The time-blocking formula (simple, practical)

Time blocking works best when you treat your day like a container and your tasks like “ingredients” that must fit inside it. This tool does exactly that: it converts your start/end time into available minutes, reserves buffer and breaks, then packs in deep work and other blocks in an order that reduces context switching.

• Available minutes = (End − Start)
• Protected minutes = buffer + breaks + lunch + shutdown
• Planned minutes = deep work + meetings/classes + admin + chores + exercise + learning
• Reality test: if Planned + Protected > Available, the tool trims blocks using your chosen style.

• It builds slack (buffer) so one delay doesn’t destroy the day.
• It protects attention by clustering similar work (batching).
• It turns “do more” into “do next” — a single block with a clear start time.

Score your schedule (0–100)

The score is not “good person / bad person.” It’s a quick check on whether your schedule is calm, focused, and realistic.

• Focus Ratio (0–1): deep work minutes ÷ (total planned minutes)
• Fragmentation (0–1): number of blocks ÷ max blocks (more blocks = more switching)
• Buffer Health (0–1): buffer minutes ÷ (available minutes)
• Overload Penalty: if trimming was required, score drops (because it signals too much demand)

Score = 100 × (0.40·FocusRatio + 0.35·BufferHealth + 0.25·(1 − Fragmentation)) − OverloadPenalty

Three quick schedules

These examples show how the same day length can produce totally different outcomes depending on your chosen style. Use them as templates.

• Start 8:30 → End 18:00 (570 min). Buffer 12% (~68 min).
• 2 deep blocks × 90 min = 180 min.
• Meetings 60 min, admin 45 min, exercise 30 min, chores 30 min, learning 20 min.
• Result: two protected focus windows, meetings batched, realistic buffer.

• Deep blocks scheduled early, before meetings/admin.
• Best for: writing, coding, studying, building products, exams.
• Result: higher focus ratio and a calmer score if buffer stays ≥10%.

• Meetings take priority and get clustered into one larger chunk.
• Deep work becomes shorter, later blocks (or one block).
• Result: you stay realistic instead of pretending you’ll do 4 hours of deep work after 5 hours of calls.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Is time blocking only for productivity nerds?

  No. It’s for anyone who wants less decision fatigue. Even blocking “life stuff” (meals, errands, rest) is time blocking.

• How much buffer should I use?

  Most people do best with 10–15%. If your day is chaotic (kids, on-call, heavy meetings), try 15–20%.

• What if my plan doesn’t fit?

  The tool trims lower-priority blocks and shows what got cut. That’s a feature: it forces an honest plan.

• Should I schedule breaks?

  Yes. Breaks are “maintenance,” not laziness. A 5–10 minute break can prevent an hour of low-quality work.

• Can I use this for studying?

  Absolutely. Choose Exam / Crunch day or Deep Work First, increase deep blocks, and reduce meetings/admin.

Weekly time-blocking habit

The fastest way to make time blocking “stick” is to use it as a quick weekly ritual, not an all-day control system.

• Pick your top 3 outcomes for the week.
• Block 2–4 deep work sessions across the week.
• Leave at least 10% buffer in each day.
• Every morning: generate a fresh plan in 60 seconds.