Have you ever had a day when you feel like you’re working nonstop but checking nothing off your to-do list? The hours fly by, and before you realize it, it’s the end of the workday and you’ve barely accomplished half of what you wanted to. We’ve all been there.

Don’t resign yourself to this overwhelmed feeling—try time blocking. Time blocking is a simple way to plan your day to ensure you check off all the tasks on your to-do list. In this article, we’ll show how you can use time blocking to improve the efficiency and success of your business. You can read from start to finish or jump to a section you’re interested in by clicking on the links below:

• What is time blocking?
• What are the benefits of time blocking?
• How to time block
• Time blocking template
• Time blocking: Frequently asked questions
• Final notes

What is time blocking?

Time blocking is a technique that helps boost productivity throughout the workday by scheduling tasks into specific periods of time. For example, you can allocate specific periods of time to spend replying to emails rather than doing it sporadically throughout the day.

Time blocking is a form of the Pomodoro Technique, which is a productivity and time management technique that involves working uninterrupted for 25-minute intervals. Once the 25 minutes are complete, you then can take a five-minute break. After four rounds, you can take a 30-minute break. Time blocking is quite similar.

Time blocking adds intention and boundaries to each workday. If you’re overwhelmed with your daily tasks, try using a time blocking sheet to organize your day.

What are the benefits of time blocking?

Time blocking helps your team prioritize, prevents inefficient multitasking, and mitigates distractions. Using a time blocking template is an easy and effective way to visually organize your day, and the workflows of your team. You can use a time block schedule template to get started. Here are other benefits of time blocking:

Efficient multitasking

As a business owner, you’re juggling many responsibilities. It’s easy to forget about certain tasks when you have a lot on your schedule, but that won’t happen with time blocking. Using a time blocking sheet will help you master multitasking and reduce the distractions that stop you from getting work done in a timely manner.

More control

In addition to efficient multitasking and reduced distractions, time blocking can help you feel more in control throughout the day. There's no doubt that a busy workday can leave you feeling overwhelmed and stressed out. But when you use time blocking to plan your day, you know exactly what task you’re completing and when, and exactly what your team is working on.

When you and your employees walk into the office or log on for the day and already know all the tasks ahead, productivity increases.

Time management

Using the time blocking technique is one of the best time management tips to improve the efficiency of your workday. When you have a lot of tasks to complete, you may find that you delegate too much time to certain tasks and not enough to others. This can lead you to neglect important priorities and even miss deadlines. Good time management is essential for a business owner, and using a time blocking template to plan your days will help.

How to time block

Time blocking is simple. Let’s break it down into four easy steps:

1. Determine all the tasks your team needs to accomplish

First things first: Take some time as soon as you get into the office on Monday to sit with your team and discuss what needs to be accomplished. Make sure you are thorough with this step so you don’t miss any important deadlines or projects.

2. Designate a time limit for each task

Once you have established all the tasks your team needs to accomplish, you need to designate a time limit for each task. This doesn’t have to be set in stone, but it helps motivate you to complete work within a specific time frame.

3. Categorize line item tasks into time blocks

Now that you know the time limit for each task, categorize the tasks into time blocks. This can be daily, weekly, or monthly. It’s good to have a range of time blocks so that all tasks, even ones further into the future, are accounted for. If you use a time blocking template online, this step should be easy. Separating your tasks into time blocks makes it easier to visualize what needs to get done when.

4. Designate flex time within your team’s schedule

While designating time limits is essential in time blocking, it's also important to factor in flex time. You may predict that a certain task will take 30 minutes, when it actually takes an hour. That’s perfectly okay! Things happen. But that is also why you need to designate flex time within your team’s schedule, just in case something doesn’t go according to plan.

Time blocking templates

Having a time blocking template will make getting started much easier. If you like to physically write things down, you can use a free printable time blocking template. You can then hand out the blocking templates during meetings and fill it out together for a productive team-building exercise. Otherwise, you can use an online timesheet template that you can edit as you go. Using a time blocking template is helpful because it gives you an outline, and all you have to do is plug in your own information.

Time blocking isn’t just useful for organizing your own daily tasks. It can also be very beneficial for managing employees. Overseeing employees means having to take on additional tasks, such as payroll, but using bimonthly calendar payroll templates will make your life easier. A payroll template is an easy way to record and calculate employee payroll, plus taxes. It's also a good idea to use time tracking apps so you can easily monitor the hours your employees work.

How to use it

This template is broken into 15-minute time periods. Determine the month and day, then list the tasks you plan to complete in 15-minute time blocks.

Who is it for?

If your daily schedule involves a significant amount of small, quick tasks, this template may prove useful and keep your daily projects on track.

Download PDF template

Download Excel template

How to use it

This template is broken into 30-minute time periods. Determine the month and day, then list the tasks you plan to complete within these half-hour time blocks.

Who is it for?

If a 15-minute interval time blocking template is too detailed and you need longer work periods, the 30-minute daily time blocking template may help.

Download PDF template

Download Excel template

Weekly time blocking templates

Weekly time blocking templates help provide a high-level view of each work week, breaking down each day into one-hour intervals.

How to use it

Within this template, write the week date range, then add tasks to each hour interval for each work day.

Who is it for?

A 5-day weekly template is beneficial for those who work a traditional 5-day work week and want to prioritize their tasks by hour and day.

Download PDF template

Download Excel template

How to use it

Within this template, write the week-date range, then add tasks to each hour interval for each day.

Who is it for?

A 7-day weekly template is beneficial for those who regularly work on the weekends, who need to block time across all seven days of the week.

Download PDF template

Download Excel template

How to use it

Monthly time blocking templates break down into 30- or 31-day views. Define the month of work, then add overarching tasks you’ll complete each day.

Who is it for?

If you need a high-level view of work that spans across a month or more, monthly time blocking templates may help. This template helps provide insight into how much work you need to complete over the course of a month, showing what's completed and what work is still left to finish.

Download PDF template

Download Excel template

Time blocking: Frequently asked questions

Now that we’ve covered the basics of time blocking, let’s get into some frequently asked questions.

What is the time blocking method?

The time block method is essentially a time management method where you organize your day into blocks of time. Each of those blocks is designated to specific tasks. Time blocking helps you gain more insight into the ways you spend your time, which can also help improve concentration.

How do I make a time blocking schedule?

Start by writing down all your tasks for a given time period, whether it’s your day or week.

1. Begin with high-level priorities, as your most important tasks should be at the top of your list.

2. Next, create the actual “blocks” of time for your tasks. Be realistic with this, and make sure you factor in flex time.

3. You will also want to add in time for breaks between tasks so you don’t get burned out.

A time blocking schedule template can provide the guidance you need to begin using this method today. Use QuickBooks’ time blocking template to get started.

How do I create a time block schedule in Excel?

An easy way to make a time block schedule is with Excel. You simply type out the time frames in the Excel column, add the dates to the top cells, and convert the data into a table. You’ll end up with a simple time block schedule in a matter of minutes. You can also use a time blocking template in Excel to help you get started.

How do I block time on paper?

If planning out your schedule digitally isn’t your thing, you can also block time on paper. You just need a planner with a calendar and some coloured pens to colour code. You then fill in your tasks and time frames. Just make sure you keep your work organized.

Final notes

A business owner wears many hats. They have endless responsibilities in addition to overseeing and managing their employees.

That’s why it is a good idea to use time tracking software like QuickBooks Time to improve the efficiency of your business. The more organized you are as a business owner, the more successful your business will be, so try out time blocking today.