How to Time Block:
Make a list of all tasks and responsibilities for the week ahead and categorize them into 3 groups. Be honest and detailed when you make your list.
MUST:
The must category is the items that have deadlines this week or items that cannot float to another week.
SHOULD:
These are the items that are important but are less time sensitive.
COULD:
These are items to complete when the must and should lists are finished or at least scheduled correctly.
See the sample list below. **These are not the only options. You decide what task goes where.
| MUST: Schedule 1st | SHOULD: Schedule 2nd | COULD: Schedule 3rd |
|---|---|---|
|
Sleep Work Commute Family time Animal Care Breakfast Lunch Dinner Hygiene Self-care/ Free time School assignments |
Study/Research Meet with tutor Meet with coach Workshop Exercise /Gym Errands Personal project Personal daily reflection (journal/meditation) Professional weekly reflection (30 min) |
Clean/Laundry TV/Movies Social Media Read YouTube Gaming Creative projects Leisure/Fun activities |
Using the excel template provided below (or any time blocking strategy such as an app, digital calendar, written planner, etc.) change the start time at the top to your personal wake time. The times will adjust on the left-hand side. Add your tasks in order of importance, must, should, and could.
➔ Begin with your Must
➔ Then, put in your Should
➔ Last, sprinkle in your Could
Tips for success:
- Be realistic with your tasks. Everything that takes time, including sleep, should be on your schedule.
- If you are not sure how long a task will take, estimate it taking longer when you schedule it. (i.e.: make it 1 hour instead of 30 minutes) Once you understand how much time each task will take you should adjust accordingly.
- If you are left with free time during the week, you are on the right track. Allow some blank time for flexibility.
- If you would like to schedule exact story points on your plan, go for it.
- If you don’t hit your target for the day, move what you have left to another day by substituting that MUST for a COULD.
- Create a new plan weekly and remember to schedule time on your calendar to make the plan.