The Three Apps That Will Stop Your Days From Feeling Like Chaos

Screen Skills Quick Tip

Many people treat their calendar like a meeting holder and their task list like wishful thinking. Time blocking changes this by turning your calendar into a complete life management system.

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For new readers: Screen Skills provides practical digital advice without technical jargon. I focus on tools that enhance your digital life without overwhelming you with complexity.

In quick tips, I share a screen skill or other knowledge that you can apply in just a few minutes.

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What Is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is a time management technique where you schedule how you'll spend your time during every minute of every day. Each task you need to complete gets a time slot scheduled on your calendar, rather than remaining on an endless to-do list.

Instead of hoping you'll find time for important work, you assign specific hours to specific tasks. This approach prompts you to reflect on your time and fosters realistic expectations about what you can actually accomplish.

Three Apps That Make Time Blocking Simple

1. Google Calendar (Free)

Google Calendar is straightforward and effective for time blocking, and you probably already have it. Create multiple calendars within the app to map out your entire day—one for work, one for personal tasks, one for exercise.

To set up time blocking in Google Calendar:

• Create separate calendars for different life areas (work, personal, health)

• Use different colors for each calendar type

• Schedule tasks as "events" with specific start and end times

• Use the "Focus Time" feature to block uninterrupted work periods.

The biggest limitation is that tasks can only be scheduled in 30-minute increments. For shorter tasks, group similar activities together in one block.

2. Sunsama ($20/month)

Sunsama offers the best design for time blocking. The interface is clean and intuitive, allowing you to understand how to use it immediately. You can pull tasks from other apps like Gmail, Slack, or Todoist, then drag them directly onto your calendar.

3. Motion ($34/month)

Motion automatically builds your daily schedule using AI. It prioritizes tasks, reprioritizes unfinished work, selects ideal meeting times, and balances your workload without manual input.

Tip: Start with Google Calendar since it's free and you likely already use it. Once you understand the basics of time blocking, consider upgrading to a paid option if you need more automation.

Worth Knowing

Time blocking as a time management technique was popularized by Cal Newport, author of Deep Work. Newport dedicates 10-20 minutes every evening to time blocking his schedule for the next day.

Users consistently report that time blocking helps with better focus by reducing context switching between tasks. The technique works best when you group similar tasks together in specific time blocks.

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Until next time, Alexander

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