4 Steps to Using Time Blocking to Reduce Overwhelm and Increase Productivity

Discover how time blocking can help reduce overwhelm and boost productivity in your subscription box business with 4 simple steps.

Are you so busy putting out fires that you’re not truly running your subscription box business? Are you “busy” all day, but feel like you’re not getting anything done? 

Does your to-do list keep getting longer because you add things to it faster than you can cross them off? 

I get it. 

Feeling behind weighs heavily on you. It’s mentally draining. 

And constantly being behind keeps you from getting the most important things done - the things that will move your subscription box business forward. 

There’s no easy solution to having too much to do. But I’ve found a strategy that helps me. Time blocking. 

What is time blocking? 

It’s a productivity strategy where you divide your day into specific blocks of time, each dedicated to a particular task or group of tasks. Instead of multitasking or jumping from one thing to another, you focus on one activity during each time block. The result? Fewer distractions and more getting stuff done! 

The goal is to get to the point where you’re not just keeping up, but working ahead. 

How can you put time blocking to work for you and your business? 

Follow these 4 steps to help you get ahead and feel in control. 

1. Identify your workload. 

Big projects, to-do list tasks, family obligations, self-care. Our days, weeks, and months are full to the brim with have-to-dos, need-to-dos, and don’t-forgets. 

Look at your month and identify recurring tasks or appointments and how much time they take. Capture everything. 

It’s important not to just make a list of tasks you need to do, but also the time it takes to complete each task and how often it needs to get done. 

This will open your eyes to how much you are actually doing. 

When I did this exercise and shared the results with my Director of Operations, she told me it wasn’t possible for one person to do all of that in one month. 

That explained two things – my feelings of overwhelm and the fact that I couldn’t seem to get caught up. 

Take a good look at that list and analyze: 

• How long those tasks take. 
• Where you’re spending most of your time. 
• Whether each task on your list is necessary. 

Then ask yourself what are some things you should already be doing that haven’t made it onto the list yet. Write those down, too. 

Prioritize your workload.

What are the most important things you do each month? 

Put together a to-do list identifying: 

• Revenue-generating activities. 
• Content-driven activities. 
• Things you’re falling behind on.

As a subscription box business owner, marketing is your #1 job. 

Revenue-generating and content-driven activities are the things that drive our businesses. It’s easy to push them to the side when you’re fighting fires and constantly switching gears. But it’s exactly those activities that need to be the priority. 

Listen to this episode of the Launch Your Box podcast for more on staying focused on revenue-generating activities. 

2. Look at your calendar. 

Paper planner, electronic calendar, Google calendar… I’ve used them all. Use whichever works best for you. I settled on a Google calendar because I can see it and add to it from anywhere. I need that flexibility because I work from the Warehouse 3 days a week, my home office 2 days a week, and travel a lot. 

Look at your month and start by getting all your personal obligations and appointments on there. Doctor appointments, kids’ sports practices and games, orthodontist appointments, vacations, lunch with friends,etc. 

Before you start adding tasks to the available space, take time to think about when you do your best work. 

Are you like me and do your best work first thing in the morning? Or are you a night owl and find yourself most productive and creative in the evening? 

I know that my brain is spent by about 2:00 in the afternoon. So any tasks that require a heavy mental load need to be scheduled as early in the day as possible! 

I save easy tasks like taking product pictures or doing reels for later in the day. Things that don’t take much time and feel almost automatic. 

I also try not to schedule things on Fridays. I save those days to catch up on anything I didn’t get done during the week. Because I’m realistic and know that things happen and not everything will go according to plan. 

3. Establish time blocks. 

Now that you have identified where you have space on your calendar and your most focused and productive times of the day, it’s time to establish your time blocks. 

Assign tasks – starting with those revenue-generating and content-driven tasks that are most important – to those time blocks. 

And when it’s time to sit down and get to work? 

Remove distractions! 

Make sure that time you’ve set aside to complete tasks and projects that are important to the success of your business. 

• Close your door. 
• Put your phone away – and turn off notifications. 
• Set a timer. 

4. Be realistic and flexible. 

When you look at your calendar and see “empty” spaces, it can be tempting to fill all of them with tasks and projects that need to get done. 

Don’t do that! 

If you fill every minute of your time blocks with to-dos, you leave no room for anything else. You know things will come up. Problems that need to be solved. Sick kids, sick dogs, flat tires. Things happen. Build in breaks and buffers. 

Time blocking has made a big difference in my business. I feel less stressed and overwhelmed. Projects and daily tasks are scheduled out with (usually) reasonable timelines. My focus is more firmly on those tasks that I need to do. The ones that generate revenue and drive content. 

Try putting time blocking to work in your business. Once you take the time to work through these four steps, you’ll be amazed at how much more in control you feel… of your time and your to-do list.