Introduction

The secret to productivity is not managing your time better. It's managing your Focus. Time is a limited resource. Time-Blocking is a strategy to manage your focus. It will help you to be more productive and achieve your highest goals. You can use time blocking to write a book. You can use it to accomplish virtually any goal.

Three Different Ways to Time-Block

1. Macro Blocking.
2. Micro Blocking.
3. Day Blocking.

Understanding the three ways to time-block allows you to achieve both large and small goals.

Have you read?

The Time Chunking Method by Damon Zahariades, Summary

Summary of Time-Blocking by Luke Seavers

A time-blocking mindset is one of the aims for true productivity. The secret to time blocking is focus. Learn how to manage your  focus, not your time.

Multitasking versus Single Focus

1. Multitasking does not work.
2. It works against focus. To manage your focus, stop multitasking.
3. You cannot give 100 percent to two or more things.

Five Rules of Time Blocking

1. Maintain single focus.
2. Determine your essentials.
3. Achieve more by doing less.
4. Plan to recharge.
5. Take back control of your time. That means saying no more.

Rule #1 of Time Blocking is to Maintain Single Focus

The opposite of multitasking is single focusing. Be more present and don't think of issues that have nothing to do with the present. Apply the time blocking mindset to every area of your life. The cure for busyness is correlated to lack of focus.

Determine Your Essentials 

What are important and unimportant tasks?

Rule #2 of Time Blocking is to Determine Your Essentials

What are the vital few activities you need to do? What's essential in your life? What do you value most? What's your why?

Set Smart Goals 

1. Specific
2. Measurable
3. Actionable
4. Realistic
5. Time-based

I wanted to say that the experts talk about SMART goals when they recommend goal setting. But according to Simeon Ivanov in his book, 0.1%: Join The Club of The Richest, Healthiest, Happiest, about 99.9 percent of people go for SMART Goals. Ivanov thinks SMART goals are boring. He recommends that you go for SMURT goals and become a part of the 0.1% club.

SMURT — Smart, Measurable, Unrealistic, Resourceful, Time-Bound. He may be on to something there.

Have you read?

0.1%: Join The Club of The Richest, Healthiest by Simeon Ivanov

Luke Seavers says if you're trying to create life goals, reverse engineer the steps to get there. You reverse engineer your life at will. Reverse engineering your goals enables you to create a roadmap. Reverse engineer the most important goals. Focus on the essential ones for now. Keep in mind that not all tasks are created equally. Figure out your essential tasks and focus on them. That's the only way you'll succeed with time blocking. What are you prepared to say ‘no’ to?

Because a task is essential doesn't mean it's an essential task for you.

Achieve More by Doing Less

Fill your days with essential tasks. You need a Said It and Forget It List. When you think of a task, write it down. You want a bird's eye view. This allows you to determine the activities that deserve your focus. Put the list away. Time block only the essential tasks.

To Day Block, determine the essential tasks for the day. What are three projects you could focus on today? Things often take longer than you think.

Rule #3 of Time Blocking: Achieve More by Doing Less

Focus on fewer things. When you do this, you cut down on task switching. Stop multitasking to reduce task switching. To focus on a task, you have to be motivated to do it. Achieve small wins with time blocking.

Plan to Recharge

What happens when you work more and play less? You need time to recharge. Build in time each day to recharge your batteries.

Rule #4 Time blocking is to Plan to Recharge

The most productive employees take frequent breaks. They work for 52 minutes, then take a 17 minute break. Resting your brain can also mean focusing on something different. When you focus on one task too long, it affects your performance. Schedule time to rest. The Pomodoro Technique suggests a five-minute break after 25 minutes of focused work.

Other experts weigh in differently. Find your rhythm. For me, I need to work for at least 60 minutes before I take a break. Your three essential tasks and your rest breaks are the most important things to block in a day.

Take Back Control of Time 

Other people's agenda may not align with yours. We need others to achieve our goals. But if you don't control your time, others will.

Rule #5 of Time Blocking is to Take Back Control of Your Time

Time blocks are appointments with yourself. If someone wants to schedule time with you, say you have an appointment. Yes, you have an appointment with yourself. In addition, time block your communications, so you control your schedule, and try to limit how much time you spend on communications.

Time Blocking Method

3 Different Forms of Time Blocking

1. Macro blocking,
2. Micro blocking.
3. Day blocking.

Macro Level Focus

Can be a few days to a whole year. Macro level of focus: Dedicated single focus to a larger objective for a set period of time. This can give you clarity of thought to achieve a goal faster. Macro blocking is committing overall focus on a single goal. How will you block off the time?

Reverse Engineer Your Essentials 

I started a podcast, The One Problem, about eight months ago. Right now, I interview guests whenever they’re free and work it into my schedule. I want to get more organized and build out my content calendar because right now, I publish one blog post a week. And that’s my podcast that I publish on Fridays. This means I have to figure out which days to interview guests for The One Problem. And which days to write blog posts.

I’ve lost a lot of traffic since I haven’t been adding new content. I want to have content scheduled three months at a time. Because my posts are usually evergreen I don’t have to worry about special holidays. Reading Time Blocking by Luke Seavers has given me clarity. For instance, since I’m creating Bookish Notes in bulk, I can excerpt information from them to publish two book summaries each week.

To reverse engineer, you have to know where you want to end up, then work backwards. I want to publish at least five blog posts each week. How can I make that happen without adding unnecessary stress to my life?

In the book, Luke Seavers presents a process, so you can reverse engineer the things that are essentials for you. I went through a similar process before I read this book. Now I have to honor the commitments I made to myself. You have to create your purpose statement and develop your values and be as clear as possible.

Micro Blocking 

Micro blogging is designing blocks of time in your day to dedicate to a single task or objectives.

Macro to Micro 

Macro block a big goal, so you can take action. This is where I often fall short. Write down the steps to complete a larger goal in a designated time frame. How much time do you need to commit to achieve the goal in the time frame? When you're working toward a larger goal, time block every day. The time blocking method works well because it places limits on you.

Parkinson's Law:  Work expands to the time available for its completion. Give yourself less time, so you have less time to work. Use a timer when working. Work on tasks for a span of time.

Micro blocking helps you make time for things you always wanted to do but couldn't find the time to do it.

Day Blocking

Use time blocking to design your day-to-day routine. Day blocking is time blocking your entire day. Time block tasks in your day. Create daily routines which help to reduce decision fatigue.

3 Major Thieves That Rob Focus 

1. Excessive task switching
2. Prolonged concentration on a task without a break.
3. Decision making.

Decision fatigue is often a byproduct of having to make big decisions.

Conclusion: Time-Blocking by Luke Seavers

Because I'm creating Bookish Notes and combining them by themes to create courses, I often find myself reading many books on one topic. I've always said that reading one book on a topic will not give you everything you need. You have to read at least five good books. With that in mind, I've read several books on productivity and time management.

Anyway, Luke Seavers says people don't have a time management problem. They have a focus management problem. And when you think about it, it makes a lot of sense. What do you think?

Next Steps

1. Buy and Read Time Blocking by Luke Seavers
2. Join the Art of Learning Membership Site

If you want access to Bookish Note Time-Blocking: Your Method to Supercharge Productivity & Reach Your Goals by Luke Seavers, which has more information than the above summary, please consider joining my membership site, the Art of Learning.

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