As someone whose main profession is freelance writing, I get to dictate my own hours and decide when I should start working and what tasks I should prioritize. It may sound ideal, but there are pitfalls to this kind of work schedule. For me, it’s the illusion that I have a lot of time to finish a task–but I end up procrastinating and rushing my work.
Wanting to avoid this, I scoured the web for productivity methods and discovered a one I thought could help me the most—tIme blocking. So I tried it for a week to see if it could actually make me more productive!
What is time-blocking, anyway?
From Todoist
Time-blocking is a time-management method wherein the day is divided into chunks or “blocks”, with the goal to focus on one specific task for each block. It utilizes the four pillars of productivity, as time-blocking is primarily setting a schedule, sticking to it, and doing as much of each deliverable to make the most out of the work day.
How did my time-blocking week look like?
I started off my time-blocking week by utilizing things I already had at my disposal. Having a Google Nest helped me stick to my schedule, thanks to the ability to set multiple alarms and routines throughout the day. I set up waking and sleeping routines on my smart speaker. My smart assistant also informed me of my time-blocking schedule on my Google Calendar, and it notified me when that blocked time had ended and the next task had begun.
A screenshot of my Time Blocking Schedule from Google Calendar
I identified my most productive hours and scheduled my most important tasks during those times, while also making sure to slot in brain breaks. Checking my phone in between blocks also served as a temptation, so I used Forest, a screen time management app, to keep myself from using my phone on the specific blocks that I needed to be productive.
How did it go for me, and would I recommend it?
Time-blocking helped me stay productive throughout the week–I had a more organized and stricter schedule, and having a consistently reliable home WiFi connection was an added boost. Since I had to work in chunks, time-blocking had this weird paradoxical effect of both adding the pressure to do as much as I can, while also calming me with the knowledge that I had additional time to finish tasks. My smart assistant was also a huge help in keeping me productive, as I didn’t have to constantly check the time to follow my schedule.
The main issue I faced with time-blocking was being disciplined. Following a strict routine was new to me, and constantly doubting if I set the right schedule occupied parts of my mind. On certain days, I felt like I was rushing my rest times–while the opposite was true for other days, which helped create a new kind of stress. Being unable to account for unexpected tasks that needed my immediate attention also created some anxiety–I felt I wasn't sticking to the schedule I set, leading to unproductivity.
That being said, I’d still recommend giving time-blocking a try. Despite the additional stress I mentioned. It was well worth the results I achieved. Like with any other thing you try out for the first time, it takes time getting used to. For the next round, I’d just do it for a day, and allow myself to make adjustments for the next day I’ll do it, instead of setting myself to do an entire week with the fixed schedule I decided on before starting.
EDITOR'S NOTE
This article is part of our social experiment on nextupgrade.ph. We call it: "So I Tried It" (stylized via hashtag as #SoITriedIt).
#SoITriedIt is a special series featuring the personal experiences of the Next Upgrade Editorial Team as we embrace the smart home lifestyle ourselves. As we take that first step to do things better and smarter, we hope we will inspire all of you to jumpstart your smart home journey.