Why Calendar Blocking Doesn't Work For Me

Calendar Blocking is an awesome technique, but it simply doesn't work for me and here's why. If it doesn't work for you either, you're not alone! It's ok, we can find other productivity techniques ;)

Please let me know if you have any ideas/comments! ✨👩‍💻

Join the Stereotype Breakers Community for Women in STEM:

Follow us on Social Media:

[carosare]

I feel seen!
What really annoyed me when I tried is that I spent more time “organizing” the blocks than in respecting them. I felt stressed about taking time off because it felt lika task to be done instead of what it was(relaxation moment) and it simply was easy to mess up.(I was 1 and a half hours late to a class because google calendar was in another timezone! And I did a big mess at my job when scheduling a meeting on teams for that same reason)

[osully]

I can relate. I used calendar blocking for my final year at university as I thought it would blast me away... in fact it just left me overwhelmed. The perfectionist in side of me would spend hours rearranging the calendar trying to get it right instead of actually starting the tasks. I am glad I stuck out and used it for a year as I developed good discipline and time keeping skills which made me super productive. Since graduating I've stopped time blocking and now I use a bullet journal to plan out my week using a daily to do list. Since making this change (which many would see as backwards) I am just as productive, feel a lot happier and more motivated with a sense of control as I'll listen to my body and know if I need a break, have a break and get back to it... I'm not a machine and why would I want to be, being a human is pretty awesome experience!

[swedysweden]

You literally couldn't have been any more accurately describing what I'm going through! I was so expecting there to be something immediately after showing what does work for you but I just found your productivity playlist and will watch all of them over the next few days. Thanks so much for making these videos. I'm assuming that you have the same type of brain as me (ADHD) and there are not many good videos about this stuff for ADHD brains.

[d.rrel_]

i found my people 😭😭😭 even after successfully using a calendar for months now, I realize that I only really find 50% of the things I put there to be actually useful. the rest just subconsciously stresses me out and takes up mental space!

[carlesmatamasip]

You're not alone! I'm in exactly the same same situation! And feel your pain 😂😂 a lot of people / blogs / whatever recommend calendar blocking, and sure it works for them! But as a software developer, it's nearly impossible to know how much a task will take me, specially if I'm trying to fix a bug. And there's always coworkers needing help or asking questions, and all the calendar planning is broken and everyday it feels like a failure because you didn't respect the schedule. So.. Let us use the calendar just to book meetings and reminders please 😂

[danicabozin]

I feel the same, my anxiety goes through the roof if I put too many things on my calendar. Scheduling breaks is also a thing that stresses me out, so it doesn't work for me either. That said, I do use my calendar often, I schedule important events and dates and use it to remember date specific things. I also use reminders for specific times etc., just not full calendar blocking :D

[mimino_codingbee]

Oh my god! I resonate with your every point Masha! I would just feel heavy Everyday looking at calendar-blocks! 😭

[Lucas_Gamaleri]

I knew I wasn't alone! I didn't have a term such as "calendar blocking" for this. But calendar block sucks!

Not only because I suck at estimating how much time will a task take, but also I kind of over estimate how much time I will be able to work without a break. And I turn myself into a slave to complete block after block!
Every time I tried calendar blocking, I had to quit because I was about to burnout

[mrshadenoughofallthis]

The lack of flexibility is why it doesn’t work for me. I have told management issues due to Dyspraxia and time blocking somehow makes it worse.

[arishiasol]

Agreed with this.

In the end life is too chaotic and reorganizing time blocks every single time is not only stressful, but it itself takes so much time.

In the end we should be only focusing on one thing at a time anyway, which is why I resorted back to todo lists and organizing by priority. The further down something is, the more it is ok to postpone if needed, and only focusing on what's on top, and letting it take as much time as it needs.

This system is way more flexible, just as life is.

[OlgaPogozheva]

Sometimes it's not about mis-estimating it, but because of unexpected things that would arise while going through your tasks. Say, I'm doing video editing, and then some unexpected issue happens within my company (I co-own an IT outsourcing team). So I really need to drop everything and rush to save the day. Or I'm managing my company and then I remember that kids' homework is not done. You have to adjust all the time! That said, calendar blocking doesn't work for me either :) I'm just putting everything I need to do for the day into my daily planner/notebook (work and home related), and just try to make them all happen, at whatever time slots I have. Sometimes I finish working tasks while waiting for the kids from their afteerschool activities. :)) sooo... with my crazy schedule? not an option for me, either!..

[coderbdev]

I agree on every single point on this. I would never do calendar blocking. I am productive enough without it.

[missclairebaker]

Thank you. I agree with you, calendar blocking has never worked for me.

[surajramkumar]

What's your opinion on people blocking calendar to avoid meetings and avoid work?

[AubreySalokaN]

My inability to properly estimate how long a task will take is the number one reason I struggle to keep up with my to-do list and cannot use calendar blocking. What do you do instead to keep organized and ahead of schedule?

[CognitiveSurge]

I block time out at work, yet people still book me into meetings 🤦‍♂️

[realman]

Calendar blocking stresses me out.
Now what method should i use to organize and structure my day? Pls help

[lorimast]

I agree with you, it doesn't work for me either.

[teresaambrosio]

This is an atomic bomb video. I never used time blockers. I think with my fast-paced research job and science being a lot like creativity I would work. Being Spontaneous is key

[amitojsingh]

Has Youtube shadow banned you or something? 421 views in 3 days?