Founder Productivity

Time-Blocking Is a Lie (Do This Instead)

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You’ve seen it a hundred times.

The productivity gurus preach time-blocking like gospel: schedule every hour, color-code your calendar, and never miss a block.

But here’s the thing no one tells you: time-blocking rarely works for founders.

Why? Because your day isn’t predictable. Clients shift. Investors call. Fires pop up. And your beautifully blocked schedule? Useless by 10am.

So let’s do it differently. Let’s build a system that works in real life.

The Problem with Time-Blocking

Time-blocking assumes:

  • You know exactly what each hour will hold
  • Your energy stays constant
  • Your team, clients, and calendar will all play nice

That’s not how founder life works.

So instead of stacking hours like a Jenga tower (only to watch it fall), we use a more flexible model.

The Better Approach: Time-Theming + Task Batching

Instead of blocking your day to the minute, theme your time by focus and batch your work by energy.

Here’s how it works:

Step 1: Theme Your Week (Not Your Hours)

Assign each day a focus, like:

  • Monday = Strategy
  • Tuesday = Team
  • Wednesday = Client Delivery
  • Thursday = Sales / Growth
  • Friday = Reflection + Ops

This gives your week a rhythm—without locking you into unrealistic blocks.

Step 2: Batch Work by Type

Group tasks into 3 core modes:

  • Creative: Writing, thinking, problem-solving
  • Collaborative: Meetings, client calls, team syncs
  • Admin: Email, approvals, scheduling, cleanup

Then block your day loosely:

  • Mornings = Creative
  • Afternoons = Collaborative
  • End of day = Admin

Now your calendar breathes—but still has shape.

Step 3: Work in Flex Windows

Instead of rigid blocks, use “flex windows”:

  • 90-minute sprints with no meetings
  • 60-minute deep work zones
  • 15-minute resets between modes

Flex windows allow focus without guilt. If something interrupts, you shift—not unravel.

Step 4: Anchor Your Day with 3 Non-Negotiables

Every morning, write down:

  • One thing you must ship
  • One conversation that must happen
  • One thing you’ll improve or reflect on

That’s it. Three anchors that define progress—regardless of what the day throws at you.

What to Do This Week

  • Cancel your overly blocked calendar
  • Choose one focus theme per day
  • Organize your to-dos into Creative / Collaborative / Admin
  • Block 3 flex windows per day—morning, midday, late
  • Identify your 3 non-negotiables every morning

This isn’t about being looser—it’s about being smarter.

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Stay focused. Stay productive. Keep building.
 —Bill

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