mental, emotional, and spiritual needs.
Holistic time blocking drastically improves your chances of following through with your tasks while also staying flexible.
Traditional and holistic time blocking are different from both a planning standpoint and an execution standpoint.
One big difference? Holistic time blocking builds out your time containers in a way that honors your unique cycles and life circumstances.
Not some magically different “fixed” version of yourself.
For example, let’s say you are currently waking up around 7 am but you want to be a 5 am-er. If you put 5 am as a wake-up time in your calendar, it’ll be really challenging to actually do, and many people blame time blocking.
However, when you acknowledge where you are today, it’s much easier to come up with a more realistic solution making it easier to create momentum and progress.
Next, holistic time blocking makes sure to include time containers that help you be and stay healthy–not just to do’s and work.
Finally, from an implementation standpoint, your execution strategies must work, make sense to you, and feel good to your mind, body, and soul.
For the example above, if you tell yourself you’ll “just force yourself to wake up at 5 am” when you have a history of not doing the things you need, or want, to do isn’t going to work. Maybe 6:30 am is a better step, or maybe you just need sleep and that’s ok!
If you are someone who keeps telling yourself you’ll “just do it”, it would greatly benefit you to find what’s preventing you from doing the things you want to do, and heal it at the root. That’s what I help my clients do in 1:1 holistic time coaching.
What are the benefits of holistic time blocking?
The most important benefit of holistic time blocking is that it protects your health and well-being. As we know, health and performance are directly related. A 2017 study confirmed people are 25% more likely to perform better at work when they eat healthier.
When you’re healthier, the regular benefits of time blocking increase. Some of which are:
Feel in control of your time, day, and destiny which just so happens to decrease our anxiety too.
Distraction-free deep work on meaningful goals, because you’ve preemptively prioritized and decided what to work on.
Experience greater levels of follow-through, flow, focus, self-accountability, and time awareness.
Decrease decision fatigue, saying yes to things we actually don’t want to do, and negative impacts of urgency.
Replace your never-ending to-do list and learn how to plan ahead while focusing on the now.
All of this to say, when you’re healthy and following through with everything you want to do… abundance! Fulfillment! Satisfaction!
Personally, I’m not sure what’s better than that.