Time Blocking and Why it helps

If your relationship with time feels restrictive and frustrating, it might be time to look at where your time is really going, and how you can take some of it back for you.

TIme blocking is one of the simplest and most effective ways to work with your time and energy instead of against them. It can help you feel more organised, focused, and calm, without adding pressure or rigidity.

Let’s explore what time blocking is, how it works, and how to use it to bring structure and balance to your days, especially if you juggle multiple projects, manage fluctuating energy, or find yourself easily distracted.

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What Is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is a productivity technique where you divide your day into specific blocks of time, each block dedicated to one type of task or activity. These could be 15, 30, 45, 60 minute focus sessions.

Instead of working from an endless to-do list, you work from your calendar. You assign focus sessions for the most important things, while still allowing space for rest, creativity, and flexibility.

It’s brilliantly simple, visual, and effective tool that helps you stay present with whatever you’re doing, whether that’s client work, working on a project, admin, or personal time. It's perfect if you're working on a project around daily life or an additional / main job, as you can make the focus sessions short and sweet.

It’s also great if you’re a procrastinator or a perfectionist, where time can disappear on tasks that you tend to spend too much time on.

Why Time Blocking Works

Time blocking helps reduce overwhelm by removing constant decision-making (“What should I do next?”).

Time Blocking:

• Creates structure and boundaries in your day.
• Reduces multi-tasking and the start-stop effect (the mental drain of jumping between tasks).
• Encourages intentional, focused work that truly matters and helps you move forward.
• Makes it easier to balance energy, by mixing high and low-focus tasks.
• Helps you see your time clearly, so you can plan more realistically.

When you see your week laid out in blocks, it’s much easier to protect your time, recognise your limits, and give yourself the breathing space you need each day.

How to Start Time Blocking

Step 1: Audit Your Time

Before you can plan effectively, you need to understand where your time is currently going. This was a complete game-changer for me, so do this with an open, non-judgemental mind when you do this.
For a few days, write down what you do and when. Include everything – even those mini breaks, those interrupted minutes when you find yourself scrolling on socials, or checking through emails.

You’ll quickly see where time is being used well, and where it’s quietly slipping away.
Remember, this isn’t about judgment; it’s about gaining awareness.

You can download a free Time Audit Worksheet below to help you get started.

Step 2: Identify Priorities

Once you know how your time is spent, it's time to decide which tasks truly move you forward.
Ask yourself:

• What actually matters this week?
• What could I let go of or delegate?
• What needs more focus, and what can be done in short bursts?
• What tasks are similar?
• What tasks take more / less energy to complete?

Use your answers to these reflection to group similar tasks together, and to plan your week in a more balanced way. This makes it easier to block focused time for each category.

Step 3: Block Your Time

Open your planner or digital calendar, and assign blocks of time for each focus area. You can block in 15, 30, 45, or 60-minute slots, whatever feels realistic for you. The beauty of using time blocking is that this can change every day to fit into your life and energy needs.

Here are two ways you can approach it:

Flexible / Themed Blocking

This is ideal if your schedule varies or you prefer more freedom and flexibility.:

• 9am – 12pm: Admin & Emails
• 12pm – 12:30pm: Break
• 12:30pm – 3pm: Client Work
• 3pm – 4pm: Planning & Review

Using this, you can then break each block into smaller focus sessions, for example:

• 9:00 – 9:15 – Check plan, review progress, update where needed +(5 min break)
• 9:20 – 9:35 – Admin task 1 +(5 min break)
• 9:40 – 9:55 – Admin task 2 +(5 min break)
• 10:00 – 10:15 – Admin task 3 +(5 min break)
• 10:20 – 10:35 – Respond to Emails +(5 min break)
• 10:35 – 10:45 Longer break

Detailed / Structured Blocking

You may prefer to simply work in longer blocks with more structure, which is perfect if you work better with this level of structure, clarity and focus, and don't need the shorter sessions.

• 8:00 – 8:30: Admin tasks
• 8:30 – 9:00: Email and messages replies
• 9:00 – 9:30: Social Media Engagement
• 9:30 – 10:00: Post or schedule content
• 10:00 – 10:30: Content Prep

A great way to make it more visual (perfect for my fellow neurodiverse community) is to use colour coding in your calendar or planner. You can choose to colour code the different task themes, activities, times etc. It helps you to visually separate different tasks, as well as your work, rest, and personal time.

Step 4: Plan With Your Energy

Time blocking becomes even more effective when you combine it with energy awareness. What this means is that you pay attention to your natural highs and lows. We all have natural peaks and dips in focus and energy, whether you manage energy-related conditions or not.

When you plan your week out, don't simply plug all tasks in until you've filled the calendar in. Look at all of the commitments (meetings, calls, deadlines), and tasks that you have to cover this week. If you jump straight in and fill in your schedule without considering the energy output, you run the risk of overloading yourself some days.

Begin by brain-dumping all of your tasks and allocating them a label. For example, “red energy” (high-focus) tasks are those that take a lot of energy and effort to complete. They may be more complicated, take longer. Your “green energy” (lower-energy) tasks are those aren't too taxing, and don't drain your energy too much. “Orange energy” = somewhere in between, not too taxing, but they do still require some effort and energy to complete.

You now need to think about when you are naturally more energised. For me, that's early in the morning. I do my best work between 6am and 11am. Anything after that I plan tasks that take much less time and energy to focus on.

The next step is to fit the tasks into your calendar for the week, being mindful of their energy output, and your natural energy / focus fluctuations.

You can use the traffic light system for an easy visual:

• 🔴 Red tasks: Deep focus / creative work
• 🟠 Orange tasks: Moderate focus / admin
• 🟢 Green tasks: Light work / routine tasks

The key is to spread them out across the week so you're not left with a full day of red – high energy / high focus tasks. This helps prevent burnout and allows your energy to work with you, not against you.

Time Blocking for Multi-Project or Low-Energy Days

If you wear many hats or experience fluctuating energy, time blocking is a great way to help you stay on track without pushing yourself too much.

It's a good idea to follow the previous steps so that you have a good overview of everything you need ot do, and the cost it will be on your time and energy across the week.

Some tips:

• Batch similar work together. For example, write all your emails, or create all the text content for your social posts in one session. In another session create the visuals in Canva.
• Include buffer time every day. Give yourself gaps between blocks to rest or transition. These may only be 5 minutes, but they add up across the day, and this is a way to stop you from overstretching yourself.
• Use “Bare Minimum” blocks. When energy dips, keep to a light version of your schedule (essential tasks only).

Remember: time blocking is meant to support you, not control you. It’s a structure that is designed to be flexible and adapt to your own personal needs.

When you do time blocking in your planner it looks great visually, and makes it very clear at a glance when you colour code it. See the example below:

Tools, Resources & Support

My favourite tools that supports my monthly planning and daily productivity are:

Time Audit – Gain a clear understanding of exactly where your time and your energy is spent. Highly recommend doing this if you're planning to focus on increased productivity.

Canva Pro – Upgrade your content design with Canva Pro. Explore the enhanced features available in Pro. Grab your free trial here!

Task Batching Brain Dumps – Learn how to batch your tasks with these handy worksheets + Brain dumps

Eisenhower Matrix – Included in this pack of “Anti-Procrastination” worksheets, the Get it Done bundle includes tools for goal setting, prioritising & more!

Final Thoughts

Time blocking, especially when you colour code according to the energy needed, gives you a clarity, structure, and more freedom!

It helps you to work within your own limits, and make the best use out of the time that you do have to work on things. This way of working helps you to protect your energy, and focus on the things that matter in a more intentional way.

Start small, block a few hours each day and adjust as you go. Remember to do the time and energy audit to help you gain that clarity, and create a more balanced way of working.

Finding something that works for you is key, and time blocking is a great one to try out.

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Let me know what you noticed with your time audit – comment below ⬇️

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Meet Lynsey

Hey there! I'm Lynsey, a counsellor, coach and mentor for women who want to create change, but are feeling lost, uncertain and exhausted. With over 7 years’ experience of training, running businesses, and over a decade as a tutor and adult trainer, I've learned the value of a gentle and intentional approach to work and life that energises you without draining all of your energy.

I've lived with ME/CFS since 2011, and since then re-trained as a counsellor, and achieved a distinction for my Masters in Counselling and Psychotherapy Practice; all while running 4 businesses!

How? Improving your mindset, finding acceptance in yourself, and developing a gentle, but solution-focused approach to achieving goals is key. Knowing that it's not about how fast you move, but finding your own pace and trusting that you can achieve your goals in your own way, one step at a time.

If you'd like to know more about working with me, you can email [email protected] or find me on socials (links in the menu)

Have you seen my online store Quietly Conquer – Find DFY templates, downloads and more!