time management block websites

The top 10 free time blocking apps compared

“Time blocking” is a productivity and time management technique that Elon Musk , Bill Gates , and Cal Newport use to get more done in less time.

While time blocking has many benefits, doing it manually is time-consuming. Luckily, there are free apps to help streamline the process for you. Below are 12 of the best free time blocking apps, compared.

An introduction to time blocking

Time blocking helps you:

Prioritize your most important tasks
Spend the right amount of time on each task
Know what you’re supposed to be working on
Move right to the next most important task
Improve your estimates for how long a task will take

To do it, choose what to work on and when, and then block that time off on your calendar. For a more in-depth guide to time blocking, check out What is time blocking? You can also check out our article about the differences between time blocking and timeboxing .

12 free time blocking apps

Below we’ve compared each block schedule app based on features, ease of use, and price to upgrade to a premium plan — listed in alphabetical order.

1. Clockwise

Clockwise is an AI-powered scheduling assistant that coordinates the way you, your team, and your company prefer to work. It works by moving meetings to their most efficient times, automatically resolving scheduling conflicts, and maximizing Focus Time for you and your team. Clockwise is the easiest way to block time for deep work, helping you and your teammates experience a more sustainable workday.

Key features

Focus Time: Enjoy long, uninterrupted blocks of time in your calendar, perfect for focused work
Asana integration : Block time in your calendar for specific tasks, pulled directly from Asana
Slack sync : Sync your Slack status with your calendar, see a daily meeting forecast, and turn on automatic Do Not Disturb
Zoom sync : Add a Zoom call to any meeting in one click
Teams : Set up and protect your no-meeting days, gain instant insight into your team's bandwidth, and automatically sync your team’s availability and schedules to a shared calendar
Personal calendar sync : Sync your work and personal calendars so you never accidentally double-book or miss an important personal event
Color-coding : Differentiate your 1:1s, standups, and one-off meetings at a glance
Clockwise AI Scheduler : Send scheduling requests directly to Clockwise via chat in this first-of-its-kind calendar experience powered by GPT

Clockwise onboarding is simple and smooth. Just set your working hours and preferences around meetings and lunch and you’re up and running.

Clockwise currently doesn’t have built-in task management . However, you can integrate with Asana to automatically block time for Asana tasks in your calendar.

Clockwise is available as a web app, Google Chrome extension, and Firefox extension. You can also integrate with Slack and Asana.

Clockwise is free and offers Teams, Business, and Enterprise plans starting at $6.75 per user per month.

Click here to try Clockwise for free!

2. Google Calendar

Google Calendar is one of the most widely utilized calendar apps with an estimated 500 million users worldwide. The interface is simple to use. It gives the user complete control over time blocking their schedule. You can share events or entire calendars with others via Gmail . However, there are a few features you may not be taking advantage of.

You can add to-do lists, set notifications, add flights and restaurant reservations automatically from your Gmail account.
You can glance at your schedule on a daily, weekly, monthly, or annual view.

Click here to read our full guide on how to time block in Google Calendar.

Google Calendar is a web app and has apps for iPhone and Android.

Google Calendar is free for personal use. The Business version is $5 per month.

3. HourStack

HourStack is a task and time management app with a drag-and-drop time blocking feature. It also includes a built-in time tracker to show you the amount of time you are spending on specific tasks. Contrast this with how long you expect to spend to get a realistic understanding of your tasks and learn how to time block within your schedule to maximize productivity.

You can use lists, calendar view, and color coding within the user interface to see your week at a glance.
It integrates seamlessly with Asana, Trello , Google Calendar, Slack, Github , and other programs to help you schedule tasks. Hourstack is easy to use and integrates with your time tracking with time management to maximize your productivity.

HourStack is available on the web, iOS, or Android.

For personal use, HourStack is $12 per month. For teams the pricing is $15 per user per month.

Plan is a time blocking app with a built-in to-do list that integrates with your Google or Outlook Calendar .

In addition to making time-blocking dead-simple, it offers multiple workspaces and useful analytics, which they call “insights.”

Onboarding is a breeze, and the user interface is both beautiful and intuitive. We like that onboarding ends with a CTA to email [email protected] with questions or feature requests.

By default, the time blocks you add in Plan don’t show up on your calendar. To make that happen, you need to integrate Plan and your calendar using one of your three free integrations. To use more of the available integrations you need to upgrade. Upgrading is just $4 per month, and gets you unlimited support, feature input, and unlimited integrations. Integrations currently on offer are as follows: Box, Github, Google Calendar, Google Drive, Gmail, Outlook, Jira, and Zendesk.

Plan is a Mac and iPhone app.

Plan offers a free option and paid options start at $6.67 per user per month.

5. Planyway

Planyway is a drag-and-drop tool for integrating a Kanban board for task management with your Google, Microsoft, or Apple calendar.

View your calendar and work management platform in split-screen mode. Then, drag and drop tasks onto your calendar for instant time blocking.
Planyway offers push notification reminders you can set at any date or time of day for priority tasks.
You can create tasks and subtasks, set priority and sort by priority, and label tasks to group them.

Planyway is available as a web app and a Mac, Windows, and Chrome app. You can also access Planyway through their mobile apps.

Two-way calendar sync requires upgrading, which starts at $3.50 per month if you pay annually, and $5 if you pay month-to-month. ‍

Sunsama is a digital daily planner. What makes Sunsama unique is that it guides you through planning your day every day, so you can be sure you’re spending your time in an intentional way. Sunsama encourages you to reflect on your past day, add tasks via integrations, and push back non-essential tasks.

When you log in, it asks you what you need to accomplish that day and the amount of time you expect each of those tasks to take. It then schedules your task list for you to maximize deep work.
You can also create to-do lists sorted by day.
It syncs with external programs such as Trello, Jira, Asana, Gmail, Github, and others to help you manage tasks in a single location.
The Slack integration is especially powerful; you can share your daily plan with your teammates and turn your Slack messages into tasks.

Sunsama runs on web, macOS, Android, and iOS.

Sunsama offers users a free 14-day trial. After that, the individual plan costs $16 per month (billed annually) or $20 per month (billed monthly). The pricing for the Business plan ranges from $20-$40 per month per user.

7. Ticktick

Ticktick’s strength as a time blocking app is in the ease with which users can schedule tasks.

TickTick: Todo list, checklist and task manager app for Android, iPhone and Web

It's designed around the pomodoro technique where you focus on deep work for a specific amount of time (generally 25 minute intervals). Ticktick has a built-in pomodoro timer that helps you keep track of your workflow.
A standout feature of Ticktick is how easy it is to update your to-do list while on-the-go via voice input, email, Sire, or widgets.
When you complete a task, the app gives you an Achievement score which helps incentivise users.
You can set certain tasks to repeat or get notification reminders for important tasks.
Integrates with Slack, Gmail, or you can integrate with other favorite apps via Zapier.

Ticktick is an iPhone and Android app.

Ticktick offers users a free version or you can pay $2.99 to access the Premium version.

8. Timebloc

Timebloc is a daily planner and time tracking app.

Timebloc allows you to color code and tag your tasks.
Timebloc allows you to incorporate your daily routine and edit your blocks of time.
You can also set notifications so that you don’t forget about any important tasks throughout the workday.
The premium version shows you statistics that help you understand how you spend your time better. It breaks your time down into categories like work, study, leisure, ect. This gives you insight on how you’re using your time and can help you schedule your time to reach your goals more effectively.

Timebloc is a mobile only calendar app, available for iOS and Android.

Pricing for the Timebloc annual subscription is $26.49.

Trello is a project management tool modeled around Kanban boards.

Manage Your Team's Projects From Anywhere | Trello

Trello is customizable as you can add whatever columns and card titles work best for you.
For time blocking, you could start with a column for each workday and then assign different tasks to different work days depending on which are the more important tasks. On each card, break the task down with to-do lists, due dates, and other details that you need.
Seeing the week’s tasks at a glance will help batching similar projects or schedule tasks at the time of day that works best for you. A clear awareness of what you need to do will help you get more done in a shorter amount of time.

Trello is a web app and has Android and iPhone apps.

Trello allows you to use up to 10 boards for free. For unlimited boards, pricing is $10 per user per month.

10. Todoist

Todoist is one of the most popular productivity apps that exist today, with a focus on task management and to-do lists.

Todoist: The to do list to organize work & life

You can create as many to-do lists as you need which can be shared with other relevant people. You could make a to-do list titled “grocery list” where you and your partner keep track of what you need to pick up at the store, or another one titled, “client presentation” where you and your coworker keep track of what still needs to get done before that big meeting on Friday.
Todoist also allows you to set notifications, recurring tasks, subtasks, priorities, due dates and more. The due dates will show up in the in-app calendar view, helping you prioritize the most important tasks.
Todoist integrates seamlessly with calendar apps such as Outlook Calendar, Google Calendar, and others.
Great alternative to Any.do.

Todoist is a web app with iPhone and Android apps.

Todoist offers a free version, a Premium version for $3 per user per month, or a Business plan priced at $5 per user per month.

11. Clockify

Clockify is a user-friendly time management app that helps individuals and teams optimize their work hours. Its intuitive time blocking feature allows you to allocate a specific time frame for each of your work items, ensuring improved focus and efficiency to complete tasks.

Collaborate seamlessly with team members and keep a record of all your time spent on tasks and projects, enabling you to analyze productivity and plan future time slots. Clockify offers a free plan, making it accessible for individuals and small teams to get started with effective time management and task management. If you’ve ever used TimeCamp, you’ll find that Clockify offers similar features with the additional time blocking feature.

Track time with an easy-to-use timer, or enter hours manually
Manage your time as a team by inviting team members to schedule time in a single workspace
Generate your timesheet in an instant
Visualize your time with a calendar view, add events from Outlook or Google, and block out activities for better planning
Gain insights into your time slots and usage with detailed reports, charts, breakdowns, and status views

Clockify is available as a browser extension (Chrome, Firefox, Edge), desktop app (Mac, Windows, Linux), and mobile app (iOS, Android).

Clockify offers a free plan that covers essential time management features. Access advanced functionalities with Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans starting at $3.99 per user per month.

12. Fantastical

Fantastical is a powerful calendar and task management app designed to simplify your daily planning and task management. Create events and tasks effortlessly, stay on top of important deadlines, and even collaborate with team members — all within a single, intuitive app.

With flexible pricing options and a range of powerful features, Fantastical empowers you to optimize your work hours, boost productivity, and make the most of each day.

Schedule time to complete tasks alongside calendar events, and receive timely due date notifications to stay organized and on track
Group different calendars and task lists for easy management, with the option for automatic activation based on location or time slot
Easily share files and photos directly from Fantastical to your iCloud, Google, or Exchange events
Streamline scheduling recurring events and tasks with quick templates generated from existing entries

Fantastical is available as both a desktop and mobile app for Apple users.

Fantastical offers a free 14-day trial with access to basic features. For individuals, premium plans start at $4.75 per month, while teams can access the same benefits at $4.75 per user per month.

Bottom line

When it comes to improving productivity and overcoming procrastination, time blocks work — and these apps are a great place to start your time blocking journey.

Clockwise combines the power of time blocking with the magic of AI to create your ideal work day, everyday. Try it for free today!

About the author

Cathy Reisenwitz is the former Head of Content at Clockwise. She has covered business software for six years and has been published in Newsweek, Forbes, the Daily Beast, VICE Motherboard, Reason magazine, Talking Points Memo and other publications.

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15 Best Time Blocking Apps to Manage Your Time Effectively

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In today’s fast-paced world, managing our time effectively is more important than ever. With countless distractions and competing demands, it can be challenging to stay on top of everything. That’s where time blocking apps come in – these powerful tools can help you manage your schedule more efficiently and make the most of every day. In this article, we’ll explore the 12 best time blocking apps available and help you find the one that’s right for you.

What Is Time Blocking and Why Is It Important?

As Emily Ley, author and productivity expert, said, “Giving yourself permission to block time on your schedule for specific tasks can be a game-changer, for both your workday and your personal life.” By setting aside specific blocks of time for each task, you can stay focused, minimize distractions, and accomplish more.

Time blocking is a time management technique where you block off specific periods of time to allocate to specific tasks. It involves dividing your day into blocks of time and assigning a particular task or group of tasks to each block. This method relies heavily on prioritization and setting concrete schedules with minimal flexibility.

Time blocking offers several benefits and reasons why it is important:

Greater organization : By blocking out specific times for tasks, you can prioritize projects based on their due dates, importance, or other factors. This helps you stay organized and ensures that you are dedicating appropriate time to each task.
Improved productivity : By dedicating focused time blocks to individual tasks, time blocking helps eliminate distractions and can increase productivity and efficiency. It allows you to concentrate on one task at a time without interruptions.
Effective time management : Time blocking helps you manage your time effectively by creating a structured schedule. It allows you to plan and allocate time for different activities, ensuring that important tasks are not overlooked or neglected.
Enhanced focus and concentration : By organizing your day into specific time blocks for different tasks, time blocking helps you focus on one task at a time. This can lead to improved concentration and better overall performance .
Better task estimation : Time blocking helps you estimate the amount of time needed for each task more accurately. By allocating specific time blocks, you can gauge how much time each task requires, which in turn helps with planning and prioritization.

In summary, time blocking is a time management technique that involves dividing your day into dedicated time blocks for specific tasks. It offers benefits such as improved organization, increased productivity, effective time management, enhanced focus, and better task estimation.

The Top 15 Free Time Blocking Apps for Effective Time Management

When it comes to managing your time effectively, there are a variety of tools and techniques available. One of the most popular and effective methods is time blocking, where you allocate specific blocks of time for various tasks and activities throughout your day. Luckily, there are many great time blocking apps available to help you streamline this process and make the most of every moment. Here are 15 of the best time blocking apps to consider:

Trello is a popular project management tool that also has time blocking capabilities. With Trello, you can organize your tasks into boards and lists, and then schedule specific times for each task on a weekly basis.

This feature allows you to visually plan and allocate your time effectively. Whether you are managing personal tasks or collaborating with a team, Trello’s time blocking feature can help you stay organized and focused.

Asana is another popular project management tool that includes a time tracking feature. With Asana, you can set due dates and reminders for tasks, and then use the time tracking feature to see how much time you’re spending on each task.

This feature provides valuable insights into your productivity and allows you to assess whether you’re allocating an appropriate amount of time to each task. By having a clear understanding of how you’re utilizing your time, you can make informed decisions on how to optimize your workflow.

Todoist is a popular to-do list app that also provides time blocking capabilities. With Todoist, you can schedule tasks for specific dates and times, allowing you to incorporate time blocking into your workflow.

The app allows you to easily rearrange your schedule, making it flexible and adaptable to changes in your plans. This feature ensures that you have a clear overview of your tasks and helps you prioritize and allocate time for each one.

4. TickTick

TickTick is a versatile to-do list and time management app that offers robust features for scheduling tasks and reminders. With TickTick, you can easily assign specific times to tasks, allowing you to implement time blocking techniques seamlessly.

The app also enables you to track your progress on individual tasks, which helps you stay accountable and motivated. Additionally, TickTick allows you to set deadlines for tasks, ensuring that you stay on track and complete them in a timely manner.

5. Remember The Milk

Remember The Milk is a widely used to-do list app that integrates time blocking capabilities. This app allows you to conveniently schedule tasks for specific times and dates, ensuring that you have a clear plan for your day.

With Remember The Milk, you have the flexibility to view your schedule by day, week, or month, giving you a comprehensive overview of your tasks and commitments. This feature facilitates effective time management, allowing you to prioritize tasks and allocate time for each one.

6. Focus@Will

Focus@Will is a unique productivity app that enhances focus during time blocks by utilizing music. This app offers a wide selection of over 50 channels of music, catering to various genres and individual preferences.

Research has shown that certain types of music can increase concentration and productivity, and Focus@Will curates playlists specifically designed to stimulate focus and eliminate distractions.

By playing background music that aligns with your personal taste and work style, Focus@Will can help create an optimal working environment and enhance your productivity during time blocks.

7. RescueTime

RescueTime is a helpful time tracking app that allows you to track your time spent on various tasks and activities. By running in the background of your device, RescueTime automatically categorizes your activities and provides comprehensive reports on your daily and weekly productivity.

RescueTime also enables you to set goals and alerts for certain activities, highlighting areas where you may need improvement or where you have been particularly productive. With RescueTime’s detailed reporting features, you can gain insights into your work habits and effectively manage your time.

The app also includes a range of features such as custom category tracking, website blocking, and offline time tracking, allowing you to tailor the app to fit your specific needs.

8. Focus Booster

Focus Booster is a powerful time tracking and productivity app that incorporates the renowned Pomodoro Technique to enhance focus and productivity during time blocks. The Pomodoro Technique is a time management method that breaks work into intervals, usually 25 minutes, followed by short breaks.

Focus Booster automates this technique by providing a timer that indicates when to work and when to take breaks. By structuring your tasks into focused work sessions, followed by brief moments of rest, you can optimize your productivity and maintain mental clarity throughout your time blocks.

Focus Booster also offers features such as task tracking and reporting, allowing you to analyze your work patterns and identify areas for improvement.

Forest is an innovative productivity app that incorporates gamification to help you stay focused and productive during your time blocks. The app features a virtual tree-planting concept, where you plant a tree at the beginning of a time block. The tree grows as long as you remain focused and don’t leave the app. However, if you exit the app before the time block is over, the tree withers away.

This unique feature creates a sense of responsibility and accountability, providing a fun and engaging way to stay focused. Additionally, you can earn rewards such as new trees and customized sounds as you maintain focus and steadily increase your productivity.

10. Omnifocus

Omnifocus is a highly advanced task management app that offers comprehensive time blocking capabilities. This app allows you to create complex projects and subtasks, enabling you to break down your work into manageable units. Once you have defined your tasks, Omnifocus enables you to schedule specific times for each task on your calendar.

This feature not only helps you allocate dedicated time for each task but also assists in visualizing your schedule and ensuring you stay on track. With the ability to set due dates, reminders, and priorities, Omnifocus helps you stay organized and effectively manage your time.

Moreover, Omnifocus provides various views, such as boards, lists, and tags, allowing you to customize your task management system according to your preferences. Whether you prefer a high-level overview or a detailed breakdown of your tasks, Omnifocus can accommodate your needs.

By integrating time blocking into Omnifocus, you can enhance your productivity and ensure that important tasks are completed within their allocated time slots.

11. MyLifeOrganized

MyLifeOrganized is a powerful task management app that offers advanced time blocking capabilities. This app allows you to break down complex projects or goals into smaller, more manageable tasks. Once tasks are identified, you can then schedule specific times for each task to be completed. This feature helps you allocate dedicated time for each task and allows you to create a well-defined schedule for your day.

MyLifeOrganized also supports various task management features such as due dates, priorities, dependencies, and reminders. Additionally, it provides different views and filters to help you visualize and organize your tasks effectively. You can customize your task management system according to your preferences and work style.

By incorporating time blocking into MyLifeOrganized, you can prioritize your tasks, ensure that they are completed within the designated time slots, and efficiently manage your workload. With this app’s comprehensive task management and time blocking capabilities, you can enhance your productivity and achieve your goals more effectively.

Toggl is indeed a popular time tracking app that provides a streamlined way to monitor and manage your time spent on different tasks and projects. With Toggl, you can effortlessly start and stop timers for various activities, allowing you to accurately track the time you spend on each task.

The app offers robust reporting features that allow you to analyze and review your tracked time in detail. You can view reports that provide insights into how you are allocating your time, helping you identify areas of improvement and gain a better understanding of your productivity patterns. These reports can be helpful for managing workload, identifying time-wasting activities, and making informed decisions for optimizing your time.

Toggl is known for its user-friendly interface and seamless integration with other tools, such as project management software and calendars. This ensures that your time tracking data is comprehensive and integrated with your existing workflow.

By utilizing Toggl’s time tracking capabilities and analyzing the data it provides, you can effectively monitor and manage your time, leading to improved productivity and better time management.

13. Habitica

Habitica is an innovative productivity app that gamifies your to-do list and time-blocking tasks, turning them into a fun and engaging role-playing game. With Habitica, you can earn points and rewards for completing tasks. This unique approach incentivizes productivity and makes it more enjoyable.

In Habitica, you start by creating an avatar that represents you, and then add tasks and projects to your to-do list. When you complete a task or achieve a goal, you earn experience points and virtual coins that can be used to unlock rewards, such as equipment for your avatar or new features in the app. You can also join groups or teams with other users to compete and collaborate in achieving common goals.

By incorporating Habitica into your time blocking routine, you can turn your to-do list into an exciting game and stay motivated to complete tasks. The app’s unique features, such as levelling up, rewards, and community support, can help you stay focused and productive.

Habitica’s approach is particularly valuable for people who struggle with procrastination or find it challenging to stay motivated. Through gamification, Habitica makes productivity fun and engaging, helping users develop good habits and maximize their productivity potential.

14. Focusmate

Focusmate is a unique productivity app that provides a virtual accountability system by pairing you with an accountability partner. It is a tool to help you stay focused on your work during your time blocking sessions. The way it works is that you schedule a time with your partner and then work together to accomplish your set tasks.

During the scheduled session, Focusmate creates a virtual video chat room where you and your partner can see each other and discuss your tasks and progress. This partner system is aimed at creating a focused environment that improves your productivity levels. There is research to back up this concept, indicating the social pressure and commitment that accompanies having an accountability partner can aid effectiveness and efficiency.

Focusmate is free to use, and you can schedule as many sessions as you need. It is an excellent tool for individuals working from home, freelancers, students, or anyone who finds it difficult to stay accountable to their set tasks.

Moreover, the app’s simple interface, easy scheduling mechanism, and accessibility make it a perfect addition to your time blocking toolkit. Utilize Focusmate to keep you on track and help improve your focus and productivity.

15. Google Calendar

Google Calendar is a widely used calendar app that offers a range of features, including time blocking capabilities. With Google Calendar, you can efficiently schedule and manage your time blocks to better organize your day, week, or month.

To start time blocking in Google Calendar, you can create events or appointments to represent your tasks, meetings, or activities. By setting specific start and end times for these events, you can allocate dedicated blocks of time to each task or activity. This helps provide structure to your day and allows you to visualize and manage your schedule more effectively.

Google Calendar offers various views, such as day, week, or month, allowing you to see your time blocks in a way that suits your needs. You can easily switch between different views to get an overview of your schedule, identify any overlaps or gaps, and make adjustments as needed.

Additionally, Google Calendar integrates with other Google services, such as Gmail, Google Meet, and Google Tasks, making it convenient to schedule and organize your tasks and meetings in one place.

With its user-friendly interface, flexibility, and synchronization across devices, Google Calendar is a handy tool for time blocking and managing your schedule. Whether you are an individual or part of a team, Google Calendar can help you stay organized, maximize productivity, and make the most out of your time.

Tips for Successful Time Blocking

Time blocking can be an effective productivity tool if implemented correctly. To make the most out of your time blocking routine, consider the following tips:

Set clear goals : Before you start time blocking, define your goals and priorities. This will help you allocate your time effectively and ensure that you are focusing on the most important tasks.
Create a consistent schedule : Establish a daily or weekly routine by setting aside specific time blocks for different activities. Consistency helps train your brain to get into the productivity mindset during these dedicated periods.
Avoid over commitment : Be mindful of how much you can realistically accomplish within a given time frame. Overloading your schedule with too many tasks can lead to stress and decreased productivity. Leave space for breaks and unexpected interruptions.
Guard your time : Treat your time blocks as sacred appointments and protect them from distractions and interruptions. Turn off notifications on your phone, close unnecessary tabs on your computer, and communicate to others that you should not be disturbed during your scheduled blocks.
Prioritize important and difficult tasks : Place your most important and challenging tasks during your peak productivity hours. This is usually when you have the most energy and focus. By tackling these tasks during your high-energy periods, you increase the likelihood of completing them effectively.
Include buffer time : Allow extra time between time blocks to account for unforeseen delays or to give yourself a mental break. Buffer time also helps with transitions between tasks, reducing the feeling of being rushed or overwhelmed.
Track and evaluate : Regularly review your time blocking effectiveness. Evaluate your accomplishments, identify areas for improvement, and adjust your time blocks as necessary. Experiment with different strategies to find what works best for you.
Be flexible : While consistency is important, it’s also crucial to be adaptable. Unexpected events or urgent tasks may arise that require schedule adjustments. Embrace flexibility and be open to making changes when necessary to maintain productivity in dynamic situations.
Practice self-care : Remember to allocate time for self-care activities, relaxation, and hobbies. Taking care of your physical and mental well-being is essential for sustained productivity and overall happiness.

By incorporating these tips into your time blocking routine, you can enhance your productivity, develop better time management habits, and achieve a healthy work-life balance.

Remember, everyone’s needs and preferences may differ, so feel free to customize your time blocking approach based on what works best for you. Experiment, iterate, and find a system that helps you stay focused, motivated, and on track to reach your goals.

Wrapping Up Our Guide to Time Blocking Calendar Apps

Whether you’re looking for a simple to-do list app or a more robust task management tool, there’s a time blocking app out there to suit your needs. By incorporating these apps into your routine, you can streamline your schedule, stay focused, and make the most of every moment.

15 Best Time Blocking Apps to Manage Your Time Effectively

8 Website Blockers For Studying, Productivity, & Focus

8 website blockers for productivity and studying

[Updated February 23, 2024]

The internet is full of information that can help you work more effectively. Unfortunately, instant access to such an overwhelming amount of content can also backfire. What starts as a quick jaunt to your social media feed or favorite website ends with dozens of open tabs – and hours of wasted productivity .

We’ve all been there. Even with extraordinary discipline, it’s easy to fall prey to these distractions. It’s far too easy to open your laptop, pull up a project you need to work on, and then completely lose track of your responsibilities after seeing a notification from a friend. There’s so much content out there begging for your attention, and it’s tough not to give in.

The good news?

There are plenty of website (and app) blocker tools that can help you overcome the temptation of distracting and addictive tech. Instead of forcing you to rely on willpower alone, these tools cut off access to your biggest distraction sources.

A host of features and price ranges are available. Let’s break down some of the most popular website blockers so you can make an informed decision.

1 . Freedom for Mac or Windows

Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps , but it does so much more than that. It’s an all-in-one distraction blocker that allows you to block distracting websites, mobile apps, desktop apps, or the entire internet. No matter what is distracting you and stealing away your time and attention, Freedom gives you back control. Freedom is the only website, app, and internet blocker that syncs blocks across all of your devices. With Freedom Premium you can add unlimited devices and custom blocklists and stay focused on what’s important by committing to blocking distractions in advance or by scheduling recurring block sessions to make productivity a habit.

In addition to blocking distractions, Freedom now also offers a variety of other tools such as Focus Sounds that can help you get in the zone and maintain your focus throughout the day.

For more fine-tuned distraction blocking and control, Freedom offers features like Locked Mode , Block All , and Block All Except.

Freedom Scheduling is an amazing feature that lets you set a session to start automatically, either at a later time or on a recurring basis. Scheduling Freedom helps you create consistent focused routines and habits. You can “set it and forget it” and know that your scheduled time will automatically be protected from distractions.
Locked Mode helps you commit to your block sessions by making it impossible to quit an active block session.
Block All allows you to block all websites when you really need to turn off the internet with a flip of a switch.
Block All Except lets you block the entire web, except for the sites you need access to do the work that matters.

Pros: One of Freedom’s biggest advantages is the ability to block distractions across all of your devices. Users can sync their block sessions across their Mac, Windows, iOS, and Android devices, which means no more blocking your computer and then sneaking off to your phone for a Facebook fix! Freedom is also excited to now offer support for Chromebook and Linux via our browser extension .

In addition to blocking sites and mobile apps, Freedom also blocks desktop apps . So if you find that Outlook, Mail , Steam, Fortnite , or even Chrome or Safari are killing your productivity, you can temporarily block them during your Freedom sessions.

Cons: The Freedom team is currently working on adding several new features to the app, including calendar scheduling and stats reports to see where you’re spending most of your time online.

Price: Freedom offers users three different payment plans for Premium:

Monthly: $8.99/mo
Yearly: $39.99/year ($2.42 per month)
Forever: $199 (one-time purchase to have Freedom forever )

Not sure if Freedom is right for you? Good news— you can sign up for a free trial and see the benefits first-hand .

2. StayFocusd

StayFocusd (now owned by Sensor Tower) is an extension available on the Google Chrome web browser. This makes installation extremely straightforward – even if you aren’t tech-savvy.

Pros: Many website blockers have users enter a list of specific websites (often called a “blacklist”) to block for certain time periods. The StayFocusd approach is a bit different. Users enter the maximum amount of time they would like to spend on specific websites before being blocked. So you can allow yourself some time for idle browsing.

One of the biggest advantages of StayFocusd is its versatility. You can set time limits for as many websites as you like; all you have to do is type them into the extension. As long as you’re using Google Chrome, the extension will work on various platforms (Mac, Windows, Linux, etc.)

Cons: The downside, of course, is that StayFocusd is limited to the Chrome browser. And, unlike other website blockers, you can’t set multiple blocks of blocked time. Finally, you still might find yourself wasting too much time during peak work hours if you’re too generous with your time limits.

Price: Stayfocusd is free on Google Chrome

Limit is a Chrome browser extension that allows you to limit your time spent on distracting websites .

To use Limit, simply select the website you find most distracting and choose a daily time limit. For example, you could limit yourself to ten minutes a day on Facebook, or half an hour a day on Duolingo.

Pros : Limit is a great way to maintain a simple limit on your browsing habits. You’ll be surprised how free you feel when you hit your limit – and know that you’ve turned off distractions for the day. It’s a simple behavioral nudge that goes a long way towards helping you be more productive.

Cons : Like all browser extensions, Limit can be uninstalled. So if you find yourself needing something a little more strict, Freedom is a great choice for blocking distractions on all your devices.

Price : Limit is a free Chrome browser extension.

Pause is a simple extension that challenges you to momentarily pause and reflect before visiting a distracting website . In doing so, Pause breaks the cycle of distraction and helps you be more focused, productive, and intentional with your technology use.

When you load a distracting website, Pause creates a gentle interruption by displaying a calming green screen. After pausing for five seconds, you can then choose to continue to the site. The interruption created by Pause gently nudges you to make informed, intentional decisions about how you are spending your time.

Pros: We think that Pause is an incredible tool for being more intentional with your web use. Pause comes pre-seeded with a list of 50 top distracting websites, and you can add or remove sites from your Pause list. You can also configure the amount of time you’d like to be Paused.

Cons: We are very partial to Pause – it is a simple extension, with a huge impact. Maybe the only con is that it is free!

Price: Pause is a free Chrome browser extension.

Focus chrome extension for focusing on your work

Focus is a Chrome browser extension designed to help you stay focused on your studying, learning, and the work that matters. Focus is great for students as it blocks all non-educational websites to keep you productive and away from all the distractions the internet has to offer.

To use Focus, simply set a pin, decide which websites you want access to, and let Focus block the rest. If you want to visit a site you have blocked, just enter your pin, and decide how long you want to be on the blocked site.

If you’re a parent, you can set the pin for child. Or, if you’d like to use it for yourself, have a friend or partner set it for you to help you commit.

And voila! You now have a set of internet guardrails that help to help you stay productive and on task whether you’re studying, remote learning, or need an extra boost self-control to finish a project.

Pros: Instead of having to decide all the websites you want to block, Focus simply lets you decide which sites you want access to and then blocks the rest. It’s quick and simple set up makes it easy to get back on track and committed to your goals.

Cons: Like all browser extensions, Focus can be uninstalled. So if you find yourself needing something a little more strict, Freedom is a great choice for blocking distractions on all your devices.

Price: Focus is a free Chrome browser extension.

Forest is an ingenious little app that encourages you to plant virtual trees instead of visiting distracting websites on your mobile devices. One of the oldest apps in the space, we’ve always like Forest’s behavioral approach to making you use your phone less.

Pros : Forest doesn’t actually block anything – it simply encourages you to put your phone down. You might think of this as a con, but for many people, that simple nudge will work! And once you put your phone down, you’ll start growing virtual trees, which give you positive feedback on your time spent away from distractions.

Cons : Well, Forest doesn’t actually block anything – so its not for everyone. If you need a stricter blocker, you might want to choose something else on this list. But you might be surprised just how well a little virtual tree could work keeping you away from websites!

Price : Various prices for iOS, Android, and Chrome.

7. LeechBlock

LeechBlock is Mozilla Firefox’s answer to StayFocusd. This browser add-on has been blocking distracting websites for over a decade.

Pros: One of the first things you’ll notice is the extensive versatility and customization options. Users create groups of websites LeechBlock will restrict. These websites can then be assigned across up to six different time blocks. For each time block, users decide which sites to block, when to block them, and how to block them. An interesting feature is the password option. Users can choose to enter complex passwords before visiting distracting websites. This is less restrictive than a complete block, but it slows users down enough to really think whether they want to visit the website.

Cons: LeechBlock’s advantages can also become its downsides if you aren’t tech-savvy. With so many options and configuration settings, the interface can be overwhelming. It’s also a browser add-on, which makes it easy to remove if you’re determined to visit distracting websites.

There’s also a Mozilla Firefox issue to think about. Starting with Firefox version 57 (released in November 2017), only extensions built with the WebExtensions framework are compatible. This led the LeechBlock developer to rewrite the extension from scratch, releasing a new version called LeechBlock NG. The software is still under development, so there could be bugs, and not all the features of the old extension are included.

Price: Free on Mozilla

8. Freedom for iOS and Android

Blocking websites on a Mac and Windows computers can boost your productivity, however that productivity will be short-lived if it means you can just turn to your phone or tablet when your brain starts to crave your blocked distractions.

We offer Freedom on iOS and Android devices so that you can sync your block sessions across all of your devices because distractions aren’t always device-specific. The Freedom iOS app will block apps and websites based on your custom blocklist, and can be used simultaneously in sessions with your Mac or Windows computer or any number of other devices.

The Freedom Android app will block apps of your choice, and like any of the other Freedom apps, initiate or sync with your Freedom sessions if you choose.

Pros: Freedom is the only complete multi-platform website and app blocker solution. So even if you have every popular device on the market (iPhone, iPad, Android phone or tablet, Mac and Windows computers) – Freedom has you covered on all of them, at the same time if you’d like!

Price: Included in Freedom Premium (see Freedom for Mac and Windows above)

Do Your Best Work with a Website Blocker

You need to be focused and productive to do your best work. Willpower can get you started, but with all the distracting websites and apps out there, why not equip yourself with the best tools to help?

A website blocker will free up time and energy for you to focus on the truly important stuff. And there’s always time for those silly cat videos after work!

[Updated February 23, 2024] The internet is full of information that can help you work more effectively. Unfortunately, instant access to such an overwhelming amount of content can also backfire. What starts as a quick […]

About Alexandra Dempsey

Alexandra Dempsey is the Digital Marketing and Strategy Manager at Freedom.

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5 Types of Unnecessary Smart Home Devices I Avoid

Squarespace’s canva alternative has promise, but i’m not ready to switch just yet, here's how i digitize my analog music (and why it's worth doing).

When you're trying to get some work done online, you might find the web too big and too fascinating a distraction to ignore. But you can sideline it with the help of tips and tools that block time-wasting digital content for you. Let's explore them below.

1. Install a Blocker App or Extension

Before you can block your sources of distraction online, you need to pinpoint them. That's where time management apps like FocusMe or RescueTime come in handy. They give you a detailed breakdown of your digital habits.

Each day, you learn how much time you have spent on which apps, websites, and activities. This data, in turn, helps you redirect your time and effort towards online activities that matter.

What about the activities that aren't as important, but you have trouble giving up? How do you deal with them? Blocking trivial activities is the next step. Here, you'll find quite a few browser-based solutions: services that block specific sites for as long as you need.

There's StayFocusd , which lets you block websites in Chrome and even barricade specific in-page content such as videos.

If you're a Firefox user, try the Leechblock extension instead. If you use Safari, install the Leechblock-inspired extension WasteNoTime . FocusMe and RescueTime also have a website-blocking feature.

The problem with solutions like these is that they're too easy to bypass. All you need to do is open another browser or fire up a private browsing window and you've got full access to all your distracting sites again.

If you need to go further with the browsing restrictions, the apps we'll look at next can take you there. They can block websites and apps across your computer. That means no access to incoming email via your system's mail app or to Slack chats via the Slack desktop app.

App number one on our list here is Freedom . It's one of the most popular cross-platform apps that let you block distracting websites and apps system-wide.

Cold Turkey is another great option. It also has a sister app called Cold Turkey Writer---a text editor you can't escape until you have met your writing goal for a session.

Mac users can also go with SelfControl or 1Focus for system-wide site blocking.

Blacklist settings in Self Control app on macOS

If you're a Linux user, you can edit the hosts file to block websites. Does that seem too extreme? Then it's best to stick with a reliable and evergreen solution like RescueTime. If nothing else, you can repurpose the parental controls that you use to limit web access for your kids to clock a few serious work hours.

Again, system-wide solutions aren't perfect. You could simply walk away from your computer and pick up your tablet, bypassing the block again. If that sounds like you, you need a more stringent solution. Router tweaks can help here, and we'll explore them next.

By the way, would you rather get a gentle reminder than a wall when you're about to visit a distracting website? In that case, install the Mindful Browsing extension for Chrome instead of the apps we have mentioned above. As an alternative, you can also use a timer app on your phone to indulge in a tiny bit of distraction at a specific time of the day.

2. Set Up Router Restrictions

Still distracted? Then it's time to block addictive sites using your router. Here are two simple methods you can use to make this happen.

Method 1: Switch to OpenDNS

If you use a custom DNS to enable network-wide parental controls , why not use it to restrict your own usage of time-wasting websites? The free OpenDNS Home service is perfect for that.

With this service, you can configure which websites are and aren't accessible on your home network. To use it, you'll need to sign up for a user account first. After you do, change the DNS settings on your router to reflect the OpenDNS nameservers. If you're unsure how to do this, check out the official step-by-step instructions for any router .

Once you've set everything up, log into OpenDNS and head to the settings page to block individual domains. Going forward, no one using your network---that includes you---can access these sites.

Method 2: Configure Your Router

Like the idea of blocking sites network-wide, but don't want to sign up for an account or use OpenDNS? With most routers, you can block specific sites yourself, without the need for OpenDNS or any service like it.

Check your router's documentation to see if this is possible; in most cases the instructions will be under a section called "Access Restrictions". This will vary depending on who makes your router. If you can't find the instructions in your router's manual, google the device's model number to find them online.

If you've installed the open source firmware DD-WRT on your router, you can block specific sites via the Access Restrictions menu. You'll find the instructions to add select websites to a blacklist on the official Access Restrictions wiki page . Scroll down to the Filtering Services/URLs/Keywords section to spot them.

Sites you add to the blacklist will get blocked instantly for every device on your network. You can also configure the settings to block sites on specific days or for certain time periods.

3. Unplug Your Router

Are all the restrictions above not enough to tame your monkey mind? There's always the nuclear option you can consider---total disconnection.

Unplug your router from the web to ramp up your productivity. It's a crude method, sure, but it works. Unless you cave and plug your router back in or simply pick up your smartphone to access Facebook and co again.

You don't have to lose access to work-related data and services when you disconnect. You'll find plenty of productivity apps that work offline .

More Tips for Improving Your Focus

Of course, the ultimate way to avoid expected distractions is self-control. But, since we have limited amounts of it to spend on any given day, it seems best to save it for the most important decisions.

For dodging the distraction bullet when you're working, you can outsource the task to one of the tools/methods we have discussed above.

These barriers are not one hundred percent foolproof, because you could always find a workaround to any system you set up yourself. But having them in place gives you just enough time to remind yourself why you installed these barriers to begin with---to keep your focus on your work.

Speaking of focus, did you know that you can boost it by controlling the noise around you ?

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11 Best Time Management Tools to Help You Be More Productive

Managing your time well is necessary for boosting productivity and lowering stress levels. Research shows that managing your time well helps improve job performance, academic success, and overall happiness. It was also found to reduce stress to a moderate extent ( source ).

It may sound easy, but it’s a concept that many of us find challenging. With everything now being fast-paced and tasks more demanding, one can easily become confused and overwhelmed, and this usually results in lowered productivity. This is where these online tools come in. Whether you are a student who’s trying to balance your assignments, a worker who’s handling various tasks, or a person with ADHD who needs organized routines, having the right tools and using them properly can significantly help.

11 Best Free Tools for Time Management

Managing your time well is a skill that you need to learn if you want to stay productive and avoid stress. There are many tools out there but picking the right one can be really tough. Here’s a look at the 11 best free options to help you decide. These tools offer various features to help you manage time better. Whether you need to block distractions, organize tasks, track time, or make productivity fun, there’s definitely one for you.

1. BlockSite: Helps You Stay Focused

Available as a browser extension and as an app for Android and iOS devices, BlockSite helps you stay on track by blocking distracting websites and apps. Among it’s relevant features for time management are: Block List: This prevents access to distracting sites. You can block specific URLs or choose specific categories. This can be utilized via the Android and iOS apps and also using the browser extension.

Block Apps: Available on their BlockSite for iOS and Android apps, it disables access to distracting applications. This feature can be very useful if you tend to use your phone often.

Focus Mode: You can set work periods with breaks. During a focus session, your blocked sites won’t be accessible. Take note that this is only available on the BlockSite Android app and the BlockSite browser extension .

2. Trello: Your Visual Organizer

Trello is a collaboration tool that helps you organize tasks visually by using these building blocks:

Each board represents a project, and lists show stages of the project. Tasks are cards that you can move between lists. It’s great for both personal use and team work.

3. RescueTime: Your Productivity Tracker

This software tracks how you spend time on websites and apps, and offers detailed reports so you can identify patterns and time-wasters. It also has FocusTime sessions for blocking distracting sites.

4. Focus@Will: Music for Work

If you love listening to music while working, then Focus@Will is what you need. This audio service offers music that is designed to help concentration and productivity. It’s great for maintaining focus during work or study. You can choose from various genres and energy levels to match your tasks.

5. Todoist: For Simple Task Tracking

Todoist is a cloud-based service that keeps track of daily tasks. Via this tool, you can set the following:

Priority levels
Project labels

With its clean design and features, managing your to-do list can be done effortlessly. In addition, Todoist also syncs with apps like Google Calendar so you’ll be able to organize things better.

6. Pomodone: Applies the Pomodoro Technique

Pomodone integrates with task management tools and uses the Pomodoro Technique, a time-saving hack which involves working in short bursts with breaks. The idea of this method is that it breaks work into manageable chunks, to help you stay focused.

7. Asana: Ideal for Team Project Management

Asana is a popular work management platform that can help your team by allowing you to:

Create tasks
Assign tasks
Set deadlines
Track their progress

Its visual timelines and views show how tasks are moving along. It also connects with apps like Slack and Google Drive.

8. Evernote: A Note-Taking Tool

Evernote is a task-management app that helps capture and organize notes, to-do lists, and information. Its search function and organizational features make it easy to find what you need. With this tool, you can use text, images, and audio notes, and organize them into notebooks and tags.

9. Clockify: The Time Tracker for Teams

Clockify is a time-tracking app that monitors how much time you spend on tasks. It comes with detailed timesheets and reports, and you can even set hourly rates for billing. It’s simple to use whether you’re working solo or with a team.

10. MyStudyLife: Ideal for Students

If you’re a student then this planner app might work for you. It allows you to manage your:

Assignments

MyStudyLife sends reminders for deadlines and tracks the progress on your tasks. And because it has a cloud sync feature, you’ll be able to access it from any device.

11. Habitica: Gamify Your Tasks

Habitica takes a creative approach to handling tasks but turning them into a game. This makes productivity more enjoyable. Whenever you’re able to complete a task, you’ll not only progress in the game but also earn a reward. It has a network where you can join groups and challenges with friends for a collaborative effort. It’s ideal for those who find traditional methods boring.

Remember, these best tools for time management are free, meaning there’s no need for payment to use their services. Start using these tools to take control of your time and reach your goals. Take note that some may offer upgraded features that require a premium, so you might also want to explore them if they offer additional advantages.

Use These Tools Wisely and See Improvements!

Choosing your time management tools correctly helps you to be more productive while reducing stress. There are tools that are capable of blocking distractions so you can stay focused, while others aid in organizing tasks and projects to keep you on track, and there are some that will even let you see how you spend your time.

Whether you’re a student, a professional, or someone with ADHD, these tools can be of great help when selected carefully and applied effectively. So go ahead and give them a try today to manage your time better. Sooner or later, you’ll find yourself accomplishing more tasks and achieving your goals!

How can I improve my time management skills?

There are several things that you could do to improve your time management skills. You should set distinct objectives, prioritize your tasks, and break down large assignments into smaller units. This is where you can utilize free apps for tracing your schedule and planning. Concentrate on one issue at a time without switching across tasks which may make you lose focus. Make it a habit to assess your progress and do adjustments to your plans when it’s necessary.

Which tools are best for students who want to manage their time?

If you’re a student who’s looking for a tool to help you with time management, then look for apps that can synchronize events across multiple devices and also those that come with options for setting reminders concerning assignments or homework deadlines. You should also consider searching for apps that can track your school work progress.

Is it possible to combine other time management tools with other apps?

Yes, it is possible but to some extent. A lot of time management tools allow integration options with relevant apps like email, calendars, and project management systems. Be sure to check the settings or preferences in your time management app if integration with other tools is allowed and simply follow the instructions to connect your accounts.

What are good techniques for managing time for people with ADHD?

People who have this condition may benefit from using tools that are capable of blocking off distractions and combining them with proven techniques such as the Pomodoro method. In order to maintain focus, one might consider dividing tasks into smaller components and setting specific periods for working as well as resting.

How do I choose the right time management tool for me?

In order to select the most suitable tool for you, identify first the challenges you are facing in terms of time management. Are you having problems dealing with different tasks or maybe you’re unable to keep track of your time? Do you have a hard time avoiding distractions? It’s important that you are aware of these key issues and find the tools that not only target them, but also match your preferences. Reading several legit reviews and doing some short trials might help as well.

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The 7 best time blocking apps to manage your calendar

If you're like me, you often find yourself feeling like there's not enough time in the day—and by often, I mean pretty much every day. When there's no time to waste and you have to nail down your priorities, adding structure and consistency becomes a necessity. That's where time blocking apps are an excellent way to manage your schedule: they force you to plan out every minute of your day.

Some time blocking apps work better for people who are more visual, while others are better for those who need more organization. Some apps are geared towards solopreneurs and freelancers, while others are designed for folks who work as part of a corporate team. That's why I spent several days testing more than 20 time blocking apps—to figure out which ones were the best for which people.

The 7 best time blocking apps

What is time blocking.

Most people's work calendars look like this:

Google Calendar screenshot where only meetings are scheduled

Your meetings are there, and the rest of your time is just assumed to be open. A time blocked calendar, meanwhile, fills in all of those gaps:

Example of a time blocked calendar, where both meetings and tasks are scheduled

Additionally, you can approach the time blocking method in a couple of different ways. You might schedule time blocks for specific tasks around your meetings and other commitments, or you might choose to schedule time specifically for meetings and other commitments.

For example, instead of accepting meeting invites for whenever people send them, you may block off Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for working on tasks and leave Tuesday and Thursday open for people to schedule meetings. Then, you can break those big sections for Monday, Wednesday, and Friday down into specific tasks—daily or weekly, based on your priorities.

What makes a great time blocking app?

How we evaluate and test apps.

You could just use your calendar app to time block your schedule, or even a sheet of paper, but dedicated time blocking tools make the process a lot easier. Here are the criteria I used to determine the best time blocking software:

Integration with your current calendar. Being able to sync a calendar with a time blocking planner saves time and helps keep schedules error-free, so this is a must-have.

Ease of use. Some apps are just downright hard to figure out, so it was essential that my picks had a simple, intuitive interface that was easy to navigate.

Calendar and tasks in one place. No one wants to deal with having their projects and to-dos scattered in too many places. The purpose of a time-blocking app should be to simplify, which means being able to find and review your tasks in a central place, whether that's through native features or via integration with your project management and/or to-do list app.

Customization. While the ability to customize features like colors, themes, lists, alerts, and notifications is of varying importance, I chose apps that I felt provided enough flexibility to fit most people's day-to-day needs.

Integration with other tools. Integrating your time block planner with your calendar is just the standard, but integration with other apps and tools is a wonderful cherry on top.

Taking these criteria into account, I considered 27 different apps and ran the top 20 through a testing protocol that covered:

Signing up for an account and walking through any guided onboarding

Syncing my Google Calendar account

Blocking time for tasks, meetings, and events

Testing out calendar views and drag-and-drop functionality

Customizing settings for focus time, working hours, buffer time, etc.

Adding organizational projects, lists, tags, and color coding

Testing advanced features like automated scheduling, team features, and billable time, where available

One thing I didn't take into account: the core category of the app. There are dedicated time blocking apps, and then there's a whole ecosystem of adjacent project and task managers, to-do list apps, calendar apps, time trackers, and more that also offer time blocking in one way or another. For my purposes here, I looked for apps that make time blocking feel easy, regardless of the core category of the app. And the picks below were the best time blockers I found.

The best time blocking apps at a glance


Daily planning	Intuitive interface and integration with project managers	From $20/month
Scheduling tasks	Built-in Pomodoro timer	Free plan available without a calendar view; from $2.79/month
Apple users and hyper-scheduling	iCloud sync	Free; PRO versions are $14.99 - $35.99
Automated scheduling	Customization options	From $14.95/month
Agencies and client work	Billable rates and detailed reporting	Free plan available; from $9/user/month
Teams	Granular controls across teams	Free plan available; from $6.75/user/month
Trello or Jira users	Seamless two-way integrations with Trello and Jira	Free plan available; from $4/user/month

Best time blocking app for daily planning

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Sunsama pros:

Simple, intuitive interface

Seamless integration with popular project managers

Prompts to help you plan

Sunsama cons:

No free plan

Another neat feature is the ability to properly categorize all your tasks. Most time blocking apps have some kind of tagging aspect, but Sunsama takes it a little further with what they call contexts and channels. Contexts are essentially overarching categories, like Work or Personal. Within those categories, you can create sub-categorizations, like Focus Time, Creative Time, or Family Time to further drill down the organization of tasks.

Where Sunsuma really stands out is how it helps you plan out your day. Sign on in the morning, and you'll be asked which tasks you have to work on, how long you think they are, and when you want to do them all. It really makes the process of blocking your day painless, and there's even support for sending a summary of your plan for the day over to Slack in a single click. When nearing the end of your day, Sunsama will prompt you to jot down what you finished that day and what you didn't get to, which I found a nice way to regroup before logging off.

The app is full of little touches like this, and the result is that time blocking your daily to-do list feels easier here than in any app we tested. And integrations with Trello, Gmail, GitHub, and Jira mean you can drag tasks over from a variety of apps. Google and Outlook calendars are both supported. The main downside: there's no free plan.

Sunsama pricing: Starts at $20/month (or $16/month if you buy an annual plan). No free version, though there is a 14-day free trial.

Best time blocking app for scheduling tasks

TickTick, our pick for the best time blocking app with a built-in to-do list

TickTick pros:

Built-in Pomodoro timer

Unique options like the Eisenhower matrix

Not the best for calendar syncing

Adding tasks to your calendar in TickTick isn't as simple as it is in some of the other apps. Instead of dragging and dropping tasks onto your calendar, you have to take a few steps. While adding a task, you can use natural language processing to add a due date—for example, you could type "walk the dog tomorrow." Do that, and your task will have a due date set for tomorrow. If you forget, that's ok: you can edit a task and select a due date. It will then show up on your calendar as an all-day event—you can drag it to whatever time you want.

TickTick can also pull events from your existing calendar and display them on your TickTick calendar; or you can set it up to push TickTick events to your main calendar. You can't manage calendar appointments in TickTick, though—the appointments from your calendar are basically only there for reference. But it's enough to plan your day.

Add detailed events in Google Calendar for new tasks created in TickTick

Create TickTick tasks from new saved Slack messages

Best free time blocking app for Apple users (and hyper-scheduling)

Sorted3, our pick for the best free time blocking app for hyper-scheduling

Sorted pros:

Syncs across Apple devices

Capable auto-scheduling

Sorted cons:

Not available for Android or Windows

Less calendar-focused than most

Sorted^3 has an excellent onboarding flow. When you sign up, you'll be immediately directed to a tutorial showing you how to use app shortcuts and other unique features, like Magic Select (more on that in a bit). While the amount of information may seem overwhelming at first, it does a superb job of guiding you through all the features that are available to you as you start using them.

On the hyper-categorization front, there's a tab for lists that has sections for errands, notes, links, and groceries, so you can put any tasks or information that you want to store for later—but you can also schedule out any tasks from the lists as well.

Back to Magic Select. This feature lets you quickly highlight multiple items in your schedule. This means you can delete, recategorize, retag, or reschedule multiple tasks without too much effort. Surprisingly, out of all the other apps I tested, none had this feature.

You'll also get an auto-scheduling feature. You can add all your tasks to the schedule section, assign a certain period of time for each one, and then let Sorted^3 do the heavy lifting of blocking out time for all your tasks. You can even add an automatic buffer period between tasks, and you're able to move things around after they've been scheduled.

Sorted^3 also has some nice Apple-specific features. For example, you can sync to iCloud to access your schedule on all your Apple devices and take advantage of Siri to plan out tasks.

Sorted^3 pricing: Free; PRO version is $14.99 for the iOS app, $24.99 for the macOS app, or $35.99 to bundle both.

Best time blocking app for automated scheduling

SkedPal pros:

Tons of customization and controls

Powerful, flexible automatic scheduling

SkedPal cons:

Schedule must be updated manually

Bit of a learning curve

Focused on tasks and to-dos, SkedPal offers a number of ways to view and conceptualize all the tasks on your list. You can brain-dump to-dos into the inbox without scheduling, see an overview list of tasks for today or for the upcoming week, or organize your work on a Kanban-esque board.

When you add a task, the app uses natural language processing (NLP) to recognize durations and dates as you type—for example, typing "deep work 2 hours tomorrow" will add two hours of deep work to your calendar for tomorrow. Or click on the three dots to the left of any task to plan and add it to your calendar.

You'll see all your tasks and events automatically blocked off in the Calendar tab in the left-hand menu. Drag and drop blocks to move or alter the duration. Skedpal offers two-way (read and write) integration with Google, Office, Exchange, and iCloud calendars to help avoid overbooking and schedule conflicts.

Of all the apps I tested, SkedPal was by far the most customizable, allowing you to create granular recurring schedules, set minimum block lengths, add custom buffers before and after blocks, and more. You can also build your own Time Maps to customize the timeframe for "afternoons," "working hours," "weekdays," etc.

With all that customizability, SkedPal does come with a bit of a learning curve—but the app offers a super helpful onboarding sequence and keyboard shortcuts to speed up task creation and scheduling. Plus, you can do more with SkedPal when you connect it with Zapier to automate adding new tasks, connecting with your project or task manager of choice, and more.

Add new Trello cards to SkedPal as tasks

Add new Slack mentions to SkedPal as tasks

Save new completed skedpal tasks to google sheets as rows.

SkedPal pricing: 14-day free trial, then $14.95/month when paying monthly or $9.95/month for the annual plan

Best time blocking app for agencies and client work

Toggl Track pros:

User-friendly interface

Built-in time tracking and billable rates

Detailed reporting

Toggl Track cons:

Upgrade required to access billable rates feature

The app has my favorite interface with a clean calendar view and straightforward menu on the left to view reports, and manage projects, clients, and billable rates. Click and drag anywhere on the weekly view to add a new time block. Here, Toggl perfectly balances speed with specificity—you can quickly add generic time blocks or create specific tasks by selecting the client/project, adding tags, and marking the task as billable (or not).

Under Billable Rates in the left-hand menu, you can set a default billable rate for all work or set varying rates by team member or project (though you will have to upgrade to set billable rates). At the end of the week or month, head to Reports to see a breakdown of billable and nonbillable time across team members, clients, projects, and individual tasks. Click down to Insights to see detailed graphs on project and employee profitability.

Create detailed Google Calendar events for new Toggl Track time entries

Create Google Sheets rows for every new time entry in Toggl Track

Create new notion database items from new toggl track time entries.

Toggl Track pricing: Free plan includes unlimited time tracking, projects, and clients for up to 5 users; upgrade to the Starter plan at $9/user/month to access billable rates, expanded task management, project templates, and more.

Best time blocking app for teams

Clockwise pros:

Built for teams

Granular controls over your ideal day

Clean calendar view

Clockwise cons:

Must have a business email to sign up

Only connects with Google Calendars

The Planner is your typical calendar view. While you can't just click and drag to add a time block like most of the apps on our list, adding a new meeting only takes a few extra clicks. Head to Your ideal day to the left to customize everything from your working hours and meeting availability to how much focus time you need and when you prefer to schedule it. You can add time for lunch or include travel time, too.

Clockwise really shines when you get to flexible meetings and holds. You can mark any meeting in your calendar as flexible, and Clockwise will automatically choose the best time for all parties. (Weekly one-on-one meetings are a great use case for this.) Under Flexible holds , you can utilize the same smart scheduling for events where you're the only participant.

The app also offers a Calendly-esque scheduling link feature. One drawback: Clockwise only integrates with Google Calendar accounts for now. But the app also integrates with Zoom, Asana, and Slack.

Clockwise pricing: Free plan includes smart calendar management for individuals; upgrade to the Teams plan for $6.75/user/month to optimize meeting times and focus time for multiple parties.

Best time blocking app for Trello or Jira users

Planyway, our pick for the best time blocking app for project management

Planyway pros:

Seamless two-way Trello and Jira integrations

Time tracking features

Planyway cons:

Free plan only includes one-way calendar sync

Only works with Trello and Jira

You can easily create and place all your tasks into your pre-created Trello lists (or create new lists within Planyway), and then just drag and drop them onto the Planyway calendar. Connect your existing calendar, and you'll see those same tasks or events with the rest of your schedule. The app did take a bit of time to think about integrating with my Google Calendar, but after a few refreshes, it wound up working just fine.

Planyway also gives you the option to connect it to your Google, Outlook, or Apple calendar, so you can see your calendar appointments in context. On its Free plan, Planyway supports one-way syncing: you can see your Planyway cards in your calendar using an iCal URL, but you can't see your calendar events in Planyway. Two-way syncing that keeps both calendars in sync is available on the Business plan.

Do you need a time block app?

You might decide that you don't need a dedicated app for time blocking, and that's fine. Here are some other ideas:

Each app offers a free plan or free trial, so you can try them all and pick the one that works best for you.

Improve your productivity automatically. Use Zapier to get your apps working together.

A Zap with the trigger 'When I get a new lead from Facebook,' and the action 'Notify my team in Slack'

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7 Time Management Apps & Extensions for Your Web Browsing

Set web browser time limits and minimize distractions with these tools

University of Ontario
George Brown College

Time management apps and extensions for web browsers can be helpful if you aren't disciplined enough to resist online distractions. If you want to start being more productive, here are some tools that let you set time limits on web browsers and web apps.

These tools are available for various desktop and mobile web browsers . Check individual product descriptions to make sure they are compatible with your browser and operating system .

RescueTime: Set Time Management Goals

Set and monitor time-management goals.

Lite version is free.

In-depth reporting requires pricey premium version.

No iOS version.

RescueTime is an application for desktop and mobile devices that tracks how much time you spend on specific websites and apps. A free membership comes with the option to set goals for how you want to spend your time, as well as weekly and quarterly reports. You can also use RescueTime to get alerts for when you've spent enough time on a certain activity, block specific websites, log achievements throughout your day, and more.

Trackr: Block Distractions on Chrome

Walker and Walker / Getty Images

Unobtrusive.

Won't track activity on pages you're not focused on.

Lacks customization options.

Doesn’t track time spent passively (e.g., watching a movie).

Want to see exactly how much time you're spending on specific websites? Trackr is a simple Google Chrome extension that displays a pie graph to give you a visual idea of how you're spending your time. According to the developer, it only tracks active time on a web page. Therefore, if you leave lots of browser tabs open in the background, it won't detect mouse movement or any other actions on the web page.

StayFocused: Set Time Limits on Websites

akindo / Getty Images

Blocks access to websites according to limits you set.

Interspersed with humor.

Limited options.

Ad-supported.

StayFocused is also a Chrome extension that works by limiting your access to time-wasting websites . This particular extension allows you to limit access for a specified amount of time. You also can set a daily maximum time allowed for access, but when that time is up, those websites will be inaccessible for the rest of the day.

SelfControl: Time Management App for Mac

erhui1979 / Getty Images

Completely free.

Simple and straightforward.

Restarting your device doesn’t deactivate settings.

Doesn’t block subdomains.

SelfControl is a free Mac app that allows users to block pretty much anything they want including websites and mail servers. Be warned, though: Unlike the Chrome extensions mentioned above, which can be bypassed just by deactivating them, SelfControl keeps working even after you restart your Mac . Before you set a time limit to block something, make sure you really don't need it during that period of time.

Forest: Stay Productive Through Gamification

mashuk / getty Images

White noise feature.

Visual progress display provides motivation.

No free option.

No ability to pause.

Forest is a premium app available for iOS and Android that takes a unique approach to beating smartphone addiction. Whenever you want to focus on your work, you plant a “tree.” As you focus on work, the tree grows; if you leave the app, the tree wilts. There are browser extensions for Chrome and Firefox too, so you can grow your forest while working on the web.

Download For :

Moment: Distraction-Free Mobile Browsing

Get insight into what draws your attention most.

Attractive interface.

Can track time spent browsing on iPhones and Android phones.

Counts screen time when you’re not interacting with an app.

Reminders and notifications may be too intrusive.

If you're an Android or iPhone addict just looking for a simple, free app to help you kick your bad habit of constantly checking your phone, consider Moment. It allows you to see exactly how much time you're spending on your phone, set alerts to remind yourself to get off, and set a daily limit that warns you when you've reached it. You can also track which apps you use most frequently to get an idea of what's most distracting to you.

Cold Turkey: Best Premium Time Management App

id-work / Getty Images

Highly customizable.

Set the timer to end at a specific time (rather than after an interval).

Advanced features require purchase of the pro version.

Unintuitive interface.

Cold Turkey is another all-in-one time management tool built for desktop browsers. With the free version, you get to set a maximum block period, create multiple custom groups for blocklists that cater to specific occasions, and enjoy a convenient work/break timer.

The pro version gives you a lot more including a scheduling tool, the ability to block applications, the option to set up exceptions, and a feature called "frozen turkey" for locking yourself out at specific times of the day.

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Productivity

15 best time management apps and tools (2023 updated).

Undoubtedly, technology has allowed us to connect, perform, improve, and leverage our resources beyond what was once imaginable, and one of the biggest ways is through time management apps. But with so many apps to choose from, how do you know which ones to use?

The best way to identify an app is to look at your current challenges with time management. Do you get distracted too easily and never complete a task? Or perhaps you end the day without achieving much, wondering where all your time went?

We all have challenges when it comes to being more productive. The best time management apps around vary depending on your needs. That’s why we’ve put together a list of 15 of the best time management apps to help you with the most common challenges.

If you’re not taking advantage of some of the hundreds of time management tools , you’re missing out.

Let’s dive straight into the list.

15 Time Management Apps You Need To Try

1. rize – use your time wisely.

If you don’t know what you did all day or feel that you haven’t accomplished much at the end of the day, you will be excited to know about Rize . Rize not only tracks your time but also gives you valuable insights to improve your productivity, build better habits and increase your focus . The highlight is that you don’t need to constantly input information, this is automatically done for you.

You can see how many hours you have worked, how much of that time is focus time, how much time you spend context switching, and which websites distract you most, among many other features. Tracking and managing your time efficiently has never been easier.

2. Notion – Keep on Top of All Your Tasks

Think of Notion as a single platform with different productivity apps, helping you keep your notes and work in one place. You can collaborate, share documents and notes, and create a central knowledge base for your team, supporting you in all your project management needs.

You can use Notion to replace your to-do lists , project management, note-taking apps, spreadsheets, etc. It saves you time and money and helps you keep on top of your time management and organization.

3. Forest – Boost Motivation to Complete Tasks

Forest is a unique reinvention of time management apps. This unique and fun app helps you stay focused and incorporates the Pomodoro technique , breaking work into chunks with short intervals. The concept is simple: If you stay focused during this time, your virtual tree will grow. If you lose focus, the tree will die. As the app’s name implies, you can grow multiple trees to create a virtual forest!

On top of this particular time management tool being really fun, it reinforces the need to focus on the task. Go ahead and build a wonderful and colorful virtual forest to use as proof to you that you can focus!

Pro tip: Staying focused all the time isn’t easy, especially when distractions are everywhere these days! Try the Time Flow System and learn how to sharpen your focus!

4. Spark – Finally Reach Inbox 0

Even with hundreds of communication tools available to us, email use continues to grow. Whether your job is based largely on emails or not, managing your email and staying on top of it is key to productivity. You will be shocked to see how much time can be wasted with email by not having structure or automation to support you in staying on top of your game.

According to a survey by Adobe, people spend at least 3.1 hours checking and reading emails at work. [1] Spark has many features, from removing distractions to only notifying you of important emails to snoozing emails. You can also send an email to your Task Manager to add to your to-do’s, reply quickly with templates, as well as get reminded to follow up on emails and schedule to reply to certain emails later.

Finally, reach inbox 0 with Spark.

5. Serene – Focus on Tasks at Hand

One of the biggest time wasters is giving in to distractions, multi-tasking, and not completing tasks because of this. Serene takes productivity to the next level in three easy steps and helps you to get more done in your day.

It helps you to:

1. Plan your day – Define your goals and tasks for the day and when you want to do them.
2. Block Distractions – When starting a task, Serene blocks websites, updates your statuses (ie. unavailable on Slack), and eliminates distractions overall.
3. Focus Enhancers – It helps you to stay focused on the task with timers, music, breaks, etc.

It is an all-in-one time management tool you want in your kit.

6. Fathom.Video – Zoom Is Your Minute Taker

Since COVID-19, the Zoom app has been downloaded 485 million times in 2020. [2] Although Zoom has been a huge contribution to productivity, so much time is wasted capturing notes and important information, never mind losing focus on what is being said.

Fathom is an excellent time management tool for meetings and super easy to use. During your meeting, you can highlight important moments, such as decisions, questions, action items, etc. These are sent to you after your meeting with a transcription of the meeting and highlights. This tool syncs your notes to Hubspot, Salesforce, and other CRM platforms accordingly and automatically.

7. MyLifeOrganized (MLO) – Manage Your To-Do Lists Effectively

Excellent time management techniques entail to-do lists and having a system to manage your tasks. However, even with various apps and methods, they can be overwhelming for people. This is where MyLifeOrganized comes in.

This task management software helps you target what you should be focusing on to reach your objectives. MyLifeOrganized is one of the best time management apps for focused work. It automatically generates to-do lists with priority actions for your immediate attention so that you can track your progress methodically.

8. 1Password – Have All Your Passwords Remembered

How much time do you spend looking for login details or having to reset passwords? 1Password is still a must-have time management app as it allows you to keep all your passwords in one encrypted database – protected by one password.

According to research, more than half of Americans have had to reset five passwords each month on average. [3] This saves you time when you forget your passwords and need to retrieve them and also allows you to use various passwords for different accounts so you don’t compromise on security.

9. Alarmy – Joyful Alarm Clock

Waking up early to have time for yourself and set yourself up for the day is the ingredient to mastering your day. Alarmy makes it impossible to sleep in or snooze by giving you a few options of challenges to complete before the alarm turns off.

You can play memory games, do math, take photos, squat, and many more. By the time you have completed the challenge, you are already awake, and your mind is active. There are other great features, such as personalizing your sounds and recording how you feel, to gain insights. Get more out of your day with Alarmy.

10. Focus@Will – Boost Your Attention Span

This amazing app combines neuroscience and music to boost your productivity. According to the developers, it’s possible to increase your attention span by up to 400% using Focus@Will, making this one of the best time management apps available, which is why it stays on our list.

Focus@Will is ideal for those who find it difficult to focus while studying, working, or reading. It also helps you control your ADD.

11. Alfred – Interact With Your Computer in a Smart Way

Alfred is a small and simple tool that lets you launch your documents, project files, folders, and bookmarks with just a few keystrokes. This is one of the greatest time management techniques as it removes the need for searching through multiple folders to find what you need. The only downside is that it’s only available for macOS.

12. Habitica – Gamify Your Habits

Having the right habits can either save you hours of time or waste hours, and how productive you are, depends on your habits. The challenge is that the initial excitement and motivation to develop new habits wears off quickly, and when there is no consistency in building the new habit, it will never replace the old.

This is where Habitica becomes your partner in success. Track your goals, to-dos, and habits. Stay accountable for achieving your goals with features such as rewards, punishments, and streaks. Finally, have fun getting things done!

13. Quire – Unfold Your Ideas

Quire is another excellent and innovative time management app that boosts your team’s productivity. The strength of this app is in its features for collaboration and ease of sharing. Through the various time management techniques this app offers, you can streamline and adjust your workflow based on your team’s needs and preferences.

14. Doodle – Scheduling Has Never Been Easier

It can be quite frustrating going back and forth spending more time than needed coordinating a day and time that works for everyone to get together. Doodle comes to the rescue here.

Whether you’re planning a meeting or a party, Doodle sends everyone options and times and tracks the time that works best for everyone to schedule. It keeps everyone up to date with all current and upcoming events and also syncs with Zoom, Google Meet, Outlook, Microsoft teams, and Zapier for easier collaboration.

15. Dropbox – Store and Send Large Files Easily

Dropbox stays on the list of the top apps that allow you to transfer content from your computer to other devices and access it anywhere. It is free, and it is easier to use than the others.

With the Dropbox app, you can even access and share important files on the go. It is an easy way to share your files and documents with others for improved productivity.

Final Thoughts

The above list covers what we consider to be the very best time management apps and tools available. And the good news is that many of them are completely free of charge! So, what are you waiting for? Select the ones that will be the most valuable to you, and begin boosting your productivity now!

[1]	^	Adobe.com:
[2]	^	Backlinko:
[3]	^	StudyFinds.Org:

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Explore the time flow system.

About the Time Flow System

Key Philosophy I: Fluid Progress, Like Water

Key Philosophy II: Pragmatic Priorities

Key Philosophy III: Sustainable Momentum

Key Philosophy IV: Three Goal Focus

How the Time Flow System Works

15 Best Website Blockers: Top Picks For Staying Focused & Productive in 2022

Have you ever sat at your desk, ready to conquer the day only to find yourself scrolling through your social media accounts and news sites?

"How did I end up here?" you ask yourself as you click another meme.

It's hard to stay focused on the task. Distractions are everywhere! How are you supposed to get anything done?

Website blockers may be the solution. With a website blocker, you need not rely on feeble willpower to keep yourself focused. Instead, these tools wall off distraction sources, making it impossible for you to get sidetracked.

Forced to focus on work, you'll find you finish jobs faster and have more time for the things that matter; you know, like watching cat videos.

1. Friday Chrome Extension

What if you had a planner/to-do list and a website blocker with the same Chrome extension? That way you could block a distracting website while also checking off your to-do list items.

The Friday Planner and Chrome extension does exactly that.

You can set focus time and also block websites during those focused, deep work sessions.

Add a list of sites that you want to block and set Focus Time in the Friday Chrome extension. It will keep you from distracting websites while also letting your colleagues know you're in deep work via Slack. You'll stop Slack notifications, too!

And what happens if you try to visit one of the sites you've blocked during focus time?

You'll get a friendly reminder like this one...

The Friday website blocker will keep you on task because with every new tab, you can plan your day and stay focused on the work that matters most. Friday users can install a Chrome extension to see their workday, schedule, and to-do list in each new tab.

The nice thing about the Friday Chrome extension is that it connects directly with the Friday planner. Keep track of your meetings, join video meetings directly, keep a running to-do list, and integrate the collaboration tools you use most.

It also lets you set "focus time sessions," during which the app will block access to distracting sites.

Format: Web-based (Chrome Extension)

Top Features

Stop all distractions! Focus Time Sessions block distractions on websites, and sets you to DND on Slack.
See your to-do list in every tab
Join meetings on Zoom or Google Meet directly from your browser
You can customize which sites to block
Free Forever. To-Do List + Calendar Sync + Check-ins + Posts + Unlimited Users.
Individual Pro : $4 per month. Planner View + Task/Calendar sync + Posts + Goals + Reporting
Teams : $6/per person /month. Planner View + Posts + Task/Calendar sync + Check-Ins + Reporting + Kudos/Icebreakers.
Company/Enterprise : A modern intranet & business communication tool customized to your business needs

Download the free Friday Chrome Extension .

Freedom blocks distracting websites and apps across all of your devices at once. You can block the entire internet if you want!

If you decide to block Instagram, for example, Freedom won't solely block the site on your phone. You'll also be unable to view it from your computer and tablet, making for a distraction-free environment.

Top Features:

Blocks distracting sites across all your devices at once
Lock Mode stops you from quitting a block session
Block All Mode allows you to block the entire internet
Free: 7-day trial
Monthly Plan ($6.99/month): Unlimited access to all tools
Yearly Plan ($29/year): Unlimited access to all tools

3. RescueTime

RescueTime wants to improve your time management skills. The app delves into your data, analyzing how much time you spend on various sites. Then it generates reports to help you better manage your time.

At the end of each day, the app gives you a "Productivity Pulse" score. Shown as a percentage, this score tells you how much time you spent on productive tasks.

Format: Available in iOS, Mac Desktop, Android, and Web-based formats

Analyzes and reports on your online activity
Productivity Pulse makes managing time game-like
Lite (free): Basic reporting, weekly goals, 3-month reporting history
Premium ($9/month): In-depth reports, weekly goals with goal alerts, unlimited reporting history, website blocking

4. Cold Turkey Blocker

Cold Turkey is a traditional website blocker. You tell it which sites are sources of distraction for you, and it blocks them accordingly.

Cold Turkey also puts up a motivational block page. If your fingers find their way to a distracting site, you'll see a motivational quote that essentially says, get back to work!

Format: Mac Desktop

Top Features

Unlimited website blocking
Motivational block page
Block scheduling (with premium version)
Free: website blocking, website exceptions, unlimited block duration, motivational block page
Premium ($29 life access): all free inclusions plus scheduling blocks, Pomodoro breaks , device lockouts, and custom block page

5. StayFocusd

If you want some time to browse online but hope to avoid a full-blown internet spiral, StayFocusd might be perfect for you. The app asks you to set a time limit for distracting sites. When you reach the limit, a block goes into place. That means you still get to check your feed now and then, just not for too long or too often.

Format: Web-based format (Chrome Extension)

Works on time limits
Set limits for unlimited sites

6. SelfControl

With SelfControl, you create a list of blocked sites for a specific period. Alternatively, you can build a list of websites you're allowed to visit for a specific time, effectively blocking the rest of the internet.

Unlike other apps, there is no way to exit the block with SelfControl. Once you start the timer, you'll be unable to access any blocked site from that device, even if you uninstall the app!

Format: Mac Desktop

Create a list of sites to block or a list of sites to allow
No way to get around the block

7. FocalFilter

FocalFilter is a straightforward, extra-feature-free website blocker. You pick the websites to block, you set how long to block them for, and that's it. This app won't provide reports or motivational screens; it's basic website blocking.

Format: Web-based formats

Unlimited website blocking
Unlimited time duration for blocks

FocusMe is more than a website blocker; it's a way to retrain your brain. You set a daily work schedule, and FocusMe ensures you stick to it by blocking distractions. Over time, the app supposedly changes your brain patterns so that you're better at focusing for longer chunks of time.

Format: Mac or Windows Desktop, Android

Blocks websites and pushes you to work on your priorities first
Keeps you to the schedule you set
May change your brain, helping you find flow states faster
Free Android App
Desktop Downloads: $6.99/month, $39.99/year, $79.99/three years

9. Blocksite Chrome Extension

Blocksite is a basic website blocker with a dash of humor. The designers added jokes to mock and entertain should you try to access a blocked site. Otherwise, this works like any other website blocker. Give it a list of sites you know distract, and it will keep you off of them.

Straightforward website blocker with scheduling and timer
Includes funny images if you attempt to enter a blocked site

Free: Focus timer, scheduling, password protection

Premium ($9/month): All free features, sync block across devices, custom site redirect, insights

10. Limit Chrome Extension

Limit places a time limit on sites that distract. When you hit your limit for the day, the app will block the site. To get back in, you have to wait until the next day or uninstall the extension entirely.

Comes with a list of ten popular, distracting sites built-in
Configurable time limit up to 500 minutes

11. WasteNoTime

With WasteNoTime, you create a schedule to block sites and distractions. For example, you can set it so that your favorite online poker site is only available Saturdays after 3 pm.

WasteNoTime includes a TimeTracker which gives insight into where you spend your time online. It also has a LockDown setting which blocks you from accessing the web.

Format: Chrome Extension

Set block schedules by day and week
Time Tracker gives insights on time management
LockDown feature blocks the entire internet

Forest is an app blocker that keeps you focused by making time management into a game. The app encourages you to keep working by planting virtual trees that grow as long as you stay off your phone or tablet.

If you try to use your device while the app is running, it will encourage you to wait. If you ignore the warning, the app won't stop you, but it will kill off one of your trees!

Format: iOS, Android

Interactive, game-like tool helps change behavior
Allows you to connect with other users and encourages team productivity

13. Pause Chrome Extension

Pause breaks the distraction cycle by promoting mindful browsing. The extension comes with a customizable list of distracting websites. If you try to visit one of them, the extension will interrupt by presenting a calming green screen.

After five seconds, the extension asks if you would like to proceed to the distracting site or temporarily block it. It's incredible how often we ended up blocking the site; mindfulness makes all the difference when you're trying to stay focused online.

Customizable, pre-seeded list of distracting sites
Promotes better browsing habits by forcing you to pause

14. 1 Focus

This iOS app allows you to create a list of distracting websites and applications. Then, you create a work schedule. During "work," the app will block all your listed distractions. It also has a quick block feature so that you can block sites for one minute, thirty minutes, or an hour whenever you need to.

Format: iOS

Blocks based on work schedule
Quick Block feature for short-term, one-off blocking
Free (with in-app purchases available)

Serene is an app that includes three different features that will help you keep your focus during your workdays. You can start your day by answering Serene’s prompts where you must prioritize your tasks. You can allow Serene to block distracting websites, apps, and other things that might disturb you by downloading the Chrome extension. Lastly, Serene includes focus enhancers that can help you stay focused for long periods of time.

Format: macOS, Coming soon to Windows

Website blocker and desktop app blocker with reminders to stay focused
Reflect on your productivity by answering Serene’s questions after work
Set one goal daily
Special feature that silences notifications, texts, and calls on your phone

How Do I Block Websites on Google Chrome?

So, how do you go about blocking websites? Installing a website blocker varies depending on your internet browser and device.

Google Chrome is the most popular web browser, so we'll focus on website blockers that are Chrome extensions, though we include other versions as well.

By choosing one of the tools above, you'll stop distractions in their tracks; you just have to download the right app!

Want to try our #1 recommended Daily Planner?

Free forever. no credit card required..

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FocusGuard - Free Site Blocker

1.5K ratings

Free website blocker for enhanced productivity. Custom blocklist and password protection. Stay focused, and block distractions.

If you want some time to browse online but hope to avoid a full-blown internet spiral, a site blocker might be perfect for you. Set a time limit for distracting sites. When you reach the limit, a block goes into place. That means you still get to check your feed now and then, just not for too long or too often. Site blocker is designed to help you stay focused on studying, learning, and working. Blocks all time-westing websites to keep you productive and away from all the distractions the internet offers. To use a site blocker, set a password, decide which websites you want access to, and let the site blocker block the rest. If you want to visit a site you have blocked, enter your password, and decide how long you want to be on the blocked site. If you’re a parent, you can set the password for your child. Or, if you’d like to use it yourself, have a friend or partner put it for you to help you concentrate. And voila! You now have a set of internet guardrails that help to help you stay productive and on task whether you’re studying, remote learning, or need an extra boost of self-control to finish a project. ⭐️Features⭐️ 👉 Block sites, including its subdomains Remove all distracting and harmful websites from your life by blocking them for you while you need to stay focused and productive. 👉 Allowlist Add exceptions to the blocked websites list. Sites from this list avoid all blocking settings. 👉 Focus mode The focus mode timer lets you control your schedule via the Pomodoro technique. Break down your tasks into intervals followed by a short break. With ‘Focus Mode,’ you can set times to disable websites and browse freely. 👉 Time management Show how many work cycles you completed during a session. So you’ll be able to get all your tasks done and still have time to browse your favourite sites and apps in between. 👉 Password protection If you start focus mode, you can stop it with a passcode of your choosing, making it harder to procrastinate. You can also password-protect the options page to keep you from efficiently removing sites from your list. 👉 Unstoppable focus mode Select the option to hide the pause and stop buttons in the extension settings. And you won't be able to stop blocking sites until the block time expires. 👉 Funny blocked page You will now see funny images if you are trying to enter a blocked site. To do this, you need to enable this option in the site blocking settings. You will still not be able to enter the blocked site, but perhaps a funny picture will make you smile :)) Block Site is one of the best productivity tools available to help people procrastinate less, become more productive and reach their life goals. You’ll never have to worry again about how to stay focused at work. ⭐️Note⭐️ To block sites in incognito mode, you need to activate Allow run in incognito mode checkbox on the chrome://extensions page.

4.5 out of 5 1.5K ratings Google doesn't verify reviews. Learn more about results and reviews.

Stuart Kenney Sep 6, 2024

Ross Wright Sep 5, 2024

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Not being used or transferred for purposes that are unrelated to the item's core functionality
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AppBlock - Block sites & Stay focused

Block distracting webs and stay focused on your work.

BlockSite: Block Websites & Stay Focused

Stay focused and improve productivity with our key features: Custom blocklist, Scheduled site blocking and Password protection

Porn Blocker

PornBlocker is a plugin that prevents you from viewing pornographic sites. When you open a porn site, redirect to the useful site.

StayFree - Website Blocker & Web Analytics

Analytics to help you understand and control your website usage, leading to less distractions and enhanced productivity

Porn / Adult Blocker, Block Sites - BlockerX

Porn blocker for Chrome. Can block over 2 Mn porn websites. Can also block sites as per your preferences.

Web Site blocker

Easy way to block distracting websites to prevent access while you work

Block Site - Site Blocker & Focus Mode

Block sites, protect your time with site blocker! Website blocker and password protection help you stay focused.

A customizable, password-protected website blocker and redirector.

Block these URLs, Domains or Keywords

Site blocker. Blocks URL, Domain or URL with keywords. Redirect.

Site Blocker - Block Site & Focus Mode

The best free site blocker. Block websites, stay focused with website blocker. Set custom blocklist and password protection.

Ninja Adult Porn Blocker

The most powerful adult porn websites blocker.

Web Blocker

Block unlimited website for free

Project Management

Best time management tools in 2024: 10 best ways to track & manage your time.

Cloudwards.net may earn a small commission from some purchases made through our site. However, any earnings do not affect how we review services. Learn more about our editorial integrity and research process .

It’s easy to lose track of time in our modern, busy world. Our personal lives and work environments are full of tasks, and it can get overwhelming. That’s why you need the best time management tools to help you manage your workload. In this article, we share 10 top options.

Last Updated: 24 Jul'24 2024-07-24T21:00:13+00:00

All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.

While in theory it sounds wonderful to work freely, without a care in the world or a clock by your side, it’s hardly sustainable in reality. If you’re determined to get your work completed effectively and efficiently, you must take action. It’s a good idea to support yourself with the best time management tools.

Key Takeaways:

monday.com is the best time management tool and the best software to manage projects.
GanttPro and Wrike are great for those who like Gantt charts and Agile tools.
Todoist and TickTick serve as solid time and task management software.
Clockify is free and lets you accurately track time, while Toggl Track and TimeCamp are also superb paid options.

You may be wondering what time management tools are. It’s a fair question, especially in the digital world. We’ve tested dozens of productivity apps, and we can safely say they’re not just a range of clocks you switch on when you work and off when you’re finished. That type of feature is certainly available, but it’s not the only one offered by time management apps.

You can also get a to-do list that pings you with deadline reminders and beautifully designed native calendars that help you see daily, weekly and monthly views of your schedule. Leading time management tools also provide accurate time-tracking reports, timesheets and invoicing tools.

Let’s start by putting some names to these apps, as we share the 10 best time management tools to help you improve your time management skills. Alternatively, check out our best project management software roundup for a broader look at our experts’ all-time favorites.

Check out our project management courses and grab a limited-time offer. Registration available now!

What Makes the Best Time Management Tool?

Most time management tools come under the umbrella of project management apps. We’ve reviewed pretty much all of the best project management services , so we know what we’re looking for when we’re identifying the best.

The first thing our expert reviewers look for are tools that are easy to use and make tracking time and progress effortless. The software has to work well, be free of system crashes and glitches, and must have a good design. Beyond that, cost is important (bonus if there’s a good free version) and a strong all-around feature list is always appreciated.

These criteria considered, monday.com is the best tool for time management, followed by Todoist, GanttPro, TimeCamp and Airtable, plus five other tools that tick the right boxes in some way.

monday.com — Best project management tool and great time management features
Todoist — Designed to simplify your to-do lists and make it easier to stay on track
GanttPro — Serves Gantt chart lovers and has great tools for accurate time tracking
TimeCamp — Helps you manage time and improve resource management
Airtable — Our favorite task management tool also helps improve time management
Wrike — Helps with time management and should appeal to fans of Agile methodologies
Clockify — Free time management tool for those on a budget
TickTick — Cool app that integrates tried-and-tested time management techniques
Toggl Track — Trendy app that’s beautiful in design and useful in terms of functionality
Trello – Fantastic tool for kanban fans to ensure you keep to your deadlines

monday.com tops the chart here, in addition to being the best tool for project management. Todoist is one of our favorite task management tools . GanttPro is for the Gantt chart lovers, and it has a simple play-and-stop clock to track billable time.

TickTick and Airtable are the two other task management champions, with the former offering a “pomo clock” for focused working. We included Wrike as an app that goes beyond time management. It’s excellent for a range of project management methodologies.

Trello is for those who prefer kanban, and Clockify, TimeCamp and Toggl Track are top tools for accurately tracking time.

10 Best Time Management & Tracking Tools

Now that we’ve served you a sample of what’s on offer, it’s time to dig in to the main course. We’ll break down everything on this time management tools menu, and you’ll learn about all the ingredients that make them the best your money can buy.

1. monday.com

More details about monday.com:

Pricing : Free; $12 per month (one-month plan)
Provider website : monday.com
Very easy to use
Long & varied feature list
Basic plan isn’t great

For traditional time management, monday.com has a native calendar, which is beautiful in design and useful in functionality. If you’re using the calendar as a task manager, you can get the full details of a task just by hovering over it. You can also add dates and program reminders to keep on top of time all the way through your deadline.

To really nail down your time tracking, you can use the native time tracking feature on the web version and the mobile apps. It’s straightforward to use. All you need to do is press play when you begin a task and hit stop when the task is complete.

Not only is monday.com an excellent time management tool, it’s also our pound-for-pound best project management tool. The reasons for this are plenty, as it has a range of project management features, including kanban boards, timeline views and project dashboards. You can learn more by reading our monday.com review or trying the free plan .

Maximum users: 2
Minimum users: 3; All prices per user
Enterprise-level features.

More details about todoist.com:

Pricing : Free plan; $4 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : todoist.com
Simplifies to-do lists
Nice design
Limited features

A core reason people lose track of time is they overcomplicate their workload and fill their to-do lists with too much data. Thankfully, Todoist created a bare-bones task and time management tool that encourages you to simplify everything you need to do.

You can view your workload in the form of a simple to-do list or as a kanban board. The streamlined design makes it easy to digest your tasks, and there’s an “upcoming” deadlines tab to help you keep ahead of the pace in terms of what you need to complete.

If you’re inspired by rewards, you’ll like what Todoist calls “karma points.” You obtain these points by setting yourself goals and completing them within the time frame you set. You can learn more about one of our favorite task and time management apps by reading our Todoist review or by trying the free plan .

1 main user 5 active projects 5 collaborators (per project) 5MB file uploads
1 main user 300 active projects 25 collaborators (per project) 100MB file uploads
Multiple users, (price is per user) 500 active projects (per member) 50 people (per project)

3. GanttPro

More details about GanttPro:

Pricing : $7.99 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : ganttpro.com
Very good time tracker
Excellent Gantt chart
Good design
No free plan

If you need to track your billable hours, GanttPro offers an intuitive tool to help you record the time spent on your tasks. Like with monday.com, you only need to press play and stop for the app to record the data. Not only is it great for keeping accurate records, but the idea of tracking your time can help you remain focused on your goal.

You can also create custom time reports, which gives you a bird’s eye view of how long your tasks are taking to complete. This is useful because it helps you identify which areas are taking too long, and you can work with your team to develop strategies to work more efficiently.

As well as excellent time management features, GanttPro offers one of the best Gantt charts and rivals other project management apps, such as TeamGantt (check out our TeamGantt review ). Project managers can also enjoy some resource features to help delegate tasks across their team. You can learn more by reading our GanttPro review or use the 14-day free trial .

4. TimeCamp

More details about TimeCamp:

Pricing : Free; $9 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : timecamp.com
Automatic time tracking
Free unlimited projects
Lacks powerful features

TimeCamp is one of the market’s most popular time management software solutions. It comes with a user-friendly interface and automated time tracking, so you can seamlessly jump through tasks and projects without having to reset your timer. This is done through task keyword recognition.

The software also creates custom reports and delivers you a detailed breakdown of your hours spent on tasks. This is useful for analyzing how well you manage time and coming up with ways to boost productivity.

From an administrative perspective, users can send timesheet approvals to their project manager and use the integrated invoicing tool for their billable time.

TimeCamp also has browser extensions for Chrome and Microsoft Edge, so you can track time in apps outside of its time management software. Check out our TimeCamp review to learn more, or try the free plan .

Plan	Cost
	$0
	$6.30 per month per user (billed annually) $7 month to month
	$9 per month per user (billed annually) $10 month to month
	Contact sales team

5. Airtable

More details about Airtable:

Pricing : Free, $20 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : airtable.com
Tools to track time
Good kanban board
Easy to prioritize tasks

If you want to promote efficient time management and use an app that’s packed with great features, Airtable may be the app for you. It has a range of views to see your project tasks and you can create task priorities, like low, medium and high. This is great for seeing your urgent tasks and knowing where to put your time.

You’re also able to set task dependencies. Doing this allows your team to identify which tasks need to be completed to finish or move on to a larger task within your project. For seamless time tracking, Airtable has a time tracker extension that uses the stop-start model and shows you how many hours (or minutes) it took you to finish a task.

Additional features include a Gantt chart, editing permissions and a host of integrations. To see if the software is for you, check out our Airtable review or test the service with the free plan .

Up to five users. Unlimited bases. 1,000 records, 1GB of storage per base. Revision and snapshot history for two weeks. Views: grid, calendar, form, Kanban board, gallery and list. 100 automations per month.
Everything in free, plus unlimited users, 50,000 records and 20GB of storage space per base. Adds Gantt charts and timeline views. 25,000 automations per month.
Everything in Team, plus 125,000 records, 100GB of storage per base, 100,000 automation per month. Admin controls, single sign-on (SSO) and premium integrations with third-party services.
Everything in Business, plus 500,000 records, 1TB of storage per base, and 500,000 automation monthly.

More details about Wrike:

Pricing : Free, $9.80 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : wrike.com
Good Agile tools
Great free plan
Not the best design
Security could be better

Wrike is an excellent tool to track projects, especially for those looking for the best Agile tools . All of Wrike’s task management features have the ability to ping you reminders, and you can program time estimates for how long you expect it will take to complete a task.

With Wrike’s “time log” feature, you can record time manually or use the embedded time tracker for more accurate results. We recommend doing the latter, as generating accurate, automated data is more useful, even more so for billing clients or paying employees.

As far as Agile tools go, Wrike allows users to implement scrum management , create product backlogs and set sprints. The main downside is that the design of the software is drab, but it functions perfectly fine. We cover all of this and more in our Wrike review , but you can also test it with the free plan .

Unlimited users. Basic features.
Price is per user. Plans for 5, 10 and 15 users.
Price is per user. No monthly option. Plans for 5 to 200 users.
For large teams; Enterprise-grade security and scalability; Plans for 5 to an unlimited number of users.
For teams with complex work needs; Advanced tools and analytics for complex work; 5 to unlimited users

7. Clockify

More details about Clockify:

Pricing : Free; $5.49 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : clockify.me
Free time tracking tool
Great for invoicing clients
Invoicing & budget tools only on high-end plans
Windows only offline time tracking

Clockify is widely regarded as one of the best free time tracking apps. What’s more, it remains free regardless of the number of users you have, making it a perfect option for larger teams. However, there’s not much else beyond tracking time on the free version of the software.

Paid versions are reasonably priced and open the door to more features. Project managers can access tools for measuring project profitability and all other users can use the invoicing tool. There’s also a “time off” feature that helps project managers record absences and identify how they will impact the team’s productivity.

Another cool feature is GPS tracking, which allows users to clock in and out via a mobile app and provide evidence that work was carried out at a specific location. It’s also possible to integrate third-party applications, including Slack, Jira and Salesforce, for an enhanced user experience. Check out our Clockify review to learn more.

Plan:	Cost
	$0
	$3.99 per user per month billed annually (or $4.99 if billed monthly)
	$5.49 per user per month billed annually (or $6.99 if billed monthly)
	$7.99 per user per month billed annually (or $9.99 if billed monthly)
	$11.99 per user per month billed annually (or $14.99 if billed monthly)

8. TickTick

More details about TickTick:

Pricing : Free, $2.33 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : ticktick.com
Great time management features
Inexpensive
Thin on features

One of the best ways to improve your time and task management is to improve your focus. There are several ways to do so, and TickTick promotes a popular approach: the Pomodoro Technique. It does this by integrating what it aptly calls a “pomo timer” inside its apps.

For those unfamiliar with Pomodoro, it uses a model of 25 minutes of work followed by five minutes of rest. The point is that during those 25 minutes, you remove distractions and hone in on your important tasks. Productivity gurus swear by the method as it has proven itself to be a focus booster, meaning it can help you complete tasks in a timely manner.

While TickTick lacks tools for more advanced project management, it still offers a native calendar for diary tracking and a kanban board. It’s also exceptionally well priced and should gain interest from those on a tight budget. Check out our TickTick review to learn more.

List, Basic filters, Kanban, Caps on use
Calendar, Extra filters, Track progress, Caps raised

9. Toggl Track

More details about Toggl Track:

Pricing : Free, $18 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : toggl.com
Plenty of integrations
Beautiful desktop version
Creates project budgets

In terms of design, Toggl Track is aiming to be the trendiest kid on the block. While the time management software can be used by anyone, we feel the aesthetic targets creative groups. That said, underneath its beautiful bonnet is a robust engine made up of several time management components.

This useful piece of software offers automated time tracking and allows you to integrate its features into other desktop apps you may use. You can also pin your frequent tasks (like sending emails) to the top of your timesheet to access them quickly.

The software is accessible from your desktop and mobile device, and you can use the time management app on multiple devices simultaneously. There’s also a detailed reporting feature and the option to integrate with over 100 third-party apps.

Plan:	Cost
	$0
	$9 per user per month (billed annually) $10 month to month
	$18 per user per month (billed annually) $20 month to month
	Contact sales team

More details about Trello:

Pricing : Free, $5 per month (one-year plan)
Provider website : trello.com
Best kanban board
Great for collaboration
Basic features

Moving slightly away from the pack is Trello. Its best strength is its kanban board . In fact, it has the best kanban board of any project management app. Trello is a great way to see a linear view of your progress, and its task card information allows you to add due dates and comments, so you can keep on track and have strong communication within the team.

The software also pings deadline reminders to your email address, so you can keep on top of everything you have to do even when you’re not in the app. Trello doesn’t have time tracking capabilities, but one of the time management tools we’ve mentioned, Clockify, can be integrated with your Trello task cards, and it’s free.

Trello also offers a nice native calendar, a timeline view and a bunch of integrations. To see if you like it, check out our Trello review or try the free plan .

Unlimited users, 10 boards, Unlimited power-ups, Unlimited storage
Price is per user, Unlimited boards, Custom fields, Invite guests
Price is per user, Several new views
Price is per user, Advanced admin & security settings

Final Thoughts

Above are all the tools you need to help improve your time management. For the best experience, monday.com is the path to take . However, if you just want a simple time tracker and have a limited budget, Clockify is the best option.

If you combine your software selection with some time management techniques, like blocking phone calls and using software to block distracting websites, you’ll quickly see an improvement in your productivity.

What are your favorite time management apps? How do you track the time spent to finish a task? Is there another option you would like us to review? Let us know in the comments. Thanks for reading.

Good time management techniques include tracking time, the Pomodoro Technique, doing difficult tasks first, prioritizing tasks and removing distractions.

Google offers Google Calendar, but beyond that, time management tools are limited and we recommend using another service.

TimeCamp; its Basic plan allows you to add unlimited users and projects and gives you simple time tracking tools.

Clockify is a popular free time tracking tool that allows you to track and record the time spent on your tasks. It’s super easy to use and its beautiful design enhances the user experience.

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Time Blocking

...and its cousins task batching and day theming. control your schedule so it doesn't control you.

Reclaim your time for what's really important

Introduction

What is time blocking?

Time blocking methods, why is time blocking so effective, but will time blocking work with my job, time-blocking tips, time blocking with todoist.

Todoist makes the world’s #1 task manager to organize your work and life. Tell me more

A 40 hour time-blocked work week, I estimate, produces the same amount of output as a 60+ hour work week pursued without structure." — Cal Newport, Author of Deep Work

If there's one thing that can be said about the modern workplace, it's this: If you don't control your schedule, it will control you.

We know how challenging it is to balance the necessary evils of meetings, emails, team chats, and that seemingly endless list of tasks. Especially when you want some focused time for the things you truly care about. Since becoming a digital hermit isn’t an option for most of us, we need concrete strategies to help us focus in a world designed to distract us.

That’s where time blocking comes in.

We've made a companion video for time blocking because everyone learns differently, and we know some of you prefer to watch instead of read. Check out that video below, or continue reading for a deeper dive.

Time blocking (and its close cousins, time boxing, task batching, and day theming) is a simple yet effective way to take back control of your time.

Try time blocking if you...

Handle multiple projects and responsibilities — like Jack Dorsey, founder of Square, who used day theming to run two major companies.

Spend too much time in “reactive mode” checking and responding to emails as they land in your inbox.

Find your day chopped up by back-to-back meetings, leaving you with the feeling that your day ends before it even starts.

Battle constant interruptions throughout the day with unexpected requests that disrupt your focus.

Struggle to find the time and mental space for big-picture thinking.

This guide will give you an overview of time blocking, task batching, day theming, and time boxing. We’ll show you how a combination of these strategies along with your calendar and a task manager — like Todoist — can help you reclaim your schedule.

Time-blocking vs. typical schedule comparing focused blocks of tasks with a cluttered schedule

Time blocking is a time management method where you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to a specific task or group of tasks. For example, you might block out 9 am to 10 am for checking and responding to emails, 10 am to 12 pm for working on a specific project, and 1 pm to 2 pm to have lunch at that new Thai restaurant.

We love time blocking because it:

Boosts productivity

Provides a clear structure

Increases focus

Improves organization by categorizing tasks

Strengthens time management

Instead of keeping an open-ended to-do list of things you’ll get to as you can, you’ll start each day with a concrete schedule outlining what you’ll work on and when.

How to time block your day

The key to time blocking is categorizing and prioritizing your tasks in advance. Then, schedule your time blocks for each day. Be careful, though—this can be tricky if you don’t have a process like the following in place.

Here’s a step-by-step process for how to time block your day:

Identify your tasks. List what you need to do for the week. If you’re not used to to-do lists and you tackle tasks as they come, take a week to start tracking what you do. Once you identify your tasks, prioritize them by importance and urgency — the Eisenhower Matrix is a great framework for that.

Create and schedule your work blocks. Assign specific periods for each task or group of tasks, and use a planner or digital calendar to map out your day. You can block time in the morning for high-priority work tasks, midday for meetings, and late afternoon for administrative tasks and emails.

Balance your schedule. Besides work-related duties, you can include personal errands, breaks, and leisure activities. Be sure to include breaks to rest and recharge!

Stick to your schedule. Follow your schedule as closely as possible, focusing only on the task assigned to each work block. If something doesn’t get finished, move it to a future block rather than extending the current one.

Review your day and make adjustments. At the end of every workday , review any tasks you didn’t finish — as well as any new tasks that have come in — and adjust your time blocks for the rest of the week accordingly.

When days are time blocked in advance, you won’t have to constantly make choices about what to focus on. All you need to do is follow your time-blocked schedule. If you get off-task or distracted, simply look at your schedule and get back to whichever task you blocked off time for.

Time blocking has a few close but distinct cousins worth considering: task batching, day theming, and time boxing. The table below provides a description and time blocking examples for each.


Time Blocking	Dividing the day into with each block dedicated to accomplishing a specific task or activity and only that specific task or activity.	"I will write every day from 9 am to 11 am."
Task Batching	to be completed during a dedicated block of time, reducing the mental load of switching tasks.	"I will answer all of my emails at 3 pm."
Day Theming	Assigning of the week, dedicating each day to a specific type of task or project.	"Every Monday, I will focus on content creation. Every Tuesday, I will focus on content promotion. Every Wednesday, I will focus on research and ideation. Etc."
Time Boxing	Setting a on a task and aiming to complete as much as possible within that timeframe.	"I will write 1,000 words between 9 am and 11 am tomorrow."

Whether you’re a remote worker, an active student, or a busy mom, (or all three!) there are time blocking techniques to fit your lifestyle and work habits. It’s easy for anyone to find a method that boosts their unique productivity needs.

Task batching

Task batching is when you group similar — and usually smaller — tasks together and schedule specific time blocks to complete them all at once. By tackling similar tasks in a group, you limit the amount of context-switching you have to do throughout your day. This saves precious time and mental energy.

For example, scheduling two 20-minute blocks to process email during the day is more efficient than checking your inbox every 15 minutes.

Common task batching examples such as email/messages, social media, networking, and writing

Time blocking pairs well with task batching because it saves you from scheduling every individual task on your calendar. Just block off chunks of time each day or week for when you want to complete a certain batch of activities, e.g., email, invoicing, workouts, meetings, writing, coding, deep work, errands, meal prep.

Day theming

Day theming is a more extreme version of task batching. As its name suggests, day theming is about choosing a theme for each day and dedicating the entire day to a specific type of work or project.

Instead of switching between different types of tasks throughout the day, you focus on one major theme, allowing for deeper concentration. For example, you might designate Mondays for meetings, Tuesdays for creative work, Wednesdays for administrative tasks, and so on.

Mike Vardy, founder of Productivityist , uses day theming to set his overarching focus for each day. Here's how he themes his week:

Day theming calendar with days for administrative tasks, writing, deep work, and training.

Dedicating each day to a single theme creates a reliable work pattern. It also limits the cognitive load of context switching. Vardy explains that theming offers mental clarity that allows him to focus on his family.

“Knowing what the day ‘means’ to me allows me to get the things I need and want to accomplish without seeing undetermined ‘ought to do’ items on a to do list. As a result, I have less decision fatigue and even have more energy when I spend time with my kids.”

While consistency is key, you can stay flexible. If an urgent task comes your way and doesn’t fit into the theme of your day, address it. However, try to reschedule your tasks for the next themed day where they fit rather than abandoning the day’s theme entirely.

Time boxing

Time blocking and time boxing are often confused as synonymous, but there's an important difference. Time blocking asks you to set aside certain chunks of time to focus on a given task or activity. For example, "I will work on a first draft of my blog post from 9 am to 11 am tomorrow."

In contrast, time boxing asks you to limit how much time you'll dedicate to a specific task. Here's a time-boxed version of the time blocking example above: "I will finish a first draft of my blog post tomorrow between 9 am and 11 am."

This self-imposed "time box" forces you to work efficiently because you have a limited amount of time in which to complete the task. It can be a fun way to challenge yourself and gamify your productivity.

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This technique seems simple on the surface but has a profound impact on your capacity to get things done. Here are some of the main benefits of time blocking:

It promotes focused “deep work”

Cal Newport, author of Slow Productivity: The Lost Art of Accomplishment Without Burnout , is a big proponent of time blocking. He believes that by doing fewer things and focusing on one single task at a time, you’re more productive than when you attempt to squeeze more tasks into your schedule.

In a radio interview with Virgin Radio UK , Newport shared that:

“You need the sweet spot in between the relentless but sustainable pace. I’m continuing to work on this, but giving it my full attention when it gets my attention. But not too much time, spread out over time, that's where good stuff emerges.”

When you schedule a chunk of time to work on a single project, problem, or task, you bring all of your mental resources to bear on one thing. Rather than spreading your attention thin across several tasks. The more you “single task”, the more you build the mental muscles required for deep work, and the easier it becomes to stay focused.

It helps you knock out “shallow work” more efficiently

Shallow work is the busy work that’s urgent but not important to achieving your long-term goals — think paperwork or responding to (most) emails. When you time box shallow work, you’re setting clear limits on how much time you’ll dedicate to it.

Table with examples of shallow vs deep work

Plus, grouping similar tasks reduces the mental fatigue of context switching. By batching your shallow tasks together in a dedicated time block or two, you power through them more efficiently and reserve the rest of your workday for higher-impact work.

It makes you aware of how you spend your time

Most people struggle with time management. We are terrible at estimating how much time tasks will take and often fall into the trap of the planning fallacy . Our present bias makes unreasonable estimates of what our future selves can achieve with the time in our hands, which is why we end up working overtime.

Time blocking forces you to confront your current priorities and commitments and get intentional about how you spend your finite time. For each new commitment you let into your life, you’re forced to find physical space on your calendar. As a result, the cost of saying “yes” becomes more concrete, and it becomes much easier to say “no.”

It counteracts perfectionism

Fuzzy timelines are a perfectionist’s worst enemy. There’s always something to be tweaked and improved. It can be difficult to know when an open-ended project is finished, especially if you are aiming for perfection.

At some point, you need to be able to say “good enough” and move on. Time boxing can help by imposing time limits on your projects. If you often prolong tasks by trying to get everything just right, set a strict time box for finishing the task and stick to it. Enjoy your extra time relaxing or spending time with loved ones.

It helps you follow through on your goals

In the article Making the Best Laid Plans Better: How Plan-Making Increases Follow-Through , researchers Rogers, Milkman, John, and Norton review several studies supporting the idea that “forming specific, concrete plans increases follow-through across a range of domains.”

From following an exercise regimen to scheduling a flu shot, people were more likely to act on their intentions when they wrote down a specific place, date, and time for the activity. Yet most people rely on vague intentions rather than concrete plans.

“Despite the fact that making a plan helps people accomplish their goals, people often fail to generate concrete plans. Ironically, this tendency to under-plan is especially common when people begin with strong intentions to achieve a goal.”

The takeaway: When you schedule your tasks and goals, you’re more likely to follow through. Time blocking forces you to make concrete plans that ensure you’re working toward your goals every day.

One of the biggest criticisms of time blocking is that it doesn’t account for reactive jobs where it may be impossible to anticipate what will come in at any given moment. So is time blocking a realistic strategy for a customer support specialist whose job is to respond to tickets? Or an account manager who needs to be available to respond to client requests?

We’d argue yes! Asserting even a small amount of control over your schedule can be helpful, no matter your job. Cal Newport put it this way:

“Periods of open-ended reactivity can be blocked off like any other type of obligation. Even if you’re blocking most of your day for reactive work, for example, the fact that you’re controlling your schedule will allow you to dedicate some small blocks (perhaps at the schedule periphery) to deeper pursuits.”

When your workday is run by external forces, it’s easy to lose sight of your goals. Time blocking can help you gain a greater sense of control over even the most unpredictable of schedules.

While time blocking is pretty straightforward in theory, we get it — it can be hard to stick to in practice. Before diving into tips for successful time blocking, it’s important to understand the common missteps that can trip you up.

Some frequent pitfalls you should watch out for are:

Underestimating the time needed for tasks, thinking you can squeeze in just one more thing

Being too rigid with your schedule, afraid to adjust if things don’t go as planned

Overscheduling your leisure time, turning relaxation into another form of work

Not prioritizing tasks, treating everything as equally important

Failing to account for interruptions and unexpected events

Now, let’s explore some practical time-blocking tips to help you avoid these pitfalls and make the most of your schedule — so you don’t become a slave to your calendar in the process.

Pad your schedule with buffer times

Over time, you’ll get better at estimating how long tasks take, but until you’ve honed your instincts, err on the side of blocking off too much time for tasks rather than too little. Pad your schedule with extra time to complete and transition between tasks. You can even create “conditional blocks” of time to tap into if you fall behind.

For example, you might set aside an hour at the end of the day or between major tasks that you can use if needed. If everything goes according to plan, you can use that time for other activities or a well-deserved break. This approach not only keeps you on track but also gives you the satisfaction of having accomplished your daily tasks!

Improve your sense of how long you actually spend on tasks with time trackers like RescueTime or Toggl .

Adopt a flexible approach

Remember to give yourself some grace. keep in mind that things will come up at the last minute and ruin your plans. But remember that your plan is a guide to help focus your attention on what’s important, not a binding contract.

Even productivity expert Cal Newport edits his plans throughout the day by crossing out original time blocks and filling them with updated plans as circumstances demand:

Newport deals with changes in his schedule by seeing it as a game:

“This type of planning, to me, is like a chess game, with blocks of work getting spread and sorted in such a way that projects big and small all seem to click into completion with (just enough) time to spare.”

See your time blocks as a flexible way to challenge yourself, not strict tools to punish yourself when you fall short.

Don’t overschedule your leisure time

Though Elon Musk has been said to schedule his days down to 5-minute increments , overscheduling your leisure time can be a self-defeating exercise. Scheduling activities, even if they’re for fun, can dampen their overall enjoyment.

Instead, block out time to disconnect and relax without a set plan for how you’ll spend that time. It gives you the flexibility to decide what you want to do — call friends to grab a drink? Check out that new Nintendo Switch game? Read? Whatever you decide, just remember to keep at least some of your free time free.

Find your most productive hours

Everyone has different peak productivity times. Understanding your own can help you make the most out of your time and energy. Once you find your most productive hours, protect them . You want to block this time to tackle the tasks that demand most of your concentration.

Suppose you find that you’re most productive between 11 am and 1 pm. Schedule your most critical tasks, such as writing, coding, planning projects, or balancing accounting sheets, during this window. As William Faulkner famously quipped:

I only write when inspiration strikes. Fortunately, it strikes at nine every morning.

To find your most productive hours, you can use productivity tools or apps to track your work habits. RescueTime or Toggl can help you analyze the time you spend on websites or documents, which can be helpful not only to find your peak hours but also to track where all your time is going.

Keep in mind you should consider external factors that might influence your productivity. For instance, if your workplace gets noisy after lunch hours, try to tackle your most important tasks in the morning.

Plan for unforeseen demands

If in your day-to-day job, you have to attend to other people’s requests, anticipate blocks of time for unforeseen demands. This will ensure you’re not thrown out of schedule and still have a productive day.

For instance, if you work in IT support and often receive urgent help requests in the afternoon, set aside a block of time from 2 to 4 pm specifically for these issues. This way, you can address unexpected needs without sacrificing your planned tasks.

If other people’s requests aren’t that relevant to your job, you can stop notifications from coming while you work, ensuring you’re not interrupted during a deep work session. You can also set specific times to check and respond to messages, keeping your focus intact.

You can implement time blocking with any tool, but in this section, we'll focus on how to use Todoist alongside your favorite calendar app — or even good, old-fashioned pen and paper.

We'll cover how to implement three different time-blocking variations: task batching, day theming, and scheduling individual tasks.

Task batching with Todoist

`Strict time blocking — dedicating a time block to each individual task — can be tedious and hard to maintain over time. We recommend combining time blocking and task batching for a more streamlined system. Instead of having one time block per individual task, assign a time block for each category of tasks you batch together.

First, decide which broad categories of work need to be reflected in your daily or weekly schedule. For example, a freelance writer might have the following category list:

Professional Development

Personal admin

Next, sit down with your favorite calendar app or paper planner and create time blocks for the coming week that reflect the times you’ll work on each category.

Make sure to give all your priorities and commitments enough space on your calendar. If you struggle to find room, you may need to cut down on your commitments. The end result will look something like this:

A colorful digital calendar with a neatly timeboxed schedule

If you find it difficult to stick to your digital schedule, we recommend planning your day out on paper. A paper schedule forces you to start fresh each day. It also makes it easy to scribble things out and adapt as the day goes on. Plus, you can keep your paper schedule open on your desk as a visible reminder of what you plan to focus on.

If you work at a company with shared calendars, you may find it helpful to publicly block off time for Deep Work to keep a sufficient chunk of the day meeting free. Khoi Vinh, a Principal Designer at Adobe , uses this strategy at his office:

“I look for blocks of time on my calendar that I can cordon off for “deep work”. Sometimes I’ll move around meetings to create longer contiguous blocks, and then I’ll create a meeting called “Do Not Book” or, if I suspect someone will ignore that, I’ll name it something like “Collaboration Session” or “Research Review.” You have to get crafty.”

Khoi Vinh time blocked calendar for deep work

You now have time blocks for each category, but you still need to know which specific task — or group of tasks — to work on when the time comes. That’s where a task manager like Todoist comes in.

Create a Todoist label for each batched category you came up with in step one, then review all of your current tasks and assign the appropriate label to each one.

List of Todoist labels to categorize and batch tasks

When you come to a time block, all you have to do is pull up the corresponding label list and choose from the relevant tasks. Tasks with dates will automatically be sorted at the top so you’ll know when something is due soon and needs your attention first.

List of tasks labeled with the writing label in Todoist

You can also create a new filter with a query like “@personal_admin & next 7 days” to see just the tasks due in the upcoming week with that specific label.

To make sure nothing slips through the cracks, every task should have a label. However, you’ll likely find that not every category needs to be tracked in Todoist. For example, you may want to keep track of your meetings or exercise classes in your calendar rather than in your task manager. And as we said before, you don’t want to overprogram your free time. Experiment with your setup to figure out what makes sense for your specific circumstances.

Day theming with Todoist

If you try time blocking and still feel too scattered and unfocused, you may want to try out day theming. We recommend this free Skillshare course by Mike Vardy. He walks you through setting up a day theming system, including detailed examples using both paper and Todoist.

Scheduling time blocks for individual tasks

Of course, if you want to keep a more granular schedule, you can always create separate time blocks for each task. The easiest way to do that with Todoist is via the 2-way integration with Google Calendar .

When setting up the integration:

Create a new calendar for just your Todoist tasks so you can toggle them on and off inside your calendar as you need.

Choose to sync your entire Todoist account or create separate calendars for each of your Todoist projects.

Choose to sync tasks with just a due date in addition to tasks with a due date and time.

Any Todoist task with a date and time will automatically appear as an event in your new Todoist calendar. Any task with a date but no time will appear as a day-long event.

During your weekly review , give each task you want to accomplish a date and/or start time by typing something like “Monday at noon” or “Every Friday at 9am” into the task field. Todoist will automatically recognize and highlight the date and set it when you save the task.

Smart date recognition feature from Todoist to quickly schedule tasks in mobile

Now, when you open your daily or weekly view in your calendar, you’ll see each of your tasks scheduled as separate events (aka your time blocks). You can extend, shorten, edit, and move your time blocks inside your calendar. Any changes you make in Google Calendar will automatically sync back to your Todoist (and vice versa).

Calendar showing scheduled tasks and meetings synced between Todoist and Google Calendar.

Scheduling your days and weeks in advance can seem like a waste of precious time you could be using to actually get things done. But when you aren’t controlling your calendar, it’s easy to let distractions take over.

By front-loading your decision-making on what to work on for the day or week, you’ll be saving time and mental energy that you can use when it comes to actually getting to work.

Try time blocking and task batching for a week and see how it feels to regain control over your time and attention.

If you have a Pro or Business plan, you can supercharge your time blocking with task durations . Simply:

Select your Due Date, then Time, to set the start time and duration of your task. This forms your time block.

You can also add a task’s duration via Todoist’s natural language recognition by typing “for” followed by the length of time you think the task will take. (e.g., “Team meeting today 4pm for 45min” or “Write first draft 9am for 2 hours 30 minutes”.)

If you’ve connected your Todoist to a calendar app, the task duration will sync to your calendar automatically (and, on Google Calendar, vice versa with 2-way sync so you can update your tasks from your calendar).

Laura Scroggs

Laura is a freelance writer, PhD candidate, and pug mom living in Minneapolis, MN.

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Master Time Blocking to Supercharge Your Productivity and Scheduling

Time blocking helps you organize tasks into specific time slots for better focus. Create a schedule , prioritize important work, and include breaks. Adapt the technique to your energy levels and personal needs. Use visual aids and rewards to stay motivated and productive .

Transform your disorganized schedule into a structured and efficient routine. Time blocking offers this capability. A mere 5% of people with calendar apps utilize this effective technique. Now's your chance to become part of this select group and master time blocking.

Time blocking involves splitting your day into planned segments for different activities. Every segment is dedicated to particular jobs or sets of related tasks. This method boosts efficiency and focus , helping you make the most of your workday.

Grasping the Basics of Time Blocking

Time blocking goes beyond simple calendar arrangement. This new strategy puts important jobs first, making it easier to reach your goals. The core concept is straightforward: assign specific timeframes to your activities, like setting personal appointments, rather than using a lengthy checklist.

Allocating time for tasks creates a structured daily plan . This method eases decision-making stress and prevents feeling swamped. It also promotes sensible scheduling , preventing you from taking on too much and falling short.

Comparing Time Blocking to Other Ways of Managing Time

Many confuse time blocking with related techniques such as grouping tasks, assigning themes to days, and setting time limits. Although all these methods try to boost efficiency, they have some important distinctions:

Grouping tasksDoing similar activities together in one goAssigning themes to daysFocusing on a specific kind of work each dayTime boxingAssigning a specific duration to each activity and adhering to that schedule

Technique	Description

On the other hand, time blocking offers more adaptability while maintaining organization. It may incorporate elements from various techniques, making it a flexible approach to time management.

Effective Strategies for Implementing Time Blocking

Starting time blocking needs some setup and ongoing adjustments. Using the right approach can make it a powerful tool to improve your productivity.

Creating Your Time Blocking Plan

Begin time blocking by following this process:

Choose a scheduling tool or agenda that suits your needs.
Create separate schedules or use distinct colors to categorize different kinds of activities.
Begin by adding your non-negotiable obligations, such as appointments and due dates, to your schedule.
Use your remaining time for other jobs, focusing on the most important ones first.
Remember to add rest periods and buffer time between activities.

The aim is to develop a practical timetable that enhances concentration, not a rigid routine that stifles innovation. Stay flexible and adjust your time slots as necessary during the day.

Typical Errors and Their Solutions

Time blocking may encounter issues despite careful planning. Be aware of these frequent pitfalls:

Misjudging task durations : Combat this by multiplying your estimated completion time by two.
Overpacking your agenda : Include rest periods and unplanned slots in your timetable.
Overlooking energy patterns : Notice when you feel most energetic and plan your crucial work for these high-performance periods.

Knowing these potential problems helps you adjust your time planning for improved outcomes.

Advanced Time Planning Techniques

After getting comfortable with basic time blocking, you can explore more complex strategies to boost your efficiency.

Merging with the Pomodoro Method

The Pomodoro Method uses 25-minute work sessions with brief rest periods in between. This approach fits well with time blocking. For instance, a two-hour writing slot could include four Pomodoro rounds.

Using both techniques helps you concentrate during scheduled times and allows your mind to refresh regularly.

This method helps you accomplish more without exhausting yourself .

Using Energy Mapping for Better Scheduling

Energy mapping involves recognizing your daily energy fluctuations and planning activities based on these changes. To make an energy map:

Monitor your energy levels hourly for seven days.
Identify recurring patterns in your high and low energy periods.
Plan tough jobs for when you feel most energetic.
Handle easy jobs or take breaks when you feel tired.

Match your work hours to when you feel most energetic to get more done and feel less stressed .

Adapting Time Blocking for People with ADHD

Standard time management techniques often don't work well for those with ADHD. With a few adjustments, time blocking can help manage ADHD symptoms and boost efficiency.

Making Adaptable Time Slots

People with ADHD often struggle with rigid timetables. Rather than setting fixed schedules, consider using a layered approach to time management:

Essential Meetings (E) : Time-specific, non-negotiable events
Bottlenecks (B) : Key tasks that slow down other important work
Critical (C) : Vital jobs directly linked to your main aims
Daily Routine (D) : Habitual, everyday activities

This method offers both structure and room for change . It sorts tasks based on urgency and importance, allowing you to change plans without disrupting your entire schedule.

Using Visual Aids and Rewards for Motivation

Pictures and graphics can greatly inspire individuals with attention deficit disorder. Try these strategies:

Organize your schedule by using different colors for various kinds of activities.
Show finished jobs in a distinct way, like making them a dull shade, to see your progress clearly.
Give yourself little treats when you complete hard jobs or finish set work periods.

These visible signs and prizes can keep you focused and driven all day, making time management more interesting and useful for people with attention issues.

Managing Your Schedule and Priorities

Organizing your day isn't just about getting more done—it's about steering your life towards what's truly important . This approach reduces worry, sharpens focus, and helps you achieve your goals more efficiently.

Remember, the ideal time management strategy involves flexibility and being kind to yourself. Finding the right approach might take some adjustments, but the benefits make it worthwhile. Why not start today? Review your calendar and set aside specific periods for your top priorities. Allocating focused time for each job can lead to unexpected improvements in your productivity.

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Time Blocking 101: What it is, How to Implement, and What to Avoid

In his autobiography, Benjamin Franklin talked in detail about his daily schedule. He divided his day into specific periods, each dedicated to particular tasks or activities. In his schedule, there were designated times for work, meals, reading, and reflection.

This approach laid the groundwork for a future time management technique called time blocking.

In his book " Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World ," Newport popularized the concept of time blocking as a way to maximize productivity and achieve deep focus. He wrote:

"A 40 hour time-blocked work week, I estimate, produces the same amount of output as a 60+ hour work week pursued without structure."

But what exactly is time blocking, and how can you implement it in your own life? Let's explore that in this blog.

What is Time Blocking?

Time blocking is a way to plan your day where you divide your time into blocks and assign specific tasks to each block. For example, from 9 to 11, you block time to write code. From 11 to 12, you answer emails, and from 12 to 1 you go for lunch. Instead of just keeping this routine in your head, you put it in your calendar.

To understand it better, think about how most people's work calendars look:

This calendar has meetings scattered throughout the day, with the spaces in between left blank. These empty spaces are assumed to be "free time" for work or for anyone to schedule meetings.

In contract, here's what a time blocked calendar looks like:

In this approach, the blank spaces are filled in.

In a time blocked calendar, every part of your workday has a designated purpose. You're not just reacting to what comes up or hoping to fit tasks into the gaps between meetings. Instead, you're proactively deciding how to use each hour of your day.

This doesn't mean your schedule is inflexible — you can still adjust as needed. But by starting with a plan for your entire day, you gain more control over how you spend your time and what you prioritize.

Why is Time Blocking Effective?

It helps us stay focused.

When we allocate specific time blocks to tasks, we create a mental commitment to focus solely on that activity. This dedicated attention allows us to enter a state of flow more easily, where we're fully immersed in the task at hand.

Our brains are not designed for constant task-switching , which can be cognitively draining and reduce overall productivity. By giving ourselves permission to focus on one thing at a time, we tap into our brain's natural ability to concentrate deeply. This focused attention not only improves the quality of our work but also increases our efficiency. We're less likely to be distracted by emails, notifications, or other tasks when we've mentally committed to working on a specific task during a set time block.

It provides a realistic view of our time constraints

Time is often perceived as an abstract concept, flowing endlessly and always available. Yet, in reality, it's our most finite resource. Time blocking serves as a powerful lens, bringing into sharp focus the true nature of time.

This clarity acts as a catalyst for intentional living. By visualizing our day in blocks, we begin to see time as a tangible asset to be invested wisely, rather than an infinite resource to be carelessly spent. It prompts us to question the true value of our activities and align our actions more closely with our priorities and long-term goals.

This realistic view of our time constraints creates a mindset of quality over quantity. When we see that we only have a certain number of blocks in a day, we're more likely to focus on high-impact tasks and eliminate or delegate less important ones .

This approach also cultivates a healthier relationship with productivity. Instead of chasing the myth of "doing it all," we learn to embrace our limitations and make peace with the idea that we can't do everything, but we can do the most important things well. It's a shift from a scarcity mindset of never having enough time to an abundance mindset of making the most of the time we have.

It reduces decision fatigue

Every time we have to decide what to work on next, we're using up valuable mental energy. Time blocking eliminates many of these small decisions throughout the day. When we've already determined what we'll be working on and when, we free up cognitive resources that can be better used for actual task completion.

Time blocking only conserves mental energy but also decreases the likelihood of procrastination. We're less likely to put off important tasks when they're already scheduled into our day. Having a predetermined schedule can help overcome the initial resistance we often feel when starting challenging tasks. By removing the need to constantly decide what to do next, time blocking creates a smoother workflow, allowing us to transition more easily between tasks and maintain productivity throughout the day.

Time Blocking vs Time Boxing

With time blocking, you decide in advance how you'll spend each hour of your day. But with time boxing, you set a fixed amount of time for a task and stop when that time is up, regardless of whether you've finished. For instance, you might give yourself 30 minutes to brainstorm ideas or 1 hour to work on a report and you stick to that time limit.

Time blocking answers "When will I do this?"

While time boxing answers "How long will I spend on this?"

Time boxing can indeed be applied to a single task, making it a flexible technique you can use anytime you want to limit the time spent on a specific activity. On the other hand, time blocking is typically a strategy for organizing your entire day or week.

Use time blocking when:

You want to create a daily or weekly schedule
You need to balance different types of work
You want to ensure you're allocating enough time to priorities

Use time boxing when:

You tend to perfectionism or overthinking
You're tackling overwhelming tasks
You're trying to limit time spent on less important tasks

"My Work is Unpredictable. Will Time Blocking Work for me?"

If your work involves urgent requests from team members, impromptu meetings with stakeholders, unexpected customer issues requiring immediate attention, etc. time blocking can feel rigid and not suitable for you. But there's a workaround if you still want to get the most out of time blocking.

You can schedule a block of time with no assigned task. These are pockets of flexibility within your structured day, allowing you to respond to the unexpected without derailing your entire schedule.

They act as buffer zones, absorbing the overflow from tasks that run longer than anticipated. They provide space for addressing urgent matters that invariably arise. And perhaps most importantly, they offer breathing room for spontaneous creativity and problem-solving — those moments of insight that often occur when our minds are not rigidly focused on a specific task.

This method of time blocking with built-in flexibility helps reduce the stress that comes from constantly feeling behind or overwhelmed. It provides a pressure release valve, allowing us to tackle unexpected tasks without the guilt of deviating from our plan.

It's a paradoxical approach - by planning for unplanned time, you create a more resilient and adaptable schedule.

It's also important to remember that time-blocking isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. What works for one person may not work for another, and what's effective in one type of job might be counterproductive in another. Some people may find that time-blocking certain parts of their day while leaving others more flexible works best for them.

Common Pitfalls with Time Blocking

Time-blocking, while powerful, is not without its challenges. Being aware of these potential pitfalls can help you navigate the technique more effectively and avoid common frustrations.

Two of the most common pitfalls practitioners face are overestimating task completion times and over-scheduling their days. These challenges, though seemingly opposite, often stem from the same root: our eagerness to maximize productivity.

The tendency to overestimate what we can accomplish in a given time block is deeply rooted in human psychology. Known as the planning fallacy, this cognitive bias leads us to consistently underestimate the time required for future tasks, even when we have past experiences to the contrary.This optimism can result in a cascade of delays, with each task pushing back the next, ultimately leading to increased stress and decreased productivity.

One of the most significant pitfalls is overestimating what can be accomplished in a given time block. We often fall prey to the planning fallacy, believing tasks will take less time than they actually do. This can lead to a domino effect of delays and increased stress as we struggle to catch up. To combat this, add a buffer time of 25% to your tasks. For instance, if you think a task will take an hour, block out 75 minutes. This built-in cushion accounts for unexpected complications and interruptions, providing a more realistic timeframe.

Then there is the challenge of over-scheduling. In our enthusiasm to maximize productivity, we might fill every available minute with tasks, leaving no room for breaks, unexpected events, or simply time to think and reflect. This approach can quickly lead to burnout and decreased overall productivity.

To overcome time, try the 80/20 rule when time-blocking. Aim to schedule only about 80% of your workday, leaving 20% open for flexibility. This unscheduled time isn't wasted – it's a strategic reserve that allows you to adapt to the unpredictable nature of most workdays.

How to Time Block Using Sunsama in 3 Simple Steps

Create guardrails for your day.

Work has a sneaky way of filling up all the time you give it. Without clear boundaries, you might find yourself working late into the night or starting earlier and earlier each day. So you need to set a time for when you 'll start your workday and when you'll end it. These are your guardrails within which you'll schedule your work.

This approach is helpful because when we know we have a finite amount of time, we're forced to prioritize ruthlessly, focusing on what truly matters rather than getting lost in the weeds of busy work. By establishing firm boundaries — or guardrails — for our workday, we're also making a powerful statement about our values and priorities. We're saying that our time outside of work is just as important as the time we spend being productive.

When you use Sunsama, you can set the time for when you want to plan your day. Sunsama will prompt you to plan your day at this time, automatically.

We also have a daily shutdown ritual that is designed to help you end your workday on time, celebrate and share your progress, and avoid burnout. During your daily planning, you'll be prompted daily to choose your shutdown time. Or you can set a specific time in your settings.

Build Your Task List

Sunsama's daily planning ritual guides you to build out your task list.

You will see a prompt to import certain calendar events into your task list. You can also configure your settings to automatically import calendar events for you. You may also add more tasks to your task list from your integrated tools (Trello, Notion, ClickUp, etc.), your backlog, or just add new tasks.

Tip: Set your "when do you plan your day" setting to morning time whenever you start working, so you'll automatically enter daily planning upon opening Sunsama every day.

Arrange your tasks in the order you wish to work on them starting with the high-impact, low-effort ones.

Drag tasks from your list to your calendar

In Sunsama, you can grab any task and drag and drop it onto the calendar view at a time where you want to work on it. You can also auto-schedule a task by hovering over it and typing X, or by right clicking on it and clicking "Add to calendar".

Before you add a task to your calendar, it's a good idea to set a time estimate or planned time on the task. That way, the corresponding calendar event will be of the correct duration.

Claim your 14-day free trial to create calm and productive workdays. No credit card is required and if you decide to continue using the app, there's no long-term commitment. But we're confident that your days will be calm and focused if you use Sunsama to plan your day.

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Step-by-step process to manage your inbox and ultimately reduce the time you spend thinking about your unread emails

The most popular free time tracker for teams

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Social Media

Brazil Blocks Musk’s X After Company Refuses to Comply Amid Feud With Judge

SAO PAULO — Brazil started blocking Elon Musk’s social media platform X early Saturday, making it largely inaccessible on both the web and through its mobile app after the company refused to comply with a judge’s order.

X missed a deadline imposed by Supreme Court Justice Alexandre de Moraes to name a legal representative in Brazil, triggering the suspension. It marks an escalation in the monthslong feud between Musk and de Moraes over free speech, far-right accounts and misinformation.

To block X, Brazil’s telecommunications regulator, Anatel, told internet service providers to suspend users’ access to the social media platform. As of Saturday at midnight local time, major operators began doing so.

De Moraes had warned Musk on Wednesday night that X could be blocked in Brazil if he failed to comply with his order to name a representative, and established a 24-hour deadline. The company hasn’t had a representative in the country since earlier this month.

“Elon Musk showed his total disrespect for Brazilian sovereignty and, in particular, for the judiciary, setting himself up as a true supranational entity and immune to the laws of each country,” de Moraes wrote in his decision on Friday.

The justice said the platform will stay suspended until it complies with his orders, and also set a daily fine of 50,000 reais ($8,900) for people or companies using VPNs to access it.

In a later ruling, he backtracked on his initial decision to establish a 5-day deadline for internet service providers themselves — and not just the telecommunications regulator — to block access to X, as well as his directive for app stores to remove virtual private networks, or VPNs.

The dispute also led to the freezing this week of the bank accounts in Brazil of Musk's satellite internet provider Starlink.

Brazil is one of the biggest markets for X, which has struggled with the loss of advertisers since Musk purchased the former Twitter in 2022. Market research group Emarketer says some 40 million Brazilians, roughly one-fifth of the population, access X at least once per month.

“This is a sad day for X users around the world, especially those in Brazil, who are being denied access to our platform. I wish it did not have to come to this – it breaks my heart,” X’s CEO Linda Yaccarino said Friday night, adding that Brazil is failing to uphold its constitution’s pledge to forbid censorship.

X had posted on its official Global Government Affairs page late Thursday that it expected X to be shut down by de Moraes, “simply because we would not comply with his illegal orders to censor his political opponents.”

“When we attempted to defend ourselves in court, Judge de Moraes threatened our Brazilian legal representative with imprisonment. Even after she resigned, he froze all of her bank accounts,” the company wrote.

X has clashed with de Moraes over its reluctance to comply with orders to block users.

Accounts that the platform previously has shut down on Brazilian orders include lawmakers affiliated with former President Jair Bolsonaro’s right-wing party and activists accused of undermining Brazilian democracy. X’s lawyers in April sent a document to the Supreme Court in April, saying that since 2019 it had suspended or blocked 226 users.

In his decision Friday, de Moraes' cited Musk's statements as evidence that X's conduct “clearly intends to continue to encourage posts with extremism, hate speech and anti-democratic discourse, and to try to withdraw them from jurisdictional control.”

In April, de Moraes included Musk as a target in an ongoing investigation over the dissemination of fake news and opened a separate investigation into the executive for alleged obstruction.

Musk, a self-proclaimed “free speech absolutist," has repeatedly claimed the justice’s actions amount to censorship, and his argument has been echoed by Brazil’s political right. He has often insulted de Moraes on his platform, characterizing him as a dictator and tyrant.

De Moraes’ defenders have said his actions aimed at X have been lawful, supported by most of the court’s full bench and have served to protect democracy at a time it is imperiled. He wrote Friday that his ruling is based on Brazilian law requiring internet services companies to have representation in the country so they can be notified when there are relevant court decisions and take requisite action — specifying the takedown of illicit content posted by users, and an anticipated churn of misinformation during October municipal elections.

The looming shutdown is not unprecedented in Brazil.

Lone Brazilian judges shut down Meta’s WhatsApp, the nation’s most widely used messaging app, several times in 2015 and 2016 due to the company’s refusal to comply with police requests for user data. In 2022, de Moraes threatened the messaging app Telegram with a nationwide shutdown, arguing it had repeatedly ignored Brazilian authorities’ requests to block profiles and provide information. He ordered Telegram to appoint a local representative; the company ultimately complied and stayed online.

X and its former incarnation, Twitter, have been banned in several countries — mostly authoritarian regimes such as Russia, China, Iran, Myanmar, North Korea, Venezuela and Turkmenistan. Other countries, such as Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt, have also temporarily suspended X before, usually to quell dissent and unrest. Twitter was banned in Egypt after the Arab Spring uprisings, which some dubbed the “Twitter revolution,” but it has since been restored.

A search Friday on X showed hundreds of Brazilian users inquiring about VPNs that could potentially enable them to continue using the platform by making it appear they were logging on from outside the country. It was not immediately clear how Brazilian authorities would police this practice and impose fines cited by de Moraes.

“This is an unusual measure, but its main objective is to ensure that the court order to suspend the platform's operation is, in fact, effective," Filipe Medon, a specialist in digital law and professor at the law school of Getulio Vargas Foundation, a university in Rio de Janeiro, told The Associated Press.

Mariana de Souza Alves Lima, known by her handle MariMoon, showed her 1.4 million followers on X where she intends to go, posting a screenshot of rival social network BlueSky.

On Thursday evening, Starlink, said on X that de Moraes this week froze its finances, preventing it from doing any transactions in the country where it has more than 250,000 customers.

“This order is based on an unfounded determination that Starlink should be responsible for the fines levied—unconstitutionally—against X. It was issued in secret and without affording Starlink any of the due process of law guaranteed by the Constitution of Brazil. We intend to address the matter legally,” Starlink said in its statement. The law firm representing Starlink told the AP that the company appealed, but wouldn’t make further comment.

Musk replied to people sharing the reports of the freeze, adding insults directed at de Moraes. “This guy @Alexandre is an outright criminal of the worst kind, masquerading as a judge,” he wrote.

Musk later posted on X that SpaceX, which runs Starlink, will provide free internet service in Brazil “until the matter is resolved” since “we cannot receive payment, but don’t want to cut anyone off.”

In his decision, de Moraes said he ordered the freezing of Starlink’s assets, as X didn't have enough money in its accounts to cover mounting fines, and reasoning that the two companies are part of the same economic group.

While ordering X’s suspension followed warnings and fines and so was appropriate, taking action against Starlink seems “highly questionable,” said Luca Belli, coordinator of the Getulio Vargas Foundation’s Technology and Society Center.

“Yes, of course, they have the same owner, Elon Musk, but it is discretionary to consider Starlink as part of the same economic group as Twitter (X). They have no connection, they have no integration,” Belli said.

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COMMENTS

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"Time blocking" is a productivity and time management technique that Elon Musk, Bill Gates, and Cal Newport use to get more done in less time. While time blocking has many benefits, doing it manually is time-consuming. Luckily, there are free apps to help streamline the process for you. Below are 12 of the best free time blocking apps ...
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1. Trello. Trello is a popular project management tool that also has time blocking capabilities. With Trello, you can organize your tasks into boards and lists, and then schedule specific times for each task on a weekly basis. This feature allows you to visually plan and allocate your time effectively.
8 Website Blockers For Studying, Productivity, & Focus
2. StayFocusd. StayFocusd (now owned by Sensor Tower) is an extension available on the Google Chrome web browser. This makes installation extremely straightforward - even if you aren't tech-savvy. Pros: Many website blockers have users enter a list of specific websites (often called a "blacklist") to block for certain time periods.
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1. Install a Blocker App or Extension. Before you can block your sources of distraction online, you need to pinpoint them. That's where time management apps like FocusMe or RescueTime come in handy. They give you a detailed breakdown of your digital habits. Each day, you learn how much time you have spent on which apps, websites, and activities ...
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It's great for both personal use and team work. 3. RescueTime: Your Productivity Tracker. This software tracks how you spend time on websites and apps, and offers detailed reports so you can identify patterns and time-wasters. It also has FocusTime sessions for blocking distracting sites. 4.
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Time blocking as a time management technique was popularized by Cal Newport, author of Deep Work.Newport says he dedicates 10-20 minutes every evening to time blocking his schedule for the next day, but when you choose to block your time and create your schedule depends on what works best for you. You might create your schedule every day when you get to work, at the end of every work day for ...
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Best Time Blocking Apps. 1. The Time Flow System. Developed by the LifeHack team, The Time Flow System stands out by leveraging artificial intelligence to help users match their tasks with overarching goals. The core feature, " Focus Blocks ," allows you to allocate dedicated time slots for crucial tasks. This ensures that you don't ...
7 Time Management Apps & Extensions for Your Web Browsing
RescueTime is an application for desktop and mobile devices that tracks how much time you spend on specific websites and apps. A free membership comes with the option to set goals for how you want to spend your time, as well as weekly and quarterly reports. You can also use RescueTime to get alerts for when you've spent enough time on a certain ...
15 Best Time Management Apps and Tools (2023 Updated)
Block Distractions - When starting a task, Serene blocks websites, updates your statuses (ie. unavailable on Slack), and eliminates distractions overall. 3. Focus Enhancers - It helps you to stay focused on the task with timers, music, breaks, etc. It is an all-in-one time management tool you want in your kit. 6.
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Allows you to block time slots in your day and reserve them for the tasks; Reschedules your tasks around meetings; If you're looking to get the most out of this time management technique, here are the 10 best time blocking apps to get you started. 1. ClickUp. Format: Web, macOS, Windows, iOS, mobile app, Android, Chrome Extension
Website Blockers: 15 Best Software for 2022 (Free & Paid)
Free. 8. FocusMe. FocusMe is more than a website blocker; it's a way to retrain your brain. You set a daily work schedule, and FocusMe ensures you stick to it by blocking distractions. Over time, the app supposedly changes your brain patterns so that you're better at focusing for longer chunks of time.
The Ultimate Time Blocking Guide (+ Time Blocking Apps)
Time blocking, or calendar blocking, is a simple time management technique. Everything you need to do is define a specific time frame for a task, event, or activity and reserve that time slot in your calendar. Your main goal with time blocking is to define exactly when you'll work on a specific task, without the need to actually wrap up that ...
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FocusGuard
Overview. Free website blocker for enhanced productivity. Custom blocklist and password protection. Stay focused, and block distractions. If you want some time to browse online but hope to avoid a full-blown internet spiral, a site blocker might be perfect for you. Set a time limit for distracting sites. When you reach the limit, a block goes ...
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Wrike — Helps with time management and should appeal to fans of Agile methodologies. Clockify — Free time management tool for those on a budget. TickTick — Cool app that integrates tried-and ...
Time Blocking
Time blocking is a time management method where you divide your day into blocks of time. Each block is dedicated to a specific task or group of tasks. For example, you might block out 9 am to 10 am for checking and responding to emails, 10 am to 12 pm for working on a specific project, and 1 pm to 2 pm to have lunch at that new Thai restaurant.
Time Management App
Clockify is a completely free time management app that works in a browser and lets you track how much time you spend on different activities. Clockify helps you stay productive by: Tracking your activity across apps and web pages. Alerting you when it detects idleness. Reminding you to take a break using the Pomodoro technique.
Master Time Blocking to Supercharge Your Productivity and Scheduling
Transform your disorganized schedule into a structured and efficient routine. Time blocking offers this capability. A mere 5% of people with calendar apps utilize this effective technique. Now's your chance to become part of this select group and master time blocking.. Time blocking involves splitting your day into planned segments for different activities.
Time Blocking 101: What it is, How to Implement, and What to Avoid
Source ‍ This approach laid the groundwork for a future time management technique called time blocking. In his book "Deep Work: Rules for Focused Success in a Distracted World," Newport popularized the concept of time blocking as a way to maximize productivity and achieve deep focus.He wrote: "A 40 hour time-blocked work week, I estimate, produces the same amount of output as a 60+ hour work ...
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Time management features. Track productivity, attendance, and billable hours with a simple time tracker and timesheet. Timekeeping. Timer Track work hours in real time. Timesheet Enter time in a weekly timesheet. Calendar Visually block out and manage time. Auto tracker Track apps and websites you use. Kiosk Clock in from a shared device ...
The Real Reason Brazil Is Blocking Elon Musk's X/Twitter
To block X, Brazil's telecommunications regulator, Anatel, told internet service providers to suspend users' access to the social media platform. As of Saturday at midnight local time, major ...