Time blocking can feel like a trap
Have you ever blocked out your calendar and felt proud of it? I have. It looks neat. It looks planned. It looks like a perfect day.
But then real life shows up.
A meeting gets moved. A call comes in. Someone needs help right now. And suddenly, that “perfect” day is not perfect anymore. Now I’m shifting blocks around like a game. I move one task, and it bumps another task. Then that bumps something else. Before I know it, I’ve spent more time fixing my calendar than doing real work.
Time blocking is not a bad idea. In fact, I like the idea behind it. When you schedule something, you are more likely to do it. It’s like a doctor appointment. You show up because it has a time and a place.
But the problem is this: most tasks are not doctor appointments.
If I block “Review next year’s budget” at 10:00 a.m., do I really need to do it at 10:00 a.m.? Not always. If a meeting pops up at 10:00 a.m., I tell myself, “No big deal, I’ll just move it.” That’s when the trouble starts.
So if you’ve been time blocking and still feel stressed, you are not broken. Your calendar method might be the problem.
The hidden cost of “calendar Tetris”
Here’s what time blocking often creates:
- More shifting than doing
- More planning than progress
- More stress than clarity
It also creates a weird kind of guilt. You look at your calendar and see all those blocks. You feel like you “should” be doing them at the exact times you picked. But you also know those times are not set in stone.
So you end up in a constant fight:
- “I planned this.”
- “But the day changed.”
- “Now I have to fix it.”
That’s how calendar Tetris begins.
And if you run a business, it can be even worse. Your day is full of moving pieces. Clients. Team messages. Fires to put out. If your calendar system breaks the moment something changes, it’s not helping you. It’s adding pressure.
I want a system that survives real life.
The simple system I use instead
Instead of blocking tasks into specific hours, I use something most people ignore: the all-day event area.
Most people use all-day events for things like holidays, vacations, or birthdays. That’s normal.
But I use all-day events for my most important tasks.
This one change can make your calendar feel calmer. It can also make you feel more in control. Because the question stops being, “What am I doing at 10:00?” and becomes, “What do I need to finish today?”
That’s a better question.
And it’s a better way to work.
Why all-day events work so well
When I place tasks as all-day events, a few great things happen.
First, they don’t disappear.
If I scroll up and down my day, the all-day tasks stay at the top. They are always in view. They are hard to ignore.
With time blocking, a task is stuck in one time slot. If I scroll, I might not even see it. Or it can get pushed around by meetings. But all-day events stay put.
Second, it reduces app switching.
A lot of people keep tasks in one app and their calendar in another app. That means they bounce back and forth all day. Tabs. Windows. Notifications. It’s exhausting.
When your tasks live inside your calendar, you don’t have to jump somewhere else just to remember what matters.
Third, it helps you see the whole week.
I like looking at my week view. When my tasks are all-day events, I can see how they fit beside meetings and deadlines. That helps me make better choices.
What I put in my all-day event list
I put my “must do” tasks there. The tasks that move the needle.
In the transcript example, I add things like:
- “Write this week’s newsletter”
- “Email the team about the weekend party”
These are not meetings. They are not fixed appointments. They are tasks.
Some are big. Some are small. The duration doesn’t matter. What matters is that they belong to that day.
That’s it.
How to set this up in your calendar
You can do this in Google Calendar, Outlook, or almost any calendar app. The steps are similar.
- Click in the all-day area
- Type the task name
- Save it as an all-day event
Now it sits at the top of that day.
If you want to take it further, you can create a separate calendar just for tasks. That way you can toggle it on and off. You can also color it differently so tasks look different from meetings.
For example:
- Red for email tasks
- Blue for writing tasks
- Another color for finance tasks
This makes your week easier to scan.
The magic move: drag and drop
Here’s the part I love.
If I need to move a task, I don’t have to rebuild my day. I don’t have to shove blocks around for 20 minutes.
I just drag the all-day task to a different day.
That’s it.
So if the newsletter goes out Thursday, I might drag “Write this week’s newsletter” to Wednesday.
And when I do that, I can instantly see if I’m pushing it too close to the deadline. If I drag it to Thursday morning, I might realize that is risky. Now I’m cutting it too close.
This is what I mean by a system that survives real life. It flexes without collapsing.
Why this beats a normal task manager
I’m not here to attack task apps. Some are great.
But for many business owners, the real problem is overload. Too many apps. Too many places to check. Too many “systems” that don’t talk to each other.
If your calendar is already the place you look all day, why not put your key tasks there too?
This method also solves a common problem: tasks that don’t match reality.
In a task manager, a due date can feel disconnected. You might set “Email the team” for Friday and forget that Friday is too late. But in your calendar, you can see Friday beside the actual event, the actual meetings, and the actual week.
That context matters.
Use the description field like a mini project hub
This is one of the most underused parts of the whole system.
Every calendar event has a description area. In most apps, you can:
- Add bullet points
- Add links
- Attach files
- Write notes
- Keep updates over time
So if “Write this week’s newsletter” is not just one step, I can list the sub-tasks right inside the event.
For example, inside the description, I might write:
- Pick the main topic
- Add 3 tips
- Link to last week’s video
- Draft the email
- Proofread
- Schedule send
Now my calendar stays clean, but the details are waiting when I click the task.
I also use the description area for follow-up notes. If I emailed someone last week and I’m waiting for an answer, I can keep a short log:
- Sent email Monday
- Followed up Thursday
- Heard back Friday, needs changes
That way, I don’t have to dig through my inbox to remember what happened.
What a calm week can look like
When you use all-day events for tasks, your schedule can breathe.
Your meetings still have times. That’s perfect. Meetings often need a set time.
But your tasks stop fighting for space in the hourly grid.
You wake up, look at the all-day area, and you know what matters today.
If a surprise meeting appears, your day does not explode. You still have your task list. You can choose where to fit it in. Morning. Afternoon. Between calls. Or maybe you drag it to tomorrow.
You are in control again.
And that control helps you feel less overwhelmed.
That matters more than a perfect calendar.
A simple way to start today
If you want to try this system, don’t overthink it. Start small.
Today, pick three tasks you want done.
- One important task
- Two smaller tasks
Add them as all-day events for today.
Then work through them in any order that makes sense.
If one doesn’t get done, drag it to tomorrow. Do not punish yourself. Just move it.
After one week, you’ll notice something: you spent less time “managing” your schedule.
And you got more done.
Common mistakes to avoid
Here are a few traps I see:
1) Putting everything in all-day events
If you add 25 tasks, you will ignore them. Keep it focused. Put your key tasks there.
2) Forgetting the week view
This system becomes even better when you look at your week. That’s where you can see deadlines and spacing.
3) Not using colors or categories
You don’t have to color-code, but it can make scanning easier, especially if you manage a business and wear many hats.
4) Treating tasks like fixed appointments
Remember: the goal is flexibility. The task is tied to the day, not the hour.
Why business owners love this approach
If you’re a business owner, you have two big needs:
- You need a clear list of what matters
- You need a plan that can change fast
Time blocking can fight both needs. It can create a plan that looks strong but breaks easily.
All-day task events give you structure without being fragile.
They also cut down the mental load. You’re not asking, “Where do I put this block?” You’re asking, “Is this a priority today?” That’s a better leadership question.
When you have a simple system, you protect your time. You protect your focus. And you protect your energy.
That’s how you build momentum.
My final encouragement
If your calendar has been stressing you out, try using all-day events for your key tasks.
It’s simple.
It’s fast.
And it works with tools you already use.
Your calendar can feel calmer. You can stop playing Tetris with your day. And you can start feeling in control again.
