Okay, I know the title sounds complicated, but listen to me: this is the simplest “plan your day with me” post you will ever come across. I will explain it to you like you are five years old, and I say this with the best intentions ever.
I experiment with and use different planning techniques almost daily. Today, I will share one of them with you.
I plan my days based on my energy level. Some days, I am on top of the world, ready to tackle everything that comes my way, and I fly through my tasks with envious speed.
And then there are the days when I feel like a slug, barely scrolling around, trying to stay conscious and function normally. I am distracted and have no idea what to do next (or even first).
For days like that, when I am unsure how to approach a day, I like to combine time blocking with color-coding.
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What is Time Blocking?
Time Blocking is whatever you would expect it to be: blocking chunks of time throughout the day for doing different tasks. These time blocks can depend on different criteria such as “at home” block, “getting kids ready for school” block, “daily meetings” block, and more.
How I Time Block My Day
One of my favorite and most productive ways to block time is by “energy level”.
I separate my day into three different blocks. That’s what works for me. Each block depends on my energy level for the day.
Block 1: High-energy level: the first third of the day for my most demanding and brainpower-draining tasks. These tasks ask for my full attention and are usually really important (such as writing a post like this one).
Block 2: Medium-energy level: Here, I would fit important tasks that aren’t as exhausting as the morning tasks. These tasks include content planning, writing emails to subscribers, editing posts, listing products for my Etsy shops, and more.
Block 3: Low-energy level: Yes, you got it correctly! My low-energy tasks go in here. Boring admin stuff, taking photos of my books (for my online book shop), social media, editing videos, and creative wandering fit into this block of time.
What is Color Coding
In this case, color coding would involve assigning a different color to each energy level. Using colors in my planner helps me visualize things and makes it easy to prioritize and plan the day.
EXACTLY How I Plan My Day
Yes, I am going for this, explaining it to the smallest detail. I know, I would prefer it this way. But first, here’s the TikTok video I made a few days ago, showing the process. Then, I will outline the steps as well.
Step 1: I grab my planner and open it on a blank page (you can also use my daily planner page, this one here, click);
Step 2: On the left side of the page, I list all the tasks I need to complete today. There is no particular order; I just unload everything that crosses my mind.
Step 3: On the right side of the page, I create my time blocks: three in total. Each block can be as lengthy as I wish. Those are my energy blocks. Your energy levels can be different from mine. My energy is at its highest in the morning; yours could be mid-day or even evening.
For example, I divide my work day into three blocks: 6 a.m. to 9 a.m., 12:30 p.m. to 3 p.m., and 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.
Step 4: I assign a color to each block and color it. Yes, I have three blocks of time colored in three different colors.
Step 5: I go back to my task list and grab my “high-energy level” color. Then, I outline every task that requires lots of brainpower and energy from me.
Step 6: I grab my “medium-energy level” color and outline the easier but still important tasks.
Step 7: You got the point. I do the same with the “low-energy level” tasks.
Step 8: I write all my high-energy level tasks into the high-energy level time block.
Step 9: I repeat the same with the other two time blocks. By the end of it, each task has an assigned spot in the time blocks.
Step 10: I follow through and don’t mix tasks together just because I have time for them. Doing so will distract me and drain my energy.
Additional Tips on Planning Your Day
- Be clear about what high-energy tasks and low-energy tasks mean to you.
- Be mindful of when your energy spikes (not when you wish it would spike, but when it actually spikes).
- Don’t overwhelm yourself when it’s a high-energy time block. Be realistic about what you can get done in the allotted time.
- Give it a go for a few days before giving up on the process: Bringing structure to a chaotic day would feel oddly… more chaotic. But that’s expected. Just follow through and trust the process.
Blogger, dreamer, procrastinator, and lover of everything soul-touching. My mission is to make you laugh, provoke your thoughts, light up your day and inspire you to fall in love with life and yourself.