How the Time Blocking Planner builds your schedule

Time blocking is simple: you choose a time window (your day) and assign chunks of that window to specific activities. The trick is making the schedule realistic. This planner uses three ideas to keep your plan doable: capacity, chunking, and buffers.

First we compute the minutes you have available between wake time and sleep time:

• Available minutes = MinutesBetween(sleepTime, wakeTime)

Example: wake at 7:00 and sleep at 23:00 → 16 hours × 60 = 960 minutes.

Next we reserve time for the “must-happen” blocks that prevent your plan from collapsing later: meals, exercise, and a short daily planning block. These blocks are not moral judgments — they’re a practical way to avoid building a schedule that ignores being a human.

• Breakfast (optional) = 20 minutes
• Lunch (optional) = 30 minutes
• Dinner (optional) = 30 minutes
• Exercise (optional) = your selected minutes
• Plan/Review = 15 minutes (always added)

Each task has a duration (minutes) and a type (Deep work, Admin, Personal). We allocate tasks into the schedule using the block length you pick:

• Block length = 25 / 50 / 90 minutes (you choose)
• Break length = 5 / 10 / 15 minutes (you choose)
• Buffer = 0 / 5 / 10 minutes added after each block

If a task is 120 minutes and you chose 50-minute blocks, the planner will turn it into: 50 + 50 + 20 (a final shorter block). Between blocks, we insert breaks and buffers so you can transition (stand up, refill water, reply to one message, reset your brain).

You choose an energy style:

• Morning focus: deep work is scheduled earlier (when willpower is often higher).
• Afternoon focus: deep work is moved later (useful for late starters or meetings in the morning).
• Balanced: deep work is spread out across the day.

This is not “one true way”. It simply gives you a structure that matches your preference so the plan feels like your day.

Finally, we compute a simple capacity score:

• Planned minutes = fixed blocks + task minutes + breaks + buffers
• Capacity % = (Planned minutes ÷ Available minutes) × 100

If capacity is above 100%, you’re overbooked. The planner will still show you a best-effort schedule, but it will also tell you what didn’t fit so you can move it to tomorrow.

Step-by-step: using this planner like a pro

Most people try time blocking once, fail, and decide it “doesn’t work”. The usual problem isn’t time blocking — it’s the way we plan. Here’s the clean approach:

Set wake time and sleep time. If your day includes a commute or school pickup, treat that as a fixed block by adding it as a task (type: Personal).

• 25 minutes if you struggle to start or you’re easily distracted.
• 50 minutes for most knowledge work (deep enough to progress, short enough to reset).
• 90 minutes if you get into flow and hate context switching.

Buffers are the difference between a plan you follow and a plan you abandon at 10:17am. Choose 5 minutes if you want realism, 10 minutes if your day has lots of interruptions.

Estimating minutes is a skill. Start rough. If you’re not sure, guess and keep notes for the next day. Over time you’ll get “estimation calibration” — which is basically a superpower.

Generate your schedule, then glance for obvious issues (too many deep blocks back-to-back, no meal time, overbooked meter). Adjust tasks, then generate again. The best time block plan is usually the 2nd or 3rd version.

A time block schedule is a default path. If something urgent happens, you can shift blocks. The goal is to reduce decision fatigue and protect focus — not to “win” at rigidity.

Realistic time-blocking examples

Wake 7:30, Sleep 23:30, Lunch + Dinner, 30-min exercise. Tasks: Study (180), Edit video (120), Emails (30), Laundry (30). The planner will prioritize deep work early (Study, then Edit), then place admin/personal later.

You can time block around meetings by adding “Meeting” as a task. Use shorter 25-minute blocks for quick focus sprints between calls. Buffers become extra important because context switching is heavy.

If your capacity meter shows 120%, that’s not a failure — it’s information. Move one deep task to tomorrow, or reduce scope. A clean schedule reduces anxiety because it answers: “What am I not doing today?” (That’s a power move.)

Screenshot tip: after generating your plan, use your phone’s markup tool to circle your #1 block of the day. Post it. People love “one thing” clarity.

Frequently Asked Questions

• What is time blocking?

  Time blocking is scheduling your day by assigning specific time windows (“blocks”) to tasks or categories. Instead of hoping you’ll “find time”, you decide when it happens.

• Is time blocking the same as Pomodoro?

  Pomodoro is a focus technique (usually 25 minutes on, short break). Time blocking is a schedule strategy. They pair well: you can use Pomodoro-style blocks inside a time-block plan.

• Why does my schedule include buffers?

  Because real life includes transitions, interruptions, and mental reset time. Without buffers, most schedules break early, and you abandon the plan.

• What if my tasks don’t fit?

  That’s common. The planner will flag what didn’t fit. Choose a smaller “today list” and move the rest. The purpose of planning is choosing — not cramming.

• Should I schedule every minute?

  Not necessarily. Many people do best with blocks for important work plus open space for the rest. Try “structured mornings, flexible afternoons” if you hate rigid schedules.

• Does this save to the cloud?

  No. Saved plans are stored locally in your browser on this device (like a note stored on your computer). If you clear browser data, your saved plans may be removed.

• Can I print it?

  Yes. Use the Print button to print the schedule. For best results, generate the plan first, then print — it will format cleanly like a simple agenda list.