At the end of the day, do you ever wonder where all the time went? Do you find yourself thinking, What exactly did I even do today?

I’ve been there. And I can confidently say the way I finally put this guessing game to an end was by implementing time blocking and batch scheduling into my daily routine.

What is time blocking?… And for the record, what is batch scheduling? Aren’t they the same?!

Contrary to popular belief, batch scheduling and time blocking aren’t exactly the same. (Though I totally get it – it sounds like they should be!)

Here’s the big difference between batch scheduling and time blocking: Batching means planning and completing similar tasks all in one go (for example, checking and returning emails + checking and replying to Facebook messages… or creating several pieces of similar content, like recording video and podcast episodes) whereas blocking means actually setting aside a specific time to devote to completing those tasks that fall into a similar category.

Let’s dig into this.

Time Blocking

When you hear someone talking about a time block, they’re talking about focused time. To have truly focused time, you’ve got to actually schedule it.

Think about your day and all the hours you have that are technically unplanned. You might be a mom with open-ended school hours, have a 9-to-5 job and time on either side of your work schedule, or be a full-time entrepreneur: We’ve all got some pockets of time that we alone control.  

Now, you may have a mental (or, better yet, a literal) list of tasks you want to complete, but short of actually writing down at what time you’ll complete them, the day is unplanned.

To really be productive, use time blocking to lay out a foundational schedule for yourself. If you’re not keen on planning every hour of your day… buckle up! I can promise you that planning every hour of the day – or “time blocking” – is the #1 surefire way to increase your daily productivity. 

So, thinking about your “available hours” every day, determine how many hours you actually have. I’m an early riser and my days typically start around 5 AM. After making coffee, taking my beloved fur baby, Thurman, out for a walk, and finishing a few things around the house, I’m ready to hit the ground running most days around 7 AM. 

I map out every hour of the day beginning at 7 AM using my digital planner. Even if a task will take me less than an hour, I still give that hour fully to that task to keep things simple. Because I’ve got every hour accounted for, I save myself the frustration and agony of trying to decide what to do next. 

Time blocking, in turn, allows me to batch my tasks for even more increased productivity.

Batch Scheduling 

How often do you feel like you lose steam when you stop working on one thing to switch to something else totally unrelated? I’ve been there and I get it – sometimes it’s unavoidable!

That being said, consistently batch scheduling as often as possible will practically eradicate this headache.

Using my pre-planned time blocks, I group like-tasks together into categories to complete in a single sitting or certain number of hours instead of planning for or working on small projects or tasks one at a time. This helps me better wrap my head around the seemingly non-ending list of things I have to do from day to day. 

This also works when I know I have several things coming up that are the same and not just “similar,” like creating images for posting on social media, writing blog posts, or planning my next big project. 

For example, I consistently mark off a few hours every month to sit down and write multiple blog articles all in one go. I set a specific time each month to create images for my social media accounts and each week sit down to write the content to be posted with them.

Batch scheduling requires a little planning ahead but it’s so worth it in the end. Believe it or not, batching tasks will help you stay focused and maintain momentum. 

Work Tasks to Time Block + Batch Schedule

Now that we know the difference between time blocking and batch scheduling, you may be asking yourself what kinds of things to schedule. 

Here’s a quick (and definitely NOT comprehensive) list of ideas: 

• Checking messages (email, Facebook, Instagram, etc.)
• Creating content (blog posts, videos, podcasts, graphics, etc.)
• Scheduling social media
• Client work (scheduled calls, projects, etc.)
• Taking stock photos
• Editing content (videos, blog posts or other writing, images, podcasts, etc.)
• Administrative tasks (downloading or exporting files, creating invoices, tracking expenses, etc.)
• Professional development (online courses, reading business or self-help books, etc.)
• Networking or attending meetings (online or in-person)
• Research for projects
• Planning (weekly, monthly, or quarterly)
• Email marketing tasks (writing content, scheduling newsletters, etc.)
• Website updates (changing images, updating links, creating new landing pages, etc.)

Basically, whatever you’ve got on your to-do list can fit into a time block. When you’ve got things that are similar, drop them into the same block – an hour or more – and focus solely on those things for that time.

Benefits of Time Blocking + Batch Scheduling

One of the biggest complaints we have as busy humans is that we feel overworked. Our schedules are so full. But taking the reins by time blocking and batch scheduling allows you to control your schedule so it doesn’t control you.

You’re also able to better prioritize your task lists. Focus on a single project, problem, or task and get it done right… the first time. If you’re time blocking, you’re less likely to be distracted by “busy work” like paperwork, responding to emails, responding to Slack messages, or making phone calls.

You’ll also be more aware of how you’re actually spending your time. With time blocking and batch scheduling, wondering where the hours have gone is over. You planned your day and your tasks for each hour, so you don’t have to guess what you were doing.

Most importantly, consistently batching your tasks and blocking time off helps you follow through on your goals, hold yourself accountable, and avoid feeling overwhelmed. If there was ever a tried-and-true method for maximum productivity, it’s to block time and batch schedule your tasks.

Take the stress out of your day and be the go-getter you are. Blocking off your time for specific tasks or task categories gives you a concrete plan for each day and batching like-tasks together gives you the focused brain power you need to get it all done.

Happy Clicking + Planning,