What Is Time Blocking and How to Time Block Your Day as a College Student
Do you want to boost your productivity, improve your focus, and reduce your stress at college? Try time blocking!
What is Time Blocking?
Have you ever heard the saying, “A place for everything and everything in its place”?
This saying applies to organizing and cleaning your space. Everything you own should have a dedicated storage space, whether in a drawer, on a hook, or on a shelf.
If you want to live in a clean, ordered environment, you create the spaces for your stuff and then put it there.
Time blocking is like organizing and cleaning your day.
You create a space for every task, large or small, and then complete the allotted tasks within that time.
Maybe you are thinking, “This sounds like a lot of work to set up.” It’s not!
You just need to choose your method: paper or digital.
Time Blocking Planners
If you’re a paper person, these planners can help you time block with ease.
The Starter Planner
If you are brand new to time blocking, you will want a planner that walks you through the process.
The Time-Block Planner by Cal Newport is perfect for first-timers because it includes instructions on how to time-block and helpful hints.
Remember, a time block planner holds a lot of information, so it won’t last the whole year.
This is a four-month planner. At the end of that time, you will need a new one.
Time Blocking for ADHD Planner
This time-blocking planner is a six-month planner specifically designed for people with ADHD.
How does it differ from a regular time blocking planner? It has a section where you can brain dump, which means you can offload your thoughts first without organizing them.
You can then transfer your “brain dump” thoughts to the time-blocking calendar.
The Minimalist Planner
This is a daily time-blocking planner that is a lower price point than the others.
It is basic in its design and has 52 pages. You would use one a day, so that is six to seven weeks if you use it every day.
Time Blocking Apps
You can also use digital tools to time block.
Google Calendar + Todoist
A calendar app can work as a time-blocking tool. Google Calendar is an ideal choice because it integrates with other scheduling tools.
Todoist is a scheduling app that lets you easily set up your time blocks. Then, Todoist integrates with Google Calendar for complete schedule synchronization.
Notion
Notion calendar app is a time-blocking tool. It’s easy to use and sync with both Google Calendar and Apple Calendar.
It’s compatible with both iPhone and Android.
My Study Life
If you are looking for a time-blocking app explicitly designed for students, try My Study Life.
It syncs across all your devices and has a dashboard where you can see all your courses and upcoming assignments.
It even has a built-in Pomodoro timer for focused studying.
FlowSavvy
FlowSavvy uses AI to sort your tasks by priority and auto-load repeated tasks.
It automatically reschedules tasks when you miss one (and shuffles the others accordingly).
FlowSavvy also syncs with popular digital calendars.
Yoodoo
If you have ADHD or struggle with the executive functioning task of prioritizing tasks, Yoodoo could be a great fit.
It has a brain-dump section where you can dump your to-do list in random order, and the AI will sort and prioritize your tasks for you.
Yoodoo is a time-blocking app, period. It breaks all multi-step tasks down into one task per block.
Trello
If you prefer a time-blocking calendar that you design, try Trello.
With Trello, you create boards (like your week) and then have lists within that week (these would be your times).
You then create virtual cards that can hold all kinds of information, like task names, pictures, links, and notes. These would be your tasks.
These cards then act like sticky notes, and you can slide and stick them in any list (timeslot) on your board.
How to Start Time Blocking
Okay, now that you have picked your method, it’s time to figure out how to time-block.
Identify Your Daily Tasks for One Week
You do all sorts of things each day. These tasks may be big or small, like brushing your teeth, going to the gym, attending French class, doing a load of laundry, or studying for your Trig test.
Some tasks you do every day. These are typically self-care tasks, such as eating, sleeping, and exercising.
But they may also fall into other categories, like cleaning or commuting.
Although a traditional calendar would only include your appointments, time blocking treats all of your daily tasks as appointments.
Identify your daily tasks for the week, as well as sporadic tasks such as classes, study sessions, club meetings, and work shifts.
Break Large Tasks into Chunks
Large tasks are amorphous. Break them up into discrete chunks.
For example, don’t say, “Study for Biology Test” from 9-11 pm on Wednesday.
Instead, identify at the outset how you will study.
- Monday – 3-3:30 pm Read over review notes right after class and do three sample problems.
- Tuesday – 7-8 pm Complete the chapter problem set.
- Wednesday – 8-830 pm Practice missed problems and look over notes again.
Consider also your attention span.
For brain-intensive tasks, start with 30-90 minute time blocks.
Then plan a break where you move around, like walking, grabbing a bite to eat, or resetting with a totally unrelated task (like folding laundry).
Sort Your Tasks by Priority
You may not have enough hours in the day to get everything you want done.
When time blocking, put in the necessary items first. These would be the self-care items.
Then add in your next round, like your class schedule and your work shifts.
Next, add your appointments, club meetings, and study blocks.
Then add social time, like football games and meetups with friends.
Do you want free time? Schedule it. Every task should have a place.
How to Make the Most of a Time Block
Not all time blocks are an effective use of your time.
You need to be smart when scheduling.
When are you sharpest? Are you a morning person or a night owl?
Schedule brain-intensive tasks for your best time of day.
Consider also your ability to focus.
Use techniques like the Pomodoro Method to make the most of your study time.
In the Pomodoro method, you focus for 25 minutes and then take a 5-minute break. After every 4 Pomodoro segments, take a longer break (like 30 minutes).
You can find all kinds of cute Pomodoro timers online, like Pomodoro Kitty and Pomofox.
Benefits of Time Blocking
Time blocking can revolutionize your ability to get things done. But time blocking has other benefits.
Rescues You from Feeling Overwhelmed
From upcoming tests to multi-step assignments, college tasks can overwhelm you.
By time blocking, you create an achievable plan. If you execute the plan, you will get it all done.
This takes an enormous weight off your shoulders. You can relax in the plan and dial down your stress levels.
You Are in Control
With time blocking, you decide what is important to you, and you choose when and where it gets done.
This means you can move focus-heavy tasks to times that work best for you.
Improves Focus
By breaking tasks into chunks and using focus techniques like the Pomodoro technique, you can improve your ability to stay engaged.
You will complete tasks in record time!
Avoids Procrastination
Time blocking forces you to think about the future and break down large tasks into manageable chunks.
You are much less likely to save big projects and study sessions for the day of.
Builds Consistency and Positive Habits
Do you have goals? Maybe you want to hit the gym more or stop procrastinating.
Time blocking helps you build positive habits and take agency in your own life.
You’ll Get Better Grades
This is a big statement, but you know this will work. If you make a study plan and stay on top of your due dates, you will do better in class.
Yes, it’s that simple.
You’ll Sleep More – and Thus Be Happier and Healthier
Procrastination and doom scrolling are the thieves of sleep.
With time blocking, you eliminate the first and put a box around the second.
Better sleep makes for a healthier, happier person. This is a truth universally acknowledged.
Time Blocking for College Students
What are you waiting for? Time blocking has too many benefits to ignore.
Pick your method (paper planner or digital tool) and block your first week.
It will take a little practice to become efficient at time blocking, but it will 100% be worth the effort.
