How the Daily Planning Score works

The Daily Planning Score is a 0–100 rating that estimates how likely your plan is to survive reality. A plan can look “productive” and still be fragile. The goal here is not to pack your day with more work — it’s to create a day that is clear, realistic, and protected from predictable chaos.

To do that, this calculator uses five levers. Each lever earns points. You can score high even on a busy day if your structure is strong and you built in breathing room. Conversely, a light day can score low if it has no priorities and no boundaries.

• 1) Priorities (0–15): A short list of “must-win” items is easier to execute than a long list of maybes. Planning 1–3 top priorities earns the most points because it forces clarity.
• 2) Structure (0–25): Time-blocking reduces decision fatigue. You’re not asking “what next?” every 10 minutes — the next block already exists.
• 3) Realism (0–25): The plan must fit inside the day. We compare your deep-work minutes to available minutes, then reward buffer time so the plan can absorb surprises.
• 4) Recovery (0–15): Breaks prevent the “I worked for 3 hours straight and now my brain is soup” crash. Planned breaks are a productivity tool, not a luxury.
• 5) Focus Protection (0–20): Notifications, context switching, and random pings are the silent killers. The more you protect focus, the higher your score.

• Priorities (15): 1–3 priorities = full points; 4 = slightly fewer; 5 = fewer (because execution risk rises).
• Structure (25): None = 5, Light = 15, Strong = 22, Strict = 25.
• Realism (25): Utilization sweet spot is ~55–80% of available time. Too low can mean unclear plan; too high means no breathing room. Buffer minutes add extra points.
• Recovery (15): 2–3 breaks is ideal for most workdays. 0 breaks scores low; 4+ is fine if it matches your style.
• Focus (20): You self-rate 0–10. We map it to 0–20 and gently subtract points if you expect many interruptions.
• Energy alignment (bonus/penalty): We add a small adjustment (up to +5) if your hardest work is aligned with your peak energy and subtract a little if it’s misaligned.

Why “deep-work minutes” instead of total work minutes? Because deep work is where plans break. Meetings and small tasks can expand forever; deep work requires protected blocks. If you plan deep work with no buffer and no boundaries, you’re basically betting the day on perfect conditions — and perfect conditions rarely show up.

• 85–100: Elite plan — clear priorities, solid blocks, realistic breathing room, strong boundaries.
• 70–84: Strong plan — you’ll likely execute most of it, with a few adjustments.
• 50–69: Usable plan — workable, but fragile. One surprise can derail it.
• 0–49: Chaotic plan — unclear priorities, no buffer, weak boundaries. Fixable fast.

Examples (see how the score changes)

These examples show how small planning tweaks create big score jumps — without adding more hours. You can treat this section like a mini playbook: copy the change that matches your situation.

• Day window: 9:00–17:00 (480 minutes)
• Deep work planned: 240 minutes (50%)
• Time blocking: Strong
• Buffer: 60 minutes
• Breaks: 2
• Focus protection: 8/10
• Expected interruptions: Medium

This day often scores in the 80s. Why? The plan fits. It has buffer. Deep work is protected. Even if meetings creep, the buffer absorbs it.

• Day window: 9:00–17:00 (480 minutes)
• Deep work planned: 360 minutes (75%)
• Time blocking: None
• Buffer: 0 minutes
• Breaks: 0
• Focus protection: 4/10
• Expected interruptions: High

This often lands around 40–55. The “plan” assumes perfect focus and zero surprises. It’s not that you can’t work hard — it’s that the plan has no shock absorbers.

• Step 1: Add 30–60 minutes buffer (meetings always expand).
• Step 2: Convert your first 90 minutes into a named deep-work block.
• Step 3: Add two 10-minute breaks (one before lunch, one mid-afternoon).

Most people jump +8 to +15 points from those three changes because they increase realism, structure, and recovery at the same time.

When interruptions are high, your goal is not to pretend you’ll get 4 hours of deep work. Your goal is to protect a single small block (even 30–60 minutes) and make the rest of the plan realistic. A realistic plan scores higher than an unrealistic “perfect day” fantasy.

A 7-minute daily planning upgrade

If you want the fastest improvement, follow this quick process. It’s designed to reduce decision fatigue and protect the one thing that makes your day feel successful: one meaningful win.

• 1) Pick 1–3 priorities: If everything is priority, nothing is. Choose the few items that make today a win.
• 2) Block the first deep-work session: Put it early if you can. That’s when willpower is highest for most people.
• 3) Add buffer before more tasks: Buffer is not “free time.” It’s where life goes: emails, fixes, calls, context switching.
• 4) Add two breaks: Treat them like recharging a phone. A 10-minute break can save an hour of sloppy work.
• 5) Set one focus rule: Example: phone out of reach during deep work. Or notifications off for 60 minutes. Simple rules win.
• 6) Reality-check utilization: If deep work exceeds ~80% of the day window, you probably need to cut tasks or add time.
• 7) Plan the first “restart” moment: Decide when you’ll re-plan if the day derails (e.g., after lunch). That single reset prevents spiral days.

You don’t need a perfect system. You need a repeatable one. The best planning habit is the one you can do on your worst day.

• Below 50: Choose fewer priorities, add buffer, and create one protected block.
• 50–69: Add structure (time blocks) and upgrade focus rules. You’re close.
• 70–84: Protect execution: keep your best block interruption-free and plan a mid-day reset.
• 85+: Don’t over-optimize. Execute. Then reuse the same structure tomorrow.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is this score “scientific”?

  It’s not a clinical measure. It’s a practical scoring model based on common planning failure points: too many priorities, no time blocks, no buffer, no breaks, and weak focus boundaries.

• What are “deep-work minutes”?

  Time you want to spend on focus-heavy work: writing, coding, design, studying, analysis, strategy, and anything that needs your full brain. It does not include small admin tasks or passive meetings (unless you need intense preparation).

• What’s a good buffer amount?

  A simple rule is 10–20% of your day window. If your day runs 8 hours, that’s 45–90 minutes buffer. If you have lots of meetings or frequent interruptions, push buffer higher.

• Does a high score mean I’ll be productive?

  It means the plan is built to survive reality. Execution still matters, but a strong plan reduces friction and decision fatigue. Think of it like a good map: it doesn’t walk for you, but it prevents wrong turns.

• Why do 1–3 priorities score best?

  Because your calendar already contains invisible work: communication, context switching, waiting, and fixing surprises. A short priority list respects that reality.

• Can I use this for students or workouts?

  Yes. Replace “deep work” with your focus time: studying, practice, training, creative work, or prep. The same rules apply: priorities, structure, buffer, breaks, and boundaries.

• Is my data saved anywhere?

  No. This runs in your browser. If you tap “Save Result,” it stores a small history on this device using local storage.