Blocking Time without Overkill, Keeping to Schedule

[Barry Graham]

I wonder whether this is a valid implementation of GTD. I reserve time every day for repetitive tasks that need to be done, such as E-mail. I block 30 minutes for To-Dos. Then when I have things then come up that need to be done, I schedule time for them in the next available slot, which usually is around a week away. Is this a recommended approach?

If so, can anyone suggest ways to avoid getting behind? Very often the e-mail takes longer than expected. More often than not, tasks that I planned take longer and I end up having to move them and often move them again (and again). I try to leave gaps between the scheduled times but usually there isn't enough spare hours to do that!

The other thing is that it's easy this way to get bogged down in admin and not spend enough time developing business.

I'm just looking for people that have done things similarly to me that have come up with better approaches.

 

[WebMarketer]

If you have tasks that take you longer to finish or you keep pushing them off, perhaps these time-consuming tasks are really not tasks but projects that need multiple actions to complete. Can these be broken down further into more specific next actions? More thinking and panning might be required around these items to help you move forward.

Also, is a lack of time the only issue? It could also be that you have some resistance in doing these tasks if you find yourself putting them off on a regular basis. I know in my case when I put off doing certain things it's sometimes because I don't feel like doing them. Just a thought.

 

[Longstreet]

Time blocking is an excellent approach. I now time block every hour of my day. Does it change sometimes? Of course. It is easy to modify. But it is all about intentionality. Planning your days, weeks, and months, etc. is essential if you want to focus on the things that really matter.

 

[Mark R]

Time blocking is an excellent approach. I now time block every hour of my day. Does it change sometimes? Of course. It is easy to modify. But it is all about intentionality. Planning your days, weeks, and months, etc. is essential if you want to focus on the things that really matter.

David
How far in advance do you time block your days?

 

[Longstreet]

David
How far in advance do you time block your days?

I do weekly planning with the realization that the later days of the week may change. I plan daily first thing in the morning where I plan every hour of my day. I also do monthly, quarterly, and annual planning.

 

[Longstreet]

Do keep in mind that I follow the principles of GTD overall. Even though I like to time block, I sill decide in the moment if what I have planned is the best thing for me to do at that point in time. I maintain project lists, next actions lists by context, waiting for, someday/maybe, etc. I also do weekly reviews. I just like having a bit more structure in my days -- preplanned if you will. Cheers!

 

[Mark R]

Do keep in mind that I follow the principles of GTD overall. Even though I like to time block, I sill decide in the moment if what I have planned is the best thing for me to do at that point in time. I maintain project lists, next actions lists by context, waiting for, someday/maybe, etc. I also do weekly reviews. I just like having a bit more structure in my days -- preplanned if you will. Cheers!

Thanks very much for taking the time to reply. Very interesting.