How long should a time block be?

Most research and practice converges on 90 minutes as the optimal deep work block — long enough to get into meaningful depth, short enough to maintain quality. Administrative or collaborative blocks can be shorter: 30–60 minutes. Buffer blocks of 15–30 minutes between blocks help absorb overruns.

What's the difference between time blocking and the Pomodoro Technique?

The Pomodoro Technique uses fixed 25-minute intervals with 5-minute breaks, focusing on building session momentum. Time blocking is more flexible — blocks are sized to the task, not a fixed interval. They're complementary: use Pomodoro for in-session pacing within a larger time block.

What apps are best for time blocking?

today is designed specifically for time blocking with integrated focus sessions and daily outcome setting. Other options include Google Calendar (manual blocking), Fantastical, or Sunsama. today's advantage is that it connects your blocks to actual session logs and daily reflection.

Can time blocking work for people with unpredictable schedules?

Yes, with adaptation. The strategy for unpredictable schedules is to block only the first 2–3 hours of the day (before unpredictability hits) and use flexible buffer blocks for the rest. Even partial time blocking consistently outperforms no blocking.

Time blocking: what it is, how it works, and why it beats to-do lists

Time blocking is the practice of assigning specific tasks to dedicated time slots in your calendar. Learn how it works, who it's for, and how to start today.

What is time blocking?

Time blocking is a productivity method where you divide your workday into blocks of time, each dedicated to a specific task or type of work. Instead of maintaining an open-ended to-do list and deciding in the moment what to do next, you assign tasks to specific time windows in advance. A morning might have a 9–11am block for deep writing, an 11–11:30am block for email, and a 1–2:30pm block for project work. The scheduled structure eliminates moment-to-moment decision-making about what to work on and creates protected time for work that would otherwise get displaced by reactive demands.

How time blocking differs from traditional scheduling

Traditional calendar scheduling is event-driven: meetings, appointments, and deadlines get slotted into your calendar and self-directed work happens in the gaps between them. Time blocking inverts this relationship — self-directed work gets blocked first, and you protect those blocks the way you'd protect a meeting with your most important client. The difference in outcomes is significant. Knowledge workers who block time for deep work before scheduling meetings consistently report higher completion rates on their most important projects than those who treat deep work as a gap-fill activity. The sequence matters: what gets scheduled first gets protected; everything else is subordinated to it.

Who benefits most from time blocking?

Time blocking is most valuable for knowledge workers with significant autonomy over how they spend their time: software engineers, writers, researchers, designers, founders, and managers with large discretionary calendars. It's less useful for roles where external demands fully dictate the schedule — if every hour is already a meeting or a customer request, blocking adds overhead without creating freedom. The sweet spot is 3–6 hours of self-directed work per day that currently has no structure. Time blocking gives that time shape and intention, turning an unstructured afternoon into a sequence of specific commitments.

Common time blocking mistakes to avoid

The most common time blocking mistake is over-blocking — filling every hour with committed work and leaving no margin for reality. Tasks take longer than planned, meetings run over, urgent requests arrive. Without margin blocks (unscheduled time intentionally left open), a single overrun cascades through the entire day. The second common mistake is blocking without prioritizing — creating a full schedule of low-importance tasks while the most important work gets a small late-afternoon block. Effective time blocking starts with the highest-priority work and builds the schedule around protecting that block. Everything else is secondary.

Frequently asked questions