In my previous post, I discussed the daily task checklist as a tool for organizing freelancer schedules. In this post, I’ll take a look at the pros and cons of time blocking with Google Calendar.
At the end, I’ll provide a brief conclusion about both systems. Then, you’ll get my final verdict based on this way super-duper deep and exciting examination!
Quick heads-up:
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PRO
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
You can allocate time to different-size tasks.
When you are time blocking with Google Calendar, you set aside time for a specific task or project at a specific time of day and focus only on that during that time slot.
If the task takes several hours, you can allocate time, say 9:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., then take lunch, answer emails, and complete some other task that also needs to be done that day (also time blocked), and then carry on with the original task from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.
CON
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
You have to be able to identify how long a task will take.
It can be difficult to determine how long a task will take, and it can be challenging to figure out how to complete other tasks around it that also need to be done that day.
Solution?
Keep track of how long tasks take you using a spreadsheet or other tracking medium you prefer. I use Microsoft Excel* to log my start and end times and then note what project I worked on. Over time, I’ve built up a record of how long different types of tasks take me. And I use that to determine my time blocks for each task.
*To learn more about my tracking system, check out my course “Complete Time Management for Freelancers” on Udemy and LearnDesk.
PRO
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
You can schedule priorities according to your daily rhythms.
When you’re time blocking, you can schedule your most important tasks and most demanding tasks strategically throughout the day. For example, I know that I do my best copyediting and writing work in the mornings, so I block off that time of day for those types of tasks.
However, I also have to balance deadlines, so sometimes I have to compromise a little and maybe push some writing to the early afternoon if a client is waiting on a design project first thing.
CON
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
It can be hard to identify high and low priorities.
With so much on your plate, that ever-growing list can be overwhelming. Which one is the most important, the most urgent, or both? For example:
- Your most demanding client needs you to turn in a couple mockups by noon.
- Your dog is barking and needs to go out.
- Your tooth is throbbing and you need to make time for an urgent dental appointment.
- You still haven’t been able to get started on building your new website.
Solution?
Take time to think about what’s really important. I’d recommend reading Stephen Covey’s The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. In it, Covey provides sage advice on how to identify what’s important, urgent, not important, and not urgent.
The key is to work toward living most of your life in the quadrant of “important and not urgent.” Once you’ve done that, you can handle whenever those “important and urgent” things arise. As you start time blocking with Google Calendar, you’ll find that the more you time block, the more seamless identifying priorities will become.
PRO
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
You can plan out your day carefully and precisely.
When you’re time blocking with Google Calendar, you can plan out your day and even your week down to the half hour or even the quarter hour. You can feel assured that what you’ve set out to do that week has its place and will get done.
And if tasks end up taking longer than anticipated or deadlines shift, you can easily just move those blocks around, especially if you’re using an online calendar. Just drag and drop!
CON
Time Blocking with Google Calendar
You have constant interruptions that disrupt your carefully planned schedule.
Unfortunately, interruptions will strike eventually, and sometimes they can be substantial. And maybe that’s even just the nature of your type of freelance gigs.
You can have good intentions, set up all your tasks when time blocking with Google calendar, and know exactly how long each will take you … Then a client calls you to discuss some urgent issue for what was supposed to be 5 minutes that turned into 2 hours.
Solution?
Consider a combination of time blocking with Google Calendar and daily task checklist! Use time blocking for meetings and non-negotiable tasks or make time blocks flexible.
If your clients are less active in the mornings, plan your most demanding tasks for that time. Then leave the afternoon free for less urgent and less demanding tasks that are laid out on an organized, prioritized to-do list. You can use a combination of Google Keep checklists and Google Tasks or some other app or web-based tool.
Conclusion
In sum, and in my determination to prove that time blocking with Google Calendar is the best system, I somehow managed to state that both are pretty great. And used in conjunction, they are a force to be reckoned with.
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To learn more about how to manage your time and priorities effectively, check out my online course. In “Complete Time Management for Freelancers” you’ll learn to identify priorities, organize them, and get them done. In addition, you’ll learn to keep focused and maintain good habits. Your enrollment includes access to resources like the time tracker I mentioned above, worksheets, and book recommendations. The course is available on Udemy and LearnDesk.
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